What we will learn in this elective class:

Our main resource for this course is Code.org's Computer Science Discoveries curriculum. Challenges may change based on student interests and learning styles, but we will focus on problem solving and basic computing. 

Chapter 1: The Problem Solving Process

This chapter guides students to develop and adopt a more formal structured problem solving process by reflecting on problems they have problems they have encountered, both in the classroom and everyday life. By working through a diverse set of problems, such as logic puzzles, engineering challenges, and planning a trip, students learn to identify different classes of problems, decompose large problems, and develop their personal problem solving skills.

Lessons and Challenges

• Paper Tower Challenge - Students work in groups to design paper towers that can stand as high as possible.

• The Problem Solving Process -  Anchors the formal problem solving process students will use throughout the course in some real-life experiences they already have solving problems.

• Exploring Problem Solving - Provides students with more practice with the problem solving process in a variety of contexts: word search; b-day party seating; classroom redesign.

Chapter 2: Computers and Problem Solving

This chapter presents computers as machines that solve information problems. Students begin by building a common definition for a computer that focuses on functionality instead of specific hardware. They then explore the ways that computers approach problems. For their final project, students propose an app that could be used to solve a problem of their choosing.

Lessons and Challenges

• What is a Computer? - Builds on the problem solving theme of the earlier lessons and focuses on the specifics of how computing is used in problem solving. In this lesson, students will consider different types of computers and that these computers use information as part of the problem solving process.

• Input & Output - Introduces input and output as one of these features and has students identify different methods of input or output in common apps.

• Processing - Introduces the concept of processing within computational problem solving.

• Storage - Students look at types of input that may be needed to solve a particular problem and describe the processing and storage that a computer would do to produce the desired output.

• Project: Propose an App -  Ties concepts together into a broader goal of identifying real world problems and finding ways to use technology to help solve them. Students collaborate in the creation of their app and also take part in a structured peer review process

*Coursework is from code.org’s CS Discoveries Program: https://code.org/educate/csd