Computing Systems

What Is a Computer?: Computer Hardware_K

Students will read about computer hardware on PebbleGo and in the book Hello Ruby: Journey Inside the Computer to learn about computer hardware and how they work. Then, they will use Hello Ruby resources to build their own computer.

This Bridge Will Not Be Gray: Algorithms and Debugging_1st-5th 

After reading This Bridge Will Not Be Gray, students will work in teams to design a bridge out of paper. After designing, testing and debugging their bridge, students will write an algorithm to teach others how to build their design. 

How Computers Work Part 1: Hardware_2

In this multi-day lesson, students read books that depict how computers and devices are used within our daily lives. Then, they learn about the hardware and software that help computers work before building a model of a computer.

How Computers Work Part 2: Hardware_2

Students research prominent figures in computing, such as Alan Turing and Katherine Johnson, and discuss how their work impacted our daily use of devices today.

Docs vs Slides (File Formats): Computing Systems_3-5 

After reading a story about the differences between doing things by hand or using technology tools, students will learn how to utilize Google Docs and Google Slides. After exploration, they will discuss the pros and cons of each, as well as create a book review in one of the file types for practice.