Course Descriptions
Computer 5
In Computer 5, students develop practical media literacy and computer science skills through a variety of projects. These include learning how to screencast, collaboratively design in a virtual environment, communicate effectively with images in media projects, and program basic animations using block-based coding. Students further develop computational thinking and coding skills by creating and sharing multiple projects in the “Scratch” (scratch.mit.edu) programming language. Students learn how to create basic digital stories using images, voice narration and music. Students develop web literacy skills learning how to safely and legally find and reuse images online for media projects, and strategies for verifying online information sources. Students practice keyboarding skills, focusing on improving both speed and accuracy. Students develop skills for collaborating and creating using cloud-based productivity tools and efficiently using email, acting as responsible digital citizens. Scientific and intellectual curiosity are cultivated regularly through the discussion of weekly “Wonder Links.”
Computer 6
In Computer 6, students develop practical digital and media literacy skills through a variety of projects. Projects include a family oral history audio interview, sketchnoting, and interactive digital writing assignments focusing on effectively using text, images, and hyperlinks to communicate with an outside audience. Students develop critical thinking and web literacy skills learning how to apply the “SIFT” framework to STOP when encountering new online information, INVESTIGATE the source, FIND better coverage, and TRACE claims, quotes and media back to their original context. Students practice keyboarding skills, focusing on improving both speed and accuracy. Students further develop digital storytelling skills, and practice wisely using WikiPedia as a “launchpad” for research using other, additional sources. The safe and legal reuse of images in media projects and respect for intellectual property / copyright is emphasized, as well as ways to safely and constructively share ideas and interact with others online, as good digital citizens. Scientific and intellectual curiosity are cultivated regularly through the discussion of weekly “Wonder Links.”
These course descriptions were last updated on 2 March 2021. Additional information about past course descriptions is also available.