CSF Teacher Guide Courses A F V2(editable)

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Curriculum Guide
and
Unplugged Lesson Plans
(v2 10/30/2017)

Computer Science
Fundamentals
Courses A-F

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
Curriculum Introduction

Who Made This?

Who is This For?

Which Course is For Me?

Course Structure

Conceptual Chunks

Lesson Structure

End of Course Projects (Courses E & F)

Technology Requirements

Implementation Tips and Considerations

Scheduling The Lessons

Teaching in the Classroom

Grade Specific Classroom

Mixed Grade Classroom

Using “Centers” or “Stations”

Every Now and Again Lessons

Navigating the Code.org Website

Code.org Site Navigation

The Code.org Lesson Plan Structure

Getting Help

Curriculum Values

Computer Science is Foundational for Every Student

Teachers in Classrooms

Student Engagement and Learning

Equity

Curriculum as a Service

Pedagogical Approach To Our Values

Role of the Teacher

Discovery and Inquiry

Materials and Tools

Creation and Personal Expression

The Classroom Community

Classroom Practices

Lead Learner

Pair Programming

Authentic Choice

Unplugged Activities

Bridging Activities

Journaling

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CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide

Student Practices

Problem Solving

Persistence

Creativity

Collaboration

Communication

Skills and Strategies

Tackling Lesson Progressions

Growth Mindset

Frustration

Paper and Pencil

Trying (Then Skipping) Challenges

Lesson Extras

Copy/Paste

Puzzle/Problem Solving Recipe

Start a Puzzle with Understanding

Debugging

Asking for Help

Rethinking Classroom Strategies

Ditch the Uniformity

Frequent Breaks

Collaborate

Don’t be a Know-It-All

Standards Mapping

Assessments

Outline of Courses A-F

Course A Overview & Lesson Sequence

Course B Overview & Lesson Sequence

Course C Overview & Lesson Sequence

Course D Overview & Lesson Sequence

Course E Overview & Lesson Sequence

39
43

Course F Overview & Lesson Sequence

Courses A-F Additional Supplies List

Appendix A: Unplugged Lesson Plans

48
344

Appendix B: Glossary of Vocabulary

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
Welcome to Computer Science Fundamentals! This guide has been created to help you navigate the lessons
in Courses A-F. It begins with a brief overview of our entire Computer Science Fundamentals curriculum,
followed by tips and tricks for teaching computer science in the classroom. After this valuable information, you
will find plans and resources that have been created to make it as easy as possible to run lessons for our
newest offerings, Courses A-F.
All curriculum resources and tutorials we author are free to use, under a Creative Commons
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License and our technology is
developed as an open source project.
Are you ready to put the FUN in Fundamentals?

Curriculum Introduction
Who Made This?
Launched in 2013, Code.org® is a non-profit
organization dedicated to expanding access to computer
science, and increasing participation by women and
underrepresented students of color. Our vision is that
every student in every school should have the
opportunity to learn computer science. We believe
computer science should be part of core curriculum,
alongside other courses such as biology, chemistry, or
algebra.
Code.org increases diversity in computer science by
reaching students of all backgrounds where they are —
at their skill-level, in their schools, and in ways that inspire them to keep learning. Read about our efforts to
increase diversity in computer science [https://code.org/diversity].
At Code.org, we believe in teamwork. That’s why we’ve partnered up with some of the most innovative
elementary computer science educators in the country. Our kick-off crew included Alana Aaron and Lionel
Bergeron from the New York City Department of Education, as well as Bryan Twarek from the San Francisco
Unified School District, Grant Smith of Emerald Data Solutions, Joel Spencer from the Little Rock School
District, and Michael Harvey from Falmouth Elementary School...and that was only the beginning!
Over the course of one year, we successfully designed, implemented, and piloted six modified courses. Our
pilot was opened to our dedicated Computer Science Fundamentals Facilitators, as well as thousands of
engaged educators from around the world. With their help, we were able to create this course in a way that
benefits schools of all different shapes and sizes.
Computer Science Fundamentals courses continue to include lessons on Internet Safety and Digital
Citizenship, thanks to our friends at Common Sense Education.
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CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
As always, it is thanks to our generous donors that we were able to develop and offer this curriculum at no cost
to schools, teachers, or students: Microsoft, Infosys Foundation USA, Facebook, Omidyar Network, Google,
Ballmer Family Giving, Ali and Hadi Partovi, Bill Gates, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, BlackRock,
Jeff Bezos, John and Ann Doerr, Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan, Quadrivium Foundation, Amazon Web
Services, The Marie-Josee and Henry R. Kravis Foundation, Reid Hoffman, Drew Houston, Salesforce, Sean
N. Parker Foundation, Smang Family Foundation, Verizon.

Who is This For?
Computer Science Fundamentals was built with elementary school educators in mind. Courses A-F have been
specifically tailored to students in Kindergarten through 5th grade, and no prior experience is assumed.
The lessons in CS Fundamentals are presented with the understanding that many teachers will not have any
previous computer science training, and educators are therefore encouraged to learn along with their students.

Which Course is For Me?
Computer Science Fundamentals has three different segments, each serving a different purpose:
● Courses A-F
● Courses 1-4
● The Express Course

Computer Science Fundamentals, Courses A-F
These courses are the new preferred path for Computer Science Fundamentals. The courses are roughly
aligned to each year of elementary school, allowing for the most robust content along the entire elementary
pipeline.
Course A

Course B

Course C

Course D

Course E

Course F

Designed for
Kindergarten

Designed for
1st Grade

Designed for
2nd Grade

Designed for
3rd Grade

Designed for
4th Grade

Designed for
5th Grade

Ideal entry points exist at kindergarten, first, and second grades. Suitable entry points have been created in
courses D, E, and F with the addition of age-appropriate introduction lessons that present content from
previous courses at an accelerated pace.
The core content of these courses range from approximately 12 lessons in A & B, to nearly 20 lessons in
Course F, with additional lessons available on the Code.org website to further support specific concepts.

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
Computer Science Fundamentals, Courses 1-4
Originally created for beginners of any age, Courses 1-4 were intended for classrooms where students vary
widely in age and or ability. In the 2017-2018 school year, Courses A-F are still being translated into multiple
languages. If your students need to work in Spanish, Turkish, or other languages, Courses 1-4 are the best
choice this year. These courses are no longer being updated, but they will continue to be supported into the
foreseeable future.

Course 1

Course 2

Course 3

Course 4

Beginning for
early readers

Beginning for
comfortable readers

Sequel to
Course 2

Sequel to
Course 3

This series has only two entry points: Course 1 for early readers and Course 2 for readers who can
comfortably sound out words. Each of the latter courses assume complete knowledge of the courses that come
before them.
The core content of these units include roughly 18-20 lessons per course, with additional lessons available on
the Code.org website to further support specific concepts.
Since these courses are being deprecated we do not suggest embarking on this pathway if you have not
already accumulated hours with them, unless you require materials in languages other than English. Those
who currently use them in classrooms can continue to do so without fear that they will disappear in the coming
years.

Computer Science Fundamentals, Express
Intended for students ages 10 and older, the Express Course is a powerful set of puzzles that introduces the
best of computer science and computational thinking in one continuous burst. This course combines the
concepts in Courses A-F, in one accelerated series. This works well for older students (middle or high school)
that didn’t go through the CS Fundamentals courses in elementary school.
It’s also a great choice if your elementary school curriculum only has time for one course and you’re working
with older students (4th or 5th grade). Teachers also use this for students who are already comfortable with CS
concepts, or if they pick up on ideas quickly.
CS Fundamentals - Express
One quick course for older students who did not experience CS Fundamentals in elementary school

This course will grow alongside courses A-F, containing the most effective favorites from that series. The
length of this course may fluctuate between 25 and 35 lessons as it evolves.

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide

Course Structure
Each Computer Science Fundamentals course is a little bit different, but they all value the method of
introducing concepts with unplugged activities before bringing students to an online workspace.

Conceptual Chunks
The unplugged lessons and online puzzle tutorials are chunked together by shared concepts, where the
unplugged lesson serves as a fun and gentle introduction to a computing concept that is further explored
through coding exercises. This allows each “chunk” to be separated into groups of lessons that can be taught
within a defined time period or as a sub-unit.
See this example from Course C in which the unplugged lesson, Getting Loopy, precedes three online lessons.

A selection of four lessons from CS Fundamentals, Course C

Lesson Structure
In addition, Courses A-F have an overarching lesson architecture where concepts are carefully introduced
using a structure that has been tailored to set classrooms up for success. These puzzle progressions start by
introducing ideas in a step-by-step manner, then proceed to a brain-bending challenge before setting students
gently back into a puzzle that perfectly represents the level of understanding that was intended for that series.

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
See the diagram below to get a better idea of how complexity changes over the course of an online lesson.

Several concepts also include additional lessons that focus less on skill building and focus more on creative
problem solving. As an example, these lessons might include puzzles with less obvious pathways, a complex
use of concepts, or multiple correct solutions.

End of Course Projects (Courses E & F)
While each course offers the opportunity for students to take what they’ve learned at the end of a lesson and
put it together into a unique project that represents their own creativity, Courses E & F take student projects to
a whole new level.
In the final two courses in the A-F series, project development takes
the stage. Here, students are encouraged to plan, build, revise, and
present projects of their own. Following a project from inception to
delivery offers an inside look at the software development cycle. This
guided project offers scaffolded rubrics for the benefit of both student
and teacher.

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide

Technology Requirements
A computing device and an Internet connection.
We work hard to build an environment that supports all modern web browsers on desktops and mobile devices.
This includes Internet Explorer 11+ and the latest versions of Firefox, Chrome, Safari.
Our instructional videos may be affected depending on your school's internet filters. If YouTube is blocked at
your school, our video player will attempt to use our non-YouTube player instead. For more details about the IT
requirements for accessing and playing our embedded videos, see our IT requirements page at
https://code.org/educate/it. We’ve made all of our videos available for download using a link located in the
bottom corner. If all fails, some videos have a “Show Notes” tab that provide a storyboard equivalent of the
video.

Implementation Tips and Considerations
This document offers suggestions for implementing an individual CS Fundamentals course in an elementary
school classroom, as well as planning the rollout of all Courses A-F as a pathway across elementary school
grade levels.

Scheduling The Lessons
Where do you teach Computer Science Fundamentals? Do you use an existing "special" time like for media
(library) or art, or do you use a pre-existing computer lab period and split the online and unplugged lessons
between the lab teacher and the grade level teachers respectively? Whether you are a grade level teacher or a
specialist (media, art, technology), the CS Fundamentals courses are designed to be flexibly implemented.
While each course is setup to run as one lesson per week for a semester, they can alternatively be run two or
three times a week for about two months, or one lesson every two weeks for a year. Lessons are meant to be
completed in order and can range from as little as 20 minutes to more than 45 minutes if extension activities
are included.

Teaching in the Classroom
Here are implementation tips for four common situations in elementary school:
●

Grade Specific Classroom
○ Even if you have 1:1 computers, consider grouping students up for pair programming. The
benefit of learning to communicate problems and solutions to a peer far outweigh the risks of
only having one student at the keyboard at a time.
○ You do not need computers for unplugged days, unless you plan to double up and work on an
online lesson immediately after the offline one. Even still, consider giving time for the concept to
sink in after an unplugged lesson before moving to online programming.

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
○

○

Students should be encouraged to travel from concept to concept with one another, but should
not be made to keep in lockstep puzzle-by-puzzle. Make sure students feel empowered to travel
at their own pace.
End of Lesson puzzles should be seen as a great opportunity to showcase the things students
have learned during the day, not as a required assessment for the segment.

●

Mixed Grade Classroom
○ When selecting groups for pair programming, make sure that students are paired either with
students of a similar age or a similar experience level. Having pairs that are too far separated in
skills is not fair to either member of the team.
○ If your class is regularly held in the lab, look for rooms to “visit” for unplugged activities (like the
library or the gym.) This will give students room to spread out and feel like they are learning
authentically, rather than trying to “make do” in the available space.
○ It’s expected that students from different grades could be on different lessons or even in
different courses. Decide on what rules you want to foster surrounding these differences and get
buy-in from students before each lesson to prevent things from getting unruly.

●

Using “Centers” or “Stations”
○ Some classrooms have a small number of computers set up in one area and teachers use these
as activity centers. This can be very effective once the class has already gone through the
unplugged activities for a concept together.
○ Continue to encourage pair programming, even if students are only able to get through 2 to 4
puzzles at a time. The realizations that they have while learning to talk through problems will far
outweigh any reduction in speed that they experience while trading off.
○ If you have empty stations open, offer unplugged activities that relate back to the online lessons.
Providing extra opportunities for context switching will help to solidify ideas that might otherwise
cause them to struggle.

●

Every Now and Again Lessons
○ If you are a teacher that struggles to find a time and place to integrate computer science into
your annual curriculum, you are in good company. Remember, when taught well, any computer
science is better than no computer science.
○ Choose a concept and teach it thoroughly.
■ In elementary school, the main goal is to teach students that they are capable of learning
computer science. If you ditch a deep dive on concepts in favor of a shallow introduction,
students might be left feeling as if they don’t understand any of it.
■ Start with the unplugged lesson for the concept that you are choosing. Use the word
(such as “loops”) often in class for days after the unplugged lesson has been completed.
■ On your next trip to the computer lab, start by completing a bridging activity that ties your
concept to the online lessons that students are about to do. Spend that day in the lab
doing the straightforward, educational puzzles that come in the lesson directly following
the unplugged activity in the course.

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
■

If you have another chance to get to the lab, explore other online puzzles with that same
concept. This can be either a second concept lesson on Code.org, or a supporting
lesson from another interface (such as Scratch or the Foos.)

Navigating the Code.org Website
Code.org Site Navigation
Log into Code.org with your teacher account. The website header will help you navigate the site:

Once you’ve assigned CS Fundamentals to your section, click the tile on your homepage to reach the course
overview page. This is your starting point for lesson planning, professional learning, and all the resources you
need to teach the course.

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
The Code.org Lesson Plan Structure
Every lesson plan has a common structure that should make it easy to find what you need. Planning for a
lesson starts by looking at the overview, then reviewing the core activity to get a deeper sense of what it is and
how long it might take.

Lesson Length
Lessons in CS Fundamentals are written for a wide variety of classrooms. We generally try to make one lesson
equal to one 30 to 45 minute class period. However some lessons take multiple days, such as projects or
concepts that do not easily break down into separate lesson plans. Many lessons include time estimates, but
these vary based on the age of your students, their background with the material, and their interests.

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
Getting Help
The curriculum is completely free for anyone to teach anywhere. For
support, click on the menu in the upper right-hand corner of the website.
Here, you’ll find our “Help and support” forum where you can email us or find
how-to articles. You’ll also see a link to our “Teacher community” forums
where you can connect to other teachers for support, teaching tips, or best
practices.
When you’re in a puzzle, you’ll see an additional “Report bug” link for that
puzzle. Thank you for helping us find and fix any issues!
If you are a teacher and you'd like to attend a free training on our K-5
Computer Science curriculum, you can find links to local workshops by
visiting https://code.org/professional-development-workshops.

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide

Curriculum Values
While Code.org offers a wide range of curricular materials across a wide range of ages, the following values
permeate and drive the creation of every lesson we write.

Computer Science is Foundational for Every Student
We believe that computing is so fundamental to understanding and participating in society that it is valuable for
every student to learn as part of a modern education. We see computer science as a liberal art, a subject that
provides students with a critical lens for interpreting the world around them. Computer science prepares all
students to be active and informed contributors to our increasingly technological society whether they pursue
careers in technology or not. Computer science can be life-changing, not just skill training.

Teachers in Classrooms
We believe students learn best with the help of
an empowered teacher. We design our
materials for a classroom setting and provide
teachers robust supports that enable them to
understand and perform their critical role in
supporting student learning. Because teachers
know their students best, we empower them to
make choices within the curriculum, even as we
recommend and support a variety of
pedagogical approaches. Knowing that many of
our teachers are new to computer science
themselves, our resources and strategies
specifically target their needs.

Student Engagement and Learning
We believe that students learn best when they are intrinsically motivated. We prioritize learning experiences
that are active, relevant to students’ lives, and provide students authentic choice. We encourage students to be
curious, solve personally relevant problems and to express themselves through creation. Learning is an
inherently social activity, so we interweave lessons with discussions, presentations, peer feedback, and shared
reflections. As students proceed through our pathway, we increasingly shift responsibility to students to
formulate their own questions, develop their own solutions, and critique their own work.

Equity
We believe that acknowledging and shining a light on the historical inequities within the field of computer
science is critical to reaching our goal of bringing computer science to all students. We provide tools and
strategies to help teachers understand and address well-known equity gaps within the field. We recognize that
some students and classrooms need more supports than others, and so those with the greatest needs should
be prioritized. All students can succeed in computer science when given the right supports and opportunities,

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
regardless of prior knowledge or privilege. We actively seek to eliminate and discredit stereotypes that plague
computer science and lead to attrition of the very students we aim to reach.

Curriculum as a Service
We believe that curriculum is a service, not just a product. Along with producing high quality materials, we seek
to build and nourish communities of teachers by providing support and channels for communication and
feedback. Our products and materials are not static entities, but a living and breathing body of work that is
responsive to feedback and changing conditions. To ensure ubiquitous access to our curriculum and tools,
they are web-based and cross-platform, and will forever be free to use and openly licensed under a Creative
Commons license.

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide

Pedagogical Approach To Our Values
When we design learning experiences, we draw from a variety of teaching and learning strategies all with the
goal of constructing an equitable and engaging learning environment.

Role of the Teacher
We design curriculum with the idea that the instructor will act as the lead learner. As the lead learner, the role
of the teacher shifts from being the source of knowledge to being a leader in seeking knowledge. The lead
learner’s mantra is: “I may not know the answer, but I know that together we can figure it out.” A very practical
residue of this is that we never ask a teacher to lecture or offer the first explanation of a CS concept. We want
the class activity to do the work of exposing the concept to students, allowing the teacher to shape meaning
from what the students have experienced. We also expect teachers to act as the curator of materials. Finally,
we include an abundance of materials and teaching strategies in our curricula - too many to use at once - with
the expectation that teachers have the professional expertise to determine how to best conduct an engaging
and relevant class for their own students.

Discovery and Inquiry
We take great care to design learning experiences in which students have an active and equal stake in the
proceedings. Students are given opportunities to explore concepts and build their own understandings through
a variety of physical activities and online lessons. These activities form a set of common lived experiences that
connect students (and the teacher) to the course content and to each other. The goal is to develop a common
foundation upon which all students in the class can construct their understanding of computer science
concepts, regardless of prior experience in the discipline.

Materials and Tools
Our materials and tools are specifically created for learners and learning experiences. They focus on
foundational concepts that allow them to stand the test of time, and they are designed to support exploration
and discovery by those without computer science knowledge. This allows students to develop an
understanding of these concepts through “play” and experimentation. From our coding environments to our
non-coding tools and videos, all our resources have been engineered to support the lessons in our curriculum,
and thus our philosophy about student engagement and learning. In that vein, our videos can be a great tool
for sensemaking about CS concepts and provide a resource for students to return to when they want to refresh
their knowledge. They are packed with information and “star” a diverse cast of presenters and CS role models.

Creation and Personal Expression
Many of the projects, assignments, and activities in our curriculum ask students to be creative, to express
themselves, and then to share their creations with others. While certain lessons focus on learning and
practicing new skills, our goal is always to enable students to transfer these skills to creations of their own.
Everyone seeks to make their mark on society, including our students, and we want to give them the tools they
need to do so. When computer science provides an outlet for personal expression and creativity, students are
intrinsically motivated to deepen the understandings that will allow them to express their views and carve out
their place in the world.
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CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide

The Classroom Community
Our lessons almost always call for students to interact with other students in the class in some way. Whether
learners are simply conferring with a partner during a warm up discussion, or engaging in a long-term group
project, our belief is that a classroom where students are communicating, solving problems, and creating
things is a classroom that not only leads to active and better learning for students, but also leads to a more
inclusive classroom culture in which all students share ideas and listen to ideas of others. For example,
classroom discussions usually follow a Think-Pair-Share pattern; we ask students to write computer code in
pairs; and we strive to include projects for teams in which everyone must play a critical role.

Classroom Practices
The classroom practices for CS Fundamentals are different strategies that are used repeatedly in many
different lessons and units. These six classroom practices are at the core of the ways the curriculum is
designed as we believe these are best practices that lead to positive classroom culture and ultimately student
learning.
The 6 Main Classroom Practices of CS Fundamentals:
● Lead Learner
● Pair Programming
● Authentic Choice
● Unplugged Activities
● Bridging Activities
● Journaling

Lead Learner
What is it?
The curriculum has been written with the idea that the instructor will act as the lead learner. As the lead learner
your role shifts from being the source of knowledge to being a leader in seeking knowledge. The lead learner’s
mantra is: “I may not know the answer, but I know that together we can figure it out.” The philosophy of the
lead learner is that you don’t have to be an expert on everything; you can start teaching CS Fundamentals
knowing what you already know, and learn alongside your students. To be successful with this style of
teaching and learning, the most important things are modeling and teaching how to learn.

How does it connect to the curriculum?
One of the Code.org curriculum values is developing teachers who are new to computer science. In order to
support those teachers, the curriculum is set up to create an engaging and relevant class that helps students
uncover and develop the knowledge they need. This makes it possible for a teacher to lead the course without
knowing all of the answers at first, as long as they embrace the lead learner role. In addition, it is not possible
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CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
to have complete command over every rapidly-changing facet of computer science, no matter how much
experience you have. Rather than feeling daunted, the lead learner welcomes this fact.
We believe that the lead learner technique represents good teaching practice in general. Acting as the lead
learner is an act of empathy toward your students and the challenges they face in learning material for the first
time. One important job of the teacher in the CS Fundamentals classroom is to model excitement about
investigating how things work by asking motivating questions about why things work the way they do, or why
they are the way they are. With your guidance, students will learn how to hypothesize; ask questions of peers;
test, evaluate, and refine solutions collaboratively.

How do I use it?
●
●
●
●
●
●

Allow students to dive into an activity without presenting all the content first
Encourage students to rely on each other for support
Don’t give the answer right away, even if you know it
Feel open to making mistakes in front of students so that they see it is part of the learning process
Ask students questions that direct their attention toward the issue to investigate without giving away
what they need to change
Model the steps you would go through as a learner of a new subject. Explain the different questions you
ask yourself along the way and the ways you go about finding answers

Pair Programming
What is it?
Pair programming is a technique in which two programmers work
together at one computer. The “driver” writes code while the “navigator”
directs the design and setup of the code. The two programmers switch
roles often. Pair programming has been shown to:
● improve computer science enrollment, retention, and students'
performance
● increase students' confidence
● develop students' critical thinking skills
● introduce students to a "real world" working environment

How does it connect to the curriculum?
In CS Fundamentals there are many lessons on the computer (plugged lessons) during which students
develop programming skills through online progressions. Pair programming can help to foster a sense of
camaraderie and collaboration in your classroom during sets of plugged lessons. It has been shown to
increase the enrollment, retention, and performance of students in computer science classes. It promotes
diversity in the classroom by reducing the the so-called "confidence gap" between female and male students,
while increasing the programming confidence of all students.

How do I use it?
To get students pair programming:
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CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Form pairs
Give each pair one computer to work on
Decide upon initial roles
Have students start working
Ensure that students switch roles at regular intervals (every 3 to 5 minutes)
Ensure that navigators remain active participants

It can be hard to introduce pair programming after students have worked individually for a while, so we
recommend that teachers start with pair programming in the first few plugged lessons. Just like any other
classroom technique, you may not want to use this all the time as different types of learners will respond
differently to working in this context. Once you have established pair programming as a practice early on, it will
be easier to come back to later.
Resources
Code.org also has a feature to help both students get “credit” on their accounts for the work they do
together. Check out the blog on Pair Programming:
teacherblog.code.org/post/147349807334/try-pair-programmingtrack-the-progress-of
Videos:
● For Teachers: youtu.be/sxToW3ixrwo
● For Students: youtu.be/vgkahOzFH2Q
The National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) has a great resource about the
benefits of pair programming. Check it out at:
www.ncwit.org/resources/pair-programming-box-power-collaborative-learning

Authentic Choice
What is it?
Authentic choice is the practice of allowing students to decide on the focus of their creation when they are
working on a project. This can be scoped in different ways with different projects, but the central point is to
allow students to work on something they are personally invested in.

How does it connect to the curriculum?
In the curriculum, we give students many opportunities to work on projects that we hope will feel personally
relevant. Whether it be a small freeplay level at the end of a lesson, or a course project designed by students
in older elementary, every student should get ample opportunity to develop creations of their own.
In addition, we encourage teachers to help students utilize their new skills in creative ways at the end of each
lesson, using the Lesson Extras option. There, students will find challenge puzzles and open-canvas projects
to use for deeper learning and self-expression.

How do I use it?
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CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
●
●
●

Give students time to get creative and find something they are passionate about in the project that they
are working on
Encourage students to find personally relevant contexts for the work they do
Try to keep the projects as open to students’ interests as possible while still keeping them focused on
the learning at hand

Unplugged Activities
What are they?
In Code.org curriculum, we refer to activities where students are not on the computer as “unplugged” lessons.
Lessons where they are on the computer are called “plugged” lessons.

How do they connect to the curriculum?
Unplugged activities are more than just an alternative for the days when the computer lab is full. They are
intentionally-placed kinesthetic opportunities that help students digest complicated concepts in ways that relate
to their own lives. When we write the curriculum, we plan the progression of unplugged and plugged lessons to
build on each other. Often something that is done in an unplugged environment is setting the stage for or
reviewing a concept done in a plugged environment. Both are vital pieces of the curriculum as they build
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CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
student knowledge and understanding in different ways. In addition, unplugged lessons can help build and
maintain a collaborative environment in your classroom. An unplugged environment also can be a good way to
check for student understanding.

How do I use them?
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Don’t skip these lessons! These lessons often involve more advance preparation but are worth it!
Try to present the lessons in the order they appear as best as possible
Help students make sense of how the activity connects to the concepts they are learning in earlier and
later lessons with “bridging activities”
Call back to relevant unplugged activities during plugged lessons
For a list of all unplugged activities covered in the CS Fundamentals curriculum (plus a few extras!) visit
https://code.org/curriculum/unplugged

Bridging Activities
What are they?
In the Computer Science Fundamentals curriculum, we refer to activities that mix online and offline elements
as “bridging activities.”

How do they connect to the curriculum?
Bridging activities connect our unplugged activities to our online lessons in a real and definitive way. They
often exist as a method of turning an abstract concept idea learned through play, like conditionals, into an
actionable tool for the plugged puzzles.

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
How do I use them?
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Include a bridging activity after each unplugged lesson, but before the next plugged series (ideas are
provided in the “Warm-Up” section of the relevant online lesson plans)
Use encouraging language to help students transition from the previous concept situation to the
programming context
Feel free to come up with your own online/offline blends to keep the curriculum relevant to your
classroom

Journaling
What is it?
In CS Fundamentals, students are encouraged to keep a journal nearby to write down thoughts and answer
questions.

How does it connect to the curriculum?
Courses A-F of Computer Science Fundamentals were written with the importance of journaling in mind.
Journaling for reflection is a popular tool in education, but we take that one step further. Like a chemist would
catalog strategies and solutions, so do we ask our budding computer scientists to take notes on their trials and
achievements. Journals are useful as scratch paper for building, debugging, and strategizing, and they offer a
fantastic resource for referencing previous answers when struggling with more complex problems.

How do I use it?
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Encourage students to keep their journals beside them at all times when coding
Remind students that they can write solutions out longhand, then circle patterns to find prime
opportunities for loops and functions
Have students copy down answers to puzzles that they might need in future levels
Ask students to draw emoticons at the top of the pages to help them identify how they’re feeling about
concepts
End each lesson with a thought or question that students can answer in writing as a way of reflecting on
their growth for the day

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide

Student Practices
Students in CS Fundamentals work in a wide array of contexts, but these experiences are tied together by a
core set of practices they develop throughout the course. These student practices provide coherence and
serve as helpful reminders of the high-level skills and dispositions they should be continually developing.

Problem Solving
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Use a structured problem solving process (see next section) to help address new problems
View challenges as solvable problems
Break down larger problems into smaller components

Persistence
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Value and expect mistakes as a natural and productive part of problem solving
Continue working towards solutions in spite of setbacks
Iterate and continue to improve partial solutions

Creativity
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Incorporate your own interests or ideas into your work
Experiment with new ideas and consider multiple possible approaches
Extend or build upon the ideas and projects of others

Collaboration
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Work with others to develop solutions that incorporate all contributors
Mediate disagreements and help teammates agree on a common solution
Actively contribute to the success of group projects

Communication
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Structure your work so that it can be easily understood by others
Consider the perspective and background of your audience when presenting your work
Provide and accept constructive feedback in order to improve your work

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide

Skills and Strategies
Tackling Lesson Progressions
Growth Mindset
Throughout these lessons, it is critical that students understand that nobody is born knowing computer science.
Everyone starts at the beginning, experiences failure, learns from mistakes, then experiences success.
Students should not view frequent programming failures as a sign that they lack talent, but should instead be
proud of their own persistence as they make changes and try again. All computer scientists fail. The best
programmers are the ones who keep trying long enough to learn from the problems that they encounter.
Here are some tips to help your students stay persistent:
● Keep track of what you have already tried
● Figure out what is happening
● Understand what is supposed to happen
● Look at what that tells you
● Make a change and try again

Frustration
Frustration is a natural part of learning. Instead of trying to avoid frustration at Code.org, we embrace it. The
key to persistence is in learning that frustration is a positive sign, not a negative one. When a student gets
frustrated, it means that they are about to learn something new. It can be compared to the pain you feel in your
mouth before you get a new tooth, or the soreness in your muscles before you get stronger. Congratulate
students on recognizing and persevering through
frustration.
Here are some tips to help your students deal with
frustration:
● Count slowly to 10
● Take some deep breaths
● Write your worries in a journal
● Talk to a partner about your feelings
● Ask for help

Paper and Pencil
It is common for a teacher to expect students to work out
code in their head. This puts unfair stress on students, as programs can get complicated and confusing.
Encourage students to code with a piece of paper and pencil nearby so that they can scribble down predictions
and trace out paths for solving puzzles. Paper can be helpful to record the ideas that have already been tried,
as well as thoughts about what can be tried next. It might even help students to write a little about what they
did to pass a level so that they can share with classmates who are in need of a little help.

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
Trying (Then Skipping) Challenges
When Code.org places so much value on persistence, it is hard to justify skipping puzzles because they feel
too difficult or confusing. It is, however, how our challenge puzzles were designed.
Most of our online lessons contain one “challenge” puzzle near the end of the series. This puzzle was carefully
placed to inspire students to practice new concepts in a different way. It will test their persistence, highlight
misconceptions, and hopefully lead them to the “ah-ha” moment that educators love! Additionally, spending a
fair amount of time with the challenge puzzle will help the following levels feel simple in comparison, even
though the levels that follow demonstrate the exact target of understanding expected from a student by the
time they finish each lesson.
In order to provoke those strong accomplishments, challenge levels must all but guarantee that they cannot be
solved quickly. Because of this, they will be far too hard for many students, which means that the messaging of
these challenges is extremely important. Keep these things in mind, and make sure that you review them with
your students before each visit to the computer lab.
● When you get to the challenge puzzle, give it your best try!
● Keep notes as you try to solve the puzzle so that you don’t lose your place or try the same thing over
and over again.
● These puzzles are supposed to be hard. You don’t have to solve it in order to learn from it, but you do
have to try your best!
● Remember that you can come back to the challenge puzzle later. If you start to get frustrated, go ahead
and skip the challenge until you complete the rest of the lesson. You can come back to it when you’ve
finished everything else!

Lesson Extras
Many teachers like to keep their entire class on the same lesson instead of letting students skip ahead to new
concepts. For that reason, we have provided an area at the end of each lesson series where students can use
the concepts that they’ve learned in new and interesting ways. These puzzles are considered “optional.” They
are a sandbox to keep the quickest students challenged and entertained until the end of class. In addition, the
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CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
Lesson Extras can be used to add an additional day onto concept lessons, offering the opportunity for students
to come back and create personal and authentic projects with their newest concepts.

Copy/Paste
Though we do not make it obvious, most individual blocks in CS Fundamentals are able to be copied/pasted
within the same level. If you feel that the ability to copy and paste blocks will enhance your student’s learning
experience, then you can share the copy/paste method with them:
1. Highlight the block that you want to copy
2. Press ctrl+c to copy
3. Press ctrl+v to paste
4. Move your pasted block to where you would like it
While this “hack” generally only allows you to copy one block at a time, there is a work around for duplicating
larger chunks of code. All you need to do is pull a statement block (like a loop, conditional, or simple function)
from the toolbox and place all of the code to be copied inside. Now, select the statement block and copy/paste.
All of the code inside will be duplicated. You can now pull the extra code out of the statement block and use it
as desired.

Puzzle/Problem Solving Recipe
Start a Puzzle with Understanding
Often, the quickest way to pass a level is to know where you’re headed from the start. Help students
understand that being successful means taking a look at what is required before dragging anything out to the
workspace. Here are some important questions that students should ask:
● What do the instructions say?
● What am I supposed to do?
● What has already been done?
● Are there any questions that I need answers to?
● Have I solved another problem like this one?
● Can I put the puzzle’s goal into my own words?

Debugging
Small misunderstandings can lead to big problems! Help keep students moving by showing them some basic
debugging skills.
Step Button
Most puzzles in CS Fundamentals have a “Step” button (excluding Artist, Play Lab, and BB-8 levels.)
With the “Step” button, it is possible to go through a program block by block to see what happens each
step of the way. This is a helpful tool when your code moves too quickly to understand where things get
off course.

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
To use the “Step” button, simply click on “Step” instead of “Run”. Your code will run exactly one block
before coming to a rest again. To continue through the code, keep pressing “Step” until you have
completed your program, or found your bug!
In Artist puzzles, the “Step” button is replaced by a speed slider. For a similar effect, try moving the
slider to the far left and watching the artist go through each step very slowly.

Example of level with “Step” button.

Example of level with speed slider..

Example level with no “Step” button.

Finger/Paper Tracing
For puzzles that don’t have a “Step” button, students can find a great amount of help looking through
their program on their own.
The ability to predict what a program will do is an amazing skill, but it takes a lot of practice. Students
can find opportunities to grow in this area by using finger tracing and/or paper tracing as they code in
CS Fundamentals.
● Finger Tracing
○ Use your finger to point to the first block on the screen. What does everything look like?
What values do the variables hold (if there are any)? What happens to that landscape
after the current block is executed?
○ Drop your finger to the next block and ask the same questions.
○ Can you run through the whole program and predict the outcome?
● Paper Tracing
○ Draw a line down the center of your paper
○ On one side, write the code for your program
○ On the other side, write notes on the starting state of the program: Where are the
characters? What are the values of the variables? Anything else to note?
○ Now look at the first line of your program. What changes when it is executed? Write the
new details in your notes area.
○ Continue to run through the written code until you reach the end. Is everything as you
expected?

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
Critical Questions
If looking through your code does not provide the answers you need, you will have to dig a little more
deeply. These questions will help students to highlight the clues provided by their program when things
are not working:
● What does it do?
● What is it supposed to do?
● What does that tell me?
● Is it right at the first step?
● Is it still right at the second step?
● Where is the first place that it goes wrong?

Asking for Help
In computer science, there’s a fine line between the benefit that you get from figuring out something on your
own, and the benefit of learning from the experience of a peer. For this reason, CS Fundamentals encourages
a “Try three / Try three / Then ask me” system.
With this system (3/3/Me) students are asked to tackle a problem with three different solutions before asking
peers for help. Once their classmates get involved, they should try three more solutions together before
involving a teacher. At that point, as an educator, you should ask them to put in words what they tried and what
that told them. Also ask them if they have narrowed down any places where the problem is not. If they have
not yet solved their problem, guide them in trying a few additional options.
In all cases, make sure that you and your class are familiar with the right way to help a student:
● Don’t sit in the classmate’s chair
● Don’t use the classmate’s keyboard or tablet
● Don’t touch the classmate’s mouse
● Make sure the classmate can describe the solution to you out loud before you walk away
If, after all of this, issues still persist, you might consider filing a bug report with Code.org.

Rethinking Classroom Strategies
Ditch the Uniformity
Students learn at different rates. They also come into technology with vastly different skills. Trying to keep
everyone on the same page will alienate both the bottom third and top third of learners. Take the pressure off
of everyone by having a list of “approved” activities to focus on when they’ve finished their class exercise.
These should include the Lesson Extras at the end of each CS Fundamentals lesson.

Frequent Breaks
Teachers are used to helping their class get very focused and encouraging students to work quietly until an
activity is done. In computer science, students often benefit from small and frequent breaks, even if it’s just
switching to a new activity for a few minutes. Try having a student write a sentence or two about what they’re
trying to do or keep a notebook, like a biologist or chemist might.
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CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide

Collaborate
It’s really hard for a programmer to “cheat”. Collaboration is a requirement out in the real world. This means
helping one another solve problems, researching issues on the internet, and looking at what others have done
in similar situations. The only bad method is claiming another’s work as your own.

Don’t be a Know-It-All
We often think that being a teacher means being an expert. In computer science, it’s really much more
important to be a cheerleader. Let the students know that it’s possible for them to quickly become better at this
than you are. Foster determination. Encourage students to monitor themselves and find answers for one
another. Let them figure things out for themselves, then let them teach you.

Standards Mapping
CS Fundamentals was written using both the K–12 Computer Science Framework [https://k12cs.org] and the
draft CSTA standards as guidance. Because the revised CSTA standards have not been finalized as of June
2017, we are waiting to publish formal standards mapping documents for CS Fundamentals to ensure that we
have an opportunity to address any changes that may appear in the final draft. Once the CSTA standards have
been finalized and published, we will complete a full pass to articulate, on a course and lesson level, our
mapping to not only the the CSTA standards, but also to select ISTE, Common Core Math, Common Core
ELA, and NGSS standards. Once this mapping has been completed, it will be available in the lesson plans and
at code.org/csf/standards.

Assessments
When educating students, we find that assessments are often needed for a couple of different reasons: to
check for comprehension and to determine grades. At Code.org, we believe that you know your students best.
That’s why we do not attempt to make any determination of what they should receive as a letter grade. Instead,
we provide teachers with assistance in collecting examples of student comprehension. The ability to see
where a student is succeeding and where they need help is fundamental to providing the opportunity to tailor
their learning experience. That’s why there’s an ever-evolving teacher dashboard to highlight the work done by
your class sections. Keep an eye on the Code.org blog [http://blog.code.org] for more information on changes
and improvements.
Please note, we have provided assessment worksheets with each unplugged activity, and “assessment”
puzzles for many online lessons. For more information on assessing student work using those items, see the
thread on our teacher forum at http://forum.code.org/t/assessment-in-csf.

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide

Outline of Courses A-F
Course A Overview & Lesson Sequence
Course A offers computer science curriculum for beginning readers in early elementary grades. Students will
learn to program using commands like loops and events. The lessons featured in this course also teach
students to collaborate with others meaningfully, investigate different problem-solving techniques, persist in the
face of difficult tasks, and learn about internet safety. By the end of this course, students create their very own
custom game or story from Play Lab that they can share.
Online lessons are in regular text and unplugged lessons are in bolded text.

Lesson Name

Description

Debugging: Unspotted
Bugs

This lesson will guide students through the steps of debugging.
Students will learn the mantra: "What happened? What was
supposed to happen? What does that tell you?"

Persistence & Frustration:
Stevie and the Big Project

When students run into a barrier while answering a question or
working on a project, it’s so easy for them to get frustrated and give
up. This lesson will introduce students to the idea that frustration can
be an important part of learning. Here, frustration is presented as a
step in the creative process, rather than a sign of failure.

Real-Life Algorithms:
Plant a Seed

In this lesson, students will relate the concept of algorithms back to
everyday, real-life activities by planting an actual seed. The goal
here is to start building the skills to translate real-world situations to
online scenarios and vice versa.

Learn to Drag and Drop

This lesson will give students an idea of what to expect when they
head to the computer lab. It begins with a brief discussion
introducing them to computer lab manners, then they will progress
into using a computer to complete online puzzles.

Programming Unplugged:
Happy Maps

The bridge from algorithms to programming can be a short one if
students understand the difference between planning out a
sequence and encoding that sequence into the appropriate
language. This activity will help students gain experience reading
and writing in shorthand code.

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
6

Programming in Maze

In this series of online puzzles, students will build on the
understanding of algorithms, debugging, and general computer
literacy. Featuring characters from the game Angry Birds, students
will develop sequential algorithms to get the bird to the pig without
crashing into walls or TNT. Debugging puzzles have also been
mixed into this stage for added practice with problem solving and
critical thinking.

Common Sense
Education:
Going Places Safely

In collaboration with Common Sense Education, this lesson helps
students learn that many websites ask for information that is private
and discusses how to responsibly handle such requests. Students
also find out that they can go to exciting places online, but they need
to follow certain rules to remain safe.

Loops Unplugged:
Happy Loops

Loops can be a very helpful and powerful tool in programming. To
understand how helpful loops are, students will be driven to want an
easier way to solve mundane problems.

Loops in Collector

Building on the concept of repeating instructions from ‘Happy Loops’,
this stage will have students using loops to collect treasure more
efficiently on Code.org.

Loops in Artist

Returning to loops, students learn to draw images by looping simple
sequences of instructions. In the previous plugged lesson, loops
were used to traverse a maze and collect treasure. Here, loops are
creating patterns. At the end of this stage, students will be given the
opportunity to create their own images using loops.

Events Unplugged:
The Big Event

Events are a great way to add variety to a pre-written algorithm.
Sometimes you want your program to be able to respond to the user
exactly when the user wants it to. That is what events are for.

Events in Play Lab

In this online activity, students will have the opportunity to learn how
to use events in Play Lab and to apply all the coding skills they've
learned to create an animated game. It's time to get creative and
make a story in the Play Lab!

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
Course B Overview & Lesson Sequence
Course B was developed with first graders in mind. Tailored to a novice reading level, this course also
assumes limited knowledge of shapes and numbers.
At the moment, Course B closely parallels Course A, but provides more complex unplugged activities and
more variety in puzzles. Students will learn the basics of programming, collaboration techniques, investigation
and critical thinking skills, persistence in the face of difficulty, and internet safety. At the end of this course
students will create their very own custom game from Play Lab that they can share with a link.
Online lessons are in regular text and unplugged lessons are in bolded text.

Lesson Name

Description

Debugging: Unspotted
Bugs

This lesson will guide students through the steps of debugging.
Students will learn the mantra: "What happened? What was
supposed to happen? What does that tell you?"

Persistence & Frustration:
Stevie and the Big Project

Real-Life Algorithms:
Plant a Seed

Learn to Drag and Drop

Learning to drag and drop online gives students an idea of what to
expect when they head to the computer lab. It begins with a brief
discussion introducing them to computer lab manners, then they will
progress into using a computer to complete online puzzles.

Common Sense
Education:
Your Digital Footprint

In collaboration with Common Sense Education, this lesson helps
students learn about the similarities of staying safe in the real world
and when visiting websites. Students will also learn that the
information they put online leaves a digital footprint or “trail.” This
trail can be big or small, helpful or hurtful, depending on how they
manage it.

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
6

Programming Unplugged:
My Robotic Friends

Using a predefined symbol key, your students will figure out how to
guide one another to accomplish specific tasks without using any
verbal commands. This segment teaches students the connection
between symbols and actions, the difference between an algorithm
and a program, and the valuable skill of debugging.

Programming in Maze

Programming with BB-8

In this lesson, students will use their newfound programming skills in
more complicated ways to navigate a tricky course.

Loops Unplugged:
My Loopy Robotic Friends

Here, students learn the simplicity and utility of loops by
“programming” their friends using the language from ‘My Robotic
Friends’. Once loops are introduced, students find that they can build
big structures faster.

Loops in Collector

Building on the concept of repeating instructions from ‘My Loopy
Robotic Friends’, this stage will have students using loops to collect
treasure more efficiently on Code.org.

Loops in Artist

Returning to loops, students learn to draw images by looping simple
sequences of instructions. In the previous online lesson, loops were
used to traverse a maze and collect treasure. Here, students use
loops to create patterns. At the end of this stage, students will be
given the opportunity to create their own images using loops.

Events Unplugged:
The Big Event

Events are a great way to add variety to a pre-written algorithm.
Sometimes you want your program to be able to respond to the user
exactly when the user wants it to. That is what events are for.

Events in Play Lab

In this online activity, students will have the opportunity to learn how
to use events in Play Lab and apply all of the coding skills that
they've learned to create an animated game. It's time to get creative
and make a story in Play Lab!

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
Course C Overview & Lesson Sequence
Course C was developed for students in and around the second grade. It uses a limited understanding of
shapes and elementary math concepts.
Students will create programs with loops, events, and conditionals. They will translate their initials into binary,
investigate different problem-solving techniques, and discuss how to respond to cyberbullying. By the end of
the course, students will create interactive games that they can share. Each concept in Course C is taught
from the beginning, graduating toward experiences that allow for growth and creativity to provide all students a
rich and novel programming experience.
Online lessons are in regular text and unplugged lessons are in bolded text.

Lesson Name

Description

Building a Foundation

In this lesson, students will build a structure with common materials.
The structure will be tested on its ability to hold a textbook for more
than ten seconds. Most students will not get this right the first time, but
it's important they push through and keep trying.

Programming in Maze

Featuring characters from the game Angry Birds, students will develop
sequential algorithms to move a bird from one side of the maze to a pig
at the other side. To do this they will stack code blocks together in a
linear sequence to move straight and turn left or right.

Debugging in Maze

Debugging is an essential element of learning to program. In this
lesson, students will encounter puzzles that have been solved
incorrectly. They will need to step through the existing code to identify
errors, including incorrect loops, missing blocks, extra blocks, and
blocks that are out of order.

Real-Life Algorithms:
Paper Airplanes

In this lesson, students will relate the concept of algorithms back to
everyday activities. After discussing algorithms, students will make
paper airplanes using an algorithm built by a classmate. The goal here
is to start creating the skills to translate real world situations to online
scenarios and vice versa.

Programming in Collector

Students will continue to develop their understanding of algorithms and
debugging in this series of puzzles by creating sequential algorithms to
pick up treasure with a new character, Laurel the adventurer.

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
6

Programming in Artist

In this lesson, students will take control of the Artist to complete
drawings on the screen. This Artist stage will allow students to create
images of increasing complexity using new blocks like `move forward by
100 pixels` and `turn right by 90 degrees.`

Getting Loopy

Loops are a handy way to repeat actions a certain number of times. In
this lesson, students will dance their way to a better understanding of
how to use repeat loops.

Loops with BB-8

Building on the concept of repeating instructions from “'Getting Loopy”',
this stage will have students using loops to traverse mazes more
efficiently than before.

Loops in Artist

Watch student faces light up as they make their own gorgeous designs
using a small number of blocks and digital stickers! This lesson builds
on the understanding of loops from previous lessons and gives
students a chance to be truly creative. This activity is fantastic for
producing artifacts for portfolios or parent/teacher conferences.

Loops in Harvester

In the preceding stage, students used loops to create fantastic
drawings. Now they're going to loop new actions in order to help the
harvester collect multiple veggies growing in large bunches.

Events Unplugged:
The Big Event

Students will soon learn that events are a great way to add flexibility to
a pre-written algorithm. Sometimes you want your program to be able
to respond to the user exactly when the user wants it to. Events can
make your program more interesting and interactive.

Build a Flappy Game

In this special stage, students get to build their own Flappy Bird game
by using event handlers to detect mouse clicks and object collisions. At
the end of the level, students will be able to customize their game by
changing the visuals or rules.

Events in Play Lab

In this online activity, students will have the opportunity to learn how to
use events in Play Lab and to apply all the coding skills they've learned
to create an animated game. It's time to get creative and make a game
in Play Lab!

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
14

Common Sense
Education: Screen Out
the Mean

This lesson helps children to recognize that it is essential to tell a
trusted adult if something online makes them feel angry, sad, or
scared.
Students learn that other people can sometimes act like bullies when
they are online. They will explore what cyberbullying means and what
they can do when they encounter it. After reading a scenario about
mean online behavior, students discuss what cyberbullying is, how it
can make people feel, and how to respond. Finally, they use their
knowledge to create a simple tip sheet on cyberbullying in their
journals.

Binary Bracelets

Binary is extremely important in the world of computers. The majority
of computers today store all sorts of information in binary form. This
lesson helps demonstrate how it is possible to take something from
real life and translate it into a series of ons and offs.

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
Course D Overview & Lesson Sequence
Course D was created for students who read at roughly a third grade level. Angles and mathematical concepts
are introduced with helpful videos and hints.
The course begins with a review of the concepts found in Courses A, B, and C. This review helps introduce or
refresh basic ideas such as repeat loops and events. Students will develop their understanding of algorithms,
nested loops, while loops, conditionals, and events. Lessons on digital citizenship are also included. This
course is crafted to build a strong foundation of basic concepts before opening up to a wide range of new and
exciting topics.
Online lessons are in regular text and unplugged lessons are in bolded text.

Lesson Name

Description

Algorithms Unplugged:
Graph Paper
Programming

By "programming" one another to draw pictures, students will
develop an understanding of the connection between code and what
it produces. The class will begin by having students instruct each
other to color squares on graph paper in an effort to reproduce an
existing picture. If there’s time, the lesson can conclude with images
that the students create themselves.

Introduction: Remembering
Ideas from Course C

In this set of puzzles, students will begin with an introduction (or
review depending on the experience of your class) of Code.org's
online workspace. There will be videos pointing out the basic
functionality of the workspace including the “Run”, “Reset”, and
“Step” buttons. Also discussed in these videos: dragging, deleting,
and connecting Blockly blocks.
Next, students will practice their sequencing and debugging skills in
maze. From there, students will see new types of puzzles like
Collector, Artist, and Harvester when they learn the basics of loops.

Events in Bounce

In this online activity, students will learn what events are and how
computers use them in programs. Students will work through
puzzles, making their programs react to events (like arrow buttons
being pressed.) At the end of the puzzle, students will have the
opportunity to customize their game with different speeds and
sounds.

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
4

Nested Loops in Maze

In this online activity, students will have the opportunity to push their
understanding of loops to a whole new level. Playing with Bee and
Plants vs Zombies, students will learn how to nest loops. They will
also be encouraged to figure out how little changes will affect their
program when they click "Run".

Nested Loops in Artist

Students will create intricate designs using Artist in this set of
puzzles. By continuing to practice nested loops with new goals,
students will see more uses of loops in general. This set of puzzles
also offers more potential for creativity, with an opportunity for
students to create their own design at the end of the stage.

Nested Loop in Frozen

Now that students know how to layer their loops, they can create so
many beautiful things. This lesson will take students through a series
of exercises to help them create their own portfolio-ready images.

Debugging:
Relay Programming

This activity will begin with a short review of 'Graph Paper
Programming', then will quickly move to a race against the clock as
students break into teams and work together to write a program one
instruction at a time.

Debugging in Collector

In this online lesson, students will practice debugging in the Collector
environment. Students will get to practice reading and editing code
to fix puzzles with simple algorithms, loops and nested loops.

While Loops in Farmer

By the time students reach this lesson, they should already have
plenty of practice using repeat loops, so now it's time to mix things
up by learning a new structure, the `while` loop.

Conditionals with Cards

This lesson demonstrates how conditionals can be used to tailor a
program to specific information. We don’t always have all the
information we need when writing a program. Sometimes you will
want to do something different in one situation than in another, even
if you don't know what situation will be true when your code runs.
That is where conditionals come in. Conditionals allow a computer to
make a decision, based on the information that is true each time
your code is run.

Conditionals in Bee

Up until this point students have been writing code online that
executes exactly the same way each time it is run - reliable, but not
very flexible. In this lesson, your class will begin to code with
conditionals, allowing them to write programs that functions
differently depending on the specific conditions the program
encounters.
37

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
12

Conditionals & Loops in
Maze

In this stage, students will be pairing together two key concepts:
loops and conditionals. This set of puzzles bridges the gaps in
understanding that occur when working on puzzles that use multiple
kinds of blocks. By bringing two ideas together, students will create
more complex code that shows both impressive creativity and critical
thinking!

Conditionals & Loops in
Farmer

Students will practice while loops, until loops, and if / else
statements. All of these blocks use conditions. By practicing all
three, students will learn to write complex and flexible code.

Common Sense
Education:
Digital Citizenship

In collaboration with Common Sense Education, this lesson helps
students learn to think critically about the user information that some
websites request or require. Students learn the difference between
private information and personal information, distinguishing what is
safe and unsafe to share online.

Build a Play Lab Game

In this online activity, students will have the opportunity to learn how
to use events in Play Lab and to apply all of the coding skills they've
learned to create an animated game. It's time to get creative and
make a game in Play Lab!

Binary Images

Though many people think of binary as strictly zeros and ones,
students will be introduced to the idea that information can be
represented in a variety of binary options. This lesson takes that
concept one step further as it illustrates how a computer can store
even more complex information (such as photos and colors) in
binary, as well.

Binary in Artist

Binary is extremely important in the world of computers. The majority
of computers today store all sorts of information in binary form. In
this lesson, students will build binary images in Artist by translating
0s and 1s to offs and ons (or blacks and whites).

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
Course E Overview & Lesson Sequence
Created with a fourth grade students in mind, this course begins with an optional review of concepts previously
taught in courses C and D. This introduction is intended to inspire beginners and remind the experts of the
wonders of computer science. Students will practice coding with algorithms, loops, conditionals, and events
before they are introduced to functions. If students begin this course as confident programmers, feel free to
skip lessons 1-9.
At the end of the course, students will have the opportunity to create a capstone project that they can proudly
share with peers and loved ones.
Online lessons are in regular text and unplugged lessons are in b
olded text.

Lesson
Name

Description

Programming:
My Robotic
Friends

Using a predefined symbol key, your students will figure out how to guide
one another to accomplish specific tasks without using any verbal
commands. This segment teaches students the connection between
symbols and actions, the difference between an algorithm and a program,
and the valuable skill of debugging.

Sequences in
Maze

In this set of puzzles, students will begin with an introduction (or review
depending on the experience of your class) of Code.org's online workspace.
There will be videos pointing out the basic functionality of the workspace
including the “Run”, “Reset”, and “Step” buttons. Also discussed in these
videos: dragging Blockly blocks, deleting Blockly blocks, and connecting
Blockly blocks. Next, students will practice their sequencing and debugging
skills in maze.

Building a
Foundation

In this lesson, students will build a structure with common materials. The
structure will be tested on its ability to hold a textbook for more than ten
seconds. Most students will not get this right the first time, but it's important
they push through and keep trying.

Debugging in
Scrat

Debugging is an essential element of learning to program. In this lesson,
students will encounter puzzles that have been solved incorrectly. They will
need to step through the existing code to identify errors, including incorrect
loops, missing blocks, extra blocks, and blocks that are out of order.

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
5

Programming in
Artist

In this lesson, students will take control of the Artist to complete drawings on
the screen. This Artist stage will allow students to create images of increasing
complexity using new blocks like `move forward by 100 pixels` and `turn right
by 90 degrees.`

My Loopy
Robotic
Friends

Here, students learn the simplicity and utility of loops by “programming” their
friends using the language from ‘My Robotic Friends’. Once loops are
introduced, students find that they can build big structures faster.

Loops in Artist

Watch student faces light up as they make their own gorgeous designs
using a small number of blocks and digital stickers! This lesson builds on the
understanding of loops from previous lessons and gives students a chance
to be truly creative. This activity is fantastic for producing artifacts for
portfolios or parent/teacher conferences.

Nested Loops

In this online activity, students will have the opportunity to push their
understanding of loops to a whole new level. Playing with Bee and Plants vs
Zombies, students will learn how to nest loops. They will also be
encouraged to figure out how little changes will affect their program when
they click "Run".

Nested Loops
with Frozen

Now that students know how to layer their loops, they can create so many
beautiful things. This lesson will take students through a series of exercises
to help them create their own portfolio-ready images.

Dice Race

In this lesson, students will relate the concept of algorithms back to real-life activities
by playing the Dice Race game. The goal here is to start building the skills to
translate real-world situations to online scenarios and vice versa.

Introduction

In this progression, students will begin with an introduction (or review depending on
the experience of your class) of Code.org's online workspace. Students will learn
the basic functionality of the interface including the “Run”, “Reset”, and “Step”
buttons. Dragging, deleting, and connecting Blockly blocks is also introduced in the
beginning video. In the puzzles, students will practice their sequencing and
debugging skills in Maze and Artist.

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
12

Intro to
Conditionals

This lesson introduces students to while loops and if/else statements. While loops
are loops that continue to repeat commands as long as a condition is true. While
loops are used when the programmer doesn't know the exact number of times the
commands need to be repeated, but the programmer does know what condition
needs to be true in order for the loop to continue looping. If/Else statements offer
flexibility in programming by running entire sections of code only if something is
true, otherwise it runs something else.

Common
Sense
Education:
Personal and
Private
Information

Developed by Common Sense Education, this lesson is about the difference
between information that is safe to share online and information that is not.

Build a Star
Wars Game

In this lesson, students will practice using events to build a game that they can
share online. Featuring R2-D2 and other Star Wars characters, students will be
guided through events, then given space to create their own game.

Functions
Unplugged:
Songwriting

One of the most magnificent structures in the computer science world is the
function. Functions (sometimes called procedures) are mini programs that you can
use over and over inside of your bigger program. This lesson will help students
intuitively understand why combining chunks of code into functions can be such a
helpful practice.

Functions in
Artist

Students will be introduced to using functions on Code.org. Magnificent images will
be created and modified with functions in Artist. For even more complicated
patterns, students will learn about nesting functions by calling one function from
inside of another.

Functions in Bee

In the second round of practice with online functions, students will navigate complex
paths, collect plenty of nectar, and make tons of honey.

Functions in
Farmer

Students have practiced creating impressive designs in Artist and navigating mazes
in Bee, but today they will use functions to harvest crops in Farmer. This lesson will
push students to use functions in new ways by combining them with while loops
and if/else statements.

As students visit sites that request information about their identities, they learn to
adopt a critical inquiry process that empowers them to protect themselves and their
families from identity theft. In this lesson, students learn to think critically about the
user information that some websites request or require. They learn the difference
between private information and personal information, as well as how to distinguish
what is safe or unsafe to share online.

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
19

Determine the
Concept

This lesson brings together concepts from the previous lessons and gives students
a chance to think critically about how they would solve each problem, but without
telling them which concept to apply. Students will review basic algorithms,
debugging, repeat loops, conditionals, while loops, and functions.

Build a Play Lab
Game

This lesson features Play Lab, a platform where students can create their own
games and have interactions between characters and user input. Students will work
with events to create keyboard controls. This set of puzzles will also loosely guide
students through game development, but with freedom to add their own ideas.

Explore Project
Ideas

The next four lessons provide an opportunity for students to put their coding skills to
use in a capstone project. This project will help individuals gain experience with
coding and produce an exemplar to share with peers and loved ones. Intended to
be a multi-lesson or multi-week experience, students will spend time exploring,
brainstorming, learning about the design process, building, and presenting their final
work.
This first week, students will play with pre-built examples of projects in both Artist
and Play Lab for inspiration.

The Design
Process

In this portion of the project, students will learn about the design process and how to
implement it in their own projects.

Build Your
Project

Now the students will be given their own space to create their project with either
Artist or Play Lab. This will be the longest portion of the project.

Present Your
Project

Finally, students will be able to present their finished work to their peers or share
with their loved ones with a special link.

The Internet

Even though many people use the internet daily, not very many know how it works.
In this lesson, students will pretend to flow through the internet, all the while learning
about connections, URLs, IP Addresses, and the DNS.

Crowdsourcing

In computer science, we face some big, daunting problems. Challenges such as
finding large prime numbers or sequencing DNA are almost impossible to do as an
individual. Adding the power of others makes these tasks manageable. This lesson
will show your students how helpful teamwork can be in the industry of computer
science.

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
Course F O
verview & Lesson S
equence
The last course in CS Fundamentals w
as tailored to the needs students in the fifth g
rade.
Using the same optional 9 l esson review that was presented in C
ourse E, students have the opportunity to
ore complex l oops, events, functions, and conditionals.
find their programming chops before learning about m
They will also investigate problem-solving techniques and discuss societal impacts of computing and the
internet. By t he end of the curriculum, students create interactive stories and games that they can share with
their f riends and family.
Online lessons are in regular text a
nd u
nplugged lessons are in bolded text.

Lesson
Name

Description

Programming:
My Robotic
Friends

Using a predefined symbol key, your students will figure out how to guide
one another to accomplish specific tasks without using any verbal
commands. This segment teaches students the connection between
symbols and actions, the difference between an algorithm and a program,
and the valuable skill of debugging.

Sequences in
Maze

In this set of puzzles, students will begin with an introduction (or review
depending on the experience of your class) of Code.org's online
workspace. There will be videos pointing out the basic functionality of the
workspace including the “Run”, “Reset”, and “Step” buttons. Also discussed
in these videos: dragging Blockly blocks, deleting Blockly blocks, and
connecting Blockly blocks. Next, students will practice their sequencing and
debugging skills in maze.

Building a
Foundation

In this lesson, students will build a structure with common materials. The
structure will be tested on its ability to hold a textbook for more than ten
seconds. Most students will not get this right the first time, but it's important
they push through and keep trying.

Debugging in
Scrat

Debugging is an essential element of learning to program. In this lesson,
students will encounter puzzles that have been solved incorrectly. They will
need to step through the existing code to identify errors, including incorrect
loops, missing blocks, extra blocks, and blocks that are out of order.

Programming in
Artist

In this lesson, students will take control of the Artist to complete drawings on
the screen. This Artist stage will allow students to create images of
increasing complexity using new blocks like `move forward by 100 pixels`
and `turn right by 90 degrees.`

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
6

My Loopy
Robotic
Friends

Here, students learn the simplicity and utility of loops by “programming”
their friends using the language from ‘My Robotic Friends’. Once loops are
introduced, students find that they can build big structures faster.

Loops in Artist

Watch student faces light up as they make their own gorgeous designs
using a small number of blocks and digital stickers! This lesson builds on
the understanding of loops from previous lessons and gives students a
chance to be truly creative. This activity is fantastic for producing artifacts
for portfolios or parent/teacher conferences.

Nested Loops

In this online activity, students will have the opportunity to push their
understanding of loops to a whole new level. Playing with Bee and Plants
vs Zombies, students will learn how to nest loops. They will also be
encouraged to figure out how little changes will affect their program when
they click "Run".

Nested Loops
with Frozen

Now that students know how to layer their loops, they can create so many
beautiful things. This lesson will take students through a series of exercises
to help them create their own portfolio-ready images.

Algorithms:
Tangrams

This lesson shows us something important about algorithms. As long as you keep an
algorithm simple, there are lots of ways to use it. However, if you want to make sure
everyone produces the same outcome, then your algorithm needs more detail.
Students will learn the difference between a detailed and general algorithm while
playing with tangrams.

Introduction

In this lesson, students will be introduced to sequences, loops, and nested loops to
prepare them for more complicated concepts in the later part of the course. This
"ramp up" lesson equalizes the playing field between the experts and the beginners
in your class.

Common
Sense
Education:
The Power of
Words

Students consider that while they are enjoying their favorite websites they may
encounter messages from other kids that can make them feel angry, hurt, sad, or
fearful. They explore ways to handle cyberbullying and how to respond in the face of
upsetting language online.

Events in Ice
Age

In this lesson, students are guided through a story featuring characters from Ice Age.
Students will work with events and loops to make characters move on the screen,
and will get the chance to create their own game or story after the guided levels.

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
14

Conditionals in
Minecraft

This lesson gives students a chance to learn and practice conditionals. It features
characters and settings from Minecraft, and students will complete tasks such as
mining and building structures using their programs.

Variables
Unplugged:
Envelope
Variables

Variables are used as placeholders for values such as numbers or words. Variables
allow for a lot of freedom in programming. Instead of having to type out a phrase
many times or remember an obscure number, computer scientists can use variables
to reference them. This lesson helps to explain what variables are and how we can
use them in many different ways. The idea of variables isn't an easy concept to
grasp, so we recommend allowing plenty of time for discussion at the end of the
lesson.

Variables in
Artist

In this lesson, students will explore the creation of repetitive designs using variables
in the Artist environment. Students will learn how variables can be used to make
code easier to write and easier to read. After guided puzzles, students will end in a
freeplay level to show what they have learned and create their own designs.

Variables in
Play Lab

Students will get further practice with variables in this lesson by creating scenes in
Play Lab. Students will work with user input to set the values of their variables, then
get space to create their own mini-project with variables.

For Loops
Unplugged:
For Loop Fun

We know that loops allow us to do things over and over again, but now we’re going
to learn how to use loops that have extra structures built right in. These new
structures will allow students to create code that is more powerful and dynamic.

For Loops in
Bee

Featuring Bee, this lesson focuses on for loops and using an incrementing variable
to solve more complicated puzzles. Students will begin by reviewing loops from
previous lessons, then walked through using for loops to more effectively solve
complicated problems.

For Loops in
Artist

In this lesson, students continue to practice for loops, this time with Artist. Students
will complete puzzles combining the ideas of variables, loops, and for loops to create
complex designs. At the end, they will have a chance to create their own art in a
freeplay level.

Functions
Unplugged:
Songwriting
with
Parameters

One of the most magnificent structures in the computer science world is the function.
Functions (sometimes called procedures) are mini programs that you can use over
and over inside of your bigger program. This lesson will help students intuitively
understand why combining chunks of code into functions is such a helpful practice,
and how they can use those structures even when chunks of code are slightly
different.

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
22

Conditionals
and Functions
in Bee

This lesson teaches students how to create simple functions using our sophisticated
“modal” function editor, preparing the way for them to incorporate parameters in
future lessons.

Functions with
Parameters in
Artist

In this lesson, students continue working with functions with and without parameters.
Students will get the chance to create their own drawings with and without
parameters, before modifying functions in a freeplay level.

Functions with
Parameters in
Bee

This lesson features the bee environment, and continues along the concept of
functions with parameters from the previous Artist stage. Students will practice
writing and using functions to follow complex paths and collect patterns of nectar and
honey.

Explore Project
Ideas

The next five lessons provide an opportunity for students to put their coding skills to
use in a capstone project. This project will help individuals gain experience with
coding and produce an exemplar to share with peers and loved ones. This is
intended to be a multi-lesson or multi-week project where students spend time
brainstorming, learning about the design process, building, and then presenting their
final work.
This first week, students will play with pre-built examples of projects in both Artist
and Play Lab for inspiration.

The Design
Process

In this portion of the project, students will learn about the design process and how to
implement it in their own projects.

Build Your
Project

Now the students will be given their own space to create their project with either
Artist or Play Lab. This will be the longest portion of the project.

Revise Your
Project

Now that the projects are built, students are given the opportunity to get feedback
from peers and revise their projects.

Present Your
Project

Finally, students will be able to present their finished work to their peers or share with
their loved ones with a special link.

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide

Courses A-F Additional Supplies List

Most of the unplugged lessons in Courses A-F require only paper, scissors, and writing instruments. We have
included here a list of activities where lessons can benefit from more.

Course A

❏ Marble Run - Tape, cardboard, other supplies for building, kid friendly marbles or round cereal (1-5/group)
❏ Real-Life Algorithms: P
lant a S
eed - Dirt (4oz/student), seeds (3-5/student), paper cups (1/student)

Course B
❏
❏
❏
❏

My R
obotic Friends - Plastic cups (15/group of 3-5), index cards (8/group of 3-5)
Marble R
un - Tape, cardboard, other supplies for building, kid friendly marbles or round cereal (1-5/group)
Real-Life A
lgorithms: P
lant a S
eed - Dirt (4oz/student), seeds (3-5/student), paper cups (1/student)
My ( Loopy) R
obotic F
riends - Plastic cups (30/group of 3-5), index cards (8/group of 3-5)

Course C

❏ Building a Foundation - Gumdrops & toothpicks or marshmallows & popsicle sticks (approx 16/student of each)
❏ Real-Life A
lgorithms: P
aper Airplanes - Paper for airplane construction
❏ Binary Bracelets - Markers (Optional: 18 black/18 white beads, and 1 pipe cleaner per student)

Course D

❏ Conditionals with Cards - Deck of cards (1 per group of 4-6) or something similar
❏ Digital Citizenship - Cubecraft superheros (see resources for more details)
❏ Binary Images - Optional: Objects with two opposites such as a large coin or a lamp that turns on or
off

Course E
❏
❏
❏
❏
❏

My Robotic F
riends - Plastic cups (15/group of 3-5), index cards (8/group of 3-5)
Building a Foundation - Gumdrops & toothpicks or marshmallows & popsicle sticks (approx 16/student of each)
My ( Loopy) Robotic F
riends - Plastic cups (30/group of 3-5), index cards (8/group of 3-5)
Dice R
ace - Dice (1 die/group of 2-4)
Crowdsourcing - Deck of cards (1/group of 4-6) or something similar, and a jar full of small items
(buttons, beads, beans, e
tc)

Course F
❏
❏
❏
❏
❏

My Robotic F
riends - Plastic cups (15/group of 3-5), index cards (8/group of 3-5)
Building a Foundation - Gumdrops & toothpicks or marshmallows & popsicle sticks (approx 16/student of each)
My ( Loopy) Robotic F
riends - Plastic cups (30/group of 3-5), index cards (8/group of 3-5)
Envelope V
ariables - Envelopes (1-4/group of 2-4, plus 4-6 extra for the front of the room)
For Loop Fun - Dice (3 dice/group of 2-4)

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide

Appendix A: Unplugged Lesson
Plans
(With complete list of supplies beforehand)

CS Fundamentals Teacher Lesson Plans
51

Course A

Debugging (Unspotted Bugs)

Marble Run Debugging

Build a Marble Run

Stevie and The Big Project

Real-Life Algorithms: Plant a Seed

Common Sense Education: Going Places Safely

Programming Unplugged: Happy Maps

Loops Unplugged: Happy Loops

90
104

Events Unplugged: The Big Event

110

Course B

Debugging (Unspotted Bugs)

111
114

Stevie and The Big Project

118

Marble Run Debugging

122

Build a Marble Run

Real-Life Algorithms: Plant a Seed

130

Programming Unplugged: My Robotic Friends

151

Common Sense Education: Your Digital Footprint

136

Loops Unplugged: My Loopy Robotic Friends

166
175

Events Unplugged: The Big Event

181
182

Course C

Building a Foundation

Real-Life Algorithms: Paper Airplanes

186

Events Unplugged: The Big Event

197

191

Getting Loopy

203
216

Common Sense Education: Screen Out the Mean
Binary Bracelets

222
223

Course D

Algorithms Unplugged: Graph Paper Programming

233

Debugging Unplugged: Relay Programming
Conditionals with Cards

242

Binary Images

253

248

Common Sense Education: Digital Citizenship

CS Fundamentals Teacher Lesson Plans
Course E Ramp-Up

258
151

Programming Unplugged: My Robotic Friends

182

Building a Foundation

166

Loops Unplugged: My Loopy Robotic Friends

258
259

Course E

Dice Race

Common Sense Education: Personal and Private Information

265
278

The Internet

286

Functions Unplugged: Songwriting

296

Crowdsourcing

Programming Unplugged: My Robotic Friends

300
151
182

Loops Unplugged: My Loopy Robotic Friends

166

Course F Ramp-Up

Building a Foundation

300

Course F

Algorithms Unplugged: Tangrams

301

Variables Unplugged: Envelope Variables

323

Functions Unplugged: Songwriting with Parameters

336

Common Sense Education: The Power of Words

308

For Loops Unplugged: For Loop Fun

329

CS Fundamentals Course A

Course A
51

This lesson will guide students through the steps of debugging. Students
will learn the mantra: "What happened? What was supposed to happen?

Express that they have noticed when something

What does that tell you?"

goes differently than what is expected.
Identify what the expected result was before an
error occurs.

Research shows that some students have less trouble debugging a
program than writing one when they ﬁrst learn to code. In this lesson, we
introduce the idea of debugging in a real world sense.
The goal in this lesson is to teach students steps to spot a bug and to
increase persistence by showing them that it's normal to ﬁnd mistakes. In
later lessons, students will debug actual programs on Code.org.

Determine and describe the difference between
what was expected and what actually happened
in the event of an error.

Review the Unspotted Bugs Story (
)
Pre-read Unspotted Bugs to identify appropriate
questions for your classroom
Follow instructions in the
to make a Marble Run
(which will be arranged incorrectly at the start)
Give a
to each student

- Teacher Prep Guide (

)
(

)

- Online Story

- Part of a program that does not work
correctly.
- Finding and ﬁxing problems in
your algorithm or program.
- Trying again and again, even
when something is very hard.

Goal: Help students understand the steps involved in debugging.

This story can be presented in several ways, including:
Circled up story time
Projected with document camera / smartboard
Pair shared with students at their computers
The story of Unspotted Bugs presents many of the ideas that
students will need to understand the debugging process of
coding. This warm-up is meant to tie a memorable story
together with a concept that young kids often ﬁnd to be
difﬁcult.

Lesson Tip
Important ideas from the story:

Read the book and discuss the techniques that JD used to
discover and take care of bugs. Make sure those questions
and tactics get repeated often enough that students can
recall (if not recite) them without the story in hand.

What happened?
What was supposed to happen?
What does that tell you?
Did it work at the ﬁrst step?
Did it work at the second step?
Where did it go wrong?

Potential Questions for Storytime:
Page 3: What do you notice in the picture? What’s wrong with the ﬂower? (It’s upside down!) What’s wrong with the clock? (The
hands aren’t in the center) Why do you think there is something wrong with these items?(Because there are bugs on them!)
Page 7: What’s wrong with the picture? (The lamp is upside down) Why is that? (There’s a bug)
Page 11: What’s wrong in this scene? (The car doesn’t have wheels!) Why? (Because there are bugs on it!)
What did JD ﬁnd when he went looking for the bug? What was wrong? What does this mean? (JD found an upside down tree.
This is wrong because the tree trunk should be touching the ground! This means there is a bug on the tree!)

This lesson has three new and important vocabulary words:
- Say it with me: Buhh-g. Something that is going wrong. An error.
- Say it with me: Dee-bug-ing. To ﬁnd and ﬁx errors.
- Say it with me: Purr-siss-tense. Not giving up. Persistence works best when you try things many different ways,
many different times.

Goal: Help students think critically about the difference between what is happening and what is expected.

Now that students have been introduced to the idea of looking for problems, they can try to apply it to more places in the real world.
This next activity gives them practice looking for bugs in Marble Runs (a project that they will be working with next week.)
Grab your sample marble run (built from our plans, or something similar.) Show the students how each piece works, then
demonstrate putting them together (but put them together incorrectly, to prevent the ball from ﬂowing properly from A to B.
The goal of this exercise is to help the students identify when something goes wrong, so if they don’t catch it the ﬁrst time, run it
again, and again. It can help to make exaggerated frustration faces when the ball doesn’t do what you would like it to do.

Let the students share hypotheses about what is going

Lesson Tip

wrong, and how to ﬁx it. Students should feel free to try
things that you know will be incorrect. If students misidentify
solutions, use the bug ﬁnding formula on their conﬁgurations.
Repeat until you get a working run.
Encouragement is key here. If things don’t work right away,
praise the class for being so persistent and choosing not to
give up. If they start to get frustrated, encourage them to
persist a bit longer, promising them that they will get it soon if
they just hang in there.

Great! You all are so good at this, maybe you can help me
with my own problem!
See, I have this marble run that I made. It comes in two
pieces. When I put the ball in here (input A) it’s supposed to
come out here (output A). When I put the ball in here (input B)
it’s supposed to come out here (output B). Now, when I slide
them together, I should be able to put the ball in here (input A)
and have it come out here (output B). But it doesn’t work,
watch.
[Slide the pieces together with output B facing output A.]
Watch what happens. [Drop ball at input A and notice that it
does not come out output B.]

Goal: Students will start to understand the importance of the
activity they just completed by reﬂecting on it verbally, then
through drawing in their journals.

BUG!
What happened?
The ball fell on the table.
What was supposed to happen?

It can be distracting to a learner when they have unanswered
questions or doubts. To end this lesson, we’ll give everyone
the chance to get those out so that they can reﬂect on what
they’ve been taught.

The ball was supposed to drop from A into B.
What does that tell you?
You should turn B around so that the ball goes into the right
place!

Encourage students to share their thoughts and questions
either with the whole class or with an elbow partner.

Lesson Tip
Once they’ve had time to ponder their own thoughts, get the
students thinking about the purpose of the lesson that they
just learned. Why did you do this activity? How will it help
them later? Can they think of buggy things that they’ve seen
in the real world?

What do you think we learned in this lesson?
Debugging
How to solve a problem
How to make a marble go

Students should ﬁnish by drawing or writing in their journal.
Possible topics include:

How do you think that can help us in other places?

How do you feel when something that you are working on
acts buggy?
How many times do you think you should try to ﬁx a bug before you give up?
What would you do if you notice that something is buggy, but you don't know how to ﬁx it?

Lesson Tip:
Take your students outside. Do you see any signs of bugs?
What are they? Now look closer... can you ﬁnd the actual
bug?

The signs of real-live bugs won’t be as dramatic as upside
down trees, but it might be dead leaves, spots on ﬂowers, or
slime on the
sidewalk. Have the students brainstorm these before going
outside to look for them.

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T
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Teacher Prep

Marble Run
Teacher Prep Guide

This guide will provide assistance through a set of two lessons using a Marble Run contraption.
The first portion of this kindergarten series is the debugging lesson, where students will help
you debug your Marble Run. In order to do this, you need to have a broken prototype that can
be fixed in a predictable way. This guide will suggest an easy step-by-step solution, and give
you tips for making a creation using your own design.
For the second half, we are going to ask students to do something incredibly challenging in
order to stretch their understanding and aptitude for persistence. This guide will provide
additional suggestions and resources to keep the project grade appropriate.

Stage 1: Debugging
The Rules:
The rules of the student version of the Marble Run activity are pretty simple:
1) Build two Marble Runs.
2) Each Marble Run should have at least 3 pieces.
3) Marble Run 1 should take a marble at Start height and finish at Middle height.
4) Marble Run 2 should take a marble at Middle height and finish at End height.
5) Put the two Marble Runs together and watch the marble go from Start to End

There are a couple of additional rules to adapt this to be effective for the lesson on debugging:
1) The teacher’s contraption must not work to begin with.
2) The fix for the issue should be detectable by following the marble’s path and determining
where the change from “expected” to “unexpected” occurs.

The Set-Up:
Use the Marble Run Ruler (provided on page 2) to determine the starting and ending height
for each of the two components, we will call those Component A and Component B.
Component A needs to take in a marble (Input A) at a height that falls somewhere within the
highlighted “Start” region. It should then return the marble (Output A) at a height somewhere
within the highlighted “Middle” region.
Component B should take a marble (input B) at a height that falls somewhere within the highlighted “Middle” region. It should then return the marble (Output B) at a height somewhere
within the highlighted “End” region.
Two simple ways for a teacher to initiate an easy-to-fix failure would be:
A) Have two working components, but connect them in an incorrect way
B) Have Component A release the marble lower than Component B can receive it
Proceed to the teacher guide for Stage 2 for more information on building a Marble Run that
falls into either of those categories.
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Start

Middle

End

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Teacher Prep

Marble Run
Teacher Prep Guide

Stage 2: Building a Marble Run
The Rules:
These are the rules for the student version of the Marble Run activity:
1) Build two Marble Runs.
2) Each Marble Run should have at least 3 pieces.
3) Marble Run 1 should take a marble at Start height and finish at Middle height.
4) Marble Run 2 should take a marble at Middle height and finish at End height.
5) Put the two Marble Runs together and watch the marble go from Start to End.

Feel free to change the parameters of these heights as you see fit.

The Set-Up:
Set-up of the student resource area is crucial. Supplies should be plentiful and easy to locate.
In addition to the classroom norms (cardstock, tape, safety scissors) volunteers can also
donate extra items if given enough notice (paper cups, cereal boxes, and the like).
For further support, place a stack of copies of “Marble Run Hints” (pages 7 & 8) for students to
find. You do not need to let the class know that those are available. Students will feel more
like they have “discovered” something if the teacher is not involved in the process.

The Build:
We have provided tutorials on four relatively simple pieces that are quite helpful for this
project. These peices are:
• Tube (fig. 1) - A piece of paper that has been rolled into a cylinder
• Ramp (fig. 2) - Paper folded in a zig-zag fashion to provide a ramp with attaching flaps
• Bridge (fig. 3) - Paper where two sides have been folded into the center to create a bridge
• Cone (fig. 4) - Paper rolled first into a cylinder, then tightened at the bottom and
loosened at the top. Once the basic cone has been created, secure with tape, then
cut the top and bottom to customize.

A low-frills example contraption can be created using the steps that follow.
Component A:
1) Cut an 8.5”x11” sheet of cardstock in half lengthwise, then cut one of those
halves lengthwise again. Fold both of the quarter strips bridge style.
2) Lay the bridges on their sides and tape free edges together to form a square or
rectangle.
3) Cut an 8.5”x11” sheet of cardstock in quarters (length, then width). Roll two of
the pieces along the long edge and two along the short edge, then secure with
tape, to make a total of 4 tubes.
4) Tape the long tubes to the back of the square case from step 2, and the short
tubes should be taped in front.
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Marble Run
Teacher Prep Guide

Teacher Prep

Component A (continued):
5) Cut an 8.5”x11” sheet of cardstock in half widthwise. Fold one piece in half
lengthwise, then fold the long edges back out toward the crease to make a
ramp.
6) Tape the edges of the ramp to the tops of the posts. This gives your main
marble path, but it’s not quite tall enough.
7) Add a cone at the intake point, and you’ll be set!
Component B:
8) Cut an 8.5”x11” sheet of cardstock in half widthwise and roll one of the pieces
along the short side, to make an 8.5” tube. Secure with tape.
9) Cut the tube at a point anywhere from 2” - 4” at about a 45 degree angle.
10) Rotate one of the pieces to form an elbow, and tape back together.
11) Cut a 1“ strip from the remaining 8.5” x 5.5” cardstock half (lengthwise) and
make a bridge to use as a triangular base for the tube to sit in.
12) Use the remaining cardstock to make an input cone for the top of Component B.
Trim tube and cone to get appropriate height.

Voila! Your very own Marble Run!

Note: It is highly unlikely that your students will come up with anything this clean and
stable. That is OKAY! The version here is meant to be messed with and reused.

Tube

Figure 1

Ramp

Bridge

Figure 2

Figure 3

Cone

Figure 4

Big Project
When students run into a barrier while answering a question or working on
a project, it’s so easy for them to get frustrated and give up. This lesson
will introduce students to the idea that frustration can be an important part

Recognize and point out symptoms of frustration.

of learning. Here, frustration is presented as a step in the creative process,
rather than a sign of failure.

choose to be persistent in the face of frustration,
rather than giving up.

This lession can be done over one or two class sessions. If you have more
time, feel free to draw out the building and revising phase of the Marble
Run activity.

The goal of this lesson is to help students realize that failure and
frustration are common when working on projects, but that doesn't mean
that they should give up.
In this lesson, students will develop an understanding of what it means to
be frustrated while working on a large project. It's possible that not every
student will experience frustration with this activity, but there are many
opportunities to open a discussion about moments in the past where
students have felt frustrated but nevertheless persisted.

Describe at least one reason why they will

Pre-read "Stevie and the Big Project" to identify
appropriate questions for your class.
Follow instructions in the
to make a Marble Run.
Print copies of the
(page 2
of teacher guide) for each student or pair of
students.
Prepare a resource station with cardstock, safety
scissors, tape, and anything else you think might
be fun for students to build with. Include a stack
of the
pages from the
Teacher Prep Guide, but do not advertise their
existence.
(Optional) Allow students to bring cardboard,
popsicle sticks, string, or other tidbits from home
to add to the resource station.
Make sure each student has a
.

- Teacher Prep Guide (

)
(

)

- Online Story

- First Attempt In Learning
- Feeling annoyed or angry because
something is not the way you want it.
59

- Trying again and again, even
when something is very hard.

Lesson Tip
Goal: Introduce students to the idea that they don’t have to
give up just because they are frustrated.
This lesson begins with a story. Students will be introduced to

How would you feel if you were given a project that feels

several ideas on persistence and frustration through relatable

much harder than what you are used to?
Do you think it’s okay to try something new, even if it

struggles by ﬁctional characters, including the idea that
frustration is not a sign that someone should instantly give

doesn’t work out the ﬁrst time?

up.

Why do you think Stevie smashed her project?
Do you think that helped her or hurt her when it comes

This book can be presented in several ways, including:

to reaching her goal?
Circled up story time

What do you think Stevie should have done instead of
breaking her project?

Projected with document camera / smartboard
Pair share with students at their computers

Can somebody explain what frustration is?

Use the reading techniques that work in your classroom:

How do you think you can know when you are frustrated?

If your students like to discuss things that happen as they
appear in the book, be sure to stop your class after large plot
areas like when Stevie breaks her structure, or when Laurel
explains frustration.

What face do you make when you are frustrated?
How can you make yourself feel better when you start to
get frustrated?
We all get frustrated sometimes. Does that mean that
we should give up?

If your students like to sit through a whole story and discuss
at the end, read through the book, then prompt their memory

Can someone tell me what persistence is?

with some “Remember when…” type questions.

Why is it hard to learn if you're not persistent?
Can you tell me why you might be tempted not to be
persistent?
What happened when Stevie decided to be persistent?

- Say it with me: Purr-siss-tense. Not giving
up. Persistence works best when you try things many
different ways, many different times.

Do you think you can be persistent?

- Say it with me: Frus - straight - ted. Feeling
annoyed or angry because something is not the way you want it.
- First Attempt in learning. When you try to do something, but you don't do it quite right.

Goal: This activity is meant to highlight and normalize the feeling of frustration, while giving students a chance to be persistent.

It is vitally important that students understand that this activity is meant to help them learn about frustration and persistence. This is
not one of those times when we allow students to experience something, then give it a name afterward. Students need to know that
they will be feeling some emotions, and that those emotions are okay.
Take a moment to relate the next activity back to the book that you just read. The class might be excited that they get to try the
same project that Stevie did, but they might also be apprehensive at the thought of tackling something difﬁcult.
Encourage your students to have their Think Spot Journals around during the activity so they can use them to plan, solve, and voice
concerns.
60

Time to be an engineer!

Lesson Tip

Break students up into pairs and have them quickly come up
with a team name. This should help to unify them in their
work.
Next, point out the resource station that you have set up with
all of the supplies and goodies that students will have access
to. Make sure you are very clear about whether they are
limited only to the items in the resource station or whether
they are allowed to ask for other items for their creation.
Give students checkpoints for this activity. Make sure that
they know that there is no penalty for not ﬁnishing on time.
Preplanning is optional, since prediction is not often a
kindergartener’s strong suit.

Now, we’re going to do something very fun, and very
challenging! I am going to let you all try to make a Marble Run
of your own!
This is
to be challenging. That’s part of the fun!
Your Marble Run probably won’t work right the ﬁrst time, and
that’s
alright. The goal for this game is to practice being persistent.
Remember, Stevie showed us that this might be difﬁcult, and
sometimes difﬁcult things are frustrating. It is okay if you get
frustrated during this activity. Most of us probably will at some
point. How should we handle those feelings?
Count to 10

The ﬁrst attempt at building will likely be hectic and a bit

Take deep breaths

sloppy, but it should give students access to the feelings and
opportunities for persistence that are being studied in this
lesson.

Journal about them

Try to end the Marble Run build with an opportunity for
groups to collaborate. This will improve the chances of
success for students who have been struggling, without the
need for teacher intervention.

Talk to a partner about them
Ask for help

Lesson Tip

Pre-planning time (3-5 minutes)
Time to do some damage control if any is needed.
Remind students that this activity was planned to teach
students how to identify feelings of frustration and work past
them to be persistent.
Discuss the difference between being successful for the
purpose of this activity, and being successful at building their
contraption. Is it possible to have done the ﬁrst without the
second?

First attempt at building (10-15 minutes) -- For a longer (or
two day) time period -Discuss with another group (3-5 minutes)
Revision of structure (10-15 minutes) -- Wrap Up Work -Collaborative work time (5-15 minutes)

Teacher Tip
Tears are a very common byproduct when kindergarteners
attempt lessons of this nature. You will likely want to have a
pre-packaged prescription for students who become
emotionally raw.
Can you put into words what you are feeling right now?

Goal: Allow students to reﬂect on the emotions and
processes experienced during the lesson.

Stevie would be so proud of you. What do you think Laurel
and Jorge would say if you told them how you feel?
What would it be called if you said out loud that you are
frustrated, but decided to keep working anyway?
Do you feel like you can be persistent with me today?

Finish out this lesson by asking students to spend some time
in their Think Spot Journal.
Draw a picture of what you look like when you’re frustrated.
Draw a picture that shows things you can do to feel better when you’re frustrated.
What does persistence look like?

Add a third piece to the beginning of the Marble Run. Can students start a marble up even higher and get it to ﬂow through the
rest of their contraption?
61

Talking through frustration. Can students think of things that they can say to classmates to help them be persistent when they are
frustrated?

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Teacher Prep

Marble Run
Teacher Prep Guide

Revision 160921.1a

Start

Middle

End

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Teacher Prep

Marble Run
Teacher Prep Guide

Feel free to change the parameters of these heights as you see fit.

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Marble Run
Teacher Prep Guide

Teacher Prep

Voila! Your very own Marble Run!

Note: It is highly unlikely that your students will come up with anything this clean and
stable. That is OKAY! The version here is meant to be messed with and reused.

Tube

Figure 1

Ramp

Bridge

Figure 2

Figure 3

Cone

Figure 4

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Marble Run

Teacher Prep

Teacher Prep Guide

Step 1: Fold strips “bridge style”

Step 2: Tape ends of folded strips
together to make a base.

Step 3: Roll quartered paper into
tubes and secure with tape.

Step 4: Tape tubes inside case.
Make sure to tape them near the
top for height.

Step 5: Make a ramp from a half
sheet of cardstock.

Step 6: Tape ramp to base and
check height.

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Marble Run

Teacher Prep

Teacher Prep Guide

Step 7: Add cone to finish
Component A.

Step 8: Roll 1/2 sheet into tube to
start on Component B.

Step 9: Cut tube at an angle.

Step 10: Tape tubes back together
to make an elbow.

Step 11: Make a base from a thin
strip of cardstock.

Step 12: Add a cone to the top and
trim pieces to size.

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Marble Run Hints

Handout

Student Handout

Try using some of these:
Tube

Ramp

Bridge

Cone

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Marble Run Hints
(Continued)

Handout

Now try putting them together!
Tube

Ramp
or

Ramp

Bridge
or

Bridge

Tube
or

Cone

Tube
or

In this lesson, students will relate the concept of algorithms back to
everyday, real-life activities by planting an actual seed. The goal here is to

Decompose large activities into a series of

start building the skills to translate real-world situations to online scenarios
and vice versa.

smaller events.

In this lesson, students will learn that algorithms are everywhere in our
daily lives. For example, it is possible to write an algorithm to plant a seed.
Instead of giving vague or over-generalized instructions, students will
break down a large activity into smaller and more speciﬁc commands.
From these commands, students must determine a special sequence of
instructions that will allow their classmate to plant a seed.

Arrange sequential events into their logical order.

Watch the
.
Prepare supplies for planting seeds. You'll need
seeds, dirt, and paper cups for each student or
group.
Print one
for each student.
Print one
for each student.
Make sure each student has a
.

- Teacher Video
Worksheet
- Assessment
(

)

- A precise sequence of instructions
for processes that can be executed by a
computer

This lesson has one vocabulary word that is important to review:
Algorithm - Say it with me: Al-go-ri-thm
A list of steps that you can follow to ﬁnish a task

Ask your students what they did to get ready for school this morning.
Write their answers on the board
If possible, put numbers next to their responses to indicate the order that they happen
If students give responses out of order, have them help you put them in some kind of logical order
Point out places where order matters and places where it doesn't
Introduce students to the idea that it is possible to create algorithms for the things that we do everyday.
Give them a couple of examples, such as making breakfast, tying shoes, and brushing teeth.
Let's try doing this with a new and fun activity, like planting a seed!

You can use algorithms to help describe things that people do
every day. In this activity, we will create an algorithm to help
each other plant a seed. Directions:
Cut out the steps for planting a seed from

Lesson Tip
You know your classroom best. As the teacher, decide if you
should all do this together, or if students should work in pairs
or small groups.

.
Work together to choose the six correct steps from the
nine total options.
Glue the six correct steps, in order, onto a separate piece of paper.
Trade the ﬁnished algorithm with another person or group and let them use it to plant their seed!
Lesson Tip
If deciding on the correct steps seems too difﬁcult for your
students, do that piece together as a class before you break
up into teams.
How many of you were able to follow your classmates'
algorithms to plant your seeds?
Did the exercise leave anything out?
What would you have added to make the algorithm even better?
What if the algorithm had been only one step: "Plant the seed"?
Would it have been easier or harder?
What if it were forty steps?
What was your favorite part about that activity?

Ask the students to go back to their desks to reﬂect individually on what they learned. Write a couple of the questions up above on a
whiteboard. Ask the students to discuss these in their journal. Sample prompts include:

Draw the seed you planted today.
Write the algorithm you used to plant the seed.

Hand out the

and allow students to complete the activity independently after the

instructions have been well explained.
This should feel familiar, thanks to the previous activities.

Use these activities to enhance student learning. They can be used as outside of class activities or other enrichment.

Break the class up into teams.
Have each team come up with several steps that they can think of to complete a task.
Gather teams back together into one big group and have one team share their steps, without letting anyone know what the
activity was that they had chosen.
Allow the rest of the class to try to guess what activity the algorithm is for.

If you are interested in licensing Code.org materials for commercial purposes,

Name:

Date:

Real-Life Algorithms
Plant a Seed Worksheet

Unplugged

You can use algorithms to help describe things that people do every day. In this activity,
we will create an algorithm to help each other plant a seed.
Cut out the steps of planting a seed below, then work together to glue the six the correct
steps, in order, onto a separate piece of paper. Trade your finished algorithm with another
person or group and let them use it to plant their seed!

PUT POT IN SUNLIGHT

PUT SEED IN HOLE

HUG AN ELEPHANT

PUT GLUE ON SEED

FILL POT WITH SOIL

POKE HOLE IN SOIL

WATER POT

COVER SEED WITH SOIL

POUR SODA POP IN POT

Revision 140710.1a

U
Unplugged

Name:

Date:

Real-Life Algorithms
Assessment Worksheet

An algorithm is a list of steps that you can follow to finish a task. We follow
algorithms every day when it comes to activities like making the bed, making
breakfast, or even getting dressed in the morning.
Connie the Coder just woke up and is still feeling very sleepy. Can you put together
some algorithms to help Connie get ready for the day?

Help Connie Put on Shoes:

2 3

Help Connie Brush her Teeth:
G

2 3 4

Help Connie Plant a Seed:
G

2 3 4 5 6
75

Revision 140710.1a

Name:

Date:

Real-Life Algorithms

Unplugged

Assessment Worksheet

These items are out of order. To help Connie, cut out each picture and rearrange
them into the right sequence in the category above.

Putting on Shoes

PICK UP
SHOES

TIE SHOE

BRUSH
TEETH

DIRTY TEETH

CLEAN
TEETH

PUT POT IN
SUNLIGHT

PUT SEED IN
HOLE

POKE HOLE
IN SOIL

PUT FOOT IN
SHOE

Brusing Teeth

PASTE ON
BRUSH

Plant a Seed

FILL POT
WITH SOIL

WATER POT

COVER SEED
WITH SOIL

Revision 140710.1a

The bridge from algorithms to programming can be a short one if students
understand the difference between planning out a sequence and encoding
that sequence into the appropriate language. This activity will help
students gain experience reading and writing in shorthand code.

This unplugged lesson brings together teams with a simple task: get the
"ﬂurb" to the fruit. Students will practice writing precise instructions as they
work to translate instructions into the symbols provided. If problems arise
in the code, students should also work together to recognize bugs and
build solutions.

Translate an algorithm into a program.
Decode and run a program created by someone
else.

Watch the
Print out

.
for

each group.
Print out
for each group.
Make sure each student has a
.

- Worksheet (

- Manipulatives
(

)
- Teacher Video
(

)

- An algorithm that has been coded
into something that can be run by a machine.

)

Goal: This portion of the lesson will set the stage for making the connection between an algorithm and a program.
Ask your students for directions to the chalkboard.
If they start shouting simultaneously, explain that you can only hear one instruction at a time. Call on students individually if
that helps.
When you reach the board, ask for instructions to draw a smiley face.
Again, request this one step at a time
Explain that many tasks can be described using a speciﬁc list of instructions. That list is called an algorithm.
This is where we introduce the activity. In your

, there are single and double step maps. Show the students that

the point of these maps is to ﬁgure out how to get the Flurb to the fruit. Students should then use their words to solve these puzzles
in small groups. Example algorithms include:
Move the Flurb up
Move the Flurb North, then West

Ask if any students want to share their algorithm for one of
the mazes.
Can everyone see how the volunteer came up with that
answer?
Is there any debugging that needs to be done?
Now, what if we tried to move our Flurb through a 10-step
maze?

Lesson Tip:
If you have time and motivation, get your students to bring
their stufﬁes into school for this lesson and have them create
programs to move stufﬁes from square to square, outlined in
tape on the carpet.

Could we remember all of the steps?
What if we had to write all of the steps down in words?
How could we make this easier?
Show students how to represent the algorithms that they just created using arrows (either drawn, or cut from the
). Have a short discussion about how quick and easy this “code” makes the process of getting the Flurb where it
needs to be.

: an algorithm that has been encoded into something that can be run by a machine.

Goal: Happy Maps Programming will help students translate an algorithm into code.
Now that the students have had some practice encoding algorithms, have them work on some larger maps.
Encourage the students to follow these steps:
Discuss an algorithm to get the Flurb to the fruit.
Encode the algorithm into arrows to share with the class.
Try their code to see if everything works as expected.
Debug any issues and ﬁx their code until it works correctly.

Make sure to bring the class back together at least a couple of times to allow students to share their code or the things that they
have learned.

When it’s time to wind down class, ask students if they can tell the difference between an algorithm and code.
Both are a list of steps, but code (a program) has been encoded in a way that can be run by a machine (or a kindergartener!)
Do you think that someone who spoke another language would be able to run your program? Why or why not?

Students should be encouraged to capture their thoughts in their journal after each activity (with text or images.)
Choose a journal prompt that will help students remember the purpose of this exercise. These could include:
In this game, we made programs for

to run. What else can read a program?

How did you know if there was a bug in your program?

If you are interested in licensing Code.org materials for commercial purposes,

Happy Map 1
Which way should the Flurb
step to get to the supplies?

Revision 161003.1a

Happy Map 2
Which way should the Flurb
step to get to the supplies?

Revision 161003.1a

Happy Map 3
Which two ways should the Flurb
step to get to the supplies?

Revision 161003.1a

Happy Map 4
Which two ways should the Flurb
step to get to the supplies?

Revision 161003.1a

Happy Map 5
What should the Flurb do to get
to the supplies?

Revision 161003.1a

Happy Map 6
What should the Flurb do to get
to the supplies?

Revision 161003.1a

Happy Map Blank

Revision 161003.1a

U
Unplugged

Name:

Date:

Happy Maps Game Pieces

Revision 140428.1a

In collaboration with

, this lesson

helps students learn that many websites ask for information that is private
and discusses how to responsibly handle such requests. Students also
ﬁnd out that they can go to exciting places online, but they need to follow
certain rules to remain safe.

Common Sense Education has created this lesson to teach kids the
importance of being safe online. By relating places in the real world to
websites on the internet, students will make important connections
between safe websites and safe places in their own neighborhood.

Understand that being safe when they visit
websites is similar to staying safe in real life
Learn to recognize websites that are safe for
them to visit.
Recognize the kind of information that is private
and understand that it should never be shared
online.

Watch the
.
Prepare to show the
.
Live access or print-off of

signup page (Click “New Player,” select an age, and
then select “I’m a Girl” or “I’m a Boy.”).
Print one
for

each student.
Make sure each student has a
.

- Teacher Video
- Lesson Video
- Assessment
- Website
(

)

This lesson has one new and important word:
Username - Say it with me: Yews-er-naym
A name you make up so that you can see or do things on a website, sometimes called a “screen name”

Invite students to talk about places they have visited on a class ﬁeld trip.
If students have limited experience with ﬁeld trips, provide some examples of the types of places they could visit as a class,
such as museums, science centers, or zoos.
Have students choose a place they would like to go on a class ﬁeld trip.
Have students take an imaginary ﬁeld trip to their chosen place.
Narrate the preparations while having students pantomime what’s happening – For example: put on your jacket; climb on/off
the bus; get your ticket checked; go inside.
Have students describe what they think they might see and do once they arrive.
Let the students sit back down, then ask: "What do you need to do to stay safe when you visit new places?"
.

Play

What three rules does Jeremiah follow when he goes places online?
1) Always ask your parent (or teacher) ﬁrst
2) Only talk to people you know
3) Stick to places that are just right for you
Now, let's see what more we can do to keep ourselves safe.

Access

sign-up page live, or project a print-out on the board for the class to see.

Invite students to give examples of information that they should keep private.
Write down their responses on the board or chart paper so that you can return to them later in the lesson.
Make sure they understand that private information includes the following:
full name
age
address
telephone number
email address (or parents’ email addresses)
where they go to school or after school
where their parents work
Encourage students to discuss why it is important to keep this information private.
Stress that it is never safe to give out private information to people they don’t know.
86

Students should always ask a parent or caregiver before they give out private information to anyone.
Refer back to the sign-up page.
Ask "Do you think you should use your real name, or something that includes your real name, when you make up a
username?"
Guide students through the following rules and tips for creating usernames:

Ask a parent or other trusted adult before you create a username.
Never include any private information in your username, such as your real name, age, birthday, the name of your school or
hometown, parts of your address or phone number, or email address.
Avoid using symbols or spaces, as they are usually not allowed in usernames.

Include the name of something that will help you remember your username, like your favorite animal, character, or toy. You might
have to combine this with other words or numbers.
If the username you create is already taken, you will have to come up with another one.
Write down your username and password and, with the help of a parent, ﬁnd a safe place to keep it in case you forget them.
Distribute paper and place students in pairs.

1. Have students interview their partner using the following
Lesson Tip
questions, and write down their responses: - What is your
favorite pet or animal? - What is your favorite TV show,
For more in-depth modules, you can ﬁnd additions to this
curriculum at the
book, or movie character? - What are your favorite
page
on Scope and Sequence.
numbers?
2. Instruct students to make up three safe usernames for
their partner using information from their interview
responses. - They should not include their partner’s name, age, school, email address, birthday, or any other private information.
3. Invite students to share one or more of their usernames with the class.
4. Encourage students to respond to one another’s usernames, conﬁrming that each name follows the rules they have learned.

What information should you always keep private when you are using the computer?
What rules should you follow when you make up a username?
What can the Internet be used for?
What rules do we have for visiting places online?
Take the time to discuss again what is appropriate
information to share on the Internet, and what is not:

Appropriate

Not Appropriate

Interests

Address

Hobbies

Full Name

First Name

Information that would hurt
others

Lesson Tip
Flash Chat questions are intended to spark big-picture
thinking about how the lesson relates to the greater world and
the students' greater future. Use your knowledge of your
classroom to decide if you want to discuss these as a class, in
groups, or with an elbow partner.

Having students write about what they learned, why it’s useful, and how they feel about it can help solidify any knowledge they
obtained today and build a review sheet for them to look to in the future.

What was today’s lesson about?
How did you feel during today’s lesson?
Draw some things that you should never talk to a stranger about on the internet. For example, draw your house to represent your
address, draw your school, or draw your family.

Hand out the assessment worksheet and allow students to complete the activity independently after the instructions have been
well explained.
This should feel familiar, thanks to the previous activities.

Use these activities to enhance student learning. They can be used as outside of class activities or other enrichment.

Visit

to learn more about how you can keep your students safe in this digital age.

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Keep It Private
Learning to be Safe and Responsible Assessment

Just because you can share something online doesn’t mean that you should!

1) Circle the place you would most like to visit online

2) Can you spot the private information? Mark “X” through the information that you should
not share with people you do not know well.

3) On the back of this paper, draw something that you enjoy and want to share on the
Internet.

Revision 140701.1a

Loops are a very helpful and powerful tool in programming. To understand
how helpful loops can be, students will need to be driven to want an easier

Identify repetitive code and convert a series of

way to solve mundane problems.

multiple actions into a single loop.
Decode loops into a series of multiple actions.

This lesson serves as an introduction to loops.
allow for students to
simplify their code by grouping commands that need to be repeated.
Students will develop critical thinking skills by noticing repetition in
movements of their classmates and determining how many times to repeat
the commands inside of the loops. By seeing 'Happy Maps' again,
students will be able to relate old concepts such as sequencing to the new
concept, loops.

Print out
each group
Print out

for

for each group
Print out
for each group
Print out
for each group
Make sure each student has a
.

- Worksheet (

)

- Worksheet
- Manipulatives
(

)
-

Manipulatives
(

)

- The action of doing something over and
over again.
- Do something again

Goal: This portion of the lesson should help students see that there is an easier way to handle repetitive code than to brute force a
solution with dozens of the same symbols.
Recall the 'Happy Maps Programming' activity with your students. Recall the limited pieces that they had to work with (up, down,
.
left, right). Then, pull up one of the new -- and much longer -Can your students help you program these maps? It takes a while, doesn’t it? What can you do if you run out of arrow pieces?

Give students the opportunity to brainstorm shorter ways to relay the code that they’re creating. (This bit can be skipped over if your
students start saying things like: “Move forward 6 times.” Since that will open the discussion about how to show “six times” with
symbols.)
Once students have put together the idea of “repeating” code, give them the vocabulary around it. Make sure to share with them
that often the terms “repeat something” and “loop something” will be used interchangeably in Code Studio.

: the act of doing something over and over and over.
: doing something again.
Notice: Loops

a step over and over again.

Now that students are familiar with the ability to repeat lots of code using a single loop, select an XL map and let them help you
code the situation. Do this as many times together as a class as you need, then set students off in groups to solve some problems
on their own. You will also need to add the Happy Maps Game Pieces Bonus Pack to adapt this activity for loops.
Make sure to walk around and have students run through their code with you watching. Are there any bugs? Use the debugging
questions to help them ﬁnd a solution.
What does it do?
What is it supposed to do?
What does that tell you?
Does it work at the ﬁrst step?
Does it work at the second step?
Where does it stop working

Allow students to reﬂect on the activity that they just experienced.

Ask students to draw a feeling face in the corner of their journal page to remind them how they felt about this lesson.
91

Have the students write or draw something in their journal that will remind them later what loops are. Prompts include:
What does "repeat" mean to you?
Draw a picture of you repeating something.

Create a life-size grid on the rug with tape and have student bring stufﬁes to school. Now students can program friends to move
their actual stufﬁes as directed in the programs.
Have students create their own maps for other students to solve using loops.
Draw a program on the board that uses several sets of repeated commands and have students take turns coming to the front to
swap symbols for repeat loops.

If you are interested in licensing Code.org materials for commercial purposes,

Happy Map 1
Which way should the Flurb
step to get to the supplies?

Revision 161003.1a

Happy Map 2
Which way should the Flurb
step to get to the supplies?

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Happy Map 3
Which two ways should the Flurb
step to get to the supplies?

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Happy Map 4
Which two ways should the Flurb
step to get to the supplies?

Revision 161003.1a

Happy Map 5
What should the Flurb do to get
to the supplies?

Revision 161003.1a

Happy Map 6
What should the Flurb do to get
to the supplies?

Revision 161003.1a

Happy Map Blank

Revision 161003.1a

Happy Map XL 1

Happy Map XL 2

Happy Map XL 3

Happy Map XL 4

Happy Map XL 5

Happy Map XL 6

Happy Map XL Blank (left)

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Happy Map XL Blank (right)

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Happy Maps Game Pieces

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Happy Maps
Game Pieces Bonus Pack
repeat

repeat

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Revision 140428.1a

Events are a great way to add variety to a pre-written algorithm.
Sometimes you want your program to be able to respond to the user

Recognize actions of the teacher as signals to

exactly when the user wants it to. That is what events are for.

initiate commands.
Practice differentiating pre-deﬁned actions and
event-driven ones.

Today, students will learn to distinguish events from actions. The students
will see activities interrupted by having a 'button' pressed on a paper
remote. When seeing this
, the class will react with a unique action.
Events are widely used in programming and should be easily recognizable
after this lesson.

Watch the
Print one

.
.

Print
for each student.
Make sure every student has a
.

- Teacher Video
- Worksheet
- Assessment
(

)

- An action that causes something to
happen.

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This lesson has one new and important vocabulary word:
- Say it with me: E-vent
An action that causes something to happen.

Prep your class to answer a question:
"I'm going to ask you a question. I want you to raise your hand if you want me to call on you for the answer."
Ask a simple question that most of your students should be able to answer, such as:
How many thumbs do I have?
What is bigger, a bird or a horse?
Call on a student who has their hand raised and let them give their answer.
Upon ﬁnishing that display, ask the class how you knew that the student wanted you to call on them.
Your class will likely mention the raising of the hand.
Explain to everyone that when students raise their hand, it is an "event" that causes you to know that they want to be called
on.
Ask the class if they can think of any other events that give signals.
You may need to remind them that you're not talking about an event like a birthday party or a ﬁeld trip.
If they have trouble, you can remind them that an event is an action that causes something to happen.
What about an alarm clock going off? What does that make happen?
What about pressing "Start" on the microwave? What does that do?
What about pressing the power button on your tv remote?
Today, we're going to create programs with events.

Do you remember helping the Flurbs ﬁnd fruit?
In that exercise, you knew in advance exactly where
you wanted your Flurb to end up, so you could make a
program that took them from start to ﬁnish without any
interruptions.
In most real programs, we can't do that because we
want to have options, depending on what the user
needs.

Lesson Tip
If your students seem confused, talk about their favorite
games and all of the ways that they let the characters know
what they're supposed to do. Point out how the game would
be really boring if it ran from start to ﬁnish without any events
required.

Say that I only want my character to move when my ﬁnger is on the screen of my phone. I would need to program the
character to only move when I put my ﬁnger on the screen of my phone.
Putting my ﬁnger on the screen would then become an "event" that tells my character to move.
In earlier lessons, we created algorithms that allowed us to control a friend or Flurb for several steps at a time. It was fun and
useful, but what happens when you don’t know everything that you want your friend to do in advance? This is where events come
in!

Project the Event Controller onto your classroom screen.

105

Decide with your class what each button does. We suggest:
Pink Button -> Say “Wooooo!”
Teal Button -> “Yeah!”
Purple Dial -> “Boom!”
Practice tapping the buttons on the overhead and having your class react.
Add some button sequences into the mix and have the students try to keep up with their sounds.
Let your class know that every time you push a button, it is an “event” that lets them know what they are expected to do next.
Get the class started on a planned task before interrupting them again with the buttons. We suggest:
Counting to 10
Singing “Old MacDonald”
Once their plan is underway, interject button presses sporadically.
Continue the blend until they understand the difference between actions that are guided by a plan and those that are event
driven.

Why do we need to be able to handle events in a program?
What are some other kinds of events that you can think of?

What was today’s lesson about?
How did you feel during today’s lesson?
Draw an event that caused an action today.
Draw an action that was caused by an event that happened today.

106

Hand out the assessment activity and allow students to complete the activity independently after the instructions have been well
explained.
This should feel familiar, thanks to the previous activities.

Use these activities to enhance student learning. They can be used as outside of class activities or other enrichment.

Assign each student an event to watch out for, and an appropriate reaction to that event. Chain the actions so that each child's
reaction becomes an event that triggers the reaction of another student. Keep assigning until everyone has something to do and
everyone makes someone react.

Break the class up into groups. Using the Events Controller, assign each group a different reaction to the same button. Do this for
all three buttons, then watch the chaos!

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107

The Big Event
Event Controller

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The Big Event
Controlling by Events Assessment

You’ve been given a magical controller that changes the picture on the frame on your desk.
Take a look below to see what each button does. Can you figure out which series of button
events will cause your frame to show the pictures on the right? Draw a line from each set
of pictures to the button combination that causes it. The first one has been done for you.

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Revision 160511 . 1a

CS Fundamentals Course B

Course B
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This lesson will guide students through the steps of debugging. Students
will learn the mantra: What happened? What was supposed to happen?
What does that tell you?

xpress that they have noticed when something
goes differently than what is expected.
Identify what the expected result was before an
error occurs.

Research shows that some students have less trouble debugging a
program than writing one when they ﬁrst learn to code. In this lesson, we
introduce the idea of debugging in a real world sense.
The goal in this lesson is to teach students steps to spot a bug and to
increase persistence by showing them that it s normal to ﬁnd mistakes. In
later lessons, students will debug actual programs on Code.org.

Determine and describe the difference between
what was expected and what actually happened
in the event of an error.

Review the Unspotted Bugs Story (
).
Pre-read Unspotted Bugs to identify appropriate
questions for your classroom.
ollow instructions in the
to make a Marble Run
(which will be arranged incorrectly at the start).
Give a
to each student.

- Teacher Prep Guide (
)
(

)

nline Story
- Student ideo

- Part of a program that does not work
correctly.
- inding and ﬁxing problems in
your algorithm or program.
- Trying again and again, even
when something is very hard.

111

Goal: Help students understand the steps involved in debugging.

Lesson Tip
Important ideas from the story:

What happened?
What was supposed to happen?
What does that tell you?
Did it work at the ﬁrst step?
Did it work at the second step?
Where did it go wrong?

This lesson has three new and important vocabulary words:
- Say it with me - Buhh-g. Something that is going wrong. An error.
- Say it with me: Dee-bug-ing. To ﬁnd and ﬁx errors.
- Say it with me: Purr-siss-tense. Not giving up. Persistence works best when you try things many different ways,
many different times.

Goal: Help students think critically about the difference between what is happening and what is expected.

Let the students share hypotheses about what is going

Lesson Tip

wrong, and how to ﬁx it. Students should feel free to try
things that you know will be incorrect. If students misidentify
solutions, use the bug ﬁnding formula on their conﬁgurations.
Repeat until you get a working run.
ncouragement is key here. If things don’t work right away,
praise the class for being so persistent and choosing not to
give up. If they start to get frustrated, encourage them to
persist a bit longer, promising them that they will get it soon if
they just hang in there.

Great! ou all are so good at this, maybe you can help me
with my own problem!
See, I have this marble run that I made. It comes in two
pieces. When I put the ball in here (input A) it’s supposed to
come out here (output A). When I put the ball in here (input B)
it’s supposed to come out here (output B). Now, when I slide
them together, I should be able to put the ball in here (input A)
and have it come out here (output B). But it doesn’t work,
watch.
Slide the pieces together with output B facing output A.
Watch what happens. Drop ball at input A and notice that it
does not come out output B.

Goal: Students will start to understand the importance of the
activity they just completed by reﬂecting on it verbally, then
through drawing in their journals.

BUG!
What happened?
The ball fell on the table.
What was supposed to happen?

The ball was supposed to drop from A into B.
What does that tell you?
ou should turn B around so that the ball goes into the right
place!

ncourage students to share their thoughts and questions
either with the whole class or with an elbow partner.

Lesson Tip
nce they’ve had time to ponder their own thoughts, get the
students thinking about the purpose of the lesson that they
just learned. Why did you do this activity? How will it help
them later? Can they think of buggy things that they’ve seen
in the real world?

What do you think we learned in this lesson?
Debugging
How to solve a problem
How to make a marble go

Students should ﬁnish by drawing or writing in their journal.
Possible topics include:

How do you think that can help us in other places?

Lesson Tip:
Take your students outside. Do you see any signs of bugs?
What are they? Now look closer... can you ﬁnd the actual
bug?

113

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Marble Run
Teacher Prep Guide

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Teacher Prep Guide

Teacher Prep

Voila! Your very own Marble Run!

Note: It is highly unlikely that your students will come up with anything this clean and
stable. That is OKAY! The version here is meant to be messed with and reused.

Tube

Figure 1

Ramp

Bridge

Figure 2

Figure 3

117

Cone

Figure 4

Recogni e and point out symptoms of frustration.

of learning. Here, frustration is presented as a step in the creative process,
rather than a sign of failure.

choose to be persistent in the face of frustration,
rather than giving up.

This lession can be done over one or two class sessions. If you have more
time, feel free to draw out the building and revising phase of the Marble
Run activity.

The goal of this lesson is to help students reali e that failure and
frustration are common when working on projects, but that doesn t mean
that they should give up.
In this lesson, students will develop an understanding of what it means to
be frustrated while working on a large project. It s possible that not every
student will experience frustration with this activity, but there are many
opportunities to open a discussion about moments in the past where
students have felt frustrated but nevertheless persisted.

Describe at least one reason why they will

Pre-read Stevie and the Big Project to identify
appropriate questions for your class.
ollow instructions in the
to make a Marble Run.
Print copies of the
(page
of teacher guide) for each student or pair of
students
Prepare a resource station with cardstock, safety
scissors, tape, and anything else you think might
be fun for students to build with. Include a stack
of the
pages from the
Teacher Prep Guide, but do not advertise their
existence.
( ptional) Allow students to bring cardboard,
popsicle sticks, string, or other tidbits from home
to add to the resource station.
Make sure each student has a
.

- Teacher Prep Guide (
)
(

)

nline Story

- irst Attempt In Learning
- eeling annoyed or angry because
something is not the way you want it.
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- Trying again and again, even
when something is very hard.

Lesson Tip
Goal: Introduce students to the idea that they don’t have to
give up just because they are frustrated.
This lesson begins with a story. Students will be introduced to

How would you feel if you were given a project that feels

several ideas on persistence and frustration through relatable

much harder than what you are used to?
Do you think it’s okay to try something new, even if it

struggles by ﬁctional characters, including the idea that
frustration is not a sign that someone should instantly give

doesn’t work out the ﬁrst time?

up.

Why do you think Stevie smashed her project?
Do you think that helped her or hurt her when it comes

This book can be presented in several ways, including:

to reaching her goal?
Circled up story time

What do you think Stevie should have done instead of
breaking her project?

Projected with document camera / smartboard
Pair share with students at their computers

Can somebody explain what frustration is?

Use the reading techniques that work in your classroom:

How do you think you can know when you are frustrated?

What face do you make when you are frustrated?
How can you make yourself feel better when you start to
get frustrated?
We all get frustrated sometimes. Does that mean that
we should give up?

If your students like to sit through a whole story and discuss
at the end, read through the book, then prompt their memory
with some Remember when

Can someone tell me what persistence is?

type questions.

Why is it hard to learn if you re not persistent?
Can you tell me why you might be tempted not to be
persistent?
What happened when Stevie decided to be persistent?

- Say it with me: Purr-siss-tense. Not giving
up. Persistence works best when you try things many
different ways, many different times.

Do you think you can be persistent?

- Say it with me: rus - straight - ted. eeling
annoyed or angry because something is not the way you want it.
- irst Attempt in learning. When you try to do something, but you don t do it quite right.

This activity is meant to highlight and normali e the feeling of frustration, while giving students a chance to be persistent.

It is vitally important that students understand that this activity is meant to help them learn about frustration and persistence. This is
not one of those times when we allow students to experience something, then give it a name afterward. Students need to know that
they will be feeling some emotions, and that those emotions are okay.
Take a moment to relate the next activity back to the book that you just read. The class might be excited that they get to try the
same project that Stevie did, but they might also be apprehensive at the thought of tackling something difﬁcult.
ncourage your students to have their Think Spot Journals around during the activity so they can use them to plan, solve, and voice
concerns.
119

Time to be an engineer!

Lesson Tip

Now, we’re going to do something very fun, and very
challenging! I am going to let you all try to make a Marble Run
of your own!
This is
to be challenging. That’s part of the fun!
our Marble Run probably won’t work right the ﬁrst time, and
that’s alright. The goal for this game is to practice being
persistent.
Remember, Stevie showed us that this might be difﬁcult, and
sometimes difﬁcult things are frustrating. It is okay if you get
frustrated during this activity. Most of us probably will at some
point. How should we handle those feelings?
Count to 1

The ﬁrst attempt at building will likely be hectic and a bit

Take deep breaths

sloppy, but it should give students access to the feelings and
opportunities for persistence that are being studied in this
lesson.

Journal about them

Talk to a partner about them
Ask for help

Lesson Tip

Pre-planning time (3- minutes)
Time to do some damage control if any is needed.
Remind students that this activity was planned to teach
students how to identify feelings of frustration and work past
them to be persistent.
Discuss the difference between being successful for the
purpose of this activity, and being successful at building their
contraption. Is it possible to have done the ﬁrst without the
second?

irst attempt at building (1 -1 minutes) -- or a longer (or
two day) time period -Discuss with another group (3- minutes)
Revision of structure (1 -1 minutes) -- Wrap Up Work -Collaborative work time ( -1 minutes)

Teacher Tip
Tears are a very common byproduct when kindergarteners
attempt lessons of this nature. ou will likely want to have a
pre-packaged prescription for students who become
emotionally raw.
Can you put into words what you are feeling right now?

Allow students to reﬂect on the emotions and processes
experienced during the lesson.
inish out this lesson by asking students to spend some time
.
in their

Draw a picture of what you look like when you’re frustrated.
Draw a picture that shows things you can do to feel better when you’re frustrated.
What does persistence look like?

Add a third piece to the beginning of the Marble Run. Can students start a marble up even higher and get it to ﬂow through the
rest of their contraption?
120

Talking through frustration. Can students think of things that they can say to classmates to help them be persistent when they are
frustrated?

If you are interested in licensing Code.org materials for commercial purposes,

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Teacher Prep Guide

Teacher Prep

Voila! Your very own Marble Run!

Note: It is highly unlikely that your students will come up with anything this clean and
stable. That is OKAY! The version here is meant to be messed with and reused.

Tube

Figure 1

Ramp

Bridge

Figure 2

Figure 3

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Cone

Figure 4

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Marble Run

Teacher Prep

Teacher Prep Guide

Step 1: Fold strips “bridge style”

Step 2: Tape ends of folded strips
together to make a base.

Step 3: Roll quartered paper into
tubes and secure with tape.

Step 4: Tape tubes inside case.
Make sure to tape them near the
top for height.

Step 5: Make a ramp from a half
sheet of cardstock.

Step 6: Tape ramp to base and
check height.

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Marble Run

Teacher Prep

Teacher Prep Guide

Step 7: Add cone to finish
Component A.

Step 8: Roll 1/2 sheet into tube to
start on Component B.

Step 9: Cut tube at an angle.

Step 10: Tape tubes back together
to make an elbow.

Step 11: Make a base from a thin
strip of cardstock.

Step 12: Add a cone to the top and
trim pieces to size.

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Marble Run Hints

Handout

Student Handout

Try using some of these:
Tube

Ramp

Bridge

Cone

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Marble Run Hints
(Continued)

Handout

Now try putting them together!
Tube

Ramp
or

Ramp

Bridge
or

Bridge

Tube
or

Cone

Tube
or

129

In this lesson, students will relate the concept of algorithms back to
everyday, real-life activities by planting an actual seed. The goal here is to

Decompose large activities into a series of

start building the skills to translate real-world situations to online scenarios
and vice versa.

smaller events.

In this lesson, students will learn that algorithms are everywhere in our
daily lives. or example, it is possible to write an algorithm to plant a seed.
Instead of giving vague or over-generali ed instructions, students will
break down a large activity into smaller and more speciﬁc commands.
rom these commands, students must determine a special sequence of
instructions that will allow their classmate to plant a seed.

Arrange sequential events into their logical order.

Watch the
.
Prepare supplies for planting seeds. ou ll need
seeds, dirt, and paper cups for each student or
group.
Print one
for each student.
Print one
for each student.
Make sure each student has a
.

Worksheet
- Assessment
- Teacher ideo

130

This lesson has one vocabulary word that is important to review:
Algorithm - Say it with me: Al-go-ri-thm
A list of steps that you can follow to ﬁnish a task

Ask your students what they did to get ready for school this morning.
Write their answers on the board
If possible, put numbers next to their responses to indicate the order that they happen
If students give responses out of order, have them help you put them in some kind of logical order
Point out places where order matters and places where it doesn t
Introduce students to the idea that it is possible to create algorithms for the things that we do everyday.
Give them a couple of examples, such as making breakfast, tying shoes, and brushing teeth.
Let s try doing this with a new and fun activity, like planting a seed!

ou can use algorithms to help describe things that people do
every day. In this activity, we will create an algorithm to help
each other plant a seed. Directions:
Cut out the steps for planting a seed from the

Lesson Tip
ou know your classroom best. As the teacher, decide if you
should all do this together, or if students should work in pairs
or small groups.

.
Work together to choose the six correct steps from the
nine total options.
Glue the six correct steps, in order, onto a separate piece of paper.
Trade the ﬁnished algorithm with another person or group and let them use it to plant their seed!
Lesson Tip
If deciding on the correct steps seems too difﬁcult for your
students, do that piece together as a class before you break
up into teams.
How many of you were able to follow your classmates
algorithms to plant your seeds?
Did the exercise leave anything out?
What would you have added to make the algorithm even better?
What if the algorithm had been only one step: Plant the seed ?
Would it have been easier or harder?
What if it were forty steps?
What was your favorite part about that activity?
131

Draw the seed you planted today.
Write the algorithm you used to plant the seed.

Hand out the worksheet titled

and allow students to complete the activity independently

after the instructions have been well explained.
This should feel familiar, thanks to the previous activities.

Use these activities to enhance student learning. They can be used as outside of class activities or other enrichment.

If you are interested in licensing Code.org materials for commercial purposes,

132

Name:

Date:

Real-Life Algorithms
Plant a Seed Worksheet

Unplugged

PUT POT IN SUNLIGHT

PUT SEED IN HOLE

HUG AN ELEPHANT

PUT GLUE ON SEED

FILL POT WITH SOIL

POKE HOLE IN SOIL

WATER POT

COVER SEED WITH SOIL

POUR SODA POP IN POT

133

Revision 140710.1a

U
Unplugged

Name:

Date:

Real-Life Algorithms
Assessment Worksheet

Help Connie Put on Shoes:

2 3

Help Connie Brush her Teeth:
G

2 3 4

Help Connie Plant a Seed:
G

2 3 4 5 6
134

Revision 140710.1a

Name:

Date:

Real-Life Algorithms

Unplugged

Assessment Worksheet

These items are out of order. To help Connie, cut out each picture and rearrange
them into the right sequence in the category above.

Putting on Shoes

PICK UP
SHOES

TIE SHOE

BRUSH
TEETH

DIRTY TEETH

CLEAN
TEETH

PUT POT IN
SUNLIGHT

PUT SEED IN
HOLE

POKE HOLE
IN SOIL

PUT FOOT IN
SHOE

Brusing Teeth

PASTE ON
BRUSH

Plant a Seed

FILL POT
WITH SOIL

135

WATER POT

COVER SEED
WITH SOIL

Revision 140710.1a

In collaboration with

, this lesson

helps students learn about the similarities of staying safe in the real world
and when visiting websites. Students will also learn that the information
they put online leaves a digital footprint or trail. This trail can be big or
small, helpful or hurtful, depending on how they manage it.

Understand that being safe when they visit
websites is similar to staying safe in real life.
Learn to recogni e websites that are safe for
them to visit.
Recogni e if they should ask an adult they trust
before they visit a particular website.

Common Sense ducation has created this lesson to teach kids the
importance of understanding the permanence of something posted on the
internet. By relating footprints on a map to what a student might post
online, students will make important connections between being tracked by
a physical footprint on a path and being tracked based on information
posted online.

xplore what information is appropriate to be put
online.

Watch this
.
Prepare to show
.
( ptional) Prepare to show
.
Common Sense ducation s
game.
Print one

chart (page 7) for

each student.
Print one

for

each student.

- Teacher ideo
- Lesson ideo
- Worksheet
- Assessment
- Website
(

)

- The collected information
about an individual across multiple websites on
the Internet.
136

This lesson has one new and important phrase:
- Say it with me: Dih-jih-tal Foot-print
The information about someone on the internet.

Ask What does it mean to be safe?

When you walk down the street or play in your neighborhood without a trusted adult there, how do you stay safe?

Tell students that just as they should stay safe in the real world, they should stay safe when they go into the online world (visiting
websites). Make parallels between the answers students gave you about their neighborhood and the online world.
.

Play the

Introduce the idea that there are three different kinds of
websites that students may have the opportunity to visit.
Green: A “green” website is:

A good site for kids your age to visit

Fun, with things for you to do and see

Lesson Tip
If you have access to a computer, feel free to navigate to sites
that might showcase each of these types (using extreme
caution with your RED selection).

Has appropriate words
Doesn’t let you talk to people you don’t know
Yellow: A “yellow” website is:
A site you are not sure is right for you

One that asks for information such as who you are, where you live, your phone number or email address, etc.

A place where you are allowed to communicate freely with others
Red: A “red” website is:
A site that is not right for you

A place you might have gone to by accident

Filled with things that are for older kids or adults

Discuss examples of each of these kinds of sites.
Now, let's see what we can do to keep ourselves safe.

Peruse the
Give each student an

lesson on the Common Sense Education webpage.
(page 7).

137

Mizzle
the Mouse

Electra
the Elephant

Whose full name do you know?
Whose house could you ﬁnd?
Whose birth date do you know?
Whose user name and password do you know?
Who let out a secret on the internet?
Which animal can you describe better from his or her photo?

Lesson Tip
Place the
on the ground, face
down, in two different trails, keeping Mizzle the Mouse and
Electra the Elephant’s trails separate from one another.
Share the stories of Mizzle and Electra. These animals
decided it would be fun to put some information about
themselves online. They went onto

and posted information. The
only problem is that they forgot to ask their parents if it
was okay ﬁrst.

If your students have trouble writing, feel free to do this activity
as a group and have students raise their hand when they ﬁnd
clues. This will allow you (or a teacher aide) to help
communicate and record the information being shared.
For more in-depth modules, you can ﬁnd additions to this
curriculum at the
page on Scope and Sequence.

Explain to students that they are from the “Things Big and Small” Detective Agency. A hunter has hired them to ﬁnd out as much
as possible about Mizzle the Mouse and Electra the Elephant. The more the detectives learn, the better for their plan to take over
the animal kingdom.
Divide students into groups of four. Tell them that each group should have a detective that will keep detailed notes.
Invite students to go on a hunt for information. Let them know that the information that Mizzle and Electra post can be seen by
anyone, including the detectives. Each group should follow the digital trail of both animals, starting with the mouse and then the
elephant. Stagger the groups so they are on the trail at slightly different times. Students should ﬁll out their handout as they go.

138

Who can the detectives ﬁnd out more about, and why?

Lesson Tip

Which animal has a bigger digital footprint?
Mizzle says some interesting things about himself on the

Flash Chat questions are intended to spark big-picture
thinking about how the lesson relates to the greater world and
the students' greater future. Use your knowledge of your
classroom to decide if you want to discuss these as a class, in
groups, or with an elbow-partner.

Internet. What are they?

Is there anything that Electra posted on the Internet that
could become a problem for her? If so, what and why?

Take the time to discuss what is appropriate information to
share on the Internet, and what is not:

Appropriate

Not Appropriate

Interests

Address

Hobbies

Full Name

First Name

Information that would hurt others

How did you feel during today’s lesson?

Draw some things that you should never talk to a stranger about on the internet. For example, draw your house to represent your
address, draw your school, or draw your family.

Hand out the assessment worksheet and allow students to complete the activity independently after the instructions have been well
explained. This should feel familiar, thanks to the previous activities.

Use these activities to enhance student learning. They can be used as outside of class activities or other enrichment.

Visit

to learn more about how you can keep your students safe in this digital age.

If you are interested in licensing Code.org materials for commercial purposes,
139

LESSON PLAN
GRADES K-2

Follow the Digital Trail

UNIT 2

Essential Question
What information is appropriate in a digital footprint?

Estimated time: 45 minutes

Standards Alignment –

Lesson Overview
Students learn that the information they put online leaves a digital
footprint or “trail.” This trail can be big or small, helpful or hurtful,
depending on how they manage it.

Common Core:

Students follow the digital information trails of two fictional animals.
They make observations about the size and content of each trail, and
connect these observations by thinking critically about what kinds of
information they want to leave behind.

W.2, W.5, W.7, W.8, W.10, SL.1a,

grade K: RL.1, RL.3, RL.4,
RL.10, RI.1, RI.4, RI.10, RF.4,
SL.1b, SL.2, SL.3, SL.4, SL.6, L.6

grade 1: RL.1, RL.3, RL.4, RI.1,
RI.4, RI.10, RF.4a, W.5, W.7,
W.8, L6

Learning Objectives

grade 2: RL.1, RL.3, RI.4,

Students will be able to ...

RI.10, RF.4a, W.2, W.5, W.7,

• learn that the information they put online leaves a digital footprint
or “trail.”

W.8, SL.1a, SL.1b, SL.1c, SL.3,

• explore what information is appropriate to be put online.

NETS•S: 1a, 1d, 2d, 3d, 4a-c

• judge the nature of different types of digital footprints by following
the information trails of two fictional animals.

SL.6, L.6

Key Vocabulary –
trail: a path or track

Materials and Preparation
• Cut apart the Digital Trail Squares (found at the end of the lesson plan),
keeping the elephant and mouse squares separate. Be prepared to lay out
each animal’s “tracks” in different locations in the classroom after the
lesson introduction.
• Copy the Animal Tracks Student Handout, one for each group
of four.

digital footprint: the
informatiom about you on
the Internet

Family Resources

permanent: there forever

• Send home the Privacy and Digital Footprints Family Tip Sheet
(Elementary School).

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140

introduction
Warm-up (5 minutes)
SHARE with students that you can place information online much like you pin something to a bulletin board.
ASK:
What kinds of things are on the bulletin
board or walls in our classroom?

Sample responses:
• Student work
• Photos of students
• Birthday chart

INVITE students to imagine that all of the information on the walls of their classroom was pinned up on a
bulletin board at a local grocery store.
ASK:
Would you be comfortable with this
information being up for everyone to see?

Guide students to think about how some information is better
kept for only their eyes or the eyes of people close to them.

EXPLAIN that there is certain information that might be fine to show anyone. But there is also personal and
private information – such as their addresses, birth dates, and photos of their family vacations – which is not
meant for most people’s eyes.

teach 1
Follow the Digital Trail (15 minutes)
DEFINE the Key Vocabulary term trail.
PLACE the Digital Trail Squares on the ground, face down, in two different trails,
keeping Mizzle the Mouse’s and Electra the Elephant’s trails separate from each another.
SHARE the stories of Mizzle and Electra. These animals decided it would be fun to put some information
about themselves online. They went onto www.wildkingdom.com and posted information. The only problem is
that they forgot to ask their mamas if it was okay first.
EXPLAIN to students that they are from the Things Big and Small Detective Agency. An evil human has hired
them to find out as much as possible about Mizzle the Mouse and Electra the Elephant. The more the detectives
learn, the better for their plan to take over the animal kingdom.
DIVIDE students into groups of four. Tell them that each group should have a detective that will keep
detailed notes.
DISTRIBUTE the Animal Tracks Student Handout to each group.
INVITE students to go on a hunt for information. Let them know that the information that Mizzle and Electra
post can be seen by anyone, including the detectives. Each group should follow the digital trail of both animals,
starting with the mouse and then the elephant. Stagger the groups so they follow the trails at slightly different
times. Students should fill out their handout as they go.

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141

teach 2
Digital Footprints (20 minutes)
INVITE each group to report to the rest of the class what they learned about each of
the animals, using the Animal Tracks Student Handout.
Mizzle the Mouse

Electra the Elephant

1. Whose full name do you know?

2. Whose house could you find?

3. Whose birth date do you know?

4. Whose username and password do you know?

5. Who let out a secret on the Internet?

6. Which animal can you describe better from his or her photo?

DEFINE the Key Vocabulary terms digital footprint and permanent.
ASK:
Who can the detectives find out more about,
and why?

Electra, because we now know where Electra lives, what she
looks like, and private and personal information about her
life. Point out to students that having a bigger digital footprint
means the detectives can learn more about them too.

Which animal has a bigger digital footprint?

Electra, because she put more private and personal
information online than Mizzle.

Mizzle says some funny things about
himself on the Internet. What are they?

He says he likes Swiss cheese, his photo is of cheese, and
he has a pet flea.

Is there anything that Electra posted on the
Internet that could become a problem for
her? If so, what and why?

Private and personal information (e.g., address, full name)
allows others to learn more about her. This could be
unsafe. Saying that she fights with her brother could hurt
her brother’s feelings because it is public.)

CREATE a chart with students that summarizes which information is okay to share online and what is not okay.

Okay to Share

NOT Okay to Share

Interests

Address

Hobbies

Full name

First name

Information that would hurt others

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142

DISCUSS how Mizzle and Electra both had very interesting information online, but Mizzle used better
judgment about what was most appropriate to post. Mizzle had a smaller digital footprint. Electra put some
information online that might make her unsafe or might upset her brother.
REMIND students that the Internet is a public space where people they do not know will likely see their
information. And this information is very hard to remove. It is basically permanent.
EMPHASIZE that it’s important for students to ask their parents or caregives for permission before sharing
information about themselves online.

closing
Wrap-up (5 minutes)
You can use these questions to assess your students’ understanding of the lesson objectives.
ASK:
What is a digital footprint, and what did
Mizzle’s and Electra’s footprints look like?

A digital footprint is the information about you on the
Internet. Mizzle’s footprint is pretty small and does not
reveal private or personal information. Electra’s is large
and contains information that could make her unsafe or
upset others.

What kind of information is okay to share
on the Internet? What kind of information
is NOT okay to share on the Internet?

Appropriate: interests, hobbies, first name.
Inappropriate: full name, address, hurtful information about
others.

Can you put interesting and
funny information online and still
be appropriate?

Absolutely. Just look at the information that Mizzle posted.

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Digital Trail Squares

Mizzle the Mouse

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Electra the Elephant

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145

ANIMAL TRACKS

Follow The Digital Trail
Directions
Follow the trails of Mizzle the Mouse and Electra the Elephant. Fill in the
chart below. Then answer the questions.
Mizzle
the Mouse

Electra
the Elephant

1. Whose full name do you know?
2. Whose house could you find?
3. Whose birth date do you know?
4. Whose username and password do
you know?
5. Who let out a secret on
the Internet?
6. Which animal can you describe
better from his or her photo?

Question
1. Who can the detectives find out more about, and why?

2. Which animal has a bigger digital footprint?

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3. Mizzle says some funny things about himself on the
Internet. What are they?

4. Is there anything that Electra posted on the Internet that
could become a problem for her? If so, what and why?

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ASSESSMENT

Follow the Digital Trail
1. What is a digital footprint?
a) A track that animals leave behind
b) Shoes that you buy on the Internet
c) The information about you on the Internet

2. What kind of information is safe to share online?
a) Your birth date
b) Your first name or computer username
c) Your address

3. Which animal below has the digital footprint that leaves him or her
most unsafe?
HINT: Think about which animal shares the most private information online.

a) Fran the Fish
b) Betty the Bird
c) Tony the Tiger

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ASSESSMENT
TEACHER VERSION

Follow the Digital Trail
1. What is a digital footprint?
a) A track that animals leave behind
b) Shoes that you buy on the Internet
c) The information about you on the Internet

Answer feedback
The correct answer is c. Your digital footprint is the information
about you online, such as a news story with your name in it or something that you write online.

2. What kind of information is safe to share online?
a) Your birth date
b) Your first name or computer username
c) Your address
Answer feedback
The correct answer is b. It is okay to share your first name or your
username online. But sharing your address or birth date could make your information unsafe
because other people might use your information to pretend to be you!

3. Which animal below has the digital footprint that leaves him or her most unsafe?
HINT: Think about which animal shares the most private information online.
a) Fran the Fish
b) Betty the Bird
c) Tony the Tiger
Answer feedback
The correct answer is c.
Tony the Tiger put private
information online, like his
address, which is not safe.
Fran and Betty shared
information, but they did
not share anything private
about themselves.

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U
Unplugged

Name:

Date:

Your Digital Footprint
Staying Safe and Responsible Assessment

Just because you can share something online doesn’t mean that you should!
Cross out the information that you should not share online. Use the words that are leftover
as the key to what you should find in the word search.
WORDS
1) Your Real Name (NAME)
2) Your Online Name (NICKNAME)
3) Your Address (ADDRESS)
4) Your Email (EMAIL)
5) Your Favorite Color (COLOR)
6) The Last Book you Read (BOOK)
7) Your Credit Card Info (CARD)
8) Your Favorite Band (BAND)
9) Your Phone Number (PHONE)
10) What You Ate Today (FOOD)
11) Your Birthday (BIRTHDAY)

Which animal below has the digital footprint that leaves him or her most unsafe?
HINT: Think about which animal shares the most private information online.

Circle One:
A) Fran the Fish
B) Betty the Bird
C) Tony the Tiger

150

Revision 140625.1a

Using a predeﬁned symbol key, your students will ﬁgure out how to guide
one another to accomplish speciﬁc tasks without using any verbal
commands. This segment teaches students the connection between

symbols and actions, the difference between an algorithm and a program,
and the valuable skill of debugging.

This unplugged lesson brings the class together as a team with a simple
task to complete: get a "robot" to stack cups in a speciﬁc design. Students
will work to recognize real world actions as potential instructions in code.
The designing of precise instructions will also be practiced, as students
work to translate worded instructions into the symbols provided. If
problems arise in the code, students should work together to recognize
bugs and build solutions.

Gain understanding of the need for precision in
coding.

Learn how to recognize a bug and how to debug
the malfunctioning code.

Read

.
Print out one

per group. This is "code" to be used.

are provided if your class is not going to use
cups.
Print out one set of
per group.
Make sure each student has a
.

- Video

- Symbol Key (

)
(

)

(

)

(

)

- Manipulatives
- Teacher Prep Guide
- Teacher Prep Guide

- A precise sequence of instructions
for processes that can be executed by a
computer

- Part of a program that does not work
correctly.

- Finding and ﬁxing problems in

your algorithm or program.

151

- An algorithm that has been coded
into something that can be run by a machine.

Start by asking the class if anyone has heard of robotics. Has anyone seen a robot or touched one? Does a robot really hear you
speak? Does it really understand what you say? The answer to the last question is: Not the same way that a person does.
Robots operate off of instructions, speciﬁc sets of things that they have been preprogrammed to do. In order to accomplish a task, a
robot needs to have a series of instructions (sometimes called an algorithm) that it can read. Today, we are going to learn what it
takes to make that happen.
If you feel that there is time, it might be helpful to do a quick example. Page

and 7 of

describe how to do a simple example before the main activity. This example could be up to 1 minutes in length.

Display a copy of the
(or write the symbols on the board). Step to the side and tell
the class that these will be the only six symbols that they will
be using for this exercise. or this task, they will instruct their
robot friend to build a speciﬁc cup stack using only the
arrows listed on the
.

Lesson Tip:
While the robot is working on the stack make sure that the
class knows:
Programmers are not allowed to talk when the robot is
working. This includes blurting out answers or pointing out
when the robot has done something wrong.

1. Pick a robot for the class (try to choose a student that
feels conﬁdent after the warm-up.) Ask this robot to leave
the classroom until they are called back in.

Programmers should raise their hand if they see a bug.

. Display

to the rest of the class. Have the class vote and choose which idea they
would like the robot to do. Try to push for an easier idea for the ﬁrst time, then choose a more complex design later on.

3. Let the class discuss how the stack should be built, then ask the class to translate the algorithm into the symbols. Write down the
symbol algorithm somewhere for the robot to use later.
. When the class has decided on the algorithm, ask the robot to come back in. We recommend continuing to display the
while the robot is building the stack so the student robot remembers what each command
means.
If a student sees a bug and raises their hand, have the robot
ﬁnish the instructions to the best of their ability. Afterward,
have the students discuss the potential bug and come up
with a solution. Continue repeating until the stack is built
properly.

Lesson Tip:
This activity can be done in small groups, once your class
feels comfortable.

nce the stack is built, you can choose to repeat the activity again with another student robot.

152

What was today’s lesson about?
How did you feel during today’s lesson?
Draw a stack of cups that the robot made today.
Draw a stack of cups that you would like a robot to make someday!

If you are interested in licensing Code.org materials for commercial purposes,

153

MY ROBOTIC FRIENDS
Modified for Code.org CS Fundamentals

154

Copyright
©2013 Thinkersmith
PO Box 42186, Eugene, OR, 97404
This version of the Traveling Circuits lesson “My Robotic Friends” is brought to you under Creative
Commons, with the understanding that any user may share, copy, adapt or transmit the work as long
as the work is attributed to Thinkersmith and Traveling Circuits.
No part of this can be re-sold or commercialized without the written permission of Thinkersmith.

Disclaimer
Neither Thinkersmith nor any other party involved in the creation of this curriculum can be held
responsible for damage, mishap, or injury incurred because of this lesson. Adult supervision and
supervised caution is recommended at all times. When necessary, every effort has been made to
locate copyright and permission information.

155

Lesson 3: My Robotic Friends
Main Goal:

Highlight programming techniques and illustrate the need for functions.

Overview:

Using a predefined “Robot Vocabulary” your students will figure out how to guide
one another to accomplish specific tasks without discussing them first. This
segment teaches students the connection between symbols and actions, as well
as the valuable skill of debugging.
If time allows, there is an option to introduce functions at the end of the lesson.

Objectives: Students will
t
t
t
t
t

Learn to convert real-world activities into instructions
Gain practice coding instructions with symbols
Gain understanding of the need for precision in coding
Gain practice debugging malfunctioning code
Understand the usefulness of functions and parameters (grades 7+)

Materials and Preparation:

Estimated lesson time: 1 hour
Estimated prep time: 10 min

Materials
t Symbol Key (1 per group)
t Cup Stack Pack (1 per group)
t Disposable Cups or Paper Trapezoids (6 or more per group)
t Blank paper or note cards (1 per person)
t Writing Instrument (1 per person)
Preparation
t Print out one Symbol Key for each group
t Print a Cup Stack Pack for each group
t Cut trapezoids from Paper Trapezoid template if not using cups
t Stack cups or trapezoids in designated area away from groups (Robot Library)

Key Lesson
Vocabulary:

Algorithm - A series of instructions on how to accomplish a task
Coding - Transforming actions into a symbolic language
Debugging - Finding and fixing issues in code
Function - A piece of code that can be called over and over
Parameters - Extra bits of information that you can pass into a function to customize it

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Series 1: Hands-On Activity 3

Lesson Plan
Introduce:

Start by asking the class if anyone has heard of robotics. Has anyone seen a robot
or touched one? Does a robot really “hear” you speak? Does it really “understand”
what you say? The answer to the last question is:
“Not the same way that a person does.”
Robots operate off of “instructions”, specific sets of things that they have been
preprogrammed to do. In order to accomplish a task, a robot needs to have a series of instructions (sometimes called an algorithm) that it can run. Today, we are
going to learn what it takes to make that happen.

Kickstart:

Pull out a copy of the Symbol Key (or write the symbols on the board). Step to the
side and tell the class that these will be the only six symbols that they will be using for this exercise. For this task, they will instruct their “robot” to build a specific
cup stack using only these arrows:
- Pick Up Cup
- Put Down Cup
- Move 1/2 Cup Width Forward
- Move 1/2 Cup Width Backward
- Turn Cup Right 90°
- Turn Cup Left 90°

Adjustments:
Grades K-3
t
t
t

Try this lesson all together as one class. Let the students shout directions for
the teacher to write down.
Have a class assistant leave the room during programming, then return to
perform the finished code.
If there is time, switch. Have the assistant write the instructions from the class
and have the teacher perform them.

Grades 4-6
t Adjust group sizes between three and five, depending on personality of class.
t Expect each student to want a turn, this will likely use the entire hour.
Grades 7+
t
t

Limit groups to four students, three is ideal.
Students generally complete the full round of turns with plenty of time to
include the supplement section on functions.

2
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Lesson 3: My Robotic Friends
Steps:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Rules:

1. Coders should translate all moves using only the six arrows suggested.
2. Cups should remain with the robot, not provided to programmers during coding.
3. Once robots are back with their groups, there should be no talking out loud.

Choose one “Robot” per team.
Send robot to “Robot Library” while the “programmers” code.
Choose one image from the Cup Stack Pack for each group.
Groups will create an algorithm for how the robot should build the selected stack.
Coders will translate their algorithm to arrows, as described in Symbol Key.
When programmers have finished coding their stack they can retrieve their robot.
Upon return, the robot reads the symbols from the cards and translates them back
in to movements.
8. The group should watch for incorrect movements, then work together to debug
their program before asking the robot to re-run it.

If your student asks about rules that haven’t been defined above, you can either define them
according to your exercise, or ask them to define that rule within their own group.

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Traveling Circuits
TM

Series 1: Hands-On Activity 3

Example
Beginning: It can be helpful to go over an example as a class. There is one cup stack in the

pack that includes only three cups, that is the sample card. Hold it up for the class
and walk them through the exercise.

3 Cup Stack from Cup Stack Pack

Place your stack of cups on the table where everyone can see them. Ask the class
to instruct you on the first thing to do. The correct answer is “pick up cup”. When
you pick up each cup, note that the cup should automatically rise above the highest cup already in the stack.

0S
tep
s
1S
tep
2S
tep
s
3S
tep
s
4S
tep
s
5S
tep
s
6S
tep
s

ck
1

St
ep

With your hand still in the air, ask for the next move. You may have to remind the
class a time or two that one step forward is only half the width of a cup.

Step Guide
TM

4
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Lesson 3: My Robotic Friends
Middle:

Once you’ve placed a single cup, transition back to the blackboard (or document
camera) and challenge the class to help you write the symbols on the board so
that you can “run the program” later. One possible solution looks like this:

One Solution for 3 Cup Stack

Completion: With the program written down for the class to see, you can call a volunteer to

“run” it, or you can run the program yourself. Say the arrows out loud as you move
the cups into place. For example, the program above would be pronounced:
“Pick up cup”, “Step forward”, “Step forward”, “Put down cup”
“Step backward”, “Step backward”
“Pick up cup”, “Step forward”, “Step forward”, “Step forward”,
“Step forward”, “Put down cup”, “Step backward”, “Step backward”,
“Step backward”, “Step backward”
“Pick up cup”, “Step forward”, “Step forward”, “Step forward”,
“Put down cup”

TRAVELING CIRCUITS - SERIES 1 COMPUTER SCIENCE
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Traveling Circuits
TM

Series 1: Hands-On Activity 3

The Exercise
Group Up:

Group the students appropriately for their age as described on page 2. The goal
is to have enough programmers in each group that the group is never entirely
lost.

Robot:

Choose one “robot” in each group to go hang out in the “robot library”. This
should be a location far enough away from the groups that no robot can find out
what Cup Stack Card their programmers are working with. Robots can use their
time in the library to practice cup stacking and to ask for clarification on rules.

Program:

Each group of programmers should be handed one Cup Stack Card at a time.
They can then begin to figure out the algorithm for their stack. How many cups
will they need? How many steps for the first cup? The second? Are any cups
upside down? How do you get the robot to flip a cup?
Once these questions are answered, the programmers can use the symbols to
write their code on the blank paper or a note card. The programmers should
review their code to see if it makes sense for the stack before checking their robot
out of the robot library.%POPUMFUTUVEFOUTVTFTZNCPMTUIBUBSFOPUPOUIF,FZ
TVDIBTOVNCFST

Run Code:

Now that the robot is back with the group, everyone should be silent. The groups
should not attempt to use words or gestures to influence their robot’s behavior.
The robot should only operate according to what the arrows tell them to do.
If the group finds a mistake, they are allowed to halt the program, check the
robot back into the library, and fix the error before bringing the robot back to
complete the challenge.

Repeat:

Each time a group solves a challenge, they should choose a new robot to head to
the library, and the group should be given a new (preferably more difficult Cup
Stack Card.)
This can continue either until time is done, all group members have been robots,
or the cards have become difficult enough to warrant a discussion about
functions.

Tip:

If the lesson is still going strong, but the groups begin to run out of Cup Stack Cards,
challenge them to create their own stack drawings.

6
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Traveling Circuits
TM

Symbol Key

Lesson 3: My Robotic Friends

Pick Up Cup

Put Down Cup

Step Forward

Step Backward

Turn Cup Right 90°

Turn Cup Left 90°

162

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163

Cup Stack Pack

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Traveling Circuits
TM

Paper Trapezoids

Lesson 3: My Robotic Friends

To cut quickly:
First cut in horizontal strips, then snip along lines to make trapezoids.
TM

165

TRAVELING CIRCUITS - SERIES 1 COMPUTER SCIENCE
© 2013 www.thinkersmith.org

Here, students learn the simplicity and utility of loops by programming
their friends using the language from My Robotic riends’. nce loops are
introduced, students will ﬁnd that they can build bigger structures faster.

Identify repetitive code and convert a series of
multiple actions into a single loop.
Decode loops into a series of multiple actions.

This lesson serves as an introduction to loops.
allow for students to
simplify their code by grouping commands that need to be repeated.
Students will develop critical thinking skills by noticing repetition in the
movements of classmates and determining how many times their code
needs to be looped. By seeing My Robotic riends again, students will be
able to relate old concepts (such as sequencing) to the new concept of
loops.

Print one
Acquire up to
Review

for each group.
paper cups for each group.
.

Make sure each student has a
.

- ideo
- Teacher Prep
Guide
(

)

- The action of doing something over and
over again.
- Do something again

166

Goal: This review will refresh the students’ minds about how quickly programs for the My Robotic riends activity can get intense.
With the class together as a group, pull an easy pu

le from the My Robotic riends Cup Stack Pack and program with each other

as a reminder of rules and terminology.
Next, pull a pu le that’s slightly harder, but also requires a lot of steps like the one below.

Ask a volunteer (or a group of volunteers) to come forward to help program this one on the board. If you make them stick strictly to
the no symbols other than those on the key rule, it will probably take a while!
Now, bring up this image:

167

What is the reaction of the class?

Give students the opportunity to brainstorm shorter ways to relay the code that they’re about to create. (This bit can be skipped over
if your students start saying things like: Move forward times. Since that will open the discussion about how to show six times
with symbols.)
nce students have put together the idea of repeating code, give them the vocabulary around it. Make sure to share with them
that often the terms repeat something and loop something will be used interchangeably on Code. rg.

Goal: This activity will allow students to gain practice spotting areas that repeat loops can be used, as well as places where they
need to expand programs that utili e loops.

Take the program from one of your previous cup stacks and display it for the class. Have them help you ﬁnd places that the same
arrows repeat, uninterrupted, multiple times. Have students count the number of times those arrows repeat and give you the ﬁnal
tally.
Circle the ﬁrst arrow in that line, write the number of loops near that circle, then cross out the rest of the arrows.
Repeat this until the entire program has been shortened, then re-write the program in a way where students can see how much
more simple the resulting instructions are.

Now that students have a new tool in their toolbox, they should be able to start ﬁnding success on new (and more difﬁcult) cup
stacks.
168

Set students to task with the cards from the more difﬁcult My

Teaching Tips:

Robotic riends Loops Packet and see how they do. ou can
either continue to work together, or let students work in small
groups -- whichever is best for your classroom.

Be sure to keep your eyes open for students using loops. Try
to avoid correcting their overall algorithms, but feel free to
point out instructions that could be shortened by using a
repeat circle.
Watch students as they run through the code. Are there any
bugs? Use the debugging questions to help them ﬁnd a
solution.
What does it do?

Goal: Allow students to reﬂect on the activity that they just

What is it supposed to do?

experienced.

What does that tell you?
Does it work at the ﬁrst step?
Does it work at the second step?

Here are some possible topics:

Where does it stop working?

Do you feel like loops make programming easier or
harder?
What other kinds of things in life do we repeat?
ating - put food in mouth, chew

times

Brushing hair - brush through hair 3 times
Routines - Wake up, go to school, come home, go to bed

Journal time! Ask students to draw a feeling face in the corner of their journal page to remind them how they felt about this
lesson.
Have the students write or draw something in their journal that will remind them later what loops are. This can come from a
prompt like:
What does repeat mean to you?
Draw a picture of you repeating something.

Have students draw their own cup stacking creations for someone else to code.
Provide students with algorithms that utili e repeats, then have them expand the program back out to a full step-by-step version.

If you are interested in licensing Code.org materials for commercial purposes,

169

Traveling Circuits
TM

Symbol Key

Lesson 3: My Robotic Friends

Pick Up Cup

Put Down Cup

Step Forward

Step Backward

Turn Cup Right 90°

Turn Cup Left 90°

170

TRAVELING CIRCUITS - SERIES 1 COMPUTER SCIENCE
© 2013 www.thinkersmith.org

171

Cup Stack Pack

172

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Traveling Circuits
TM

Paper Trapezoids

Lesson 3: My Robotic Friends

To cut quickly:
First cut in horizontal strips, then snip along lines to make trapezoids.
TM

174

TRAVELING CIRCUITS - SERIES 1 COMPUTER SCIENCE
© 2013 www.thinkersmith.org

vents are a great way to add variety to a pre-written algorithm.
Sometimes you want your program to be able to respond to the user

Repeat commands given by an instructor.

exactly when the user wants it to. That is what events are for.

Recogni e actions of the teacher as signals to
initiate commands.

Today, students will learn to distinguish events from actions. The students
will see activities interrupted by having a button pressed on a paper
remote. When seeing this
, the class will react with a unique action.
vents are widely used in programming and should be easily recogni able
after this lesson.

Practice differentiating pre-deﬁned actions and
event-driven ones.

Watch the
Print one

.
.

Print one
for each student.
Make sure each student has a
.

- Teacher ideo
- Worksheet
- Assessment
(

)

- An action that causes something to
happen.

175

This lesson has one new and important vocabulary word:
vent - Say it with me: -vent
An action that causes something to happen

Prep your class to answer a question:
I m going to ask you a question. I want you to raise your hand if you want me to call on you for the answer.
Ask a simple question that most of your students should be able to answer, such as:
How many thumbs do I have?
What is bigger, a bird or a horse?
Call on a student who has their hand raised and let them give their answer.
Upon ﬁnishing that display, ask the class how you knew that the student wanted you to call on them.
our class will likely mention the raising of the hand.
xplain to everyone that when students raise their hand, it is an event that causes you to know that they want to be called
on.
Ask the class if they can think of any other events that give signals.
ou may need to remind them that you re not talking about an event like a birthday party or a ﬁeld trip.
If they have trouble, you can remind them that an event is an action that causes something to happen.
What about an alarm clock going off? What does that make happen?
What about pressing Start on the microwave? What does that do?
What about pressing the power button on your tv remote?
Today, we re going to create programs with events.

Do you remember helping the Red, the Angry Bird ﬁnd the
pig?
In that exercise, you knew in advance exactly where
you wanted Red to end up, so you could make a
program that took the bird from start to ﬁnish without
any interruptions.
In most real programs, we can t do that because we
want to have options, depending on what the user
needs.

Lesson Tip
If your students seem confused, talk about their favorite
games and all of the ways that they let the characters know
what they re supposed to do. Point out how the game would
be really boring if it ran from start to ﬁnish without any events
required.

Say that I only want my character to move when my ﬁnger is on the screen of my phone. I would need to program the
character to only move when I put my ﬁnger on the screen of my phone.
Putting my ﬁnger on the screen would then become an event that tells my character to move.
In earlier lessons, we created algorithms that allowed us to control a friend or bird for several steps at a time. It was fun and useful,
but what happens when you don’t know everything that you want your friend to do in advance? This is where events come in!

Project the vent Controller onto your classroom screen.

176

Decide with your class what each button does. We suggest:
Pink Button - Say Wooooo!
Teal Button -

eah!

Purple Dial -

Boom!

Practice tapping the buttons on the overhead and having your class react.
Add some button sequences into the mix and have the students try to keep up with their sounds.
Let your class know that every time you push a button, it is an event that lets them know what they are expected to do next.
Get the class started on a planned task before interrupting them again with the buttons. We suggest:
Counting to 1
Singing

ld MacDonald

nce their plan is underway, interject button presses sporadically.
Continue the blend until they understand the difference between actions that are guided by a plan and those that are event
driven.

Why do we need to be able to handle events in a program?
What are some other kinds of events that you can think of?

What was today’s lesson about?
How did you feel during today’s lesson?
Draw an event that caused an action today.
Draw an action that was caused by an event that happened today.

177

Use these activities to enhance student learning. They can be used as outside of class activities or other enrichment.

Assign each student an event to watch out for, and an appropriate reaction to that event. Chain the actions so that each child s
reaction becomes an event that triggers the reaction of another student. eep assigning until everyone has something to do and
everyone makes someone react.

Break the class up into groups. Using the vents Controller, assign each group a different reaction to the same button. Do this for
all three buttons, then watch the chaos!

If you are interested in licensing Code.org materials for commercial purposes,

178

The Big Event
Event Controller

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Unplugged

Name:

Date:

The Big Event
Controlling by Events Assessment

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Revision 160511 . 1a

CS Fundamentals Course C

Course C
181

New and unsolved problems are often pretty hard. If we want to have any
chance of making something creative, useful, and clever, then we need to

Outline steps to complete a structural

be willing to attack hard problems even if it means failing a few times
before we succeed. In this lesson, students will be building a structure with
common materials. The structure will be tested on its ability to hold a
textbook for more than ten seconds. Most students will not get this right
the ﬁrst time, but it's important they push through and keep trying.

engineering challenge.

This lesson teaches that failure is not the end of a journey, but a hint for
how to succeed. The majority of students will feel frustrated at some point
in this lesson, but it's important to emphasize that failure and frustration
are common steps to creativity and success.

Predict and discuss potential issues in structure
creation.
Build a structure based on team plan.
Revise both the plan and the structure until they
satisfy challenge.

Watch the
.
Watch the
.
Print
.
Gather enough building elements
(marshmallows or gumdrops with toothpicks or
popsicle sticks) for each group. You don't have
to give any certain amount; just make sure you
put some limit on materials.
Give a
to each student.

- Teacher Video
- Lesson in Action
Video
- Teacher Prep Guide
(

)

- Trying again and again, even
when something is very hard.

182

This lesson has one new and important word:
Persistence - Say it with me: Per-sis-tence
Trying again and again, even when something is very hard

Does everyone get everything right the ﬁrst time?
When I was a baby learning to walk, did I stand up and run
off on my ﬁrst try?
Sometimes, the best and most useful things to do are the
hardest to learn.

Lesson Tip
Here are some great resources to prep your class with the
concept of persistence before you turn them loose on this
project:

It can take a while to learn hard things
If you don't do something well at ﬁrst, does it mean that
you never will?
Can you think of something that was hard at ﬁrst, but
that you can now do pretty easily?
Walking
Talking
Riding a bike
When you fail at doing something, you get a hint at what went wrong. You just need to look for it.
If your bike tips over, next time you need to work on balance.
If you're ﬁlling a balloon and it pops, next time you need less air.
Think of the mistakes as chances to learn how to do something better next time.

Have you ever started on a task, then discovered that it was much harder than you thought it would be? Hard tasks can make us
want to give up, but if we stick to our goal and keep trying, then we just might make something better than we’ve ever made before!
In this challenge, we’ll work to construct towers that are strong enough to hold a textbook for at least 10 seconds, using everyday
materials.
Rules:
Use only the supplies provided to build a tower.
The tower can be any shape, but it has to be at least as tall as the paper cup.
The tower must support the weight of a book for a full 10 seconds.

1. Divide students into groups of three or four.
2. Explain the rules of the challenge, given above.
3. Provide each group with limited supplies and make it known that they will get no more.
4. Challenge the class to think ahead to the problem and plan out their method of building their ﬁrst tower.
183

5. Encourage students to begin building, then have them

Lesson Tip

alert you when they think they’ve met the challenge
described by the rules.
6. Test each structure. Is it taller than the cup? Does it hold a
book?
7. If not, have students enter a cycle of planning, ﬁxing,
testing, and planning again until the challenge has been

The planning stage can be difﬁcult for young students. It may
be helpful for you to place some idea "examples" at the front
of the room. Do not announce that they are there. Simply
encourage students to take a walk if they get frustrated. Try to
encourage students to locate the tips on their own if at all
possible.

met.
8. Congratulate the students as they succeed and take pictures of the successful towers!

Were you proud of what you made?
Do you think you could make a tower as tall as a chair that
could hold a person?
How many gumdrops do you think you would need?
Was there a time that you thought about giving up?
How did you get past that feeling?

What was today’s lesson about?
How did you feel during today’s lesson?
Draw a picture of your structure.
What were some problems you ran into while building? How did you ﬁx these problems?

Use these activities to enhance student learning. They can be used as outside of class activities or other enrichment.

Try doing the same activity with different materials.

If you are interested in licensing Code.org materials for commercial purposes,

184

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Building a Foundation
Learning Persistence through Challenges

Directions:
1) Divide students into groups of 3 or 4.
2) Explain the rules of the challenge, provided on the other page.
3) Provide each group with limited supplies and make it known that they will
get no more.
4) Challenge the class to think ahead to the problem and plan out their
method of building their first tower.
5) Encourage students to begin building, then have them alert you when they
think they’ve met the challenge described by the rules.
6) Test each structure. Is it taller than the cup? Does it hold a book?
7) If not, have students enter a cycle of planning, fixing, testing, and planning
again until the challenge has been met.
8) Congratulate the students as they succeed and take pictures of the successful towers (if possible) to upload to the Code.org site!

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Revision 140902.1a

In this lesson, students will relate the concept of algorithms back to
everyday activities. After discussing algorithms, students will make paper
airplanes using an algorithm. The goal here is to start building the skills to
translate real world situations to online scenarios and vice versa.

In this lesson, students will learn that algorithms are everywhere in our
daily lives. For example, there is a speciﬁc algorithm to plant a seed.
Instead of giving vague or over-generalized instructions, students will
break down a large activity into smaller and more speciﬁc instructions.
From these instructions, students must determine a proper order for the
sequence of instructions to be in.

Decompose large activities into a series of
smaller events.
Arrange sequential events into their logical order.

Watch the
.
Watch the
.
Gather paper for students to construct paper
airplanes from.
Print out
for each student.
Print

for

each student.
Make sure every student has a
.

Teacher Video
Lesson in Action Video
Worksheet
- Assessment
(

)

- A list of steps to ﬁnish a task.

186

This lesson has one vocabulary word that is important to review:
- Say it with me: Al-go-ri-thm
A list of steps to ﬁnish a task.

Ask your students what they did to get ready for school this morning.
Write their answers on the board.
If possible, put numbers next to their responses to indicate the order that they happen.
If students give responses out of order, have them help you put them in some kind of logical order.
Point out places where order matters and places where it doesn't.
Introduce students to the idea that it is possible to create algorithms for the things that we do everyday.
Give them a couple of examples, such as making breakfast, brushing teeth, and planting a ﬂower.
Let's try doing this with a new and fun activity, like making paper airplanes!

You can use algorithms to help describe things that people do every day. In this activity, we will create an algorithm to help each
other fold a paper airplane.
You know your classroom best. As the teacher, decide if students should do this individually, in pairs, or in small groups.
Lesson Tip
1. Cut out the steps for making a paper airplane from the
worksheet provided in the resources.
2. Work together to choose the six correct steps from the
nine total options.

If deciding on the correct steps seems too difﬁcult for your
students, do that piece together as a class before you break
up into teams.

3. Glue the six correct steps, in order, onto a separate piece
of paper.
4. Trade the ﬁnished algorithm with another person or group
and let them use it to make their plane!

Lesson Tip
If you are concerned about injury when your students begin
ﬂying their paper airplanes, we recommend having them blunt
the tip of the plane by either folding it inward or ripping it off
and covering the ripped edges with tape.

How many of you were able to follow your classmates' algorithms to make your airplanes?
Did we leave anything out when making the plane?
What would you have added to make the algorithm even better?
What if the algorithm had been only one step: "Fold a Paper Airplane"?
Would it have been easier or harder?
What if it were forty steps?
What was your favorite part about this activity?

187

What was today’s lesson about?
How did you feel during today’s lesson?
Can you imagine an algorithm for building a real airplane? What do you think that would look like?
Write out an algorithm that will take you from your desk to the front of the class.

Hand out the

and allow students to complete the activity independently after the instructions

have been well explained.
This should feel familiar, thanks to the previous activities.

Use these activities to enhance student learning. They can be used as outside of class activities or other enrichment.

If you are interested in licensing Code.org materials for commercial purposes,

188

Name:

Date:

Real-Life Algorithms

Unplugged

Paper Airplane Worksheet

You can use algorithms to help describe things that people do every day. In this activity,
we will create an algorithm to help each other make paper airplanes.
Cut out the steps of making an airplane below. Glue the six the correct steps, in order, onto
a separate piece of paper. Trade your finished algorithm with another person or group and
let them use it to make an actual flying model paper plane!

CUT CENTER OUT OF
PAPER

CREASE PAPER
DOWN THE CENTER

CRUMBLE PAPER

FOLD TOP CORNERS
TO CENTER

RIP CORNER OFF
PAPER

FOLD CORNER SIDES
TO CENTER

TOSS FINISHED PLANE

FOLD PAPER
IN HALF AGAIN

PULL SIDES DOWN

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Revision 140710.1a

Name:

Date:

Daily Algorithms

Unplugged

Assessment Worksheet

An algorithm is a list of instructions for accomplishing a task. We follow algorithms
everyday when it comes to activities like making the bed, making breakfast, or
even getting dressed in the morning.
These images are not in order. First, describe what is happening in each picture on
the line to its left, then match the action to its order in the algorithm. The first one
has been done for you as an example.

Step 1

Teeth are clean!

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Sometimes you can have more than one algorithm for the same activity. The order
of some of these steps can be changed without changing the final product. Use the
letters on the images below to create two algorithms for making a paper airplane.

ALGORITHM 1:
ALGORITHM 2:

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Revision 140710.1a

Loops are a handy way to repeat actions a certain number of times. In this
lesson, students will dance their way to a better understanding of how to

Repeat actions initiated by the instructor.

use repeat loops.

Translate a picture program into a live-action
dance.

allow for students to categorize their code into what needs to be
repeated and what does not. Students will develop critical thinking skills by
noticing repetition in movements and determining how many times the to
repeat commands to develop those loops.

Convert a series of multiple actions into a single
loop.

Watch the
Print one

.
for the

class.
Print one

for

each student.
Make sure every student has a
.

- Teacher Video
- Worksheet
- Assessment
(

)

- The action of doing something over and
over again.
- Do something again

191

This lesson has one new and important vocabulary word:
- Say it with me: Loop
The action of doing something over and over again

Ask for a volunteer and have them stand.
Instruct your volunteer to walk around the table (or their chair, or a friend).
When they ﬁnish, instruct them to do it again, using the exact same words you did before.
When they ﬁnish, instruct again.
Then again.
Would it have been easier for me to just ask you to go around the table four times?
What if I wanted you to do it ten times?
If I want you to repeat an action ten times in a row, that's called "looping."
When I know in advance that I want you to do something a certain number of times, it's easier for both of us if I just ask you to
"Repeat it that many times."
Can you think of some other things that we could loop?

Today, we're going to have a dance party!
Sometimes, when you know that you will be doing something
over and over, it is helpful to know how many times it needs
to be done before you begin. That way, you can keep track of
how many actions you have left as you go.

If your mom wanted you to play her favorite song over and
over, she wouldn’t say:
“Please play my song, play my song, play my song, play my
song.”

Lesson Tip:
Looking for some good music? Here are some great places to
ﬁnd some:

Please be advised that some of these stations may display
ads with third-party content. If you ﬁnd that displayed ads are
inappropriate, you may want to direct students to a different
site, or research ad-blockers that can prevent this content.

She would most likely say:
“Please play my song four times.”

Look at the dance moves provided on the

192

Show the class what the entire dance looks like done at full-speed.
Run through the dance slowly, one instruction at a time, with the class.
Can you ﬁnd the loop in the instructions?
What would the dance look like if we only repeated the main part 2 times?
What if we repeated the main part 4 times?
Can you ﬁnd anything else in the dance that we could use a loop for?

Do you think it is easier to add more pictures to the screen or change the number of times we loop?
Would your answer be the same if we wanted to loop 100 times?
Could we use these same loops with different dance moves?
Do you know any dances that are done inside a loop?
What was your favorite part about that activity?

What was today’s lesson about?
How did you feel during today’s lesson?
Draw a picture of you dancing today. Draw the moves you did in loops, like clapping three times. Write the number of times you
repeated that loop.
What else can you use a loop for?
193

Hand out the assessment to each student. Allow students to complete the activity independently after the instructions have been
well explained.
This should feel familiar, thanks to the previous activities.

Use these activities to enhance student learning. They can be used as outside of class activities or other enrichment.

Give the students pictures of actions or dance moves that they can do.
Have students arrange moves and add loops to choreograph their own dance.
Share the dances with the rest of the class.

Find some YouTube videos of popular dances that repeat themselves.
Can your class ﬁnd the loops?
Try the same thing with songs!

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194

Getting Loopy
Unplugged Loops Activity

The Iteration

pa r
s
th i s!
t
e
pea tim
e
R

Clap

Behind Head

Waist

Behind Head

Clap

Left Up

Right Up

Left Up

Clap

Waist

Right Up

Then do this
Belly Laugh

195

Revision 140709.2a

Name:

Date:

Getting Loopy
Unplugged Loops Activity

Unplugged
Looping can save space!

What if we wanted to take The Iteration dance below and make more loops inside? Can
you circle the actions that we can group into a loop and cross out the ones that we don’t
need anymore? Write a number next to each circle to let us know how many times to
repeat the action.
The first line has been done for you.

3
a rt
p
h is !
t
t
es
pea tim
e
R

Clap

Behind Head

Waist

Behind Head

Clap

Left Up

Right Up

Left Up

Clap

Waist

Right Up

The Iteration

Then do this
Belly Laugh

196

Revision 140709.1a

Students will soon learn events are a great way to add ﬂexibility to a prewritten algorithm. Sometimes you want your program to be able to respond

Repeat commands given by an instructor.

to the user exactly when the user wants it to. Events can make your
program more interesting and interactive.

Recognize movements of the teacher as signals
to initiate commands.
Practice differentiating pre-deﬁned actions and
event-driven ones.

Today, students will learn to distinguish events and actions. The students
will see activities interrupted by having a 'button' pressed on a paper
remote. When seeing this
, the class will react with a unique action.
Events are widely used in programming and should be easily recognizable
after this lesson.

Watch the
Print one

.
and Event Controller.

Print one
for each student.
Make sure every student has a
.

- Worksheet
- Teacher Video
- Assessment
(

)

- An action that causes something to
happen.

197

This lesson has one new and important vocabulary word:
Event - Say it with me: E-vent
An event is an action that causes something to happen.

Do you remember guiding Red from Angry Birds to the pig
in the Maze puzzles?
In that exercise, you knew in advance exactly where
you wanted Red to go, so you could make a program
that took Red from start to ﬁnish without any
interruptions.
In most real programs, we can't do that because we
want to have options, depending on what the user
needs.

Say that I only want my character to move when my ﬁnger is on the screen of my phone. I would need to program the
character to only move when I put my ﬁnger on the screen of my phone.
Putting my ﬁnger on the screen would then become an "event" that tells my character to move.
In earlier lessons, we created algorithms that allowed us to control a friend or other character for several steps at a time. It was fun
and useful, but what happens when you don’t know everything that you want your friend to do in advance? This is where events
come in!
198

Project the Event Controller onto your classroom screen.

Decide with your class what each button does. We suggest:
Pink Button -> Say “Wooooo!”
Teal Button -> “Yeah!”
Purple Dial -> “Boom!”
Green Button -> Clap
Orange Dial -> Stomp
Practice tapping the buttons on the overhead and having your class react.
Add some button sequences into the mix and have the students try to keep up with their sounds.
Let your class know that every time you push a button, it is an “event” that lets them know what they are expected to do next.
Get the class started on a planned task before interrupting them again with the buttons. We suggest:
Counting to 10
Singing “Old MacDonald”
Once their plan is underway, interject button presses sporadically.
Continue the blend until they understand the difference between actions that are guided by a plan and those that are event
driven.

Why do we need to be able to handle events in a program?
What are some other kinds of events that you can think of?

199

Use these activities to enhance student learning. They can be used as outside of class activities or other enrichment.

Break the class up into groups. Using the Events Controller, assign each group a different reaction to the same button. Do this
for all three buttons, then watch the chaos!

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200

The Big Event
Event Controller

201

Revision 140709.1a

U
Unplugged

Name:

Date:

The Big Event
Controlling by Events Assessment

202

Revision 160511 . 1a

This lesson helps children to recognize that it is essential to tell a trusted
adult if something online makes them feel angry, sad, or scared.
Students learn that other people sometimes can act like bullies when they
are online. They will explore what cyberbullying means and what they can
do when they encounter it. After reading a scenario about mean online
behavior, students discuss what cyberbullying is, how it can make people
feel, and how to respond. Finally they use their knowledge to create a
.
simple tip sheet on cyberbullying in their

Analyze online behaviors that could be
considered cyberbullying.
Explain how to deal with a cyberbullying
situation.
Recognize the importance of engaging a trusted
adult if the student experienced cyberbullying.

Review
Students may not ever have the misfortune of experiencing cyberbullying,
but we want to make sure that the students are prepared for and
knowledgeable about it, in case they ever witness it during an online
situation. Students will learn how to identify cyberbullying and what steps
they should take to make it stop. This may become helpful in later puzzles
when students have the opportunity to share their work. If someone
negatively responds to a student's work, this lesson will provide them with
the tools that they need to handle the situation.

from Common Sense Education's
website.
Print out a worksheet from the link above (page
6) for each student.
Print out an assessment from the link at the top
(page 7) for each student.
Make sure every student has a
.
Print or display the
for the class to see.

- Teacher Prep Guide
- Website
(

)

- Student Handout

- Doing something on the
internet, usually again and again, to make
another personal feel angry, sad, or scared.
- Connected to the internet.

203

Encourage students to share what they know about bullying.

What kinds of things count as bullying?
Students should understand that bullying is behavior that is purposefully mean or scary to someone else. For example,
making fun of how someone looks, telling lies about them, or threatening to do something bad to them.
How does bullying make other people feel?
Hurt, angry, upset, scared
What is the best thing to do when you feel bullied, or when you see someone else being bullied?
Students should know to always tell a trusted adult when they experience or witness bullying.

Students will be learning about a kind of bullying that can take place when they use the internet.

: Connected to the internet
: Doing something on the internet, usually again and again, to make another person feel angry, sad, or scared

Some kids do not go online very much at all, either because of their family’s rules or because they do not like it very much. Other
kids do go online to do different things.

What do you do online, or what do you think you might like to do?
Students may mention activities like sending messages to friends and playing games.

Most of the time when students go online it is to do fun or interesting things. But sometimes people can be mean to each other
online and this is called cyberbullying.

Did you ever see someone make someone else feel bad online?
Answers will vary. Remind students to tell what happened, but not to use real names.

Tell students that they will be learning more about how cyberbullying occurs, and what to do when it happens to them or to
someone they know.

204

Discussion Goal

Read aloud these two scenarios and discuss them brieﬂy

Questions to stimulate discussion include:

with the class.
Kyle keeps getting instant messages from someone

What do you think happened to Jada's game?

saying means things about him. The person who is

How do you think Jada, Kyle, or Sasha felt when these

sending the messages doesn’t use a real name, but Kyle
can tell the messages are coming from someone who also

things happened to them?

makes fun of him at school in gym class.

Why do you think it is important to stop using the computer

Sasha is a new girl at school, and she’s making a lot of

when someone starts cyberbullying you?

How do you know if someone is cyberbullying you?

It's possible that if students stay online, the cyberbullying

friends. Then Sasha ﬁnds out that another girl sent around
an email that had a picture of a cow with Sasha’s name on

may continue or get worse.

it.
Next, pass out the
worksheet from page 6. Read aloud the story at the
top and ask students to work in pairs or groups to ﬁnish the
worksheet.

Teacher Tip:
These scenarios can be read all at once and discussed as a
whole, or be read and discussed individually.

Ask the class to discuss to Jada's story. Tell the class there
are speciﬁc steps to handling a cyberbully.
Jada should STOP using the computer.
Jada should TELL an adult she trusts what happened.
Jada should not go back online or return to the pony website until an adult says it is OK.
If Jada and Michael are good friends, Jada may want to tell Michael how his actions made her feel after she gets help from an
adult.
If Michael continues cyberbullying her, she should play with other kids who don't cyberbully others.
In general, there are four steps students should take if they or someone they know are experiencing cyberbullying.
1.
2.
3.
4.

Stop using the computer until it is safe.
Tell an adult you trust.
Go online only when a trusted adult says it is okay.
Play online only with kids who you know and are nice.

What is cyberbullying. How does it make people feel?
Students should recognize that cyberbullying is any kind of online behavior that makes people feel sad, scared, angry or
upset.
What four things can you do to help stop cyberbullying?
using the computer until it is safe.

S.
T.

an adult you trust.

O. Go
P.

only when a trusted adult says it is okay.
online only with kids who are nice.

What is the most important thing to do if someone starts cyberbullying you?
Telling a trusted adult is the most important response whenever someone makes them feel sad, scared, or angry online.
205

What was today’s lesson about?
How did you feel during today’s lesson?
Write down the names of some trusted adults you can go to if you ever feel bullied.
What are the four steps you should take if you or someone you know is being cyberbullied.

Pass out an assessment to each student. Allow students a few minutes to complete it then review the answers (page 9 of the link
above) with the class. If there's time, allow for a discussion about the questions.

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206

LESSON PLAN
GRADES K-2

Screen Out the Mean

UNIT 2

Essential Question
What can you do when someone is mean to you online?

Estimated time: 45 minutes

Standards Alignment –

Lesson Overview
Students learn that children sometimes can act like
bullies when they are online. They explore what
cyberbullying means and what they can do when they encounter it.
Students first read a scenario about mean online behavior. They then
discuss what cyberbullying is, how it can make people feel, and how
to respond. Then they use their knowledge to create a simple tip sheet
on cyberbullying. Students recognize that it is essential to tell a trusted
adult if something online makes them feel angry, sad, or scared.

Common Core:
grade K: RL.1, RL.2, RL.3, RL.4,
RL.10, RI.1, RI.2, RI.3, RI.4,
RI.10, RF.4, W.2, W.5, W.7, W.8,
SL.1a, SL.1b, SL.2, SL.3, SL.4,
SL.5, SL.6, L.6

grade 1: RL.1, RL.2, RL.3, RL.4,
RI.1, RI.2, RI.3, RI.4, RI.10,
RF.4a, W.5, W.7, W.8, L.6

Learning Objectives

grade 2: RL.1, RL.2, RL.3, RI.4,

Students will be able to ...

RI.6, RI.10, W.2, W.7, W.8,

• analyze online behaviors that could be considered cyberbullying.

RF.4a, SL.1a, SL.1b, SL.1c, SL.2,

• explain how to deal with a cyberbullying situation.

SL.3, L.6

• recognize the importance of engaging a trusted adult when they
experience cyberbullying.

NETS•S: 2a, 5a, 5d

Key Vocabulary –

Materials and Preparation
• Copy the STOP Cyberbullying Student Handout, one for
each student.
• Preview the scenario in Teach 2 and be prepared to present it to
the class.

Family Resources

online: connected to
the Internet
cyberbullying: doing
something on the Internet,
usually again and again, to
make another person feel angry,
sad, or scared

• Send home the Cyberbullying Family Tip Sheet
(Elementary School).

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207

introduction
Warm-up (5 minutes)
ENCOURAGE students to share what they know about bullying.
ASK:
What kinds of things count as bullying?

Students should understand that bullying is behavior
that is purposely mean or scary to someone else – for
example, making fun of how someone looks, telling
lies about them behind their back, or threatening to do
something bad to them.

How does bullying make other people feel?

Sample responses:
• Hurt
• Angry
• Upset
• Scared

What is the best thing to do when you
feel bullied, or when you see someone
else being bullied?

Students should know to always tell a trusted adult when
they experience or witness bullying.

EXPLAIN to students that they will be learning about a kind of bullying that can take place when they use
the Internet.

teach 1
What Is Cyberbullying? (15 minutes)
DEFINE the Key Vocabulary term online.
DISCUSS the fact that some kids don’t go online very much at all, either because of their family’s rules or
because they don’t like it very much. Other kids do go online to do different things.
ASK:
What do you do online, or what do you
think you might like to do?

Students may mention sending emails, instant messaging,
and playing games.

SHARE with students that most of the time when they go online it is to do fun or interesting things. But sometimes
people can be mean to each other online and this is called cyberbullying.
DEFINE the Key Vocabulary term cyberbullying.
EMPHASIZE that when children are mean to someone else online, even if they only do it one time, it isn’t nice.
Also stress that cyberbullies usually bully repeatedly, with the intention of causing hurt feelings. When children
do something very mean and/or scary, or do it over and over again, then they are cyberbullying.

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208

SHARE with students some examples of cyberbullying. These might include:
• sending a mean email or IM to someone
• posting mean things about someone on a website
• making fun of someone in an online chat
• doing mean things to someone’s character in an online world like Club Penguin or WebKinz
ASK:
Did you ever see someone make someone
else feel bad online?

Answers will vary. Reminds students to tell what happened,
but not use real names.

EXPLAIN to students that they will be learning more about how cyberbullying occurs, and what to do when it
happens to them or to someone they know.

teach 2
What to Do About Cyberbullying (20 minutes)
DISTRIBUTE the STOP Cyberbullying Student Handout, one for every student.
GUIDE students through the scenario on the handout. After allowing students time to read it on their own, you
may wish to read it aloud.
Jada’s parents let her play on a website where she can take care of a pet pony and decorate its stall.
Her friend Michael has played with her in the past and knows her user name and password. One day
Jada goes to the site to care for her pony. She finds that her pony’s stall is a mess and that there are
some things missing.
ENCOURAGE the class to answer the questions on their handouts. Invite them to share their answers.
ASK:
What do you think happened?

Students should conclude that Michael went to the website
himself and messed up the pony’s stall.

How do you think this made Jada feel?

Students should recognize that Michael’s behavior probably
made Jada feel upset, sad, angry, or let down by her friend.

DIRECT students’ attention to the four rules for dealing with cyberbullying at the bottom of their STOP
Cyberbullying Student Handout. Use the following questions to guide discussion.
ASK:
How will you know when someone is
cyberbullying you?

Students should recognize that they may be experiencing
cyberbullying whenever someone does something online that
makes them feel sad, scared, angry, or upset in any way.

Why do you think it is important to stop
using the computer when someone starts
cyberbullying you?

Students should realize that if they stay online, the
cyberbullying may continue or get worse.

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209

If someone makes you feel angry, sad, or
scared online, which grown-ups can you
tell and ask for help?

Students may name parents or grandparents, an older sister
or brother, a teacher, or the school nurse or counselor. If
students cannot think of someone right away, help them
brainstorm and identify an appropriate adult.

Why is it important to go online only with
an adult, or when an adult says it is OK?

Students should recognize that adults can help guide them
online and keep them safe from cyberbullying.

How can you decide whether you should
play or chat with someone online?

Students should acknowledge that they need adult guidance
in deciding who to connect with online. If someone is very
mean to them, or is mean repeatedly, then that person is a
cyberbully and should not be contacted online. Remind
students that they should never talk to strangers online either
without asking a trusted adult, even if that person is nice or
has shared interests.

Which of the four things do you think is the
most important?

Students should recognize that telling an adult is the single
most important thing they should do if they experience or
witness cyberbullying.

REVISIT the scenario in the STOP Cyberbullying Student Handout, and have students apply the S-T-O-P
rules to Jada’s situation.
• Jada should STOP using the computer.
• Jada should TELL an adult she trusts what happened.
• Jada should not go back online or return to the pony website when an adult says it is OK.
• If Jada and Michael are good friends, Jada may want to tell Michael how his actions made her feel,
after she gets advice from an adult.
• But if Michael continues cyberbullying her, she should play with other kids who don’t take part
in cyberbullying.

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210

closing
Wrap-up (5 minutes)
You can use these questions to assess your students’ understanding of the lesson objectives.
ASK:
What is cyberbullying? How does it make
people feel?

Students should recognize that cyberbullying is any kind
of online behavior that makes people feel sad, scared, angry,
or upset.

What four things can you do to help stop
cyberbullying?

Students should be able to explain each of the four rules on
the STOP Cyberbullying Student Handout.

What is the most important thing to do if
someone starts cyberbullying you?

Students should understand that telling a trusted adult is the
most important response whenever someone makes them feel
sad, scared, or angry online.

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211

STOP CYBERBULLYING

Screen Out the Mean
Directions
Jada’s parents let her play on a website
where she can take care of a pet pony
and decorate its stall. Her friend Michael
has played with her in the past and
knows her user name and password.
One day Jada goes to the site to care for
her pony. She finds that her pony’s stall
is a mess and that there are some things missing.

What do you think happened?

How do you think Jada feels?

What should you do if someone starts cyberbullying you?

STOP using the computer until it is safe.
TELL an adult you trust.
Go ONLINE only when a trusted adult says it’s OK .

PLAY online only with kids who are nice.
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212

ASSESSMENT

Screen Out the Mean
1. Draw lines to show which things a cyberbully would do most and which
things an in-person bully would do most.

Threatens to
pull your hair

Takes your stuff
in an online game

Sends mean
emails

Hits you

2. A cyberbully might:
a) Write an email to make someone feel scared
b) Say mean things at recess
c) Share a knock-knock joke online

3. What should you do if you are cyberbullied?
a) Stop using the computer until it is safe
b) Tell an adult you trust
c) Both a and b

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213

ASSESSMENT
TEACHER VERSION

Screen Out the Mean

1. Draw lines to show which things a cyberbully would do most and which things an
in-person bully would do most.

Threatens to
pull your hair

Takes your stuff
in an online game

Sends mean
emails

Hits you

Answer feedback
A cyberbully does and says mean things online. An in-person bully is mean in person.

2. A cyberbully might:
a) Write an email to make someone feel scared
b) Say mean things at recess
c) Share a knock-knock joke online
Answer feedback
The correct answer is a. Cyberbullies are mean online.

3. What should you do if you are cyberbullied?
a) Stop using the computer until it is safe
b) Tell an adult you trust
c) Both a and b
Answer feedback
The correct answer is c. If someone is mean to you online, get off
the computer and tell an adult. Saying mean things to a cyberbully won’t help.

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214

Online Safety

Handout

Stop
Tell
Go

using the computer until it is safe.

an adult you trust.

Online

STOP

when a trusted adult says it’s OK.

Play

online only with kids you know who are nice.

215

Rev. 170526a

Binary is extremely important in the world of computers. The majority of
computers today store all sorts of information in binary form. This lesson

Encode letters into binary.

helps demonstrate how it is possible to take something from real life and
translate it into a series of ons and offs.

Decode binary back to letters.

In this lesson students will learn how information is represented in a way
such that a computer can interpret and store it. When learning
,
students will have the opportunity to write codes and share them with
peers as secret messages. This can then be related back to how
computers read a program, translate it to binary, use the information in
some way, then reply back in a way humans can understand. For example,
when we type a sentence into a document then press save, a computer
translates the sentence into binary, stores the information, then posts a
message indicating the document has been saved.

Relate the idea of storing letters on paper to the
idea of storing information in a computer.

Watch the
Watch the

.
Gather markers for the bracelets. Other
decorations like beads and pipecleaners are
optional.
Print one
per
student.
Print one
student.
Make sure every student has a

per

.
(Optional) Write a short message on the board in
binary.
Prepare to show the
.

- Teacher Video
- Lesson in Action Video
- Worksheet
- Assessment
(

)

- Student Video

- A way of representing information using
only two options.

216

This lesson has one new and important word:
Binary - Say it with me: Bye-nair-ee
A way of representing information using only two options

If you've written a short message on the board in binary, call the students' attention to it and ask if anyone knows what it is or
what it means.
Put the message aside and move on to prepping for the activity.
You can start by asking the class if they have ever seen inside a computer.
What's in there?
This is a good place to actually show them the inside of a computer (or pictures of the inside of a computer).

Wires carry information through the machine in the form of electricity.

217

The two options that a computer uses with respect to this electrical information are "off" and "on." Just like the lights in this
room!
When computers represent information using only two options, it's called "Binary."
That theme of two options doesn't stop when the information gets to its destination.
Computers also

information using binary.

Binary isn't always off and on.
Hard Disk Drives store information using magnetic positive and magnetic negative.
DVDs store information as either reﬂective or non-reﬂective.
How do you suppose we can convert real-life things that we want to store in a computer into binary?
Let's start with letters.
Use the

to show how a computer might represent capital letters.

This is a good time to mention that each spot where you have a binary option is called a "binary digit" or "bit" for short.
Ask if anyone knows what a grouping of eight bits is called (it's a byte.)
Fun fact: A grouping of four bits is called a nibble.
Watch the

(~1 minute)

Go over a few examples of converting letters into binary, then back.
Afterward, write an encoded letter and give the class a few seconds to ﬁgure out what it is.
When the class can ﬁgure out that encoded letter on their own, you can move on to the activity.

You do not need to cover the whole of binary, like counting
and converting numbers back and forth from decimal. This
lesson is intended to be a fun introduction to how computers
store information, not a frustrating lesson in bases.

Lesson Tip
You know your classroom best. As the teacher, decide if
students should do this individually or if students should work
in pairs or small groups.

Directions:
Find the ﬁrst letter of your ﬁrst name on the activity sheet.
Fill in the squares of a bracelet to match the pattern of the squares next to the letter that you selected.
Cut the bracelet out.
Tape the bracelet around your wrist to wear it!
Share your bracelet with your classmates to see if they can ﬁgure out your letter.

218

After the activity, revisit the message that was on the board
and see if your class can decypher it using what they've
learned.

Lesson Tip
If your class has extra budget for materials, try
doing this exercise using thread (or pipe cleaners) and beads
to create the binary bracelets instead of pen and paper. You
can provide any combination of two colors in beads to the
students, but black and white tend to be easiest, given the
way that the key is done.

What else do you think is represented as binary inside of a
computer?
How else might you represent binary instead of boxes that are ﬁlled or not ﬁlled?
What was your favorite part about that activity?

What was today’s lesson about?
How did you feel during today’s lesson?
Use the activity worksheet to write out the rest of your name or your favorite word in binary.
Imagine a world where we spoke in binary, saying "on" or "off", but nothing else. Draw two characters trying to talk to each other
in binary.

Use these activities to enhance student learning. They can be used as outside of class activities or other enrichment.

There are several great resources on the web for taking this activity to the next level.
If your students are interested in how images (or even music) can be represented as binary, you can ﬁnd more details in
Thinkersmith's
.

If you are interested in licensing Code.org materials for commercial purposes,

219

U
Unplugged

Name:

Date:

Binary Bracelets
Binary Decoder Key

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M

N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z

Find the first letter of your first name.
Fill in the squares of the bracelet below to match the pattern of the squares next to the
letter that you found.
Cut the bracelet out and tape it around your wrist to wear it!

220

Revision 140902.1a

Name:

Date:

Binary Bracelets
Assessment for Binary Bracelets Lesson

Unplugged

Use the Binary Decoder Key below to decode the message at the bottom of the sheet.

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M

N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z

Can you figure out what the message says?

221

Revision 140710.1a

CS Fundamentals Course D

Course D
222

By "programming" one another to draw pictures, students will begin to

understand what coding is really about. The class will begin by having
students instruct each other to color squares on graph paper in an effort to
reproduce an existing picture. If there’s time, the lesson can conclude with
images that the students create themselves.

The goal of this activity is to build critical thinking skills and excitement for
the course.
and
to the
By introducing basic concepts like
class in an unplugged activity, students who are intimidated by computers
can still build a foundation of understanding on these topics. Programming
and algorithms are essential to computer science. In this lesson, students
will learn how to translate instructions into a program and recognize an
algorithm.

Understand the difﬁculty of translating real
problems into programs

Explain how ideas may feel clear and yet still be
misinterpreted by a computer

Practice communicating ideas through codes and
symbols

Watch the

Watch the
Print out one
Print one

.
for each group.

for each student.
Supply each group with several drawing grids,
paper, and pens/pencils.
Make sure every student has a
.

- Teacher Video

- Lesson in Action

Video

- Worksheet
(

- Assessment
)

- A list of steps to ﬁnish a task.

- An algorithm that has been coded
into something that can be run by a machine.

223

This lesson has two new and important words:
- Say it with me: Al-go-ri-thm
A list of steps that you can follow to ﬁnish a task
- Say it with me: Pro-gram
An algorithm that has been coded into something that can be run by a machine

In this activity, we are going to guide each other toward making drawings, without letting the other people in our group see the
original image.
For this exercise, we will use sheets of 4x4 graph paper. Starting at the upper left-hand corner, we’ll guide our teammates’
Automatic Realization Machine (ARM) with simple instructions. Those instructions include:
Move One Square Right
Move One Square Left
Move One Square Up

Move One Square Down
Fill-In Square with color

For example, here’s how we would write an algorithm to
instruct a friend (who is pretending to be a drawing machine)
to color their blank grid so that it looks like the image below:

Lesson Tip
Have the class imagine that your arm is an Automatic
Realization Machine (ARM). The idea of "algorithms" and
"programs" will be brought to life even further if students feel
like they're actually in control of your movements.

Move One Square Right
Fill In Square with Color

Move One Square Right

Move One Square Down
Fill In Square with Color

That’s simple enough, but it would take a lot of writing to provide instructions for a square like this:

224

Move One Square Right
Fill In Square with Color

Move One Square Right
Move One Square Right
Fill In Square with Color

Move One Square Down
Move One Square Left

Fill In Square with Color
Move One Square Left
Move One Square Left

Fill In Square with Color

PLUS 12 MORE INSTRUCTIONS!
With one little substitution, we can do this much more easily! Instead of having to write out an entire phrase for each instruction, we
can use arrows.

In this instance, the arrow symbols are the “program” code and the words are the “algorithm” piece. This means that we could write
the algorithm:
“Move one square right, Move one square right, Fill-in square with color”
and that would correspond to the program:

Using arrows, we can redo the code from the previous image much more easily!

225

Ask the class to follow along with your ﬁnger and see if you can ﬁgure out how to get this image from the program to the right.

Start your class off in the world of programming by drawing or projecting the provided key onto the board.

Select a simple drawing, such as this one to use as an example.

This is a good way to introduce all of the symbols in the key. To begin, ﬁll in the graph for the class -- square by square -- then ask
them to help describe what you’ve just done. First, you can speak the algorithm out loud, then you can turn your verbal instructions
into a program.
A sample algorithm:
“Move Right, Fill-In Square, Move Right, Move Down Fill-In Square, Move Left, Move Left, Fill-In Square Move Down, Move Right,
Fill-In Square, Move Right”
Some of your class may notice that there is an unnecessary step, but hold them off until after the programming stage. Walk the
class through translating the algorithm into the program:

The classroom may be buzzing with suggestions by this point. If the class gets the gist of the exercise, this is a good place to
discuss alternate ways of ﬁlling out the same grid. If there is still confusion, save that piece for another day and work with another
example.

226

If the class can shout out the algorithm and deﬁne the correct symbols to use for each step, they’re ready to move on. Depending

on your class and their age, you can either try doing a more complicated grid together or skip straight to having them work in groups
on their

Divide students into pairs.

Have each pair choose an image from the worksheet.

Discuss the algorithm to draw that image with partner.
Convert algorithm into a program using symbols.

Trade programs with another pair and draw one another's image.
Choose another image and go again!

What did we learn today?

What if we used the same arrows, but replaced "Fill-In Square" with "Lay Brick"? What might we be able to do?
What else could we program if we just changed what the arrows meant?

How did you feel during today’s lesson?

227
Draw another image that you could code. Can you write the program
to make this drawing?

What are some other instructions that might come in handy for big or complicated images?

Hand out the assessment worksheet and allow students to complete the activity independently after the instructions have been
well explained.

This should feel familiar, thanks to the previous activities.

Use these activities to enhance student learning. They can be used as outside of class activities or other enrichment.

Have your class try making up their own images.

Can they ﬁgure out how to program the images that they create?

As the teacher, draw an image on a 5x5 grid.
Can the class code that up along with you?

If you are interested in licensing Code.org materials for commercial purposes,

228

229

230

Name:

Date:

Graph Paper Programming

Unplugged

Four-by-Fours Activity Worksheet

Choose one of the drawings below to program for a friend. Don’t let them see
which one you choose!
Write the program on a piece of paper using arrows. Can they recreate your picture?

Use these symbols to write a program that would draw each image.

Move One
Square Right

Move One
Square Left

Move One
Square Up

Move One
Square Down

Fill-In Square
with Color

Image 1

Image 2

Image 3

Image 4

Image 5

Image 6

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Revision 140830.1a

Name:

Date:

Graph Paper Programming
Assessment Worksheet

Unplugged

You have just learned how to create algorithms and programs from drawings, and
how to draw an image from a program that someone gives to you. During the
lesson, you worked with other people to complete your activities. Now you can use
the drawings and programs below to practice by yourself.
Use the symbols below to write a program that would draw each image.

Move One
Square Forward

Move One
Square Up

Move One
Square Backward

Fill-In Square
with Color

Move One
Square Down

Start
Here
Step 1

Step 11

Step 1

Step 11

Step 1

Step 11

Start
Here

Now, read the program below and draw the image that it describes.
Start
Here
Step 1

Step 11

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Revision 140710.1a

Debugging

This activity will begin with a short review of 'Graph Paper Programming',
then will quickly move to a race against the clock, as students break into
teams and work together to write a program one instruction at a time.

There are many important components to this lesson. Students will be able
to run around and get their wiggles out while building teamwork,
programming, and debugging skills. Teamwork is very important in
computer science. While
is
common, it is more common for computer scientists to work in teams.
These teams write and debug code as a group rather than individuals. In
this lesson, students will learn to work together while being as efﬁcient as
possible.
This activity also provides a sense of urgency that will teach them to
balance their time carefully and avoid mistakes, but not to fall too far
behind.

Practice communicating ideas through code and
symbols.

Use teamwork to complete a task.

Verify the work done by teammates to ensure a
successful outcome.

Watch the

.
Locate a wide open space for this activity, such
as the gym or outdoor ﬁeld.
Print out one

for each group.

Print one

for each student.
Supply each group with plenty of paper and
pens/pencils.
Make sure every student has a
.

Teacher Prep Guide

- Assessment
(

- Teacher Video
|

)

- A list of steps to ﬁnish a task.

- Part of a program that does not work
correctly.

- Finding and ﬁxing problems in
your algorithm or program.

233

Recall that in 'Graph Paper Programming' we guided our teammate's Automatic Realization Machine (ARM) using arrows. Take a

moment to go through a quick 'Graph Paper Programming' image as a reminder. It can either be one that you have already covered
or one that is new.

We are going to do the same kind of thing today, but instead of controlling each other, we are going to work together to create a
program one symbol at a time.

The practice lesson was easy enough; let's add some action! We're going to do the same type of thing (create a program describing
an image) but now we're going to do it in relay teams, one symbol at a time.
The rules of this game are simple:
Divide students into groups of 3-5.

Have each group queue up relay-style.

Place an identical image at the other side of the
room/gym/ﬁeld from each team.

Have the ﬁrst student in line dash over to the image,
review it, and write down the ﬁrst symbol in the program to
reproduce that image.
The ﬁrst student then runs back and tags the next person
in line, then goes to the back of the queue.

The next person in line dashes to the image, reviews the
image, reviews the program that has already been written,
then either debugs the program by crossing out an
incorrect symbol, or adds a new one. That student then
dashes back to tag the next person, and the process
continues until one group has ﬁnished their program.

Clariﬁcations
Here are some clariﬁcations that need to be shared from time
to time:
Only one person from each group can be at the image at
one time.

It is okay to discuss algorithms with the rest of the group in
line, even up to the point of planning who is going to write
what when they get to the image.

When a student debugs a program by crossing out an
incorrect instruction (or a grouping of incorrect instructions)
this counts as their entire turn. The next player will need to
ﬁgure out how to correct the removed item.

First group to ﬁnish with a program that matches the image is the winner! Play through this several times, with images of increasing
difﬁculty.

What did we learn today?

What if we were each able to do ﬁve arrows at a time?

How important would it be to debug our own work and the work of the programmer before us?
How about with 10 arrows?

10,000? Would it be more or less important?

Is it easier or harder to have multiple people working on the same program?
Do you think people make more or fewer mistakes when they're in a hurry?

If you ﬁnd a mistake, do you have to throw out the entire program
and start over?
234

How did you feel during today's lesson?

How did teamwork play a role in the success of writing today's program?
How did you use your debugging skills in today's lesson?

Pass around this assessment and have the students work on it independently. At the very end, you can take time to go over and
discuss the answers.

Use these activities to enhance student learning. They can be used as outside of class activities or other enrichment.

If you don't have the time or room for a relay, you can have students pass the paper around their desk grouping, each writing one
arrow before they move the paper along.

As the teacher, draw an image with as many ﬁlled squares as children in each group.

Have the students write as many arrows in the program as it takes to get to a ﬁlled-in square (including actually ﬁlling that square
in) before passing to the next person.

Draw an image on the board. Have each student create a program for the image. Ask students to trade with their elbow partner and
debug each other's code.
Circle the ﬁrst incorrect step, then pass it back.

Give the students another chance to review and debug their own work.
Ask for a volunteer to share their program.
Ask the class:
How many students had the same program?
Anyone have something different?

If you are interested in licensing Code.org materials for commercial purposes,

235

Relay Programming
Relay Image 1

Revision 140710.1a

Relay Programming
Relay Image 2

236

Revision 140710.1a

Relay Programming
Relay Image 3

Revision 140710.1a

Relay Programming
Relay Image 4

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Revision 140710.1a

Relay Programming
Relay Image 5

Revision 140710.1a

Relay Programming
Relay Image 6

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Revision 140710.1a

239

240

Name:

Date:

Debugging
Assessment Worksheet

Unplugged

Sometimes when you are coding in groups, someone will make an error that will
affect everyone.
Somebody has already written programs for the images below, but each one has a
mistake! Figure out what the programs are supposed to look like, and circle the error
in each one. Then, draw the correct symbol in the box beneath.
Each program should use the symbols below to draw the image to its left.

Move One
Square Right

Move One
Square Left

Move One
Square Up

Move One
Square Down

Fill-In Square
with Color

Start
Here

241

Revision 140830.1a

This lesson demonstrates how conditionals can be used to tailor a
program to speciﬁc information. We don’t always have all of the

information we need when writing a program. Sometimes you will want to
do something different in one situation than in another, even if you don't
know what situation will be true when your code runs. That is where

conditionals come in. Conditionals allow a computer to make a decision,
based on the information that is true any time your code is run.

One of the best parts of teaching
is that students already
understand the concept from their everyday lives.
This lesson merges computer science into the real world by building off of

their ability to tell if a condition is true or false. Students will learn to use
to declare when a certain command should be run, as well as

to declare when a command should be run and what
do run otherwise. Students may not recognize the word
, but

most students will understand the idea of using "if" to make sure that some
action only occurs when it is supposed to.

Deﬁne circumstances when certain parts of a

program should run and when they shouldn't.

Determine whether a conditional is met based on
criteria.

Traverse a program and predict the outcome,
given a set of input.

Watch the
Watch the

.
Gather decks of cards or something similar.
One

for the class

to look at.
Print one

for each student.
Make sure every student has a
.

- Teacher Video

- Lesson in Action

Video

Teacher Prep Guide

- Assessment
(

- Assessment Video

)

- Statements that only run under
certain conditions.

242

This lesson has one new and important word:
- Say it with me: Con-di-shun-uls
Statements that only run under certain conditions.

We can start this lesson off right away

Let the class know that if they can be completely quiet for thirty seconds, you will do something like:
Sing an opera song

Give ﬁve more minutes of recess
Do a handstand

Start counting right away.

If the students succeed, point out that they succeeded, so they get the reward.

Otherwise, point out that they were not completely quiet for a full thirty seconds, so they do not get the reward.

Ask the class "What was the condition of the reward?"

The condition was IF you were quiet for 30 seconds

If you were, the condition would be true, and you would get the reward.

If you weren't, the condition would be false, so the reward woud not apply.

Can we come up with another conditional?

If you can guess my age correctly, the class can give you applause.
If I know an answer, I can raise my hand.
What examples can you come up with?

Sometimes, we want to have an extra condition, in case the "IF" statement is not true.
This extra condition is called an "ELSE" statement

When the "IF" condition isn't met, we can look at the "ELSE" for what to do

Example: IF I draw a king from this deck of cards, everybody claps. Or ELSE, everyone says "Awwwwwwe."
Let's try it. (Draw a card and see if your class reacts appropriately.)

Ask the class to analyze what just happened.
What was the IF?

What was the ELSE?

Which condition was met?

Believe it or not, we have even one more option.

What if I wanted you to clap if I draw a 7, or else if I draw something less than seven you say "YAY," or else you say
"Awwwwwwwe"?
This is why we have the terms If, Else-If, and Else.
If is the ﬁrst condition

Else-If gets looked at only if the "If" isn't true.

Else gets looked at only if nothing before it is true.
Now let's play a game.

Create a few programs with your class that depend on things like a card's suit, color, or value to award or subtract points. You
can write the program as an algorithm, pseudocode, or actual code.

Here is a sample algorithm:
if (CARD is RED)
Award YOUR team 1 point
Else
Award OTHER team 1 point

Here is a sample of the same program in pseudocode:
If (card.color == RED){
points.yours = points.yours + 1;
}
Else {
points.other = points.other + 1;
}

Decide how you want to split your class into teams.

Each team should have a pile of cards (at least as many cards as team members) nearby.
Put one of your “Programs” up on the board for all to see.

Have the teams take turns drawing cards and following the program to see how many points they score in each round.
Play several times with several different programs to help the students really understand conditionals.

Once the class has had some practice, you can encourage students to nest conditionals inside one another:
If (CARD is RED){
Award YOUR team 1 point
Else
If (CARD is higher than 9)
Award OTHER team 1 point
Else
Award YOUR team the same number of points on the card

Here is the same program in pseudocode:
If (card.color == RED ){
points.yours = points.yours + 1;
}
Else {
if (card.value > 9){
points.other = points.other + 1;
}
Else {
points.yours = points.yours + card.value;
}
}

If you were going to code this up in Blocky, what would
you need to add around your conditionals to let the code
run more than one time? (A loop)

What other things do you do during the day under certain
conditions?
If you are supposed to do something when the value of a
card is more than 5, and you draw a 5, do you meet that
condition?

Notice that conditions are either "True" or "False." There is no assessment of a condition that evaluates to "Banana."
When you need to meet several combinations of conditions, we can use something called "nested conditionals."
What do you think that means?

Can you give an example of where we saw that during the game?

What part of that game did you like the best?

How do you feel about today's lesson?

What is a conditional? How did you use a conditional today?

What are some of the conditionals you used today? Can you come up with some more that you would use with a deck of cards?

Hand out the assessment worksheet and allow students to complete the activity independently after the instructions have been well
explained. This should feel familiar, thanks to the previous activities. Here's a

watch as a guide.

Use these activities to enhance student learning. They can be used as outside of class activities or other enrichment.

Line students up as if to play

Select one person to stand in front as the Caller.

The Caller chooses a condition and asks everyone who meets that condition to take a step forward.
If you have a red belt, step forward.

If you are wearing sandals, take a step forward.

Try switching it up by saying things like "If you are

blonde, step forward."

Break students up into pairs or small groups.

Have them write if statements for playing cards on strips of paper, such as:
the suit is clubs
the color is red

Have students create similar strips for outcomes.
Add one point

Subtract one point

Once that's done, have students choose three of each type of strip and three playing cards, paying attention to the order
selected.

Using three pieces of paper, have students write three different programs using only the sets of strips that they selected, in any
order.
Encourage students to put some if statements inside other if statements.

Now, students should run through all three programs using the cards that they drew, in the same order for each program.
Did any two programs return the same answer?
Did any return something different?

If you are interested in licensing Code.org materials for commercial purposes,

245

Conditionals with Cards
Sample Program 1

Sample program as algorithm

If (CARD is RED)
Award YOUR team 1 point
Else
Award OTHER team 1 point

This program has you choose a card. If the card is red, your team gets a point. Else, the other team gets a point.

Sample program from above as pseudocode (like code, but in no particular language)

If (card.color == RED) {
points.yours = points.yours + 1;
}
Else {
points.other = points.other + 1;
}

246

Revision 140829.1a

Conditionals with Cards
Sample Program 2

Sample program as algorithm

If (CARD is RED)
Award YOUR team 1 point
Else
If ( CARD is higher than 9)
Award OTHER team 1 point
Else
Award YOUR team the same
number of points on the card

This program has you choose a card. If the card is red, your team gets a point. Else, the card must be black. If your black card is higher than 9,
then the other team gets a point, else your card must be black and lower than or equal to 9, and you get as many points as are on your card.

Sample program from above as pseudocode (like code, but in no particular language)

If (card.color == RED) {
points.yours = points.yours + 1;
}
Else {
If ( card.value > 9) {
points.other = points.other + 1;
}
Else {
points.yours = points.yours + card.value;
}
}

247

Revision 140829.1a

In collaboration with

, this lesson

helps students learn to think critically about the user information that some
websites request or require. Students learn the difference between private
information and personal information, distinguishing what is safe and
unsafe to share online.

Students will also explore what it means to be responsible and respectful
to their ofﬂine and online communities as a step toward learning how to be
good digital citizens.

As students spend more time on computers, they should be aware that the
internet is not always a safe space. In this lesson, students are taught
what information is safe to share and what information should remain
private. Students will create "superheros" and learn what it means to be a
Digital Citizen on the internet.

Compare and contrast their responsibilities to
their online and ofﬂine communities.

Understand what type of information can put
them at risk for identity theft and other scams.

Reﬂect on the characteristics that make someone
an upstanding citizen.
Devise resolutions to digital dilemmas.

Watch the

.
Print out a good selection of male and female

Print one

Manipulatives

sheets for the whole class.
for each student.

- Teacher Video
- Assessment
(

- Website
)

- Someone who acts safely,
responsibly, and respectfully online.

248

This lesson has one new and important phrase:
- Say it with me: Dih-jih-tal Sit-i-zen
Someone who acts safely, responsibly, and respectfully online

Ask "What types of information do you think are okay to

share publicly online or on a proﬁle that others will see?"
What are some examples of websites where you must
register in order to participate?
Write the names of the websites on the board.

Lesson Tip
If you have access to a computer, feel free to navigate to a
site that might require this type of information, such as Gmail
or Facebook.

What information is required and why do you think it is
required?

Information may be required to help distinguish one person from another.
The website may keep a record of who uses it.

Explain that it’s important to know that sharing some kinds of user information can put you and your family’s privacy at risk.
Point out that you do not have to ﬁll out ﬁelds on websites if they are not required.
Required ﬁelds are usually marked by an asterisk (*) or are highlighted in red.

Elementary school students should never register for sites that require private information without the approval and guidance of a
parent or guardian.
Here is an example of public versus private information:

SAFE - Personal Information

UNSAFE - Private Information

Your favorite food
Your opinion (though it shoud be done respectfully)
First name (with permission)

Mother's maiden name
Social Security number
Your date of birth
Parents' credit card information
Phone number

Explain that some people will actively try to get you to share this kind of information so that they can use it to take over your
identity. Once a thief has taken someone’s identity, he or she can use that person’s name to get a driver’s license or buy things,
even if the person whose identity they stole isn’t old enough to do these things!

It’s often not until much later that people realize that their identity has been stolen. Identity thieves may also apply for credit
cards in other people’s names and run up big bills that they don’t pay off. Let students know that identity thieves often target
children and teens because they have a clean credit history and their parents are unlikely to be aware that someone is taking
on their child’s identity.

Now, let's see what we can do to keep ourselves safe.

249

Spiderman says "With great power comes great responsibility." This is also true when working or playing on the Internet.

The things we read, see, and hear online can lead people to have all sorts of feelings (e.g., happy, hurt, excited, angry, curious).
What we do and say online can be powerful.

The Internet allows us to learn about anything, talk to people at any time (no matter where they are in the world), and share our
knowledge and creative projects with other people.

This also means that negative comments can spread very quickly to friends of all ages.

CREATE a three-column chart with the terms “Safe,” “Responsible,” and “Respectful” written at the top of each column. Invite

students to shout out words or phrases that describe how people can act safely, responsibly, and respectfully online, and then
write them in the appropriate column.

Safe

Responsible

Respectful

Now, let's really make sure we understand how to be a Super Digital Citizen!

Have each student grab a small selection of papercraft
sheets and encourage them to blend the pieces to make
their very own super hero.
Allow plenty of time for students to cut, glue, and color.
Give students a 5 minute warning to wrap up.

Lesson Tip
For more in-depth modules, you can ﬁnd additions to this
curriculum at the
page on Scope and Sequence.

Separate students into groups of 2-4 and tell them to use
their super heroes and leftover supplies to stage a scene
in which one superhero sees an act of poor digital citizenship. Then have the superhero ﬁx the problem … and save the day!
Go around the room, having each student explain their scene to the class.

What is a good way to act responsibly online?

What kinds of personal information could you share about
yourself without showing your identity?
What kinds of superpowers or qualities did your digital
superheroes have in common?

What does Spider-Man’s motto “With great power comes
great responsibility” mean to you, as someone who uses
the internet?

How do you feel about today's lesson?
What is a Digital Citizen?

What do you need to do to be a Digital Citizen?

250

Hand out the assessment worksheet and allow students to complete the activity independently after the instructions have been
well explained.

This should feel familiar, thanks to the previous activities.

Use these activities to enhance student learning. They can be used as outside of class activities or other enrichment.

Visit

to learn more about how you can keep your students safe in this digital age.

If you are interested in licensing Code.org materials for commercial purposes,

251

Name:

Date:

Digital Citizenship

Unplugged

Assessment Worksheet

Just because you can do something online doesn’t mean that you should!
Cross out the information that you should not share online. Use the words that are leftover
as the key to what you should find in the word search.
WORDS
1) Your Credit Card Info (CARD)
2) Your Online Name (NICKNAME)
3) What You Ate Today (FOOD)
4) Your Email (EMAIL)
5) Your Favorite Color (COLOR)
6) The Last Book you Read (BOOK)
7) The School You Attend (SCHOOL)
8) Your Favorite Band (BAND)
9) Your Phone Number (PHONE)
10) Your Address (ADDRESS)
11) Your Birthday (BIRTHDAY)

Write a paragraph in the area below, telling about what you will do when you’re on the
Internet to make sure that you practice kind and respectful behavior.

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Revision 140625.1a

Though many people think of binary as strictly zeros and ones, students
will be introduced to the idea that information can be represented in a

variety of binary options. This lesson takes that concept one step further
as it illustrates how a computer can store even more complex information
(such as images and colors) in binary, as well.

In this lesson students will learn how information is represented in a way
such that a computer can interpret and store it. When learning
,

students will have the opportunity to write code and share it with peers to
view as images. This can then be related back to how computers read a
program, translate it to binary, use the information in some way, then reply
back in a way humans can understand. For example, when we type a
sentence into a document then press "save", a computer translates the
sentence into binary, stores the information, then posts a message
indicating the document has been stored.

Identify methods for encoding images into binary.
Relate images to a peer using binary encoding.
Reproduce an image, based on binary code.

Watch the
Print one

per

pair.
Print one

per
student.
Gather groupings of items that can show
opposites for students to use when coming up
with their own binary encodings (Optional).
Make sure every student has a
.

- Teacher Video
- Worksheet

- Assessment
(

)

- A way of representing information using

only two options.
binary code.

253

- The two options used in your

This lesson has two new terms:
- Say it with me: Bi-nare-ee
A way of representing information using only two options.
- Say it with me: Bi-nare-ee Al-fa-bet
The two options used in your binary code.

What if we had a picture like this, where there's only two color options for each square, black or white.

How might we encode this so that someone else could recreate the picture without seeing it?
Some students might think back to the Graph Paper Programming lesson. While there could be a lot of similarities, let them know
that this is different enough that they should not use that lesson to guide this one
You may hear suggestions like: "Say 'white, black, white, black'."
"That's a great suggestion! Now I'm going to break you up into pairs. Work with your teammate to decide on a binary alphabet."
Decide whether you want your pairs to share their encodings with the other groups ahead of time, and tell them if they will be
creating a key, or keeping their methods secret.
"Now, let's encode some images, just like a computer would!"

Now it's the students' turn!
1.
2.
3.
4.

Divide students into pairs.

Have them choose an image with their partner.
Encourage them to ﬁgure out what their binary alphabet is going to be.

Have them encode their image using their new binary alphabet.
5. Instruct students to trade encodings with another team and see if they can ﬁgure out which picture the other worked on.
6. Choose a Level
Easy: Let the other team know what your encoding method was
Tough: Have the other team guess your encoding method.

254

What did we learn today?

What kind of binary alphabet did you create?

Can you think of how you could encode an image using only your ﬁngers?
Do you think you could create a binary alphabet out of sounds?

How do you feel about today's lesson?
What is a binary alphabet?

What kind of information can you share using binary?

Pass out this assessment for students to do individually. Try to save time at the end to go over answers.

Use these activities to enhance student learning. They can be used as outside of class activities or other enrichment.

If your class really gets the idea behind storing binary images, they may want to know how to do color images.
First, you'll need to discuss how color works using binary (as in Binary Baubles, page 21).
Then, introduce some images that use combinations of those colors

Encourage your students to come up with ways to code these color images.

Take the idea of color one step further to introduce

If you are interested in licensing Code.org materials for commercial purposes,

255

Name:

Date:

Binary Images
Binary Representation Activity

Here are six images. Work with a partner to figure out how you can encode them into
binary in such a way that another team can use the code to figure out what image
you selected.
DIRECTIONS
1. Choose an image with your partner.
2. Figure out what your binary alphabet is going to be.
3. Encode your image using your new binary alphabet.
4. Trade your encoding with another team and see if you can figure out which
picture they worked on.
5. Choose a Level
* Easy: Let the other team know what your encoding method was
* Tough: Have the other team guess your encoding method.

Image 1

Image 2

Image 3

Image 4

Image 5

Image 6

Revision 141016.1a
256

Name:

Date:

Binary Images
Binary Representation Activity

Match the image to the binary code that describes it. In order to get the images
correct, you will need to figure out the binary alphabet for each encoding.

image #1

image #2

image #3

= _______________

This encodes image # _________

B)
= _______________

= _______________

This encodes image # _________

= _______________

This encodes image # _________

How do you know that your answers are correct?

Revision 141019.1a
257

CS Fundamentals Course E

Course E
Ramp-Up lessons:
Programming Unplugged: My Robotic Friends
Building a Foundation
Loops Unplugged: My Loopy Robotic Friends

258

151
182
166

COURSE

Unit Overview All Lessons PDF All Handouts PDF

Lesson 10: Algorithms: Dice Race Unplugged
Unplugged | Dice Race | Algorithms

Overview

Objectives

In this lesson, students will relate the concept of algorithms back to real-life

Students will be able to:

activities by playing the Dice Race game. The goal here is to start building
the skills to translate real-world situations to online scenarios and vice
versa.

Purpose

Decompose large activities into a series of
smaller events.
Arrange sequential events into their logical order.

Preparation

By introducing a basic concept like algorithms to the class in an
unplugged activity, students who are intimidated by computers can still
build a foundation of understanding on these topics. Algorithms are
essential to computer science. In this lesson, students will learn how to
translate instructions into a algorithm and how that plays a role in
programming.

Agenda
Warm Up (15 min)

Watch the Real-Life Algorithms: Dice Race Teacher Video.
Print one Real-Life Algorithms: Dice Race Worksheet per group.
Print one Real-Life Algorithms: Dice Race Assessment per student.
Give every student a Think Spot Journal Reflection Journal.

Links

Introduction
Vocabulary

For the Teacher

Main Activity (30 min)

Real-Life Algorithms: Dice Race - Teacher
Video
Real-Life Algorithms: Dice Race - Worksheet
Real-Life Algorithms: Dice Race Assessment
Think Spot Journal - Reﬂection Journal

Real-Life Algorithms: Dice Race - Worksheet
Wrap Up (15 min)
Flash Chat: What did we learn?
Journaling
Extended Learning

Vocabulary
Algorithm - A precise sequence of instructions
for processes that can be executed by a
computer

259

Ask your students what they did to get ready for school this morning.
rite their answers on the board.
If possible, put numbers ne t to their responses to indicate the order that they happen.
If students give responses out of order, have them help you put them in some kind of logical order.
oint out places where order matters and places where it doesn t.
Introduce students to the idea that it is possible to create algorithms for the things that we do everyday.
Give them a couple of e amples, such as making breakfast, brushing teeth, planting a ower, and making paper airplanes.
Computers need algorithms and programs to show them how to do even simple things that we can do without thinking about
them.
It can be challenging to describe something that comes naturally in enough detail for a computer to replicate.
et s try doing this with a new and fun activity, like playing the

ice

ace Game

This lesson has one vocabulary word that is important to review
ay it with me Al go ri thm
A list of steps to nish a task.

ou can use algorithms to help describe things that people
do every day. In this activity, we will create an algorithm to
describe how we play the ice ace Game.
The hardest part about getting a problem ready for a
computer can be guring out how to describe real life
activities. e re going to get some practice by playing and
describing the ice ace game.

esson Tip
ou know your classroom best. As the teacher, decide if
students should do this in pairs or small groups.

ead the rules below.
lay a couple rounds of the

ice

ace game.

As you re playing, think about how you would describe everything that you re doing.
hat would it look like from the computer s point of view

et each player s score to
Have the rst player roll

260

Add points from that roll to player one s total score

esson Tip

Have the ne t player roll
Add points from that roll to player two s total score
ach player should go again two more times
Check each player s total score to see who has the most
points
eclare

Help the students see the game from a computer s point of
view. If they need to roll the dice, then the computer needs to
provide dice. If the student needs to play three turns, then the
computer needs to loop through the steps multiple times.

inner

Game 1

Turn 1

Turn 2

Turn 3

Total

layer
layer
Circle the

inner

Gather the class together and have each student complete the
students have completed the worksheet, have students share out their algorithms to the class.
between an algorithm from a human s point of view and a computer s point of view.

How many of you were able to follow your classmates algorithms to play the

ice

. nce the
pen a discussion on the difference

ace Game

hat s the difference between an algorithm and a program
An algorithm is the thinking behind what needs to happen, while the program is the actual instruction set that makes it
happen.
An algorithm has to be translated into a program before a computer can run it.
id the e ercise leave anything out
hat would you have added to make the algorithm even better
hat if the algorithm had been only one step

lay

ice

ace

ould it have been easier or harder
hat if it were forty steps
hat was your favorite part about that activity

Having students write about what they learned, why it s useful, and how they feel about it can help solidify any knowledge they
obtained today and build a review sheet for them to look to in the future.

hat was today s lesson about
How do you feel about today s lesson
hat is an algorithm
hat are some algorithms you use in your daily life

261

Use these activities to enhance student learning. They can be used as outside of class activities or other enrichment.

If you are interested in licensing Code.org materials for commercial purposes,

262

Name:

Date:

Real-Life Algorithms
Dice Race Activity

Unplugged

You can use algorithms to help describe things that people do every day. In this activity,
we will create an algorithm to help each other understand the Dice Race game.
The hardest part about getting a problem ready for a computer can be figuring out how to
describe real-life activities. We’re going to get some practice by playing and describing the
Dice Race game.
Read the rules below, then play a couple rounds of the Dice Race game. As you’re playing,
think about how you would describe everything that you’re doing. What would it look like
from the computer’s point of view?

The Rules:
1) Set each player’s score to 0.
2) Have the first player roll.
3) Add points from that roll to player one’s total score.
4) Have the next player roll.
5) Add points from that roll to player two’s total score.
6) Each player should go again two more times.
7) Check each player’s total score to see who has the most points.
8) Declare Winner.

Game 1

Turn 1

Turn 2

Turn 3

Total

Player 1

Circle
the Winner

Player 2

Game 2

Turn 1

Turn 2

Turn 3

Player 1

Total
Circle
the Winner

Player 2

263

Revision 140710.1a

Dice Race
Assessment Worksheet

Unplugged

Use the space below to play through the Dice Race game.
When you’re done, use the bottom of the page to create an algorithm (list of steps)
that someone else could use to learn how to play.

Turn 1

Turn 2

Turn 3

Player 1

Total
Circle
the Winner

Player 2

Now, take the steps that you’ve used to play the game above, and write them
down in the slots below. Take advantage of the repeat loop to avoid having to
write down instructions more than once.

Step 1 :
Step 2 :
Step 3 :

at
Repe es
3 tim

Step 4 :
Step 5 :
Step 6 :
Step 7 :

264

Revision 140710.1a

COURSE

15
Digital Citizenship

Unit Overview All Lessons PDF All Handouts PDF

Lesson 13: Digital Citizenship
Common Sense Education | Personal Information | Private Information | Identity Theft

Overview

Objectives

Developed by Common Sense Education, this lesson is about the
difference between information that is safe to share online and information
that is not.

Students will be able to:

As students visit sites that request information about their identities, they
learn to adopt a critical inquiry process that empowers them to protect
themselves and their families from identity theft. In this lesson, students
learn to think critically about the user information that some websites
request or require. They learn the difference between private information
and personal information, as well as how to distinguish what is safe or
unsafe to share online.

Purpose
Common Sense Education has created this lesson to teach kids the
importance of security on the internet. By discussing the difference
between personal and private information, students will be able to
recognize what information should and shouldn't be shared. Students will
also learn what signs you should look for to determine if a website is safe
or not.

Agenda
Warm Up (5 min)
Introduction
Main Activity (35 min)
Log In
Private and Personal
What's Safe to Share Online?
Wrap Up (15 min)
Flash Chat: What did we learn about today?
Journaling
Assessment (10 min)
Private and Personal Information

Learn about the beneﬁts and risks of sharing
information online.
Understand what type of information can put
them at risk for identity theft and other scams.

Preparation
Copy the Protect Yourself Student Handout
(7th page of the teacher prep guide), one for
each student.
Copy the All About Me Student Handout (6th
page of the teacher prep guide), one for each
student.
Print out an assessment (8th page of the teacher
prep guide) for each student. Teacher version is
the page after the student assessment.
Preview websites like Neopets, Nickelodeon,
and BookAdventure and prepare to show
them to the class.
Review CSF Digital Citizenship - Resource
List for more online safety content.

Links
For the Teacher
Common Sense Education - Private and
Personal Information - Teacher Prep Guide
Common Sense Education - Website
Think Spot Journal - Reﬂection Journal
CSF Digital Citizenship - Resource List

Vocabulary
Identity Theft - When a thief steals someone’s
private information in order to pretend to be that
person.
Personal Information - Information that can’t
be used to identify you.
Private Information - Information that can be
used to identify you.
Register (Online) - To enter your information in
order to sign up and get access to a website.

hat types of information do you think are okay to share publicly online such as on an online pro le that others will see
Interests and favorite activities
pinions about a movie
irst name
hat are some e amples of websites where you must register in order to participate
ocial networking sites
ideo sharing sites
outh discussion sites
Ask an e pert sites
Game sites
the names of the websites on the board.
put you and your family s privacy at risk.

plain that it s important to know that sharing some kinds of user information can

Teacher Tip
for the class, or have students go online to
,

, or

As an of ine alternative, print out and copy the website pages
that ask for registration and log in information. istribute these
to the students.

with the students the kinds of information that each
website re uires or re uests before the users can participate.

hat information is re uired

hy do you think it is re uired

irst name, username, password, password hint, gender, the state you live in, parent s permission, etc. This information is
re uired because it helps distinguish one person from another. r perhaps the website is keeping a record of who uses it.
hat information is optional

hy do you think it is optional

arent s email, birthday, state, country, gender, etc. This information is likely optional because the website does not re uire it
for payment or to distinguish people. r perhaps the website wants to keep track of this kind of information.
hy do you think websites ask for this kind of information
They want to get people to pay in order to use the site, they want to send messages to people who are signing up, or they
want to try to sell things to those people.

asterisk

that you do not have to ll out elds on websites if they are not re uired.
or are highlighted in red.

e uired elds are usually marked by an

to the students that some kinds of information are generally safe to share on the internet and some are not. However, the
information that s considered safe should not be shared one on one with people the students don t already know of ine.

266

Teacher Tip

Information that can t be used to
identify you.
Information that is about you, but
can t be used to identify you.
mphasi e that personal information is usually safe to share
online. rivate information is usually unsafe to share online,

If you d like a more clear distinction between personal and
private information in these de nitions, you can use other
phrases like friendly information or sharable information to
better de ne the line that the students should recogni e. e
chose to keep personal and private to stay true to
Common ense ducation s lesson plan.

meaning students should get permission from a parent or
guardian before sharing this kind of information.
the following e amples of information that is safe or unsafe to share

er onal n ormat on

r ate n ormat on

our favorite food
our opinion though it shoud be done respectfully
irst name with permission

other s maiden name
ocial ecurity number
our date of birth
arents credit card information
hone number

hy would someone want to steal someone else s identity on the internet
To steal money
To do something bad or mean
To hide their real identity

hen a thief steals someone s private information in order to pretend to be that person.
that an identity thief uses private information to pretend to be the person whose identity he or she has stolen. nce the
thief has taken someone s identity, he or she can use that person s name to get a driver s license or buy things, even if the person
whose identity they stole isn t old enough to do these things It s often not until much later that people reali e their identity has been
stolen. Identity thieves may also apply for credit cards in other people s names and run up big bills that they don t pay off. et
students know that identity thieves often target children and teens because they have a clean credit history and their parents are
unlikely to be aware that someone is taking on their child s identity.
the difference between private information which can be used to steal your identity and personal information which
cannot be used to steal your identity . Invite students to answer the following uestions write their answers on the board

hat kinds of private information could an identity thief use to nd out and steal your identity
irst and last name, postal address, email address, phone numbers, passwords, credit card numbers, ocial ecurity number,
mother s maiden name.
hat kinds of personal information could you share about yourself without showing your identity
our age, gender, how many siblings you have, your favorite music, your favorite food, what pets you have, the name of your
pet, your opinion about something.
to students that on the internet, people you interact with could be your friends ne t door or strangers who live on the other
side of the world. Because it s hard to know the intentions of people who you ve never met before, it is best to remain cautious when
sharing your information. ou wouldn t give strangers your private information in the real world, and you need to be ust as careful
when you re online.
students how important it is each time they share information online to stop and think Am I giving out information that I
should keep private
oint out that it can sometimes be safe to give out some private information. or e ample, a website might
ask for your birth date or email address. But students should always ask their parent or guardian before giving out private
267

information.
the

the

and have students complete the activity.

eview the answers as a class.

. Have students write down all the personal information they would like to share on a public

pro le in an online community. mphasi e that even though personal information is safe to share online, it is okay to choose not to
share it. emind students that everything on the list should be safe to share none of it should be private information that can put
their identity at risk.
students to share their lists with the class.

Is there anything on the lists that could be used by an identity thief

Guide students to e plain their answers and encourage them to use the vocabulary terms.

ou can use these uestions to assess your students understanding of the lesson ob ectives. ou may want to ask students to
re ect in writing on one of the uestions, using a ournal or an online blog wiki.

hat is identity theft
Using someone else s private information to pretend to be that person.
How do personal information and private information differ
rivate information, such as a ocial ecurity number, is unsafe to share. It should be kept private so that identity thieves
cannot use it. ersonal information, such as your favorite food, cannot be used by identity thieves and is safe to share. ven
though personal information is usually safe to share online, you might choose not to share this information, and that s ne.
hat would be a good rule for kids about giving out private information
They should not share it online without the permission of a teacher, parent, or guardian.

hat did you learn in today s lesson
How do you feel about today s lesson
Give an e ample of personal information and private information.
hat s a website that you use often How do you know it is a safe website to use

Hand out the assessment to students. Allow students time to complete the assessment. If there is time left over, go over the
answers with the students.

If you are interested in licensing Code.org materials for commercial purposes,
268

LESSON PLAN
GRADES 3-5

Private and Personal Information
Essential Question
How can you protect yourself from online identity theft?

UNIT 1
Estimated time: 45 minutes

Standards Alignment –

Lesson Overview
As students visit sites that request information about their identites,
they learn to adopt a critical inquiry process that empowers them
to protect themselves and their families from identity theft. In this
lesson, students learn to think critically about the user information
that some websites request or require. They learn the difference
between private information and personal information, distinguishing
what is safe and unsafe to share online.

Common Core:
grade 3: RI.1, RI.4, RI.10,
RF.4a, W.4, W.7, W.10, SL.1a,
SL.1b, SL.1c, SL.1d, SL.3, SL.4,
SL.6, L.3a, L.6

grade 4: RI.1, RI.4, RI.10,
RF.4a, W.4, W.7, W.10, SL.1a,
SL.1b, SL.1c, SL.1d, SL.4, SL.6,
L.3a, L.6

Learning Objectives

grade 5: RI.1, RI.4, RI.10,

Students will be able to ...

RF.4a, W.4, W.7, W.10, SL.1a,

• learn about the benefits of sharing information online, but also
about the safety and security risks of sharing certain types of
information.
• understand what type of information can put them at risk for
identity theft and other scams.
• distinguish between personal information, which is safe to share
online, and private information, which is unsafe to share.

SL.1b, SL.1c, SL.1d, SL.4, SL.6,
L.3a, L.6

NETS•S: 1b, 5a, 5b

Key Vocabulary –
register (online): to enter
your information in order to sign

Materials and Preparation

up and get access to a website

• Copy the Protect Yourself Student Handout, one for
each student.

information that can’t be used to

• Copy the All About Me Student Handout, one for each student.

identify you, such as your age,

• Preview the websites Neopets (www.neopets.com), Nickelodeon
(www.nick.com), and BookAdventure (www.bookadventure.org) and
be prepared to show them to the class.

gender, how many siblings you

• Chalkboard or white board

information that can be used to

personal information:

have, your favorite food, etc.

private information:
identify you, such as your Social

Family Resources

Security number, street address,

• Send home the Online Security Family Tip Sheet
(Elementary School).

identity theft: when a thief

email, phone number, etc.
steals someone’s private
information in order to pretend
to be that person

DIGITAL LIFE 101 / ASSESSMENT / DIGITAL LITERACY AND CITIZENSHIP IN A CONNECTED CULTURE / REV DATE 2015

www.commonsense.org | CREATIVE COMMONS: ATTRIBUTION-NONCOMMERCIAL-SHAREALIKE

269

introduction
Warm-up (5 minutes)
ASK:
What types of information do you think are
okay to share publicly online, on a profile
that others will see, for instance?

Sample responses:
• Interests and favorite activities
• Opinions about a movie
• First name

INVITE students to share the names of websites they visit that require or request user information before
allowing people to participate in online activities.
ASK:
What are some examples of websites where
you must register in order to participate?

Review the Key Vocabulary term register.
Sample responses:
• Social networking sites
• Video-sharing sites
• Youth discussion sites
• Ask-an-expert sites
• Game sites

WRITE the names of the websites on the board. Explain that it’s important to know that sharing some kinds of
user information can put you and your family’s privacy at risk.

teach 1
Log In (15 minutes)
PROJECT for the class, or have students go online to, www.neopets.com, www.nick.com, www. bookadventure.org,
or one of the websites that your students suggested.
Note: As an offline alternative, print out and copy two of the website pages that ask for registration and log-in
information. Distribute copies of the pages to each student.
DISCUSS with students the kinds of information that each website requires or requests before users can participate.
ASK:
What information is required and why do
you think it is required?

This may include first name, user name, password,
password hint, birth date, gender, the state you live in,
parent’s permission, etc. Let them know that the
information may be required because it helps distinguish
one person from another. Or perhaps the website is
keeping a record of who uses it.

DIGITAL LIFE 101 / ASSESSMENT / DIGITAL LITERACY AND CITIZENSHIP IN A CONNECTED CULTURE / REV DATE 2015

www.commonsense.org | CREATIVE COMMONS: ATTRIBUTION-NONCOMMERCIAL-SHAREALIKE

270

ASK:
What information is optional, and why do
you think it is optional?

This may include parent’s email, birthday, state, country,
gender, etc. Maybe this information is optional because
the website does not require it for payment, to distinguish
people from one another, or so the website can keep track
of this kind of information.

Why do you think websites ask for this kind
of information?

Answers may include: They want to get people to pay in order
to use the site, they want to send messages to people who are
signing up, or they want to try to sell things to those people.

POINT OUT that you do not have to fill out fields on websites if they are not required. Required fields are usually
marked by an asterisk (*) or are highlighted in red.

teach 2
Private and Personal (10 minutes)
EXPLAIN to students that some kinds of information are generally safe to share on the Internet and some are
not. However, the information that’s considered safe should not be shared one-on-one with people they don’t
already know offline.
DEFINE the Key Vocabulary terms personal information and private information. Emphasize that
personal information is usually safe to share online. Private information is usually unsafe to share online
(students should get permission from a parent or guardian).
SHARE the following examples of information that is safe or unsafe to share:

SAFE – Personal Information

UNSAFE – Private Information

• Your favorite food

• Mother’s maiden name

• Your opinion (though it should be done respectfully)

• Social Security number

• First name

• Your date of birth
• Parents’ credit card information
• Phone number

ASK:
Why would someone want to steal someone
else’s identity on the Internet?

Sample responses:
• To steal money
• To do something bad or mean
• To hide their real identity

DEFINE Key Vocabulary term identity theft.

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EXPLAIN that an identity thief uses private information to pretend to be the person whose identity he or she
has stolen. Once the thief has taken someone’s identity, he or she can use that person’s name to get a driver’s
license or buy things, even if the person whose identity they stole isn’t old enough to do these things! It’s often
not until much later that people realize their identity has been stolen. Identity thieves may also apply for credit
cards in other people’s names and run up big bills that they don’t pay off. Let students know that identity thieves
often target children and teens because they have a clean credit history and their parents are unlikely
to be aware that someone is taking on their child’s identity.
EMPHASIZE the difference between private information (which can be used to steal your identity) and
personal information (which cannot be used to steal your identity). Invite students to answer the following
questions (write their answers on the board):
ASK:
What kinds of private information could
an identity thief use to find out and steal
your identity?

Examples include: first and last name, postal address,
email address, phone numbers, passwords, credit card
numbers, Social Security number, mother’s maiden name.

What kinds of personal information could
you share about yourself without showing
your identity?

Examples include: your age, gender, how many brothers and
sisters you have, your favorite band, your favorite food,
what pets you have, the name of your pet, your opinion about
an important issue.

EXPLAIN to students that on the Internet, people you interact with could be your friends next door or strangers
who live on the other side of the world. Because it’s hard to know the intentions of people who you’ve never
met before, it is best to remain cautious when sharing your information. You wouldn’t give strangers your private
information in the real world, and you need to be just as careful when you’re online.
REMIND students how important it is each time they share information online to stop and think: “Am I giving
out information that I should keep private?” Point out that it can sometimes be safe to give out some private
information. For example, a website might ask for your birth date or email address. But students should always
ask their parent or guardian before giving out private information.
DISTRIBUTE the Protect Yourself Student Handout and have students complete the activity. Review the
correct answers (listed below):
• Personal Information: Your age, gender, how many brothers and sisters you have, your favorite
band, your favorite food, the name of your pet.
• Private Information: Full name, street address, email address, your date of birth, phone numbers,
credit card information, mother’s maiden name, name of school.

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teach 3
What’s Safe to Share Online? (10 minutes)
DISTRIBUTE the All About Me Student Handout. Have students write down all the personal information
they would like to share on a public profile in an online community. Emphasize that even though personal
information is safe to share online, it is okay to choose not to share it. Remind students that everything on the
list should be safe to share; none of it should be private information that can put their identity at risk.
ENCOURAGE students to share their lists with the class.
ASK:
Is there anything on the lists that could be
used by an identity thief? Why?

Guide students to explain their answers and encourage them
to use the Key Vocabulary terms.

closing
Wrap-up (5 minutes)
You can use these questions to assess your students’ understanding of the lesson objectives. You may want to ask
students to reflect in writing on one of the questions, using a journal or an online blog/wiki.
ASK:
What is identity theft?

Using someone else’s private information to pretend to be
that person.

How does personal information and
private information differ?

Private information, such as a Social Security number, is
unsafe to share. It should be kept private so that identity
thieves cannot use it. Personal information, such as your
favorite food, cannot be used by identity thieves and is
safe to share. Even though personal information is usually
safe to share online, you might choose not to share this
information, and that’s fine.

What would be a good rule for kids about
giving out private information online?

They should not share it online without the permission of a
teacher, parent, or guardian.

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ALL ABOUT ME

Private and Personal Information
Directions
Pretend you have a public profile in an online community. There are people you
know, and people you don’t know, who can view your profile.
Write down personal information that you would want to share about yourself.
Make sure that everything on your list is safe to share and that it is not private
information that could reveal your identity.

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

Use Common Sense!
Each time you share information about yourself online, stop and think: “Am I giving
out information that I should keep private?”
Personal information often is safe to share. But you should never share private
information without the permission of a parent, guardian, or teacher.

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PROTECT YOURSELF

Private and Personal Information
Directions
Decide if each piece of information below is an example of personal information or
private information. Then check the box to show your answer.

Information

Personal

Private

Full name (first and last)
Age
Street address
Email address
Date of birth
Gender
How many brothers and sisters you have
Favorite band
Phone numbers
Credit card information
Favorite food
The name of your pet
Mother’s maiden name
Name of your school

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ASSESSMENT

Private and Personal Information
1. If a website asks you for your __________________ online, you should talk to a
parent or family member.
a) favorite color
b) date of birth
c) screen name

2. An identity thief probably would not be interested in your personal information,
such as ___________________ .
a) our full name
b) your street address
c) your favorite movie

3. Clara received two emails. Which email should she NOT respond to?
Circle your answer.

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Private and Personal Information

ASSESSMENT
TEACHER VERSION

1. If a website asks you for your ________________ online, you should talk to a parent
or family member.
a) favorite color
b) date of birth
c) screen name
Answer feedback
The correct answer is b. Your date of birth is an example of private information. If a website asks for
private information, you should ask a trusted adult before doing anything.

2. An identity thief probably would not be interested in your personal information, such
as __________________.
a) your full name
b) your street address
c) your favorite movie
Answer feedback
The correct answer is c. Both your full name and your street address are examples of private information.
Personal information, like your favorite movie, would probably not be useful for an identity thief.

3. Clara received two emails. Which email should she NOT respond to? Circle your answer.

Answer feedback
If an email asks you for private information, such as your full name or address, you should not
respond—especially if you do not know the person who sent the message.

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COURSE

Unit Overview All Lessons PDF All Handouts PDF

Lesson 15: Functions: Songwriting Unplugged
Unplugged | Function

Overview

Objectives

One of the most magniﬁcent structures in the computer science world is

Students will be able to:

the function. Functions (sometimes called procedures) are mini programs
that you can use over and over inside of your bigger program. This lesson
will help students intuitively understand why combining chunks of code into
functions can be such a helpful practice.

Purpose

Locate repeating phrases inside song lyrics.
Identify sections of a song to pull into a function.
Describe how functions can make programs
easier to write.

Preparation

The use of functions helps simplify code and develop the student's ability
to organize their program. Students will quickly recognize that writing
functions can make their long programs easier to read and easier to debug
if something goes wrong.

Agenda
Warm Up (20 min)
Vocabulary
Sing a Song
Main Activity (20 min)
Functions Unplugged: Songwriting - Worksheet
Wrap Up (5 min)

Watch the Functions Unplugged
Songwriting - Teacher Video.
Watch the Functions Unplugged:
Songwriting - Lesson in Action Video.
Print several Functions Unplugged:
Songwriting - Worksheet for each group.
Print one Functions Unplugged:
Songwriting - Assessment for each student.
Access to the internet, or pre-downloaded songs
and lyrics for activity.
Make sure every student has a Think Spot
Journal - Reflection Journal.

Links

Flash Chat: What did we learn?
Journaling

For the Teacher

Assessment (5 min)

Functions Unplugged Songwriting - Teacher
Video
Functions Unplugged: Songwriting - Lesson
in Action Video
Functions Unplugged: Songwriting Worksheet
Functions Unplugged: Songwriting Assessment
Think Spot Journal - Reﬂection Journal

Functions Unplugged: Songwriting - Assessment
Extended Learning

Vocabulary
Function - A piece of code that you can easily
call over and over again.

278

This lesson has one new and important word
ay it with me

unc shun

A piece of code that you can call over and over again.

et the class know that today is song day
e re going to learn a song together.
tart with a simple song, either written out or pro ected on the screen.
oint to the chorus and be sure that the class knows how it goes before you begin on the song.
Blast through the song, singing it with them in the beginning, then see what happens when you get to the part where it calls
the chorus.
Teaching Tip
ittle bunny oo oo
Hopping through the forest
cooping up the eld mice
And bopping em on the head
own came the airy
And she said
ittle bunny oo oo
I don t wanna see you
cooping up the eld mice
And bopping em on the head

ittle Bunny oo oo is being used here as an e ample only. If
your students know this song, feel free to use it. therwise,
choose an appropriate song that they might be more familiar
with either from music class or the radio.

279

It s uite likely that the ma ority of the class will sing the lyrics for the chorus when you point to that bit.
top the song once that happens, and e plicitly highlight what ust happened.
ou de ned the chorus.
ou called the chorus.
They sang the chorus.
Ask the class why they suppose you only wrote the chorus once at the top of the paper instead of writing it over and over in each
place where it is supposed to be sung.
hat are other bene ts of only writing the chorus once when you sing it many times
ow, imagine that this song is a computer program.

e ning

esson Tip

a title like chorus for a little piece of code that you use
over and over again is called creating a function.
This is helpful to computer scientists for some of the same
reasons that it is helpful to songwriters.

To hit this point home, you can look up the lyrics for some
popular songs on the Internet. how the students that the
standard for repeating lyrics is to de ne the chorus at the top
and call it from within the body of the song.

It saves time not having to write all the code over and over
in the program.
If you make a mistake, you only have to change it one place.
The program feels less complicated with the repeating pieces de ned ust once at the top.
e are going to play with songs a little more, to try to really understand how often this techni ue is used

A fantastic way to compare functions to something we see in our everyday lives is to look at songs. ongs often have certain
groups of lyrics that repeat over and over. e call such a group a chorus.

ivide into groups of , , or .
Give each group several copies of the ongwriting
orksheet.
lay a short song for the class that contains a clear chorus
that does not change from verse to verse.
Challenge the class to identify and write down the
chorus.

esson Tip
It s most e citing for students to do this lesson with popular
music from the radio, but if you re having a hard time nding
appropriate songs where the lyrics repeat e actly, here are a
few timeless options

Compare results from each group.
id everyone get the same thing
ing your choruses
together to nd out lay this game over and over until the
class has little trouble identifying the choruses.
It is often easier ust to have the class listen to or watch the song, then vote on what the chorus is by singing it together, rather
than writing the whole thing down. If you choose this method, consider having the class do a written chorus for the nal song
selection to be sure that the visual learners get proper reinforcement.

ould you rather write lyrics over and over again or de ne a chorus
o you think it s possible to make multiple choruses for the same song
oes it make sense to make a new chorus for every time it s needed in a song

280

Having students write about what they learned, why it s
useful, and how they feel about it can help solidify any
knowledge they obtained today and build a review sheet for
them to look to in the future.

hat was today s lesson about

esson Tip
lash Chat uestions are intended to spark big picture
thinking about how the lesson relates to the greater world and
the students greater future. Use your knowledge of your
classroom to decide if you want to discuss these as a class, in
groups, or with an elbow partner.

How do you feel about today s lesson
hat is a function and how do you use it
Can you think of another activity where you might want to call a special group of instructions several times

Hand out the assessment worksheet and allow students to complete the activity independently after the instructions have been well
e plained. This should feel familiar, thanks to the previous activities.

Use these activities to enhance student learning. They can be used as outside of class activities or other enrichment.

tart by creating a chorus together, then repeat it between verses of a song that you develop around it.
ake a change to the chorus, and ponder how much easier it is to change in ust one place.
Change the chorus again, making it much longer than it was originally.
Add a second chorus and alternate between them in your verses.

hat if we acted out songs instead of singing them All of a sudden, our chorus would be a function of repeated actions, rather
than words.
Use the concepts of the arrows from the Graph aper rogramming lesson and create a program with lots of repeating
instructions.
Circle those repeating actions so that the class can see where they are.
e ne a function called Chorus above the program.
Cross out everywhere the repeating actions appear in the program and write Chorus instead.
epeat until the class can go through this process with little direction.

If you are interested in licensing Code.org materials for commercial purposes,

281

Name:

Date:

Songwriting
Using Lyrics to Explain Functions and Procedures

Unplugged

One of the most magnificent structures in the computer science world is the function.
Functions (sometimes called procedures) are mini programs that you can use over and
over inside of your bigger program.
A fantastic way to compare functions to something we see in our everyday lives is to look
at songs. Songs often have certain groups of lyrics that repeat over and over. We call such
a group a “chorus.”

Directions:
1) Divide into groups of 4, 5, or 6.
2) Give each group several copies of the Songwriting Worksheet.
3) Play a short song for the class that contains a clear chorus that does not
change from verse to verse.
4) Challenge the class to identify (and write down) the chorus.
5) Compare results from each group. Did everyone get the same thing?

New Word!

Function
Say it with me: F u n c-s h u n
A piece of code that you can
call over and over again.
Let’s make a function for the bits that we use most often
so that we don’t need to write so much as we go.

282

Revision 140610.1a

U
Unplugged

Group Name:

Date:

Songwriting Worksheet Example
Using Lyrics to Explain Functions and Procedures

Song Name:
Chorus:

283

Revision 140610.1a

Name:

Date:

Songwriting

Unplugged

Using Lyrics to Explain Functions - Assessment

Look at the lyrics for the two songs below.
If it were your job to write these songs as computer programs, what chunk of code from
each would you turn into a function so that you could use it over and over again with just
one word?
Circle the segments of each program that repeat most often. Is everything that you circled
exactly the same? If so, that can be your chorus!
Finish by writing the chorus for each song on the Songwriting Worksheet and give it a
name. Those are your functions!

Song 1: I'm a Nut

Song 2: Skip to my Lou
Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou,
Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou,
Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou,
Skip to my Lou, my darlin'.

I’m a little acorn brown
sitting on the cold, cold ground.
Everybody steps on me
that is why I'm cracked, you see.

Fly's in the buttermilk,
Shoo, fly, shoo,
Fly's in the buttermilk,
Shoo, fly, shoo,
Fly's in the buttermilk,
Shoo, fly, shoo,
Skip to my Lou, my darlin'.

I'm a nut
I'm a nut
I'm a nut, I'm a nut, I'm a nut
Called myself on the telephone
just to see if I was home.
Asked myself out on a date.
Picked me up at half-past eight.

Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou,
Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou,
Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou,
Skip to my Lou, my darlin'.

I'm a nut
I'm a nut
I'm a nut, I'm a nut, I'm a nut

Cows in the cornfield,
What'll I do?
Cows in the cornfield,
What'll I do?
Cows in the cornfield,
What'll I do?
Skip to my Lou, my darlin'.

Took myself to the picture show.
Sat myself in the very first row.
Wrapped my arms around my waist.
Got so fresh, I slapped my face!
I'm a nut
I'm a nut
I'm a nut, I'm a nut, I'm a nut

Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou,
Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou,
Lou, Lou, skip to my Lou,
Skip to my Lou, my darlin'.

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Revision 140610.1a

U
Unplugged

Group Name:

Date:

Songwriting Worksheet
Using Lyrics to Explain Functions - Assessment

Song 1 Name:
Chorus:

Song 2 Name:
Chorus:

285

Revision 140610.1a

COURSE

Unit Overview All Lessons PDF All Handouts PDF

Lesson 25: Beyond Programming: The
Internet
Unplugged | Internet

Overview

Objectives

Even though many people use the internet daily, not very many know how
it works. In this lesson, students will pretend to ﬂow through the internet, all

Students will be able to:

the while learning about connections, URLs, IP Addresses, and the DNS.

Purpose
If you have been doing every lesson in this course, then each student in
your classroom has used the internet...but how many know how it works?
Learning more about the internet will help students develop a better
understanding of its endless possibilities.

Agenda
Warm Up (20 min)
Vocabulary
Getting the Message
Main Activity (20 min)

Learn about the complexity of sending messages
over the internet.
Translate URLs into IP Addresses.

Preparation
Watch the Internet - Teacher Video.
Print enough IP Address Cards and Delivery
Type Cards - Manipulatives for each group.
Print one Internet - Assessment for each
student.
Access to the internet (such as get-siteip.com).
Make sure every student has a Think Spot
Journal - Reflection Journal.

Links

The Internet
Wrap Up (15 min)

For the Teacher

Flash Chat: What did we learn?
Journaling

Internet - Teacher Video
IP Address Cards and Delivery Type Cards Manipulatives
Internet - Assessment
Think Spot Journal - Reﬂection Journal

Assessment (5 min)
Internet - Assessment

Vocabulary

286

DNS - The service that translates URLs to IP
addresses.
DSL/Cable - A method of sending information
using telephone or television cables.
Fiber Optic Cable - A connection that uses
light to transmit information
Internet - A group of computers and servers that
are connected to each other.
IP Address - A number assigned to any item
that is connected to the Internet.
Packets - Small chunks of information that have
been carefully formed from larger chunks of
information.
Servers - Computers that exist only to provide
things to others.

This lesson has several new and important words:
- Say it with me: I-P Add-ress
A number assigned to any item that is connected to the Internet
- Say it with me: D-N-S
The service that translates URLs to IP addresses
- Say it with me: U-R-L
An easy-to-remember address for calling a web page (like www.code.org)
- Say it with me: In-ter-net
A group of computers and servers that are connected to each other
- Say it with me: Ser-vers
Computers that exist only to provide things to others
bl

- Say it with me: Fye-ber Op-tic Cay-

A connection that uses light to transmit information
- Say it with me: Wye-Fye
A wireless method of sending information using radio waves

Lesson Tip
A quick preview is all you need here. These words will all be
explained as part of the lesson, so it would be far less
confusing to do a brief intro to the words as a "see if you can
spot these during the day" type of heads-up.

- Say it with me: D-S-L / Cay-bl
A method of sending information using telephone or television cables
- Say it with me: Pack-ets
Small chunks of information that have been carefully formed from larger chunks of information

It's quite likely that your students are aware of what the
internet is, but they may not really understand what the
internet does.

Lesson Tip

Ask "What is the internet?"

There are some great YouTube videos on this subject that can
make this lesson a little easier to understand. You can show
them to the class in advance, or just watch them yourself.

(Truthfully, many people think it can be both, but it
should be viewed as a public space no matter what
settings you think you've mastered.)

. (We recommend stopping the video at 2:59, if
possible.)

Is the internet a public place or a private place?

How does information get from place to place?

Let's say that I want to look at the webpage for Code.org. What do you suppose the process would be like for me to send a
message to request that page?
What do I do as a user?

What do you think happens inside the internet?
Sending a message over the internet is a lot like sending a message through the mail...if every letter we sent required thousands of
envelopes!
Every message we send through the internet gets chopped up and each piece is wrapped in its own version of an envelope. We
call those "packets." Packets are specially formed chunks of information that are able to easily ﬂow through any of the internet's
channels.

Sometimes, a few of those packets will get lost, because the internet is a crazy place. In that case, the packets need to be resent,
and the whole message has to get put on hold until they arrive.
Where do you think those packets are headed?
Even if you're sending messages to another person, they ﬁrst have to go to at least one "server."

A server is a special computer that is supposed to be always on and ready to send and receive information.
Every website has a server.

Even email goes through servers.
Servers don't have names like you and I do. They're actually addressed using numbers. These numbers are called IP addresses,
and they look a little strange.

For example: One of Code.org's IP addresses used to be 54.243.71.82

(Please be sure to check this out in advance. Most IP addresses change from time to time and they are then reused for other
sites.)

There are many ways to reach the internet from your house, school, or place of business.
You can connect directly using a cable (that might be DSL, Cable, or Fiber Optic)
Or you can connect using radio waves over the air through Wi-Fi
Direct connections are most reliable, but they can be inconvenient.
Can you ﬁgure out why?

(You have to be attached to a cable!)

Wi-Fi connections are super convenient, but the aren't always reliable.
Can you ﬁgure out why not?
(Radio waves bounce all over the place and can get lost.)
So, if you're used to sending information to URLs (like
) and the servers actually have IP addresses
for names (like 54.243.71.82) how does the Internet change
from one to the other? That's what the DNS is for. The DNS
(Domain Name Server) has tables that allow the system to go
back and forth between URLs and IP addresses. If the
Domain Name Servers ever stopped working, it would shut
down the internet as we know it!
With that said, let's try to understand what the DNS does by
making a little DNS table ourselves.

Lesson Tip
If you're thinking that this is a lot of text and it would be
extremely boring to try to lecture this to a class full of
elementary school kids, you're absolutely right! If you're
unable to show a YouTube video in class to help explain it all,
I highly recommend drawing pictures to explain each idea
above, or choosing students as volunteers to act out what you
describe while you're explaining. They're not expected to get
every detail and deﬁnition at this point, only to gain exposure.

Pull out a piece of paper and draw a grid similar to that in the internet activity:
Sample of DNS Table:

#
1

URL
code.org

IP Address
54.243.71.82

2
3
4
5
First, we need to ﬁll in this table.
Survey the class for their favorite websites and write the URLs in the left column

Use a site like

to ﬁnd the IP addresses for those sites and write them in the corresponding rows of the right

column.

Now let's take this DNS Table and pretend to send messages through the internet!

Create your own DNS table, similar to what is shown above.

Have the class help you ﬁll in the blank spots in the table. Pick your favorite URLs and ﬁnd their IP addresses using a site like
.

Divide into groups of 3 to 5.

Assign each group an IP address from the newly created table, and assign each person in the group a position:
The Message Writer
The Internet

The Server (carries the IP address)
The Return Internet (optional)

The Message Receiver (optional)

Each group will draw an
to ﬁnd out where their message is
going and what their method of message delivery (Wi-Fi, Cable/DSL, or Fiber Optic Cable) will be.
The Message Writer will craft a note to send to the server.

The Internet will rip the message up into 4 small pieces called packets, then deliver each packet one at a time to the Server with
the IP address that was drawn from the IP Address Card stack.

The Server will make sure that the message arrives in order, then will send each packet off one at a time with the Return Internet
(can be the same person or different person than the original Internet).
The Return Internet will deliver each piece back to the Message Receiver (can be the same person or different person than the
Message Writer) and put it back together.
The Message Receiver will wait for all of the pieces to arrive, then read the message to be sure it arrived correctly!

The Internet must rip the message into exactly four packets.

If the Internet drops a packet, they have to pick it up and go back to the start to deliver it again.

The server has to wait for all of the message pieces to arrive before it can begin to send the message along.

Wi-Fi: Convenient, but spotty. Wi-Fi doesn’t require cables, but since the signal bounces all over the place, packets can get lost
pretty easily.
Simulation: Internet must carry each packet on their shoulder (no hands).

Cable/DSL: Fairly good at delivering messages, but you must be connected to a wire.

Simulation: Internet must carry each packet on the back of one hand and must keep the other hand touching a wall, desk,
chair or the ﬂoor at all times.

Fiber Optic Cable: The best at delivering messages, but you must be connected to a wire.

Simulation: Internet can carry packets in hand, but must keep the other hand touching a wall, desk, chair or the ﬂoor at all
times.

To play this game, you can have your groups cluster
anywhere, but for the ﬁrst time it can be less confusing to
have groups play in a line.
Line up the "Servers" on one end of the room (holding
their IP addresses). The Return Internet players can be
over there as well (if you have that many people in each
group).

Lesson Tip
If it feels like there are too many rules to explain outright, feel
free to post them on the board and just explain the game as
you go. You can play multiple rounds until the class really
understands.

Have the everyone else line up across from their server at the other side of the room.

The Message Senders will likely be sending their messages to a server other than their own, so the Internet players will likely
cross over from group to group. It may look something like the diagram below (in English):

What kind of connection would you rather have (Wi-Fi,
DSL/Cable, or Fiber Optic)? Why?
Why might it take your message a long time to get
somewhere?

Having students write about what they learned, why it’s
useful, and how they feel about it can help solidify any
knowledge they obtained today and build a review sheet for them to look to in the future.
What was today's lesson about?

How do you feel about today's lesson?
What's something you learned about the internet today?
Why is learning about the internet important?

Hand out the assessment worksheet and allow students to complete the activity independently after the instructions have been well
explained. This should feel familiar, thanks to the previous activities.

290

Internet
How the Internet Does What it Does

Directions:
1) Create your own DNS table, similar to what is shown here.
2) Have the class help you fill in the blank spots in the table.
Pick your favorite URLs and find their IP addresses using a site like www.getip.com.
3) Divide into groups of 3 to 5.
4) Assign each group an IP address from the table, and each person in the group a
position:
* The Message Writer
* The Internet
* The Server (carries the IP Address)
* The Return Internet (Optional)
* The Message Receiver (Optional)
5) Each group will draw an IP address Card and a Delivery Card to find out where their
message is going and what their method of message delivery (Wi-Fi, Cable/DSL, or
Fiber Optic Cable) will be.
6) The Message Writer will craft a note to send to the server.
7) The Internet will rip the message up into small pieces called packets, then deliver each
packet one at a time to the Server with the IP address that was drawn from the IP
address Card stack.
8) The Server will make sure that the message arrives in order, then will send each packet
off one at a time with the Return Internet (can be the same person or different person
than the original Internet).
9) The Return Internet will deliver each piece back to the Message Receiver (can be the
same person or different person than the Message Writer) and put it back together.
10) The Message Receiver will wait for all of the pieces to arrive, then read the message to
be sure it arrived correctly!

Rules:
1) The Internet must rip the message into exactly four packets.
2) If the Internet drops a packet, they have to pick it up and go back to the start to deliver
it again.
3) The server has to wait for all of the message pieces to arrive before it can begin to send
the message along.

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Revision 150517.1a

Internet
How the Internet Does what it Does

Sample of DNS Table
#

URL

IP ADDRESS

www.code.org

1
2
3
4
5

Sample of Classroom Group Layout During Game Play

Group 1

Group 2

Message Writer 1

Message Writer 2

Group 3
Message Writer 3

Group 4
Message Writer 4

Internet 1

Internet 4

Internet 3

Internet 2
Server 1
(71.220.205.157)

Server 2
(Random IP)

Server 3
(Random IP)

292

Server 4
(Random IP)

Revision 150517.1a

Internet
IP Address Cards

These cards correlate with numbered entries in the DNS Table.
(You should make one distinct row for each group.)

6
293

Revision 150517.1a

Internet
Delivery Type Cards

These cards correlate with different methods of
delivering messages over the Internet.
(Print enough to have one card for each group.)

Wi-Fi

Fiber Optic

DSL

Cable

Types:
1) Wi-Fi: Convenient, but spotty. Wi-Fi doesn’t require cables, but since the signal bounces
all over the place, packets can get lost pretty easily.
Simulation: Internet must carry each packet on their shoulder (no hands).
2) Cable/DSL: Fairly good at delivering messages, but you must be connected to a wire.
Simulation: Internet must carry each packet on the back of one hand and must keep
the other hand touching a wall, desk, chair or the floor at all times.
3) Fiber Optic Cable: The best at delivering messages, but you must be connected to a wire.
Simulation: Internet can carry packets in hand, but must keep the other hand
touching a wall, desk, chair or the floor at all times.

294

Revision 150517.1a

Name:

Date:

The Internet
How the Internet Does What it Does

Unplugged

The DNS has gone out, and now you’re in charge of delivering information all over the
Internet! Use the DNS Look-Up Table to figure out where each packet is supposed to go.

DNS Look-Up Table
#

URL

IP ADDRESS

code.org
csisfun.com
thinkersmith.org
light-bot.com
khanAcademy.org

54.243.71.82
100.42.50.110
64.14.68.10
54.209.61.132
23.23.224.106

2
3
4
5

Draw a line from each packet to the server
where it is supposed to be delivered. The first
one has been done for you.
csisfun.com

This message is being delivered
from someone at code.org to
someone at thinkersmith.org.
Draw the path that the message
is likely to take.

100.42.50.110
code.org

64.14.68.10

23.23.224.106
Message
Sender

light-bot.com

64.14.68.10
thinkersmith.org

54.243.71.82

Message
Receiver

khanAcademy.org

54.209.61.132

295

23.23.224.106

Revision 140710.1a

COURSE

Unit Overview All Lessons PDF All Handouts PDF

Lesson 26: Beyond Programming:
Crowdsourcing
Unplugged | Crowdsourcing

Overview

Objectives

In computer science, we face some big, daunting problems. Challenges
such as ﬁnding large prime numbers or sequencing DNA are almost

Students will be able to:

impossible to do as an individual. Adding the power of others makes these
tasks manageable. This lesson will show your students how helpful
teamwork can be in the industry of computer science.

Purpose

Identify a large task that needs to be done.
Rearrange a large task into several smaller tasks.
Build a complete solution from several smaller
solutions.

Preparation

It's very rare that one computer scientist works completely alone on a
project. Even when that does happen, there is always beneﬁt in numbers.
Today, students will learn what it means to crowdsource a project. This
activity builds teamwork and creates an efﬁcient environment for students
to solve problems.

Agenda

Watch the Crowdsourcing - Teacher Video.
Review Crowdsourcing - Worksheet.
Obtain a jar of lots of something (pennies,
buttons, slips of paper, etc) and a deck of cards.
Make sure every student has a Think Spot
Journal - Reflection Journal.

Links

Warm Up (20 min)

For the Teacher

Vocabulary
Introduction

Crowdsourcing - Teacher Video
Crowdsourcing - Worksheet
Think Spot Journal - Reﬂection Journal

Main Activity (20 min)
Crowdsourcing - Worksheet
Wrap Up (15 min)

Vocabulary

Flash Chat: What did we learn?
Journaling

Crowdsourcing - Getting help from a large
group of people to ﬁnish something faster.

Extended Learning

296

This lesson has one new and important word
ay it with me Crowd sore sing
Getting help from a large group of people to nish something faster.

how your students your ar full of something.
ook at this ar. I have a lot of buttons in here, and I
need to tell the principal how many there are before the
end of class.
Can you think of a way I could get these counted
uickly

esson Tip
ars of buttons and pennies work nicely, but if you nd
yourself with little time to prepare, you can cut slips of paper
and put them in a iplock bag or even a pencil bo .

our students may guide you toward seeking help, but if
they don t, you can suggest it, too.
our all of the buttons or pennies, etc. into a pile on the oor.
Invite all of the students to come up and grab a small number ten is good, but you can do more if your students can handle
it .
nce they ve counted out their ten, have them report to you, drop their buttons back in the ar, and go again until the pile is
gone.
Comment on how fast the task went.
Have the class re ect on how long it might have taken or how hard it may have felt to do alone.

ometimes you have a big ob that needs to get done, but it feels like it will take forever. Crowdsourcing is a way of using teamwork
to make the ob go much faster In this game, we ll use crowdsourcing to sort decks of playing cards.

. ivide into groups of , , or .
. Grab your deck of playing cards and dump it into a bag,
bucket, or even a loose pocket that you can make with the
bottom of your shirt.
. hake the cards until they re all mi ed up.
. ump the cards out onto a table or desk where the whole
group can see them.
. ecide how to break up the task of sorting the deck so that
every person has something to do and no one is doing too
much.
. Time yourself sorting the cards. Can you gure out a way
to do it faster
. epeat the game over and over until you think you have
found the fastest way of crowdsourcing the card sorting
activity.

esson Tip
It can be challenging for students to gure out how to break
apart large tasks at rst. tudents might nd it helpful to have
some ideas handed to them after working for a while. ne
great division for sorting cards is as follows
ne person picks up the cards and determines the suit of
each one.
ne person manages Hearts.
ne person manages

iamonds.

ne person manages Clubs.
ne person manages pades.
If there s another, they can put all sorted suits back
together again.
297

Have you ever tried to sort a pile of cards by yourself

esson Tip

o you think it was easier or harder to have help
hat other things do you have to do in life that could be

lash Chat uestions are intended to spark big picture
thinking about how the lesson relates to the greater world and
the students greater future. Use your knowledge of your
classroom to decide if you want to discuss these as a class, in
groups, or with an elbow partner.

easier with help

Having students write about what they learned, why it s
useful, and how they feel about it can help solidify any
knowledge they obtained today and build a review sheet for them to look to in the future.

hat was today s lesson about
How do you feel about today s lesson
hat are the bene ts of crowdsourcing
hat kind of things do you want to make with computer science How do you see crowdsourcing being bene cial in those
pro ects

Use these activities to enhance student learning. They can be used as outside of class activities or other enrichment.

ften we think of crowdsourcing as pulling things apart to make them more simple. ou can also make big, beautiful things with the
same techni ue.
Have your students each grab three cards and build one segment of a

. ach student can go one after another to build

a grand card tower.
Try with two, or even three students adding their chunk at a time.
oes crowdsourcing always make a task easier

ou can crowdsource all at the same time or you can do it one person at a time. Try having the whole class sort the same deck
of cards, one student at a time.
huf e the cards and place them in a pile in the center of the room.
Have each student approach the pile and choose four cards.
Have four piles for the students to sort their cards into
pades
Clubs
Hearts
iamonds
nce all cards have been put in their four piles, have the following four students sort the individual piles.
The last person will put all four piles together.
This version may not save a lot of time, but it still divides the work and lets each individual have more free time

If you are interested in licensing Code.org materials for commercial purposes,
298

Name:

Date:

Crowdsourcing
Working together to make big things happen

Unplugged

Sometimes you have a big job that needs to get done, but it feels like it will take forever.
Crowdsourcing is a way of using teamwork to make the job go much faster!
In this game, we’ll use crowdsourcing to sort decks of playing cards.

Directions:
1) Divide into groups of 4, 5, or 6.
2) Grab your deck of playing cards and dump it into a bag, bucket, or even a
loose pocket that you can make with the bottom of your shirt.
3) Shake the cards until they’re all mixed up.
4) Dump the cards out onto a table or desk where the whole group can see
them.
5) Decide how to break up the task of sorting the deck so that every person
has something to do and no one is doing too much.
6) Time yourself sorting the cards. Can you figure out a way to do it faster?
7) Repeat the game over and over until you think you have found the fastest
way of crowdsourcing the card sorting activity.

New Word!

Crowdsourcing
Say it with me: C r o wd-s o r e-s i n g
Getting help from a large group
of people to finish something faster
It would be easier to clean your room if you tried
crowdsourcing the work with a bunch of friends.
299

Revision 140710.1a

CS Fundamentals Course F

Course F
Ramp-Up lessons:
Programming Unplugged: My Robotic Friends
Building a Foundation
Loops Unplugged: My Loopy Robotic Friends

300

151
182
166

COURSE

Unit Overview All Lessons PDF All Handouts PDF

Lesson 10: Algorithms: Tangrams
Unplugged | Algorithms

Overview

Objectives

This lesson shows us something important about algorithms. As long as

Students will be able to:

you keep an algorithm simple, there are lots of ways to use it. However, if
you want to make sure everyone produces the same outcome, then your
algorithm needs more detail. Students will learn the difference between a
detailed and general algorithm while playing with tangrams.

Purpose
By introducing a basic concept like algorithms to the class in an
unplugged activity, students who are intimidated by computers can still
build a foundation of understanding on these topics. Algorithms are
essential to computer science. In this lesson, students will learn how to
translate instructions into a algorithm and how that plays a role in
programming.

Agenda
Warm Up (10 min)
Vocabulary
Introduction

Tackle the challenge of translating an image into
actionable instructions.
Convey instructions to teammates in order to
reproduce an image.
Analyze the work of teammates to determine
whether an outcome was successful.

Preparation
Watch the Algorithms Unplugged:
Tangrams - Teacher Video.
Give every student a Think Spot Journal Reflection Journal.
Print out a Tangram Set & Algorithm Card
Images Pack - Manipulatives for every
student.
Print out a Algorithms Unplugged: Tangram
- Assessment for every student.

Links

Main Activity (20 min)
Algorithms

For the Teacher

Wrap Up (15 min)

Algorithms Unplugged: Tangrams - Teacher
Video
Tangram Set & Algorithm Card Images
Pack - Manipulatives
Algorithms Unplugged: Tangram Assessment
Think Spot Journal - Reﬂection Journal

Flash Chat: What did we learn?
Journaling
Assessment (10 min)
Algorithms Unplugged: Tangram - Assessment

Vocabulary
Algorithm - A list of steps to ﬁnish a task.

301

- Say it with me: Al - gor - ith - him
A list of steps to ﬁnish a task.

Your students may or may not have played with tangrams before. If they
have, you can skip this portion, and move right to explaining the main
activity.

Explain to the students that tangrams are usually used to solve puzzles.

Lesson Tip
If your class has never used tangram pieces, you can choose to do an
example for them or even have an entire tangram lesson. There are
is a lesson that you can do in the
several good ones on the Internet.
is a game that you can play online.
classroom and

You receive a set of seven "tans" and must use them all (without

overlapping any) to recreate an image that has been given to you. Often,

this is done as an individual activity, and the player is allowed to see the image that they are trying to recreate. Many times, you can lay your pieces right on
top of the image silhouette to be sure that the solution is just right.

We are going to use our tangrams in a slightly different way than most. Instead of looking at our puzzles and trying to guess which shape goes where, we are

going to get puzzles that already tell you where each shape goes.

You might think that this will make it easier, but it won't, because students will also not get to actually look at the image that we are trying to recreate! Instead,
a teammate will be describing the image to us.

To keep it from getting too difﬁcult, we will not use puzzles that require all seven pieces.

1. Divide into groups of 3-5.

2. Each player should cut out their own set of tangrams.

3. Have one member of each group select an Algorithm Card without showing it to anyone else.

4. The person with the Algorithm Card will try to explain the image to everyone else without letting them actually see it.
5. The other players will build their pictures off of the description given by the Card Holder.

6. When the Card Holder is done, everyone will show their pictures and see if they all ended up with the same image.

7. If everyone ends up with the same drawing, the Card Holder can show the card and see if everyone matched the card.

8. If any of the pictures in the group are different from each other, have the Card Holder try describing the image again, using more detail.
9. Choose a new Card Holder and a new Algorithm Card and repeat until everyone has had a chance to describe an image.
Play through this several times, with images of increasing difﬁculty.

302

What did we learn today?

Was it easier or harder than you thought it would be to describe an image to one another?
Did any group end up having arrangements that all matched?

Can you share some tricks that you came up with that helped your group match the Image Card exactly?

Having students write about what they learned, why it’s useful, and how they feel about it can help solidify any knowledge they obtained today and build a
review sheet for them to look to in the future.

What did you learn today?

How do you feel about today's lesson?

Can you think of tricks to make it easier to describe tangram pictures to a partner?

Describe why you might want to be very detailed when creating algorithms for writing code.

Pass out the assessment and allow time for students to complete it. If there is extra time, go over the answers as a class.

If you are interested in licensing Code.org materials for commercial purposes,

303

U
Unplugged

Name:

Date:

Algorithms
Tangrams Algorithm Activity

This lesson shows us something important about algorithms. If you keep an algorithm
simple there are lots of ways to use it. If you want to make sure everyone ends up with
the same thing, then your algorithm needs to have a lot of detail.
This activity will show both options.
Directions:
1. Divide into groups of 3-5.
2. Each player should cut out their own set of tangrams.
2. Have one member of each group select an Algorithm Card without showing it to
anyone else.
3. The person with the Algorithm Card will try to explain the image to everyone else
without letting them actually see it.
4. The other players will build their pictures off of the description given by the Card
Holder.
5. When the Card Holder is done, everyone will show their pictures and see if they all
ended up with the same image.
6. If everyone ends up with the same drawing, the Card Holder can show the card and
see if everyone matched the card.
7. If any of the pictures in the group are different from each other, have the Card
Holder try describing the image again, using more detail.
8. Choose a new Card Holder and a new Algorithm Card and repeat until everyone has
had a chance to describe an image.

304

Revision 140929.1a

Algorithms
Algorithms Card 1

Revision 140929.1a

Algorithms

Algorithms Card 2

Revision 140929.1a

305

Algorithms
Algorithms Card 3

Revision 140929.1a

Algorithms

Algorithms Card 4

Revision 140929.1a

306

U
Unplugged

Name:

Date:

Algorithms
Tangrams Assessment Worksheet

Very specific algorithms help multiple people create identical products.
Less specific algorithms allow a great deal of flexibility for every person to have
something different.
Circle the drawing that does not follow the algorithm provided.
Algorithm #1
1) Put two large triangles at the bottom of the image.
2) Put a square on top of those two triangles.
3) Put two little triangles beside the square.

Circle the algorithm that goes with Drawing 1.
Algorithm A
1) Use two triangles, a square, and another piece
2) Line two triangles up with the square
3) Put the last piece on top of the square

Algorithm B
1) Use three triangles, a rhombus, and another piece
2) Put the rhombus at the bottom
3) Put all three triangles above the rhombus
4) Put the final piece to the left of everything else

Algorithm C
1) Use three triangles, a square, and another piece
2) Line two triangles up with the square

Drawing 1

3) Put a third triangle beneath the other shapes
4) Put the last piece on the left

307

Revision 150520.1a

COURSE

Unit Overview All Lessons PDF All Handouts PDF

Lesson 12: Digital Citizenship
Common Sense Education | Cyberbullying

Overview

Objectives

Students consider that while they are enjoying their favorite websites they

Students will be able to:

may encounter messages from other kids that can make them feel angry,
hurt, sad, or fearful. They explore ways to handle cyberbullying and how to
respond in the face of upsetting language online.
Students discuss all the ways they use technology for communication and
explore the similarities and differences between in-person and online

Empathize with those who have received mean
and hurtful messages.
Judge what it means to cross the line from
harmless to harmful communication online.
Generate solutions for dealing with cyberbullying.

Preparation

communication. Students then brainstorm ways to respond to
cyberbullying.

Purpose
This lesson will provide students with the tools that they need to handle
cyberbullying if they are ever in the situation of having someone negatively
responds to their online postings.
Students may not ever have the misfortune of experiencing cyberbullying,
but they should understand what it is so that they can spot it online.
Students will learn how to identify cyberbullying and what steps they
should take to make it stop. This may become helpful in later puzzles when
students have the opportunity to share their work.

Agenda
Warm Up (5 min)
Introduction
Main Activity (35 min)

Preview the Common Sense Education Power of Words - Teacher Prep Guide and
prepare to show it to your class.
Print out the Words Can Hurt Handout from
Common Sense Education - Power of
Words - Teacher Prep Guide (page 7) for
each group of four.
Print out the Talk and Take Action Handout
from Common Sense Education - Power of
Words - Teacher Prep Guide (page 6) for
each student.
Print out the assessment on page 8-9 of
Common Sense Education - Power of
Words - Teacher Prep Guide.
Obtain colored pencils and a string the length of
the classroom.

Links

What's the Problem?
Crossing the Line
Talk and Take Action

For the Teacher

Wrap Up (15 min)

Common Sense Education - Power of
Words - Teacher Prep Guide
The Power of Words - Lesson Video
Common Sense Education - Website
Think Spot Journal - Reﬂection Journal
CSF Digital Citizenship - Resource List

Flash Chat: What did we learn today?
Journaling
Assessment (10 min)

Vocabulary
Cyberbully - Using technology tools to
deliberately upset someone else.

308

a series of expressive faces on the board. View
vary.

for examples.

the students to suggest emotions that match each face's expression. With every suggestion, write the emotion next to the feeling face. Answers will

students that not everyone will react to a particular situation in the same way, but just because a reaction is different from our own, doesn't mean we

should discount others' feelings.

to students they are going to watch a video about how words, whether typed or spoken, can impact how someone else feels.
students

Who has heard of the saying, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me"?
What did Guts mean in his text that sometimes words can hurt?

Words are powerful. Sometimes it is hard to ignore what someone is saying when it's a mean name. Names

make you feel sad or hurt.

students to keep Leg's question in the back of their mind during this lesson:

students into groups of four and have each group pick a person to record their ideas.
the

through a children's game website.

. Have the groups of students read the scenario about Rani and Aruna receiving mean messages

each group answer the questions, then have them share their responses with the class. Look for responses that show empahty for Rani and Aruna and

acknowledge that the messages sent to them were mean and hurtful. Ask the students to read the 'Use Common Sense!' section on the
.

students to share their own stories.

Have you seen mean messages sent to you or others online? Tell us about it, but do not use real names.
students into pairs.
one partner to write the phrase "You're weird" on a piece of paper, then hand it to their partner. Tell them that they just received this text.

What are the reasons the person might have texted "You're weird"?

They’re continuing an inside joke; the ﬁrst person did something silly at an earlier time; a group of kids is teasing the kid; the person who sent the text
really does think the person is weird but is afraid to say it to his or her face.

How did the partner feel about being called weird?

Possibly like the other person was kidding around, but maybe that the person was teasing or being hurtful.

one person from each pair to say to the other person, "You're weird," with a smile on their face.

Why might you feel differently if you could see the person?

People give non-verbal cues through facial expressions and body language.

309

the piece of string across the length of the classroom. Ask students to stand on one side of the line. Then ask them to imagine that they are online and

somebody has sent them a message, which you will read to them. Tell the students tot stay where they are if they think the message is okay; to cross over the
line if they think the message is not okay; or to stand on the line if they think the message is in between.

You are my friend.
You are an idiot.

I'm having a party and you're not invited.
I like your new haircut.
You are ugly.

Thanks for the advice. Next time, will you tell me in person rather than through text?
Did you ﬁnish your homework?

Why is it taking you so long to ﬁnish it?
You are such a freak.

with the students that kids like to go online and use cell phones to email, chat, watch videos, send messages, play games, and do homework. But

sometimes the language can get mean or scary. Messages that make people feel bad cross the line. Sometimes that meanness is unintentional, but when
people use tools such as the internet and cell phones to deliberately upset someone else over and over, that's cyberbullying.

students return to their seats.
how easy is it to feel angry or upset when somebody sends you a mean or scary message online.

: Using technology tools such as the internet and cell phones to deliberately upset someone else.
that cyberbullies deliberately to try to make you feel that way, just like real-life bullies.

Cooling down can be good ﬁrst step when you receive a mean message online. Taking a deep breath, counting backwards from 10, or pausing to think
about what you will do next can give you time to think of the BEST way to handle the situation.

Finding help or telling a trusted adult or friend can be a good way to take action. You shouldn't deal with the cyberbullying situation alone. The person you
tell should be someone who wants to hear what you have to say and will help you work on a solution. Adults can be especially good because they often
have the power to inﬂuence the situation or they can give you advice about what to do.

Ignoring the person who is cyberbullying you can be very effective. Those who bully often like attention.

Whatever you do, remember to keep a copy of your communication with the individual who is cyberbullying you. f you delete the communication, there is
no proof of how the bully treated you if you need to show a trusted adult.
the

can use pencils and paper to make the comics.

to each student. Encourage them to depict a cyberbullying scenario and possible solution. They

You can use these questions to assess your students' understanding of the lesson objectives. You may want to ask students to reﬂect in writing on these

questions in their

Why is it a bad idea to send mean or scary messages online?

Because they can make the person who gets the message upset, angry, or scared.

Why might there be more misunderstandings between people when they send online messages as opposed to a face-to-face discussion?

Online messages can be more confusing or scarier than face-to-face messages because there are no face-to-face cues to help you understand
people's intentions.

What can kids do when they get cyberbullying messages?
1. Stay calm and take a deep breath

2. Tell a friend or trusted adult who can help develop a plan to handle the situation
3. Ignore the bully

4. Keep a copy of the communication with the bully.

Having students write about what they learned, why it’s useful, and how they feel about it can help solidify any knowledge they obtained today and build a
review sheet for them to look to in the future.

310

What was today's lesson about?

How do you feel about today's lesson?
What is cyberbullying?

Who are some people you can go to if you are ever bullied online or in person?

Print out the assessment from

(page 8-9) and distribute it to the class. Give

students enough time to complete the assessment, but make sure there is enough time to go over answers.

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311

LESSON PLAN
GRADES 3-5

The Power of Words

UNIT 1

Essential Question
What should you do when someone uses mean or scary
language on the Internet?

Estimated time: 45 minutes

Standards Alignment –
Common Core:

Lesson Overview
Students consider that while they are enjoying their favorite websites
they may encounter messages from other kids that can make them feel
angry, hurt, sad, or fearful. They explore ways to handle cyberbullying
and how to respond in the face of upsetting language online.
Students discuss all the ways they use technology for communication,
put themselves in the shoes of children who are cyberbullied on a kids’
game website, and explore both the similarities and differences between
in-person versus online communication. Students then brainstorm ways
to respond to cyberbullying.

grade 3: RI.1, RI.3, RI.4, RI.10,
RF.4a, W.4, SL.1a, SL.1b, SL.1c,
SL.1d. SL.3, SL.4, SL.6, L.3a, L.6

grade 4: RL.3, RL.10, RI.1, RI.3,
RI.4, RI.7, RI.10, RF.4a, W.9b,
SL.1a, SL.1b, SL.1c, SL.1d, SL.4,
SL.5, L.3a, L.6

grade 5: RL.3, RL.10, RI.1, RI.3,
RI.4, RI.7, RI.10, RF.4a, W.9b,
SL.1a, SL.1b, SL.1c, SL.1d, SL.4,

Learning Objectives

SL.5, SL.6, L.6

Students will be able to ...

NETS•S: 2b, 5a, 5d

• empathize with those who have received mean and hurtful messages.
• judge what it means to cross the line from harmless to harmful
communication online.

cyberbully (verb): using
technology tools such as the
Internet and cell phones to
deliberately upset someone else

• generate solutions for dealing with cyberbullying.

Materials and Preparation
•

Key Vocabulary –

Preview the video “The Power of Words,” and prepare to show
it to students.

• Copy the Words Can Hurt Student Handout, one for every
four students.
• Copy the Talk and Take Action Student Handout, one for
each student.
• Colored pencils
• String (cut string the length of the classroom)

Family Resources
• Send home the Cyberbullying Family Tip Sheet (Elementary School).

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introduction
Warm-up (5 minutes)
DRAW a series of expressive faces, or emojis, on the board:
INVITE students to suggest emotions that match each face’s expression. Answers will vary.
Faces

Responses will vary
happy, glad, excited, content, thrilled, pleased
mad, angry, frustrated, grouchy, furious, upset
bored, calm, relaxed, lonely, disinterested
(note: this face may evoke opposing emotions as it is pretty neutral)
sad, unhappy, upset, depressed, miserable
surprised, scared, shocked, amazed

TELL students that not everyone will react to a particular situation the same way, but just because a reaction is
different from our own, that doesn’t mean we should discount others’ feelings.
EXPLAIN to students they are going to watch a video about how words, whether typed or spoken, can impact
how someone else feels.
SHOW students “The Power of Words.”
ASK:
• Who has heard of the saying, “Sticks and
stones may break my bones, but words
will never hurt me”?

Responses will vary.

• What did Guts mean in his text that
sometimes words can hurt?

Despite the old saying, “Sticks and stones may break my
bones, but words will never hurt me,” words are powerful.
Sometimes it is hard to ignore what someone is saying when
it’s a mean name. Names CAN make you feel sad or hurt.

REMIND students to keep Legs’s question in the back of their minds during this lesson: How do you treat
others online?

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teach 1
What’s the Problem? (15 minutes)
ORGANIZE students into groups of four, and have each group pick a person to record their ideas.
DISTRIBUTE the Words Can Hurt Student Handout. Have the groups of students read the scenario about
Rani and Aruna receiving mean messages through a children’s game website.
HAVE each group answer the questions, and then have them share their responses with the class. Look for responses
that show empathy for Rani and Aruna and acknowledge that the messages are mean and hurtful and should be
stopped. Ask students to read the Use Common Sense! section on the Words Can Hurt Student Handout.
INVITE students to share their own stories.
ASK:
Have you seen mean messages sent to you
or others online? Tell us about it, but do not
use real names.

Answers will vary.

DIVIDE students into pairs.
INVITE one partner to write the phrase “You’re weird” on a piece of paper, and then hand it to their partner. Tell
them that they just received this text.
ASK:
What are the reasons the person might
have texted “You’re weird”?

They’re continuing an inside joke; the first person did
something silly at an earlier time; a group of kids is teasing
the kid; the person who sent the text really does think the
person is weird but is afraid to say it to his or her face.

How did the partner feel who was
called weird?

Possibly like the other person was kidding around, but maybe
that the person was teasing or being hurtful.

TELL one person from each pair to say to the other person, “You’re weird,” with a smile on his or her face.
ASK:
Why might you feel differently if you could
see the person?

People give non-verbal cues through facial expressions and
body language.

teach 2
Crossing the Line (10 minutes)
PLACE the piece of string across the length of the classroom. Ask students to stand on one side of the line. Then
ask them to imagine that they are online and somebody has sent them a message, which you will read to them.
Tell the students to stay where they are if they think the message is okay; to cross over the line if they think the
message is not okay; or to stand on the line if they think the message is in between.

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READ each of these messages aloud and have students move accordingly:
• You are an idiot.
• I’m having a party and you’re not invited.
• I like your new haircut.
• You are really ugly.
• Thanks for the advice. Next time would you mind telling me in person rather than by texting?
• Did you finish your homework?
• Why is it taking you so long to finish it?
• You are such a freak.
REVIEW with students that kids like to go online and use cell phones to email, chat, watch videos, send messages,
play games, and do homework. But sometimes the language can get mean or scary. Messages that make people
feel bad cross the line. Sometimes that meanness is unintentional, but when people use tools such as the
Internet and cell phones to deliberately upset someone else over and over, that’s cyberbullying.

teach 3
Talk and Take Action (10 minutes)
HAVE students return to their seats.
DISCUSS how easy it is to feel angry or upset when somebody sends you a mean or scary message online.
DEFINE the Key Vocabulary term cyberbullying. Explain that cyberbullies deliberately try to make you feel that
way, just like real-life bullies. Discuss the following ideas about what they can do when faced with cyberbullying:
• Cooling down can be a good first step when you receive a mean message online. Taking a deep
breath, counting backwards from 10, or pausing to think about what you will do next can give you
time to think of the BEST way to handle the situation.
• Finding help or telling a trusted adult or a friend can be a good way to take action. You shouldn’t
deal with the cyberbullying situation alone. The person you tell should be someone who wants to
hear what you have to say, and will help you work on a solution. Adults can be especially good
because they often have the power to influence the situation, or can give you advice about what to do.
• Ignoring the person who is cyberbullying you can be very effective. Those who bully often like attention.
• Whatever you do, remember to keep a copy of your communication with the individual who is
cyberbullying you. If you delete the communication, there is no proof of how the bully treated you if
you need to show it to a trusted adult.
DISTRIBUTE the Talk and Take Action Student Handout to each student. Encourage them to depict a
cyberbullying scenario and a possible solution. They can use pencils and paper or go online and use the free
tool Make Beliefs Comix (www.makebeliefscomix.com) to complete a comic strip.

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Because they can make the person who gets them upset,
angry, or scared.

Why might there be more misunderstandings
between people when they send online
messages as opposed to face-to-face
discussion?

Online messages can be more confusing or scarier than
face-to-face messages because there are no face-to-face cues
to help you understand people’s intentions.

What can kids do when they get
cyberbullying messages?

They can 1) calm down and take a deep breath, 2) tell a
friend or a trusted adult who can help develop a plan to
handle the situation, 3) ignore the bully, 4) keep a copy of
the communication with the bully.

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TALK AND TAKE ACTION

The Power of Words
Directions
Create a cartoon about a cyberbullying situation. Each frame should
show a different part of the situation:
FRAME 1: Make a cartoon about something that a cyberbully might do or write
online. Remember to use language appropriate for school.
FRAME 2: Show what you might do if you saw what the cyberbully has done or written.
FRAME 3: What might be a positive outcome, or result, of the situation?
What might a cyberbully say or do?

What would you do in response?

What would a positive outcome be?

Use Common Sense!
• If someone is mean to you online, take a breather and ignore them. Save a copy of
your conversation between you and the bully.
• If you, or someone you know, is cyberbullied, talk to a trusted adult – like a parent,
family member, or teacher. Together, you can think of a plan for how to respond.

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WORDS CAN HURT

The Power of Words
Directions
Read the story below and then answer the questions that follow.
Rani and Aruna love a website
that has games and chatting
for kids. Their parents let them
play on the site. Lately, though,
Rani and Aruna have been
receiving mean messages on
the site, including:

Group Chat:
Player A:
Player B:
Player C:
Player D:

I hate you!
You are ruining the game!
You are so stupid.
You are a dork.
send

1. How do you think Rani and Aruna feel when they read those messages?

Rani and Aruna feel

2. How would you feel if you received messages like these?

I would feel

3. Why do you think people send these kinds of message to people they don’t know?

People send these kinds of messages because

Use Common Sense!
There’s an old saying: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”

I think that this saying is TRUE/NOT TRUE (circle one) because

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ASSESSMENT

The Power of Words
1. Alicia receives a text message from her friend Ronald. The message says, “I am
having a party. You are not invited.” Circle the word that shows how Alicia might feel
after she receives the message.
a) hurt
b) excited
c) popular

2. Theo is having fun playing Dragons and Knights online. Then he sees a message
rom a other la er t sa s
o ’re r
the ame st
What sho l
heo o
abo t the messa e? What sho l ’t he o? se the hart belo to ll the letters
that go with each answer.
a) Ignore the player who sent the mean message
b) Write a message back that says, “You’re so stupid, you’re the one ruining the game”
c) Pretend that he doesn’t feel hurt by the message
d) Save the message in case the other player sends Theo another mean message
e) Tell an adult about the message
f) Never play Dragons and Knights online again

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ASSESSMENT

The Power of Words
3. The following acronym, STOP, gives advice on what to do when something goes
wrong online. Explain what each letter means.

What s the mea
o ea h hrase?
Explain in your own words.

STOP
S tep away
Tell a trusted adult
O kay sites first
Pause and think online

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ASSESSMENT
TEACHER VERSION

The Power of Words

1. Alicia receives a text message from her friend Ronald. The message says, “I am
having a party. You are not invited.” Circle the word that shows how Alicia might feel
after she receives the message.
a) hurt
b) excited
c) popular
Answer feedback
The correct answer is a. Alicia probably feels hurt by Ronald’s message. Telling someone they
aren’t invited can hurt their feelings. Things that are hurtful in person are also hurtful online.

a) Ignore the player who sent the
mean message

b) Write a message back that says,
“You’re so stupid, you’re the one
ruining the game”

d) Save the message in case the
other player sends Theo another
mean message

c) Pretend that he doesn’t feel hurt
by the message

e) Tell an adult about the message

f) Never play Dragons and Knights
online again

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ASSESSMENT
TEACHER VERSION

The Power of Words

3. The following acronym, STOP, gives advice on what to do when something goes
wrong online. Explain what each letter means.

STOP

What s the mea
o ea h hrase?
Explain in your own words.

S tep away

When something goes wrong, you should step away from the
device or website and take a break.

Tell a trusted adult

If something goes wrong, you should tell a trusted adult so
that he or she can help you.

O kay sites first

Make sure you are visiting sites that are appropriate for
your age.

Pause and think online

When you go online, you should pause and think twice before
sending, posting, or reacting.

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COURSE

Unit Overview All Lessons PDF All Handouts PDF

Lesson 15: Variables: Envelope Variables
Unplugged | Variable

Overview

Objectives

Variables are used as placeholders for values such as numbers or words.

Students will be able to:

Variables allow for a lot of freedom in programming. Instead of having to
type out a phrase many times or remember an obscure number, computer
scientists can use variables to reference them. This lesson helps to explain
what variables are and how we can use them in many different ways. The
idea of variables isn't an easy concept to grasp, so we recommend
allowing plenty of time for discussion at the end of the lesson.

Identify variables and determine their values.
Deﬁne and call variables in the context of real-life
activities.
Create situations which require the use of
variables.

Preparation

Purpose
Variables are very helpful in programming. Students will be introduced to
this topic using envelopes to represent variables that have been given
names. The value of the variable will be written on a card inside of an
envelope. This lesson helps students understand how names can be a
placeholder for values in the physical world, so that programming with
variables will seem less confusing in the virtual world.

Agenda
Warm Up (10 min)
Vocabulary
Introduction

Watch the Envelope Variables - Teacher
Video.
Obtain 6 or more blank envelopes for warm up
plus some for the main activity.
Print one Envelope Variables - Worksheet
per student.
Print one Envelope Variables - Assessment
for each student.
Provide students with envelopes, paper, pens &
pencils.
Make sure every student has a Think Spot
Journal - Reflection Journal.

Links

Main Activity (20 min)
Envelope Variables - Worksheet

For the Teacher

Wrap Up (10 min)

Envelope Variables - Teacher Video
Envelope Variables - Worksheet
Envelope Variables - Assessment
Think Spot Journal - Reﬂection Journal

Flash Chat: What did we learn?
Journaling
Assessment (10 min)
Envelope Variables - Assessment

Vocabulary

Extended Learning

Variable - A placeholder for a piece of
information that can change.

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This lesson has one important word:
- Say it with me: Vayr-ee-ah-buhl
A placeholder for a piece of information that can change.

Call four volunteers to the front of the room and line them up. Let the students know that you are going to write a poem for each of
them.

On the board (or under your document camera) write the sentence for your ﬁrst student (suppose it's Bill):
"My student Bill, standing proud
is a ﬁne example for the crowd"
Encourage the students to clap at your abilities and thank Bill for volunteering. Allow Bill to sit down (or go to the back of the line) as
you erase the board, then call the next volunteer (we'll say that she's called Annie).
"My student Annie, standing proud
is a ﬁne example for the crowd"
Again, accepting applause, erase the board and invite the next volunteer.
"My student Jenny, standing proud
is a ﬁne example for the crowd"
As you call the ﬁnal volunteer, inquire as to whether everyone in the class would like a poem written about each of them. Maybe the
everyone in the whole school? Goodness, that's going to take a while! Pose the question to your students:
"How could I do this more quickly?"
Your students will likely pick up on the fact that only one word is changing, and that word is simply a person's name. Help them see
the location by circling Jenny's name on the board and writing "ﬁrstName" next to it.
"It would take a long time to write a poem for everyone in the school if I couldn't start until I knew who I was writing it about, wouldn't
it?"
How long do you think it would take to make a video game if they couldn't start until they knew your username?
How expensive would video games be if they had to be created separately for each person?
How do you think we can get around that?

By this time, it's quite likely that your class will come up with the idea of having a placeholder. With that, they're most of the way into
understanding where this lesson goes.
What would we call that placeholder?

We need to call it something that makes sense. We wouldn't want to call it "age" if it was a placeholder for their name, right?

Now, let's add some more volunteers. Give them each a piece of paper to write their name on, and have them tuck it inside
individual envelopes labeled ﬁrstName.
This time, put the poem on the board with a blank space labeled "ﬁrstName" where the student's name will go.
Have the ﬁrst student in line (likely the last student from the previous example) pull their name from the envelope and that's what
you'll write in the space.
When you erase the board, only erase the portion with the last student's name in it.
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Call the next student to show their variable.
Repeat as many times as is entertaining
Now it's time for the main activity.

Once the students understand how the envelopes relate to the sentences, pass out the activity worksheet and let them prepare
some variables of their own.

Divide students into groups of 2-4.

Have students design (draw) a robot.

After 10-15 minutes, request that the students ﬁll their envelopes with important details about their robot such as its name,
height, and purpose.
Collect each group's envelopes, then bring them to the front of the room to share.
Write on the board, "My robot's name is robotName, it is numUnitsTall tall, and it's purpose is purpose."

Use the envelopes to ﬁll the appropriate variable in the sentence, then ask each group to stand when they hear the sentence that
describes their creation.

What did we learn today?

Can you think of anywhere that you have seen variables before?

There is at least one variable at the top of most homework hand outs? Can you think of what it could be?
Why do you think that professionals do not put spaces in variable names?

What would happen if there was a variable "eye" a variable "color" and a variable "eye color"?

Variables can be used to store numbers, too.

Suppose I have envelopes labeled num1 and num2, then I write num1+num2?

What happens if the "num1" envelope contains the number 4 and "num2" contains the number 5?

How do you feel about today's lesson?
What is a variable?

Why do you think variables are important in programming?

Allow students enough time to ﬁnish this assessment. If you are willing to spare more time, go over the answers as a class.

325

Use these activities to enhance student learning. They can be used as outside of class activities or other enrichment.

Draw boxes on a piece of paper with simple mathematical operators between them.
For instance [] + [] = []

Have similar size squares with numbers between 1 & 20.

Ask one student to come create a true equation, using the numbers provided.

Once the student has ﬁnished (and the class veriﬁes the equation) exchange one of the numbers with another one, then remove
a second number entirely.

Tell the students that there is a hidden number in the empty box that makes that equation true again.
What number is in the box?

Play this game over and over again until you can remove the number from any location and the students can ﬁgure out what it is
supposed to be.

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326

Name:

Date:

Variables in Envelopes
Robot Variables Worksheet

Unplugged

Think about a robot. What is it supposed do? What does it look like?
Draw your robot on paper. When you’re done, answer the three questions below on
separate pieces of paper, then put them in the correct envelopes.

robotNam

1. My robot's name is
2. My robot's hight is

numUnitsTall

purpose

robotName .
numUnitsTall

3. My robot's primary purpose is

(don't forget units!) .

purpose

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.
Revision 150806.1a

Name:

Date:

Variables in Envelopes
Variables Assessment Worksheet

Unplugged

Given the value of each variable envelope, fill-in the blanks to finish the sentence.

color

= pink

When I grow up, I want to own a guard _____________.
animal
I found a flower with ______________ petals, so I
petalNumber
picked it.

petalNumber

= 22
My dad just painted his house ________________ to
color
match his car.

animal

= monkey
I love _______________ . I do it every evening.
hobby

bestSport

hobby

= golf

There is no such thing as ________ rivers, so if you find
color
one, don’t swim in it!

= coding

The best sport in the world is _______________, do
bestSport
you agree?

Variable envelopes can also contain number values. Use these envelopes and the
provided equations to figure out the magic numbers below.
numOne

numTwo

numThree

=
magicNumberA

numThree

=
magicNumberB

numTwo

=
magicNumberC

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numOne

+
numOne

numTwo

magicNumberB

Revision 150807.1a

COURSE

Unit Overview All Lessons PDF All Handouts PDF

Lesson 18: For Loops: For Loop Fun
Unplugged | For Loops

Overview

Objectives

We know that loops allow us to do things over and over again, but now

Students will be able to:

we’re going to learn how to use loops that have extra structures built right
in. These new structures will allow students to create code that is more
powerful and dynamic.

Purpose
At this point, students have become masters of loops. Today, they will
learn about another loop commonly used in programming. The for loop
repeats commands a certain number of times, but also keeps track of the
values it is iterating over. For example, a for loop that begins at 4, ends
with 8, and has a step value of 1 will repeat 4 times, but the values 4, 5, 6,
and 7 will also be captured for use elsewhere. Using this structure with
variables can create some pretty fantastic programs. Today, students will
simply be learning the basics of a for loop before diving into
programming with them next time!

Agenda

Determine starting value, stopping value, and
stepping value for a `for` loop.
Illustrate the counter values hit each time through
a for loop during runtime.

Preparation
Watch the For Loop Fun - Teacher Video.
Watch the For Loop Fun - Lesson in Action
Video.
Print one For Loop Fun - Worksheet per
group.
Print one For Loop Fun - Assessment for
each student.
Make sure every student has a Think Spot
Journal - Reflection Journal.

Links

Warm Up (20 min)

For the Teacher

Vocabulary
For One and All

For Loop Fun - Teacher Video
For Loop Fun - Lesson in Action Video
For Loop Fun - Worksheet
For Loop Fun - Assessment
Think Spot Journal - Reﬂection Journal

Main Activity (20 min)
For Loop Fun - Worksheet
Wrap Up (15 min)
Flash Chat: What did we learn?
Journaling

Vocabulary

Assessment (5 min)
For Loop Fun - Assessment

For Loop - Loops that have a predetermined
beginning, end, and increment (step interval).

Extended Learning

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This lesson has one new and important word:
- Say it with me: For-Loop
Loops that have a predetermined beginning, end, and increment (step interval).

Point out that there are certain loops that happen very frequently, for example, loops where you need to keep track of how many
times you have been through

Sometimes, you don't want to start with one

Sometimes, you don't want to count by ones

for Loops give you a powerful way to keep a counter that starts when you want, ends when you want, and increases by

whatever size step that you want

Here, you can jump right into a sample of the game (example in English)

Sometimes we want to repeat things a certain number of times, but we want to keep track of values as we do. This is where a for
loop comes in handy. When you use a for loop, you know right from the start what your beginning value is, what your ending value
is, and how much the value changes each time through the loop.

for Loop block (in English)

Divide students into pairs

To start the round, each student rolls three times:

Lesson Tip

One die to determine the starting value of X

When you play this game, it's as if you're running through a
loop like this

One die to determine the step interval of X each time
through

for (x=startValue; x <= stopValue; x = x + interval){
circle currentXvalue;
add currentXvalue to roundScore;
}

Start at the starting value of X

It may be difﬁcult for young students to understand this written
in pseudocode, but it may be helpful to have you explain out
loud (and perhaps with a diagram) what they will be using as
the content of a for loop.

Three dice to determine the stopping value for X

Use one of the provided number lines to trace the for loop
that they’ve made
Count down the number line, circling the numbers at
the rolled interval

Stop when you get to the predetermined stopping value

Add all of the circled values to your score, then let the
other player take a turn
Best 2 out of 3 wins

What would your interval need to be if you wanted to count
from 4 to 13 by threes?
What kinds of things do you think you could do with a for
loop?
Can you reproduce a normal loop using a for loop?
What would you need to do?

How do you feel about today's lesson?
What is a for loop?

Why would you use a for loop instead of a repeat loop or a while loop?
331

Hand out the assessment worksheet and allow students to complete the activity independently after the instructions have been well
explained. This should feel familiar, thanks to the previous activities.

Use these activities to enhance student learning. They can be used as outside of class activities or other enrichment.

Try this activity again, but this time have the start number be selected using three dice, and the stop number with only one. Make
sure to have a negative increment!

Using chalk, draw a hop scotch diagram outside on the blacktop
Number the squares from bottom to top

Have students give each other a start square, stop square, and how many at a time they need to jump
When the jumper is done, have them write down the loop they just performed

Start adding additional activities to be done at each square, this will add complexity to the written portion, as well

If you are interested in licensing Code.org materials for commercial purposes,

332

Name:

Date:

For Loop Fun
Number Lines and Score Sheet

Unplugged
Directions:

* Use the number lines to trace the “for loop” for each turn
* Start at the starting value of X
* Count down the number line, circling the numbers at the correct interval
* Stop when you get to the stopping value
* Add all of the circled values to get the score for your round
* Best 2 out of 3 Wins

SCORE

For values of X from _______ to _______ incrementing by _______
Player 1
1

starting value

stopping value

interval

ROUND 1
For values of X from _______ to _______ incrementing by _______

Player 2
1

starting value

stopping value

starting value

interval

stopping value

interval

For values of X from _______ to _______ incrementing by _______

Player 1

starting value

ROUND 3

stopping value

interval

For values of X from _______ to _______ incrementing by _______

Player 2
1

For values of X from _______ to _______ incrementing by _______

Player 2

starting value

ROUND 2
1

interval

For values of X from _______ to _______ incrementing by _______

Player 1
1

stopping value

starting value

stopping value

333

interval

Revision 140927.1a

Name:

Date:

For Loop Fun
Sample Game Sheet

Unplugged

E
L
P
M

Directions:

* Add all of the circled values to get the score for your round
* Best 2 out of 3 Wins

SCORE

For values of X from _______ to _______ incrementing by _______

Player 1
1

starting value

stopping value

interval

ROUND 1
For values of X from _______ to _______ incrementing by _______

Player 2
1

starting value

stopping value

starting value

interval

stopping value

interval

For values of X from _______ to _______ incrementing by _______

Player 1

starting value

ROUND 3

stopping value

interval

For values of X from _______ to _______ incrementing by _______

Player 2
1

For values of X from _______ to _______ incrementing by _______

Player 2

starting value

ROUND 2
1

interval

For values of X from _______ to _______ incrementing by _______

Player 1
1

stopping value

starting value

stopping value

334

interval

Revision 140927.1a

Name:

Date:

For Loop Fun
Assessment Worksheet

Unplugged

Below, you will find three rounds of the For Loop Game, along with what each player rolled during
their turn. Fill out the number lines and tally the scores for each round.
Who won the game?

Player 1
1

starting value

ROUND 1

stopping value

starting value

stopping value

interval

stopping value

interval

starting value

stopping value

interval

For values of X from _______ to _______ incrementing by _______

Player 2
2

For values of X from _______ to _______ incrementing by _______

Player 1

starting value

ROUND 3

stopping value

interval

starting value

stopping value

interval

For values of X from _______ to _______ incrementing by _______

Player 2
1

starting value

ROUND 2

For values of X from _______ to _______ incrementing by _______

Player 1

For values of X from _______ to _______ incrementing by _______

Player 2

SCORE

interval

For values of X from _______ to _______ incrementing by _______

WHO WON?
PLAYER # _______

Directions:

* Use the number lines to trace the “for loop” for each turn
* Start by circling the number at the starting value of X
* Count down the number line, circling the numbers at the correct interval
* Stop when you get to the stopping value
* Add all of the circled values to get the score for your round
* Best 2 out of 3 Wins
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Revision 140928.1a

COURSE

Unit Overview All Lessons PDF All Handouts PDF

Lesson 21: Functions: Songwriting with
Parameters
Unplugged | Function | Parameter

Overview

Objectives

One of the most magniﬁcent structures in the computer science world is
the function. Functions (sometimes called procedures) are mini programs

Students will be able to:

that you can use over and over inside of your bigger program. This lesson
will help students intuitively understand why combining chunks of code into
functions is such a helpful practice, and how they can use those structures
even when chunks of code are slightly different.

Purpose
Using functions helps simplify code and develops the student's ability to
organize their program. Parameters will help the students customize their
functions so that they can be used for patterns that are similar, though not
identical. Students will quickly recognize that writing functions will make
their long programs easier to read and easier to debug if something goes
wrong.

Agenda
Warm Up (15 min)
Vocabulary
Sing a Song
Main Activity (20 min)
Functions Unplugged: Songwriting With Parameters Worksheet

Modify functions to accept parameters.
Describe how functions and parameters can
make programs easier to write.

Preparation
Watch the Functions Unplugged:
Songwriting With Parameters - Teacher
Video.
Watch the Functions Unplugged:
Songwriting With Parameters - Lesson in
Action Video.
Print several Functions Unplugged:
Songwriting With Parameters - Worksheet
for each group.
Print one Functions Unplugged:
Songwriting With Parameters Assessment for each student.
Access to the internet, or pre-downloaded songs
and lyrics for activity.
Make sure every student has a Think Spot

Journal - Reflection Journal.

Links

Wrap Up (15 min)
Flash Chat: What did we learn?
Journaling

For the Teacher

Assessment (5 min)
Functions Unplugged: Songwriting With Parameters Assessment
Extended Learning

Functions Unplugged: Songwriting With
Parameters - Teacher Video
Functions Unplugged: Songwriting With
Parameters - Lesson in Action Video
Functions Unplugged: Songwriting With
Parameters - Worksheet
Functions Unplugged: Songwriting With
Parameters - Assessment
Think Spot Journal - Reﬂection Journal

Vocabulary

336

Function - A piece of code that you can easily
call over and over again.
Parameter - An extra piece of information
passed to a function to customize it for a speciﬁc

This lesson has two new and important words:
- Say it with me: Func-shun
A piece of code that you can call over and over again
- Say it with me: Pa-ram-eh-ter
An extra piece of information that you pass to the function to customize it for a speciﬁc need

Let the class know that today is song day!
We're going to learn a song together.

Start with a simple song either written out or projected on the screen

Point to the chorus and be sure that the class knows how it goes before you begin on the rest of the song

Blast through the song, singing it with them in the beginning, then see what happens when you get to the part where it calls
the chorus
Teaching Tip
Little Bunny Foo Foo is being used here as an example only. If
your students know this song, feel free to use it. Otherwise,
choose an appropriate song that they might be more familiar
with (either from music class or the radio.)

337

It's quite likely that the majority of the class will sing the lyrics for the chorus when you point to that bit.
Stop the song once that happens, and explicitly highlight what just happened
You deﬁned the chorus
You called the chorus

They sang the chorus

Ask the class why they suppose you only wrote the chorus once at the top of the paper instead of writing it over and over in each
place where it is supposed to be sung.

What are other beneﬁts of only writing the chorus once when you sing it many times?

Now, imagine that this song is a computer program. Deﬁning
a title (like "chorus") for a little piece of code that you use
over and over again is called creating a function. This is
helpful to computer scientists for the some of the same
reasons that it is helpful to songwriters.

It saves time not having to write all the code over and over

Lesson Tip
To add more interest, you can look up the lyrics for some
popular songs on the Internet. Show the students that the
standard for repeating lyrics is to deﬁne the chorus at the top
and call it from within the body of the song.

in the program

If you make a mistake, you only have to change it one place

The program feels less complicated with the repeating pieces deﬁned just once at the top

These special words are called parameters.

In programming, parameters are passed as special instructions to functions like this:

chorus(parameter1, parameter2)
Feel like this is starting to get complicated? Don't worry. We're going to play with songs a little more to try to really understand how
this technique is used!

A fantastic way to compare functions to something we see in our everyday lives is to look at songs. Songs often have certain
groups of lyrics that repeat over and over. We call that a chorus.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Divide into groups of 4, 5, or 6.
Give each group several copies of the Songwriting Worksheet
Play a short song for the class that contains a clear chorus that does not change from verse to verse.
Challenge the class to identify (and write down) the chorus.
Compare results from each group. Did everyone get the same thing?
Try the activity again, but this time with a song that changes during each repetition of the chorus. Good examples are: Old
MacDonald, Baby Bumblebee, or The Hokey Pokey
Lesson Tip
Can the students identify a chorus when some words
change?

How might they use the same idea of calling a chorus
when the chorus is different from verse to verse?

It's most exciting for students to do this lesson with popular
music from the radio, but if you're having a hard time ﬁnding
appropriate songs where the lyrics repeat exactly, here are a
few timeless options:

These changing words and phrases are called
“parameters” and you can pass them into the chorus like
this: chorus(cow, moo)
Play this game over and over until the class has little
trouble identifying the choruses.

338

It is often easier just to have the class listen to (or watch) the song, then vote on what the chorus is by singing it together, rather
than writing the whole thing down. If you choose this method, consider having the class do a written chorus for the ﬁnal song
selection to be sure that the visual learners get proper reinforcement.

Would you rather write lyrics over and over again or deﬁne
a chorus?

Do you think it's possible to make multiple choruses for the
same song?

Does it make sense to make a new chorus for every time
it's needed in a song?

How do you feel about today's lesson?

How do you see functions being helpful in computer science?

Describe why parameters are helpful when writing the lyrics for a song where the chorus changes slightly.

Hand out the assessment worksheet and allow students to complete the activity independently after the instructions have been well
explained. This should feel familiar, thanks to the previous activities.

Use these activities to enhance student learning. They can be used as outside of class activities or other enrichment.

Start by creating a chorus together, then repeat it between verses of a song that you develop around it.
Make a change to the chorus, and ponder how much easier it is to change in just one place.
Change the chorus again, making it much longer than it was originally.
Add a second chorus and alternate between them in your verses.

Add parameters to one of your choruses and see how many more options you have.

What if we acted out songs instead of singing them? All of the sudden, our chorus would be a function of repeated actions, rather
than words.
Use the concepts of the arrows from the Graph Paper Programming lesson and create a program with lots of repeating
instructions.
Circle those repeating actions so that the class can see where they are.
Deﬁne a function called "Chorus" above the program.

Cross out everywhere the repeating actions appear in the program and write "Chorus" instead.

Repeat until the class can go through this process fairly undirected.
Can you ﬁgure out how to pass parameters in this exercise?

339

Group Name:

Date:

Songwriting Worksheet Example

Unplugged

Using Lyrics to Explain Functions and Procedures

Song Name: Old MacDonald
Chorus:

e
l
p
m
a
x
E

Parameter
Examples:
Song:

Old MacDonald had a farm
e-i-e-i-o
And on that farm he had a P1
e-i-e-i-o
With a P2 here and a P2 there
Here a P2, there a P2
Everywhere a P2, P2

Animal Name
(P1)

Sound
(P2)

(P3)

Chorus(Cow, Moo)
Chorus(Pig, Oink)
Chorus(Horse, Neeeeigh)
Old MacDonald had a farm
eeeeeeee-iiiiiiiiiii
eeeeeeee-iiiiiiiiiii
ohhhhhhhhhhhhh!

340

Revision 140710.1a

U
Unplugged

Group Name:

Date:

Songwriting Worksheet
Using Lyrics to Explain Functions and Procedures

Song Name:
Chorus:

Parameter
Examples:

(P1)

(P2)

(P3)

Song:

341

Revision 140710.1a

Name:

Date:

Songwriting
Lesson Assessment

Unplugged

Look at the lyrics for the two songs below.
If it were your job to write this song as a computer program, what chunk of code would
you turn into a function so that you could easily use it over and over again?
Circle the segments of each program that repeat most often. Is everything that you circled
exactly the same? What parts are different? Those will need to be parameters.
Finish by filling out the Songwriting Worksheet with the song name, chorus, parameters,
and a full version of the song that calls the chorus using the parameters that you chose.

Song: Where is Thumbkin?
Where is Thumbkin?
Where is Thumbkin?
Here I am!
Here I am!
How are you today, sir?
Very well, I thank you.
Run away.
Run away.

Where is Ringman?
Where is Ringman?
Here I am!
Here I am!
How are you today, sir?
Very well, I thank you.
Run away.
Run away.

Where is Pointer?
Where is Pointer?
Here I am!
Here I am!
How are you today, sir?
Very well, I thank you.
Run away.
Run away.

Where is Pinkie?
Where is Pinkie?
Here I am!
Here I am!
How are you today, sir?
Very well, I thank you.
Run away.
Run away.

Where is Middleman?
Where is Middleman?
Here I am!
Here I am!
How are you today, sir?
Very well, I thank you.
Run away.
Run away.

342

Revision 140610.1a

U
Unplugged

Name:

Date:

Songwriting Worksheet
Lesson 8 Assessment - Finding the Function in a Song

Song Name:
Chorus:

Parameter
Examples:

(P1)

(P2)

(P3)

Song:

343

Revision 140610.1a

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide

Appendix B: Glossary of
Vocabulary

344

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide

Vocabulary
Encouraging students to learn and use official computer science terms will enable them to
communicate correctly and efficiently with others and builds their knowledge such that it can be
further developed without having to relearn terms and concepts at a later time. The terms and
concepts used in the unplugged lessons are defined using words that young students can
understand.
abstraction
Pulling out specific differences to make one solution work for multiple problems.
accessibility
The design of products, devices, services, or environments taking into consideration the ability for all
users to access, including people who experience disabilities or those who are limited by older or
slower technology.
algorithm
A list of steps to finish a task. A set of instructions that can be performed with or without a computer.
For example, the collection of steps to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich is an algorithm.
binary
A way of representing information using only two options.
binary alphabet
The two options used in your binary code.
bit
A contraction of "Binary Digit". A bit is the single unit of information in a computer, typically
represented as a 0 or 1.
block-based programming language
Any programming language that lets users create programs by manipulating “blocks” or graphical
programing elements, rather than writing code using text. Examples include Code Studio, Scratch,
Blockly, and Swift. (Sometimes called visual coding, drag and drop programming, or graphical
programming blocks)
Blockly
The visual programming language used in Code.org's online learning system for K-5 students.

345

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
bug
An error in a program that prevents the program from running as expected.
byte
the most common fundamental unit of digital data eg. Kilobyte, Megabyte, etc. A single byte is 8
bits-worth of data.
call (a variable)
Use a variable in a program.
call (a function)
This is the piece of code that you add to a program to indicate that the program should run the code
inside a function at a certain time.
click
Press the mouse button.
code
One or more commands or algorithm(s) designed to be carried out by a computer. See also: program
command
An instruction for the computer. Many commands put together make up algorithms and computer
programs.
computational thinking
Mental processes and strategies that include: decomposition, pattern matching, abstraction,
algorithms (decomposing problems into smaller, more manageable problems, finding repeating
patterns, abstracting specific differences to make one solution work for multiple problems, and
creating step-by-step algorithms).
computer science
Using the power of computers to solve problems.
conditionals
Statements that only run under certain conditions or situations.
crowdsourcing
Getting help from a large group of people to finish something faster.

346

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
cyberbullying
Doing something on the internet, usually again and again, to make another personal feel angry, sad,
or scared.
data
Information. Often, quantities, characters, or symbols that are the inputs and outputs of computer
programs.
debugging
Finding and fixing errors in programs.
decompose
Break a problem down into smaller pieces.
define (a function)
To add code inside a function so that the program knows what it is supposed to do when the function
is called.
digital citizen
Someone who acts safely, responsibly, and respectfully online.
digital footprint
The information about someone on the Internet.
DNS (domain name service)
The service that translates URLs to IP addresses.
double-click
Press the mouse button twice very quickly
drag
Click your mouse button and hold as you move the mouse pointer to a new location
drop
Release your mouse button to "let go" of an item that you are dragging
DSL/cable
A method of sending information using telephone or television cables.
event
An action that causes something to happen.
347

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
event-handler
A monitor for a specific event or action on a computer. When you write code for an event handler, it
will be executed every time that event or action occurs. Many event-handlers respond to human
actions such as mouse clicks.
F.A.I.L
First Attempt In Learning
fiber optic cable
A connection that uses light to transmit information.
for loop
A loop with a predetermined beginning, end, and increment (step interval).
frustrated
Feeling annoyed or angry because something is not the way you want it.
function
A piece of code that you can easily call over and over again. Functions are sometimes called
‘procedures.’ A function definition is a segment of code that includes the steps performed in the
function. A function call is the code segment, typically within the main logic of the program, which
invokes the function.
function call
The piece of code that you add to a program to indicate that the program should run the code inside a
function at a certain time.
function definition
The code inside a function that instructs the program on what to do when the function is called.
if-statement
The common programming structure that implements "conditional statements".
input
A way to give information to a computer.
Internet
A group of computers and servers that are connected to each other.
IP address
A number assigned to any item that is connected to the Internet.
348

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide

iteration
A repetitive action or command typically created with programming loops.
loop
The action of doing something over and over again.
online
Connected to the internet.
output
A way to get information out of a computer.
packets
Small chunks of information that have been carefully formed from larger chunks of information.
pattern matching
Finding similarities between things.
parameter
An extra piece of information that you pass to the function to customize it for a specific need.
persistence
Trying again and again, even when something is very hard.
pixel
Short for "picture element" it is the fundamental unit of a digital image, typically a tiny square or dot
which contains a single point of color of a larger image.
program
An algorithm that has been coded into something that can be run by a machine.
programming
The art of creating a program.
repeat
To do something again.
run program
Cause the computer to execute the commands you've written in your program.

349

CS Fundamentals Curriculum Guide
search engine
A program that searches for and identifies items in a database that correspond to keywords or
characters specified by the user, used especially for finding particular sites on the World Wide Web.
servers
Computers that exist only to provide things to others.
toolbox
The tall grey bar in the middle section of Code.org's online learning system that contains all of the
commands you can use to write your program.
trustworthy
Able to be relied on as honest or truthful.
try
Attempt to do something
URL (universal resource locator)
A relatively easy-to-remember address for calling a web page (like www.code.org).
username
A name you make up so that you can see or do things on a website, sometimes called a “screen
name.”
variable
A placeholder for a piece of information that can change.
website
A location connected to the Internet that maintains one or more pages on the World Wide Web.
while loop
A loop that continues to repeat while a condition is true.
Wi-Fi
A wireless method of sending information using radio waves.
workspace
The white area on the right side of Code.org's online learning system where you drag and drop
commands to build your program.

350

To view all lesson plans and the online activities associated
with these lesson plans, please visit http://studio.code.org.
It is thanks to our generous donors that we were able to develop and can
offer this course at no cost to schools, teachers, or students:
Microsoft, Infosys Foundation USA, Facebook, Omidyar Network, Google,
Ballmer Family Giving, Ali and Hadi Partovi, Bill and Melinda Gates, BlackRock,
Jeff Bezos, John and Ann Doerr, Juniper Networks, Mark Zuckerberg and
Priscilla Chan, Quadrivium Foundation, Amazon Web Services, Reid Hoffman,
Salesforce, Sean N. Parker Foundation, Smang Family Foundation, Verizon

351

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