Fourth Grade Coding students will be guided through the Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Launch curriculum in addition to learning about digital citizenship and safety with Common Sense Media.  Through PLTW Launch, students become hands-on problem solvers and learn to collaborate with their fellow students.   
     They begin each module with an engaging ebook story featuring the characters Mylo, Suzi, and Angelina, who introduce the challenge students will work together to solve. Then, in a series of activities that build upon each other, students are challenged to become confident in trying new things, to learn from mistakes, and to apply what they know to find solutions.
     PLTW Launch is aligned to Next Generation Science Standards, Common Core State Standards for Math and English Language Arts, and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards.

Here is a sample of one of the projects that students will be working on in class:

Input/Output: Computer Systems
In this exploration of how computers work, students are encouraged to make analogies between the parts of the human body and parts that make up a computer. Students investigate reaction time as a measure of nervous system function. After Mylo suffers a concussion, his friends become interested in how to diagnose concussions and create a reaction-time computer program to assess a baseline before a concussion occurs. Students apply what they have learned to build their own reaction-time measurement devices on tablets.

To learn more about Project Lead the Way, click here!
To learn more about Common Sense Media, click here!

 Fifth Grade Computer Science students will be guided through the Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Launch 5th grade curriculum in addition to learning about digital citizenship and safety with Common Sense Media. Through PLTW Launch, students become hands-on problem solvers and learn to collaborate with their fellow students.
     They begin each module with an engaging ebook story featuring the characters Mylo, Suzi, and Angelina, who introduce the challenge students will work together to solve. Then, in a series of activities that build upon each other, students are challenged to become confident in trying new things, to learn from mistakes, and to apply what they know to find solutions.
     PLTW Launch is aligned to Next Generation Science Standards, Common Core State Standards for Math and English Language Arts, and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards.

Here is a sample of some of the projects that students will be working on in class:

Robotics and Automation
Students explore the ways robots are used in today’s world and their impact on society and the environment. Students learn about a variety of robotic components as they build and test mobile robots that may be controlled remotely. Angelina, Mylo, and Suzi are tasked with designing a mobile robot that can remove hazardous materials from a disaster site. Students are then challenged to design, model, and test a mobile robot that solves this design problem.

Robotics and Automation: Challenge
Students expand their understanding of robotics as they explore mechanical design and computer programming. This module focuses on developing skills needed to build and program autonomous robots. Angelina, Mylo, and Suzi are tasked with designing an automatic-guided vehicle to deliver supplies to a specific area in a hospital without being remotely controlled by a person. Inspired by this design problem, students work with a group to apply their knowledge to design, build, test, and refine a mobile robot that meets a set of design constraints.

For more information about Project Lead the Way (PLTW), click here!
For more information about Common Sense Media, click here!

This course will allow students to discover computer science concepts and skills by creating personally relevant, tangible, and shareable projects. Throughout the unit, students will learn about programming for the physical world by blending hardware design and software development. They will design and develop a physical computing device, interactive art installation, or wearable, and plan and develop code for microcontrollers that bring their physical designs to life.
Physical computing projects will promote student awareness of interactive systems, including Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and broaden their understanding of abstract computer science concepts through meaningful and authentic applications.
Below is a sample of lessons that students will receive in this course:

Lesson 1: Blink!
Students begin to explore the capabilities of physical computing systems with The Digital Dive game, an engaging,
live-action activity where students “become” computer parts and transmit commands. They learn to use algorithmic
thinking as they prepare to code. Students use block-based coding to create, download, and upload programs to
the micro: bit microcontroller. They learn processes and gain skills to debug programs starting with pre-bugged
programs. They apply these skills to their own project where they code a blinking message that includes text,
images such as emojis, and animation.

Lesson 2: The Ins and Outs
In this lesson, students explore a variety of sensors and actuators to use as inputs and outputs in physical
computing projects. Using different materials to transfer electrical signals, such as conductive thread, alligator
clips, conductive paint, and copper tape, students create their own input device—a sensor or switch—to interact
with a program they develop on the microcontroller. They use these skills in the lesson’s project to design, develop,
and program a system to protect safes and secrets.

Lesson 3: Program the Physical World
Within teams, students become innovators and makers. Teams apply their physical computing knowledge and
skills as they design and create one of three problem options:
• A wearable safety device someone might use when completing a physical activity outside at night
• An engaging art installation to help improve a community space
• A useful mechanical dispenser for a person or animal who needs assistance to retrieve an object

For more information about Project Lead the Way (PLTW), click here!

Students trace the history, development, and influence of automation and robotics as they learn about mechanical systems, energy transfer, machine automation, and computer control systems. Students use the VEX Robotics® platform to design, build, and program real-world objects such as traffic lights, toll booths, and robotic arms.

Below is a sample of what students will be learning in class:

Lesson 1: What Is Automation and Robotics?
The field of automation and robotics includes computer-controlled machines used to make manufacturing more efficient, productive, and safe. Robots are also used as assistive tools for people with disabilities and as equipment in hospitals to help with surgery, to deliver food, or to dispense medications. Robots are becoming popular household helpers, performing chores like vacuuming and mowing lawns. Scientists say that future generation robots will be able to clean up, take out the trash, or even care for an elderly parent. In this unit students will learn how automation and robotics affect everyday life both positively and negatively, including safety, comfort, choices, and attitudes about a technology’s development and use. 

Lesson 2: Mechanical Systems
Think about a bicycle, an eggbeater, a sewing machine, a hand-cranked drill, and a workshop vice. What do they have in common? All of them have at least one mechanism that provides movement. If the devices were taken apart, you would find a series of gears that redirect the applied force so they can accomplish their tasks. The activities in this lesson will introduce the students to several mechanisms that are used to change speed, torque, force, type of movement, and direction of movement. These mechanisms have been developed over time to address the need for changes in machine tools, robots, automobiles, airplanes, etc.

Lesson 3: Automated Systems
Computer programs and sensing devices provide feedback to guide tools and machines in the manufacturing of parts. Automated systems can be used to pick up a part, move it to a certain location, wait for a process to be performed, pick it back up, and deliver it to an offloading location. Upon completion of this lesson, students will have a better understanding of the necessary components of a flexible manufacturing system and the programming necessary for communication between the sensors, motors and building components.

For more information about Project Lead the Way (PLTW), click here!

App Creators introduces students to the field of computer science and the concepts of computational thinking, through the creation of mobile apps. Students are challenged to be creative and innovative, as they collaboratively design and develop mobile solutions to engaging, authentic problems. Students experience the positive impact of the application of computer science to society as well as other disciplines, particularly biomedical science.
The course provides students opportunities for self-expression. Teams identify a personal or community problem of interest to them that can be solved with a mobile app solution. The problem can address issues such as health and wellness, the environment, school culture, emergency preparedness, education, community service—the options are endless!

Unit 1: Let’s Create an App!
Students are introduced to the concept of pair programming, app development, and the MIT App Inventor development tool. They learn about the Model-View-Controller (MVC) design pattern, app graphical design, event-driven programming, debugging, and algorithm creation using variables and conditional logic. They create engaging biomedical science apps and fun interactive games that apply these concepts and use basic user interface features, media, and animation.

Unit 2: Taking It to the Next Level
Students further explore the concepts investigated in Lesson 1 and build upon their skills to use data in mobile applications. They create algorithms using loops to streamline repetition and iterate through lists, and create procedures to abstract the details of a task and reduce redundancy. They learn to organize and store persistent data collected from user input and device sensors.

Unit 3: The App Challenge
Students apply all of the knowledge and skills they have acquired to design and create a mobile app solution for a personal or community problem. They apply the design process and computational thinking skills to decompose the problem into smaller modules. Following user-centered design principles, they design and create an appropriate user interface and program the app to produce the desired behavior.

Today’s students have grown up in an age of “green” choices. In this course, students learn how to apply this concept to the fields of architecture and construction by exploring dimensioning, measuring, and architectural sustainability as they design affordable housing units using Autodesk’s® Revit 3D architectural design software.

Unit 1: Architectural Basics
Architectural Basics Architecture is the art and science of designing buildings. The basics of architectural design usually address feasibility and cost, as well as function and aesthetics. In this lesson students will learn how to use an architectural scale to accurately measure drawings and read architectural plans. They will learn about planning residential spaces, the different systems in a home, how to read the symbols found in architectural plans, and how to choose materials to remain within a given budget.

Unit 2: Introduction to Sustainable Architecture
 Introduction to Sustainable Architecture As consumers we are often confronted with lifestyle decisions that could have an impact on our environment. Over the last several years, a lot of emphasis has been placed on going green. In addition to encouraging individuals to change their habits so that the results will be more environmentally friendly, there has also been a push to design buildings to be more green. Sustainable architecture seeks to minimize the negative environmental impact of buildings by enhancing efficiency and moderation in the use of materials, energy, and development space. The goal of sustainability, or ecological design, is to ensure that our actions and decisions today do not inhibit the opportunities of future generations. In this lesson students will become aware of the global challenges of resource depletion and environmental degradation resulting from development and the positive effects of sustainable architecture.

Unit 3: Architectural Challenge
Architectural Challenge Autodesk® Revit® Architecture building design software works the way that architects and designers think, which allows the user to develop high-quality, accurate architectural designs. It allows the user to design with both parametric 3D modeling and 2D drafting elements. Built for Building Information Modeling (BIM), Autodesk® Revit® software helps capture and analyze concepts and maintain vision through design, documentation, and construction. In this lesson students will build a wall for a wood framed shed and test insulation materials. They will use the Autodesk® Revit® software to design a sustainable home using shipping containers.

The ever-changing world of technology can be tricky to navigate!  It seems like every day there is a new app or website that becomes the new fad.  Below you will find some resources that can help you make decisions on what is right for your family.

Common Sense Media

Common Sense is the leading independent nonprofit organization dedicated to helping kids thrive in a world of media and technology. We empower parents, teachers, and policymakers by providing unbiased information, trusted advice, and innovative tools to help them harness the power of media and technology as a positive force in all kids’ lives.
2018 Common Sense Media Teen Social Media Study
Parents' Ultimate Guide to Snapchat
Parents' Ultimate Guide to TikTok
Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube
Parents' Ultimate Guide to Instagram
Parents' Ultimate Guide to Fortnite
Screen Time (FAQ's, Articles, and Videos)
Cyberbullying (by age)
Technology Addiction (FAQ's, Articles, and Videos)

Connect Safely

ConnectSafely.org is a Silicon Valley, Calif.-based nonprofit organization dedicated to educating users of connected technology about safety, privacy and security. Here you’ll find research-based safety tips, parents’ guidebooks, advice, news and commentary on all aspects of tech use and policy.
A Parent's Guide to Mobile Phones
Family Contract for Cell Phone Use (contract for parents and students)
The Parent's Guide to Roblox

Digital Citizenship by Grade Level