F - 2 Digital Technologies

Resources and Lesson ideas

See Digital Technologies Hub for their scope and sequence of suggested units to support this band.

Resources to support Content Descriptions

(ACTDIK001) Recognise and explore digital systems (hardware and software components) for a purpose


(ACTDIK002) Recognise and explore patterns in data and represent data as pictures, symbols and diagrams


(ACTDIP003) Collect, explore and sort data, and use digital systems to present the data creatively


(ACTDIP004) Follow, describe and represent a sequence of steps and decisions (algorithms) needed to solve simple problems

  • Algorithms (Digital Technologies Hub)
  • Scootle resources
  • If-Then Backyard Coding Game
  • Programming - introductory robotics - Beebots
  • Buzzing with Beebots (Digital Technologies Hub) - In this lesson, students follow and describe a series of steps to program a floor robot. Plan a route to program a robot to follow a path and write a sequence of steps (algorithm).
  • Creating Digital Solutions (Digipubs - Victorian Department of Education)
  • Visual Programming (Digital Technologies Hub)
  • Planting Fruit and Vegetables (Digital Technologies Hub) - This sequence integrates science as students grow a plant from seed, capture each step and decision as an algorithmic process and record data for future learning.
  • Sequencing events in time - In My Day and Stan's story - oral history lesson plans (Teaching Teachers for the Future)
  • BBC Computer Science Classroom Resources - A comprehensive set of contextualised learning guides and classroom resources explicitly linked and constructed around the UK curriculum. Equivalent resources exist for the Design & Technology space.
  • Computational Thinking (Digital Technologies Hub)
  • Design Thinking (Digital Technologies Hub)
  • ABC Splash educational curated resources for students and teachers.Resources are provided across a range of areas, and mapped to the Australian curriculum. Resources are collected from a range of existing sites, along with the generation of new resources.
  • Code.Org resource site for exploring computational thinking and programming within K-12 and the broader community. Resources provide structured courses targeted at different age groups and mapped to US curriculum standards.
  • The DLTV group have been posting some overview resources for teachers about the Digital Technologies learning area. Currently focuses on describing concepts to do with Computational Thinking (algorithms, decomposition). They also have resources about "Digital Technologies and Computational Thinking". http://diglearning.global2.vic.edu.au/2014/08/27/computational-thinking/
  • CSTA Website Curriculum Resources. "CS Principles": Computation in Action engages students in socially-relevant, project-based learning activities designed to foster computational thinking. Includes some lesson ideas for the topics: Algorithms, Data and Abstraction, Programming, The Internet and Impact.
  • CSTA Website The CSTA Computational Thinking Resource for K-12 teachers. Includes definitions, lesson examples and a "leadership" implementation document.
  • Tinkering Fundamentals (Coursera course). The Tinkering Fundamentals course helps educators and enthusiasts develop a practice of tinkering and making. The course focuses on key design elements of science-rich tinkering activities, effective facilitation strategies and environmental organisation.
  • The CSER (Uni of Adelaide) F-6 MOOC to support Digital Technologies Implementation. Covers various topics in the curriculum. Courses also available: F-6 Extended, Years 7&8 and 9-10 coming soon.
  • Edutopia curated collection of resources for teaching K-12 programming.
  • Learners may access and also share resources, with a focus on coding and computer science concepts. Targetted at both parents and teachers.
  • ScratchJr is a collaboration between the DevTech Research Group at Tufts University, the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab, and the Playful Invention Company. ScratchJr is an introductory programming language that enables young children (ages 5-7) to create their own interactive stories and games
  • ScratchEd is an online community where teachers exchange resources and share stories. It forms part of a connected set of resources, including ScratchJR targeting F-2, and Scratch, supporting 8+.
  • Google for Education - Exploring Computational Thinking. A collection of selected resources, and lesson plans, designed to explicitly support the development of computational thinking within K-12.
  • BBC Computer Science Classroom Resources - A comprehensive set of contextualised learning guides and classroom resources explicitly linked and constructed around the UK curriculum. Equivalent resources exist for the Design & Technology space.


(ACTDIP005) Explore how people safely use common information systems to meet information, communication and recreation needs

  • Systems Thinking (Digital Technologies Hub)
  • Scootle resources
  • Introduction to Information Networks (Victoria DET)
  • Creating Digital Solutions (Digipubs - Victorian Department of Education)
  • Communicating safely online (Digital Technologies Hub) - This sequence explores the nature of personal information, how data can be recorded to reflect individual identity and how students might protect their personal information.
  • CSTA Website Curriculum Resources. "CS Principles": Computation in Action engages students in socially-relevant, project-based learning activities designed to foster computational thinking. Includes some lesson ideas for the topics: Algorithms, Data and Abstraction, Programming, The Internet and Impact.
  • BBC Computer Science Classroom Resources - A comprehensive set of contextualised learning guides and classroom resources explicitly linked and constructed around the UK curriculum. Equivalent resources exist for the Design & Technology space.
  • Common Sense Education Cross-curricular activities addressing the development of digital literacy, online safety, relationships and communication.


(ACTDIP006) Create and organise ideas and information using information systems independently and with others, and share these with known people in safe online environments

  • Communicating safely online (Digital Technologies Hub) - This sequence explores the nature of personal information, how data can be recorded to reflect individual identity and how students might protect their personal information.
  • Digital Citizenship (Digital Technologies Hub)
  • Scootle resources
  • CSTA Website The CSTA Computational Thinking Resource for K-12 teachers. Includes definitions, lesson examples and a "leadership" implementation document.
  • The CSER (Uni of Adelaide) F-6 MOOC to support Digital Technologies Implementation. Covers various topics in the curriculum. Courses also available: F-6 Extended, Years 7&8 and 9-10 coming soon.
  • Teaching Ideas website, listing resources available for ICT and digital technologies. (UK based). Primarily contains resources on ICT literacy and cyber safety.
  • Common Sense Education Cross-curricular activities addressing the development of digital literacy, online safety, relationships and communication.
  • Cybersmart Australian Government Website
  • Provides resources for parents and schools relating to online privacy, ethics and security concerns, including web-based resources, and downloadable lesson plans.
  • 5 Ps for a Positive Digital Footprint Board Game
  • Thinkuknow National Crime Agency (UK) An online community education site addressing cyber safety and privacy issues.
  • Thinkuknow Australia Australian Federal Police A website for teachers parents and carers (with additional resources for high school students)
  • CSTA Website Curriculum Resources. "CS Principles": Computation in Action engages students in socially-relevant, project-based learning activities designed to foster computational thinking. Includes some lesson ideas for the topics: Algorithms, Data and Abstraction, Programming, The Internet and Impact.

Resources to support Key Concepts

(scroll down hyperlinked page to see Key Concepts explained)

Unpacking the curriculum: Ten key concepts (video)

Abstraction

  • CSTA Website - Curriculum Resources. "CS Principles": Computation in Action engages students in socially-relevant, project-based learning activities designed to foster computational thinking. Includes some lesson ideas for the topics: Algorithms, Data and Abstraction, Programming, The Internet and Impact.

Data collection, representation and interpretation

  • What is Data?
  • CSTA Website - Curriculum Resources. "CS Principles": Computation in Action engages students in socially-relevant, project-based learning activities designed to foster computational thinking. Includes some lesson ideas for the topics: Algorithms, Data and Abstraction, Programming, The Internet and Impact.

Specification, algorithms and implementation

  • Programming - introductory robotics - Beebots
  • CSTA Website - Curriculum Resources. "CS Principles": Computation in Action engages students in socially-relevant, project-based learning activities designed to foster computational thinking. Includes some lesson ideas for the topics: Algorithms, Data and Abstraction, Programming, The Internet and Impact.

Digital Systems

  • Clever computers (Digital Technologies Hub) - Students explore elements of a digital system including hardware, software and some commonly used peripheral devices. They find out how these elements work together.
  • Digital Systems (Digital Technologies Hub)
  • Digital Systems resources (Digipubs - Victorian Department of Education)
  • CSTA Website - Curriculum Resources. "CS Principles": Computation in Action engages students in socially-relevant, project-based learning activities designed to foster computational thinking. Includes some lesson ideas for the topics: Algorithms, Data and Abstraction, Programming, The Internet and Impact.

Interactions and Impacts

  • Cyber Safety
  • 5 Ps for a Positive Digital Footprint Board Game
  • CSTA Website - Curriculum Resources. "CS Principles": Computation in Action engages students in socially-relevant, project-based learning activities designed to foster computational thinking. Includes some lesson ideas for the topics: Algorithms, Data and Abstraction, Programming, The Internet and Impact.

Resources to support Thinking Skills

(scroll down hyperlinked page to see Thinking Skills explained)

Computational Thinking

  • Barefoot Computing
  • Bebras Computational Thinking Challenge
  • CSTA Website - Curriculum Resources. "CS Principles": Computation in Action engages students in socially-relevant, project-based learning activities designed to foster computational thinking. Includes some lesson ideas for the topics: Algorithms, Data and Abstraction, Programming, The Internet and Impact.


Systems Thinking

  • Systems Thinking (Digital Technologies Hub)
  • Digital Systems (Digital Technologies Hub)
  • Digital Systems resources (Digipubs - Victorian Department of Education)
  • CSTA Website - Curriculum Resources. "CS Principles": Computation in Action engages students in socially-relevant, project-based learning activities designed to foster computational thinking. Includes some lesson ideas for the topics: Algorithms, Data and Abstraction, Programming, The Internet and Impact.


Design Thinking

Resources to support F-2 Band


Many thanks to Dr Rebecca Vivian, Research Fellow, Computer Science Education Research (CSER) Group at The University of Adelaide for generously sharing many of these links.