Common tasks include sending a letter by email vs. post, taking a picture with a smart phone vs. camera, buying something with an app vs. with cash at a store.

Ideas:

• Do sorting activities to explore what is a computer and what is not

• Compare and contrast how different activities are accomplished using or not using technology

• Create a T Chart showcasing differences between playing games online vs in person

• Compare and contrast artifacts from history versus today

• Digital Citizenship Unit

• Using Shelf Markers to Browse

• Library Orientation

Rules could include when it’s okay to use a device, what programs or apps are okay to use, how to treat the equipment, etc.

Ideas:

• Identify school rules to use computing technologies

• After discussing rules related to digital citizenship, students could play a game of telephone. Discuss how students can’t stop one person from telling others and how it can change from person to person

• Common Sense Education: My Online Neighborhood 

Rules could include when it’s okay to use a device, what programs or apps are okay to use, how to treat the equipment, etc.

Ideas:

• Class discussion: how can we identify something as having “computing technology”? What are some clues we can look for?

• Students could track all of the ways they see technology throughout the weekend to see technology outside of the classroom, such as an electronic toothbrush that tells them how long to brush.

• Flash cards- thumbs up or down on pictures of items that are or are not computers.

• ABCYA Find the Technology game 

The focus is on recognizing the difference between a public shared space versus a private space.

Ideas:

• A teacher can present a list of spaces (e.g., the classroom, the teacher’s house, the library) and have students identify which spaces they can access and which they cannot. Then the class can talk about the differences between these spaces.

The focus is on the features of computers and other devices, and the things that make them easier to use (i.e. dropdown menus, buttons, areas to type).

Ideas:

• Students could use both a mouse and a touch screen to operate a computer.

• How can we interact with the Smartboard in the library? How can adults in their lives interact with their cell phones? 

• Class discussion about accessibility features on Chromebooks 

• Epic Books

• Read The Day the Crayons Quit and Be You, then complete this Book Creator Activity

• Try these Reading and CS Interdisciplinary lessons

The focus is on identifying jobs that utilize computing technology and how technology impacts a range of industries. Doctors, business owners, police officers, auto repair technicians, farmers, architects, and pilots use computing technology in their jobs.

Ideas:

• Flipchart or Nearpod of different careers, discuss how each one might need to use technology

• Explore Kodable and how they make their Pets

The emphasis is on identifying patterns and then making predictions based on the pattern. 

Ideas:

• Students can study the patterns of snowflakes or butterflies to finish a missing pattern.

• Online snowflake maker 

• Replicate patterns found in nature using Brain Flakes (in library Makerspace)

• Students can replicate patterns found in nature using This Is Sand

• Parts of a Computer

The emphasis is on understanding what is data and identifying different types of data, while exploring how data can be collected and sorted.

Ideas:

• Students can create and read data from charts and graphs made about their classroom interests. 

Ways to visualize data include tables, graphs, and charts.

Ideas:

• Sorting activities related to the books listed above. Create whole class or partner-driven charts to express data. 

• Read books like Dave's Down to Earth Rock Shop, The Best Vacation Ever, The Button Box

The focus is on identifying a complex (for the age group) task or problem to break apart into smaller steps. The focus should be on understanding why this process is helpful.

Ideas:

• Brainpop Jr. Computational Thinking video

• Class discussion: what are our steps for getting ready for school in the morning? List steps on the whiteboard and discuss whether the order of these steps matters. 

• Code and Go Mouse game (in library)

• Kodable

• Using Sphero BOLTs and SAS CodeSnaps

• I am Invited to A Party by Mo Willems

• What is a sequence? 

Instructions to perform a task can be given with more or less detail but still achieve the same result. 

Ideas: 

• Discuss as a class different ways to ask for a certain book in the library

The task can be a familiar, daily activity or can be designed by the teacher. Algorithms at this stage may be short, though must contain at least three steps, and should focus on sequencing.

Ideas:

• Have a student volunteer become a “robot” or a “computer” and have the class take turns giving them instructions to walk across the room and sit down in a chair. 

• Codespark

• Coding Missions

• Use Kodable

The focus is on observing that people use certain terms/labels to refer to a concept (E.g., Today’s Date, Today’s Weather, Word of the Week, Today’s Line Leader) whose specific value can change depending on the day or time.

Ideas: 

• Students could identify concepts in their classroom whose value changes, such as the current date, the current weather, or the current student in a particular classroom job.

The focus should be on short tasks where there is repetition and having students identify and describe the repetition.

Ideas:

• Students could play a familiar song (happy birthday) or recite a poem.

• Kodable “loops” video and looping lessons

• Brainpop Jr. Loops video

The focus should be on identifying small errors within a simple algorithm and fixing the errors collaboratively.

Ideas:

• Kodable Bug World (free)

• As a class, students could create an algorithm for a classroom task, like sharpening pencils or washing hands, then try out the directions and fix any errors.

The focus should be on collaboratively identifying a planning process which can be written, drawn, or spoken.

Ideas:

• Kodable

• Codespark

• Coding floor tiles game in the library

The emphasis is on understanding that humans and computers interact through inputs and outputs and identifying examples in their daily lives.

Ideas:

• Students could label a diagram of a computing system with the words input and output, or students could sort images of computer components into input and output columns on a t-chart.

•  Students can identify examples of input/output in their daily lives (e.g., putting money into a vending machine and getting out a ticket/soda/toy) and work with the teacher to group the examples into the input or output categories.

Basic hardware components are the parts that students can see, such as monitor/screen, keyboard, mouse, etc. 

Ideas:

• Using images of different computing devices (e.g., computer station, tablet, printer), students could match labels with hardware components

• Computer Terminology

• Parts of a Computer

The focus is on identifying the source of a common hardware/software problem (such as low battery, speakers not connected) with teacher guidance.

Ideas:

• Students might notify a teacher when an application or device is not working as expected. Rather than saying, “It doesn’t work,” a student might describe things like, “The device will not turn on,” or “The sound doesn’t work.”

The focus is on how information is conveyed from one individual to another and the rules that allow for communication and data sharing, such as envelopes need addresses/emails need email addresses to reach the right person. 

Ideas:

• Students could explain how they would send a letter to a person in another city. They can identify the rules for mailing letters (e.g., using stamps), and why those rules exist (e.g., because getting the letter from point A to point B involves lots of different people). The rules help keep everything coordinated.

The focus is on recognizing that common computing devices can store information, including computers, tablets, phones, and calculators.

Ideas:

• Students can make a list of devices they use at home and at school that store their name.

The focus should be on discussing the reasons to keep certain information public (information you share with others) or private (information you keep to yourself or only share with your family).

• Ideas:
  Students could discuss what might happen if they post information on a bulletin board in the hallway of school (public) about a surprise birthday party for a classmate (private). 

• Brainpop Jr. Video about Internet Safety

• Google Interland Mindful Mountain

• Digital Passport Password Protect

The emphasis is on having a basic understanding of ways keep accounts secure, such as having a passwords/pass codes. 

Ideas:

• Digital Passport Password Protect 

• Interland Tower of Treasure

• 
  

The focus is on having students look at a string of symbols and giving them a key to substitute letters for the symbols to spell a word.

Ideas:

• Brainstorm different ways to send a secret message

• Create secret handshakes with friends at their tables.

The emphasis is on recognizing when it is safe and appropriate for students to open links, with teacher guidance

• Ideas:
  Interland Reality River 

• Digital Passport Share Jumper 

• Based on classroom rules, students could explain when and where it is appropriate to click on links which can be words, pictures, etc.

The focus is on exploring physical and/or touchscreen keyboards, and for students to be able to identify specific keys such as arrow keys, enter, space bar, backspace.

Ideas:

• Create and do a digital scavenger hunt to have students find different items. Discuss the importance of digital skills and responsible use of technology.

• Students will utilize Paper keyboards and locate and color in each of the letters and numbers in their username and password on the paper keyboard. They will also use star or other shaped stickers to identify the shift keys located on the keyboard as well. 

• Keyboard Builder on Typetastic 

• Keyboarding Zoo on ABCYA 

• Computer Terminology

The focus should be on teaching students that people use digital tools to share ideas and work together. Communication and collaboration should be with teacher guidance.

Ideas:

• Collaborative padlet discussing text read in class 

• Commenting on a teacher post in Google Classroom 

The teacher will provide the keyword to help students conduct basic searches using appropriate tools.

Ideas:

• Using Google docs, students search for an image to insert, using a keyword. 

• The class works together to search the library catalog on the Activboard using keywords. 

The focus is on students using at least one digital tool to create a digital artifact, with teacher guidance.

Ideas:

• Draw It on ABCYA 

• This Is Sand

• Guts Lesson

Students are able to identify the basic concept of being a “good digital citizen”, and know what actions are and are not safe, responsible and ethical when using technologies.

Ideas:

• Complete lessons on Copyright

• Explore the books on this Padlet to discuss digital literacy

• Explore resources to support visual literacy

• Brainpop Jr. Digital Etiquette 

• Digital Passport E-Volve 

• Interland Kind Kingdom

• NetSmartz Kids Be Safer Online 

• Students hold up red light/green light signs at teacher prompts about actions with technology/in online environments, such as “Share your password,” “Go to sites linked from our class webpage,” “Write something mean about someone,” etc. Actions could be added to a running list on a chart displayed in the classroom.