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Star Wars: Building a Galaxy with Code
Welcome to the code side. The interactive lesson introduces coding in a game format with familiar characters. Young computer experts learn to develop code to control the interaction of the characters in the game. The activity ends with...
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The Need for DNS
That's one complicated address book! To understand the need for a system that keeps track of addresses, pupils trying to find the IP address of their classmates. Then individuals change their IP addresses, which leads to research about...
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Encoding Color Images
Color me green. The fourth lesson in a unit of 15 introduces the class to color images and how to encode color images using binary code and hexadecimal numbers — and they will quickly notice that it is easier to code the color for each...
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Sending Binary Messages
Pairs build a device that will be able to send a binary message. They then update their device to allow it to send four possible messages before upping the ante to eight. The provided self-assessment rubric comes with reflection...
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Keys and Passwords
Scholars explore the relationship between cipher keys and passwords and as they learn more about the Vigenere cipher and continue to read from the book Blown to Bits in the seventh lesson plan of the series. They conduct an activity...
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Rapid Research – Data Innovations
Scholars conduct research into a computing innovation of their choice and figure out how it uses data. They prepare brief reports of their research in the second installment of the series.
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Practice Performance Task - Security and Hacking in the Real World
Young computer scientists create a visual artifact that represents their research into a computing innovation in the world of cybersecurity. They then work individually to write an essay on the impact of technology on cybersecurity.
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Public Key Cryptography
Investigate how public key cryptography works. Scholars continue their study of one-way functions and asymmetric keys and apply this information to public key cryptography. They use an app to explore public key cryptography and its...
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Asymmetric Keys – Cups and Beans
Beans are for more than just counting! Introduce public key cryptography with cups and beans and ask scholars to use the beans to send secret numbers. Participants learn how this activity relates to public key cryptography and asymmetric...
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One-way Functions – The WiFi Hotspot Problem
Pupils attempt to solve the Wireless Hotspot Problem and learn why it is considered a computationally hard problem in the ninth lesson of the series on 12. They also learn about one-way functions and how the Wireless Hotspot Problem is...
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Hard Problems – Traveling Salesperson Problem
Even computers find this to be a hard problem. In the eighth installment of a 12-part unit, young computer scientists learn about the traveling salesperson problem. They formulate algorithms to solve the problem and find out why it is...
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What is Big Data?
Find out why Big Data is a big deal in the first installment of a 12-part unit that introduces young computer scientists to Big Data and demonstrates how it is useful. In pairs, class members research a big data tool to uncover the...
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Identifying People with Data
How much information about you is out there? Scholars explore this question as they investigate data breaches and how these violations occur. They then take part in an activity where they research how easily people could get access to...
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The Cost of "Free"
Explore the trade-offs of using a free app. The fourth installment of a 12-part unit helps young consumers discover the cost of receiving a free service. They learn how these apps make use of their access to data.
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The Need for Encryption
Scholars investigate the need for encryption as they read a portion of the book Blown to Bits and discuss encryption techniques. They finish by attempting to decode a message written using a Caesar cipher.
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Cracking the Code
Scholars learn how to crack secret codes as they continue reading from the Blown to Bits and try to crack the random substitution cipher. They also begin learning about the Vigenere cipher.
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Practice PT – Improve Your App
The last installment of a 21-part unit is a practice performance task that asks class members to design an app using skills from the unit. Scholars take one of the previous apps from the unit and modify it by adding elements and making...
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Canvas and Arrays in Apps
Scholars learn how to make a digital canvas and fill it with artwork by creating a drawing app using the canvas element. The activity requires learners to previous knowledge of arrays and return commands to draw images.
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Functions with Return Values
Young computer scientists explore how to use the return command in computer programing by playing Go Fish. They learn about functions that return values and then write a turtle driver app using the return function.
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Processing Arrays
Scholars use a playing card activity to help them develop a program to find the minimum value of a list. They learn to use for loops to write code that will process lists.
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Image Scroller with Key Events
Discover how to embed images in lists. Scholars modify an existing app to include an image scroller in the 17th lesson of the series. They learn to refactor code and remove redundancies after modifying code.
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Introduction to Arrays
How can you store lists in a computer program? The 16th installment of a 21-part unit introduces arrays as a way to store lists within a variable. Individuals program a list of their favorite things—adding interest to the activity.
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Looping and Simulation
Young computer scientists continue programming with while loops by creating a program to simulate coins flipping.
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While Loops
Bring your pupils in the loop with while loops. Scholars learn how to modify conditional statements to produce while loops in the 14th lesson of the series. They use flowcharts to understand loops and then program some examples of loops.