7-8 CS/DF

Activities and resources for the new NYSED digital fluency and computer science standards.  The activities are curated by educators around NY.  

NYSED CS/DF Activities and Examples

Students can use Open Processing to create a program using Java Script, creating a description for other users to identify the object of their program.

Join - OpenProcessing

7-8.NSD.1 Design a user interface for a computing technology that considers usability, accessibility, and desirability.&nbsp;

Clarifying Statement: The emphasis is on designing (but not necessarily creating) a user interface. Designs could include things like written descriptions, drawings, and/or 3D prototypes.

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PAGE (with short title) Click the image to replace it with a different one.&#160; Text columns at the bottom can be adjusted accordingly, but generally better to use columns rather than longer runs of text which are more difficult to read.&#160; Works best if you can edit each example down to a similar length.

Example 1 Students could design a game controller that is accessible for a person with limited hand and arm movement. Students could design apps that encourage healthy living and consider factors like motivation to use the app and ease of use.

Example 2 Students can be ‘inventors’ and design a technology that assists an individual with a disability by making it easier to access technology.

7-8.CY.5 Describe actions to be taken before and after an application or device reports a security problem or performs unexpectedly.

The emphasis is on explaining appropriate actions to prevent and address common security issues for common situations.

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Example 1 Students could explain the value of running malware scans and removal tools on devices as soon as unusual behavior is observed.

Example 2 Students could recommend changing passwords immediately after an account is compromised and create sample secure passwords and passphrases

7-8.CY.4 Describe the limitations of cryptographic methods.

The focus is on recognizing that cryptography provides a level of security for data, and some types of encryption are weaker than others.

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Example 1 Students could do a basic frequency analysis of a message encrypted with a Caesar Shift to determine how easy it would be to break it.

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Will Robots Take My Job?

Instant Loan App Data Points

AI Activities.pdf

Quick, Draw

Nearpod Paid

This Typesy bundle reviews proper keyboarding position for the home row and offers a complete series of practice activities on Typesy. Students set goals and measure their WPM and accuracy.

Nearpod

As our digital lives grow, people face the threat of cyber enabled crime more and more everyday. Recent studies have shown that cyber crime is growing in complexity, scope and scale every year.&nbsp; We've seen it first hand; people that have lost their life savings, deposits for a new house or their retirement fund. It's heart-breaking. This is why the Education Arcade is focused on providing people with a memorable learning experience designed to help keep them safe online. We do this through the use of gamified e-Learning – a powerful tool that reshapes the learning experience by making it fun, interactive and educational.&nbsp;

Cyber Security Awareness | Education Arcade

Free Paid

Our Favorite Books 

Careers We Explored 7th

Padlet allows students to connect with other students, teachers, and community members by sharing their learning on a collaborative digital board. On a Padlet students can share documents, upload photos or videos, record their screen or voice, draw, and more. This platform allows anyone with access to the Padlet to provide feedback by giving comments, or reacting to someone's work.

Turtle Academy Free

Learn about coding with Turtle Academy

Turtle Academy

7-8.CT.10 Document the iterative design process of developing a computational artifact that incorporates user feedback and preferences.

At this level, the emphasis is on using the iterative design process to create a solution or prototype with the end-user in mind and to document the steps taken by the student to gather and incorporate information about the user into the computational artifacts focus should be on developing and documenting a plan in writing, using appropriate tools (such as a storyboard or story map).

Example 1: Conducting ‘empathy interviews’ (as part of the design thinking process), students can discover a particular problem or issue a person wants to be solved. Then, using this information, students can design a program/’app’ that is meant to solve the identified problem in a meaningful way. Example 2: As a class, students can create a guidebook for next year’s students. How to use the programs, what to do if something goes wrong, year-long project. (ELA) Example 3: Students can take pictures of their work and record a video of them explaining their steps for classmates to try.&nbsp;

Story Scoop - Teach algorithms while outlining a story

Oh no! There's a problem

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Lisa Blank Jason Gish Laurie Guyon @smilelearning Christine MacPherson Maureen Mooney Christina O'Malley Annemarie Dumar

<a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1imfarR3mdZ79XfOZnmuoMP_LGLyDpxFblleCQnYPq2k/edit#gid=713762227">Sphero BOLT Alignment</a> <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1EUUbJFUWQmR5wk0I3wHAxGNuXFHbDRkS/view?usp=sharing">Nearpod Alignment</a> <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Jd3exSHNUHYy0nRUv7ZniK7KaGy2VTI0IiawmA6YsN8/edit#gid=814208062">Seesaw Alignment</a>

Special thanks to Laurie Yager @lyager60 for her amazing editing skills!

AI, Ain't I A Woman? - Joy Buolamwini

This video questions the biases that are inherent in our facial recognition technology. This video is impactful and will get your students thinking and discussing. Use this in your English class, your History class, or anywhere you feel that this message needs to be heard and discussed.

Would You Rather Download | Dr. Mattson

Play a few rounds of Would You Rather to discuss all sorts of topics that align with CS.

Using Scratch project starters to revise a game and reword the instructions to match their version.

Scratch - Search

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Should Alexa Read Our Moods

Use this article, and others like it to discuss if this type of technology should exist.  Discuss the implications both positive and negative to having this type of technology.

Free Paid

Google programs (Docs and Slides) and Microsoft programs (Word and PowerPoint) can be used regularly by students in the classroom to complete assignments, while practicing and refining their keyboarding skills.  These programs can be used to complete writing assignments and create presentations.

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Example 1 Students work in collaborative groups to create action plans to decrease instances of cyberbullying among teens.

7-8.DL.7 Describe safe, appropriate, positive, and responsible online behavior and identify strategies to combat negative online behavior.

Students are able to strategize ways to keep online spaces safe. Identify types of negative online behaviors including cyberbullying, harassment, trolling/flaming, excluding, outing, dissing, masquerading, and impersonation.

Example 2 Student can put up posters on what to do if you are being cyberbullied. (ARTS)

Example 3 Students can research the consequences of cyberbullying.

7-8.IC.3 Identify and discuss issues of ethics surrounding computing technologies and current events.

At this level, students may require teacher support to discuss the possible ethical implications of computing technologies.

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Example 1 A teacher might have students find current articles about computing technologies and discuss them in terms of ethical decisions and actions.

Example 2 Students can research what are the “ethics” of the internet? Who came up with these ethics? Create their own set of ethics.

Example 3 Students can research current and past events dealing with technology (Napster) and ethics. (SOCIAL STUDIES)

Working in Harmony

Watch these videos to learn more about computer science that goes into award shows. Expand it to full lessons with this site's <a href="https://www.cmaworkinginharmony.com/virtual-field-trip#vft">VR tours</a> and <a href="https://www.cmaworkinginharmony.com/activities">activities</a>.

7-8.DL.4 Select and use digital tools to create, revise, and publish digital artifacts.

Teachers should designate a school-approved location for students to publish artifacts for an audience to view. Advanced digital tools may refer to the tool itself (i.e. the tool is more advanced) or to utilization of more advanced features on a tool.

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Example 1 In collaborative groups, students create anti-cyberbullying commercials and an accompanying infographic for parents on ways they can help kids spot and report cyberbullying.

Fabricius - Google Arts & Culture

Decode hieroglyphs with machine learning with this fun Google Experiment on Google Arts and Culture.

Sentence Scramble

Let's Sort it Out!

My Garden Walk

Students can code through levels of Code Combat learning about looping to decrease number of commands used to achieve a specific outcome.

CodeCombat - Coding games to learn Python and JavaScript

Elementari Activity is free, Elementari is a freemium product

Use this escape room to showcase what your students know about ISTE's Digital Citizenship pillars.

Digital Citizenship

DigCit Escape Room

and Systems Design

Small dotted paper

<a href="bookcreator://page/f9t2ZTqbS2SYbVsnowY6Ug">Impacts of Computing</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/dwwgZDmEQ5GisMmDL5Pxxw">Computational Thinking</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/9ascKP7hTSSyZbZQEzAtoA">Networks and Systems Design</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/i6y1YbJxTrmbj_Hd89-Eeg">Cybersecurity</a> <a href="bookcreator://page/MY6GBt19SoyHxBdNqY3Sjg">Digital Literacy</a>

CONTENTS You'll need to relink these chapters to the correct pages. I don't think it needs page numbers as such.

7-8.IC.4 Identify and discuss issues related to the collection and use of public and private data.

The focus is on exploring the impacts of data collection, including biases in data collection, and its use by different stakeholders for a range of purposes.&nbsp;

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Example 1 Students could describe how facial recognition surveillance video is used in a store to track customers for security or information about purchase habits. Students might discuss who owns that data and what it is acceptable to do with the data.

Example 2 Talk about posting things on social media. What things do they need to keep private? What settings should be turned on?

Example 3 Students could create a contract with their parents about what is ok and not ok to post publicly.

CodeHS - Teach Coding and Computer Science at Your School | CodeHS

In this lesson, students are presented with different ways that the Internet impacts their lives. The Internet affects the way that people communicate (emails, social media, video chat) and collaborate to solve problems. It has revolutionized the way that people can learn and even buy things. Because the Internet is present in almost every facet of people’s lives, there are severe ethical and legal concerns that derive from the Internet.

Students will debug the code to achieve the outcome of each challenge.

Debugger | Hour of Code | Tynker

Explore life as an astronaut in these two episodes.  One will showcase STEM in space, and the other will take your students on a space walk.  Use these independent, or together as you explore careers, space, physics, chemistry, research, and engineering. 

Training Like An Astronaut    

Grab these coloring sheets or print out the posters to discuss important topics. Then, have your students create ones about computer science. Your students too young for these? Have them create their own that are age appropriate!

Amplifier - AMPLIFIER ART AMPLIFIES MOVEMENTS

Free Pixar Short

Boundin Pixar HD Short Film

Watch this Pixar short and then create your own sequence activity. You can... 1. Create a story 2. Create your own dance 3. Explore Cause and Effect 4. Discuss theme 5. Use your imagination! For more Pixar shorts, explore them <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/192bky8x3KuVVYnIAdnBm8I_fNTd7C_LE/view">here</a>

7-8.NSD.3 Identify and fix problems with computing devices and their components using a systematic troubleshooting method or guide.

The focus is on identifying the source of a problem by using a structured process such as a checklist or flowchart to systematically try solutions that may fix the problem.&nbsp;

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Example 1 Students could follow a troubleshooting flowchart that guides them through a process of checking connections and settings, changing software to see if hardware will work, and swapping in working components.

Example 2 As a class, students can create a guidebook for next year’s students. How to use the programs, what to do if something goes wrong, year-long project. (ELA)

Example 3 Students can create scaffolded flowcharts or checklists for their diagnostic process to fix any problems.

 Weavly Educator's Toolkit

Free Has great accessibility features for diverse learners

Draw shapes, build games, and make music with this online coding tool. The resources are created to work with learners with diverse needs and various coding experiences. No need for logins, and can use in a variety of ways.

Explore abstraction and decomposition while exploring art. Discuss shapes, color combinations, and sequencing with these lessons.

Visual Literacy Free

Middle School (Age 11-14) – Visual Literacy Today

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Example 1 Students create guides for an adult (family member, celebrity, fictional character) on how to manage online identity and actions that affect someone’s digital footprint.

7-8.DL.6 Explain the connection between the persistence of data on the Internet, personal online identity, and personal privacy.

A focus should be on learning about privacy settings on social media accounts, exploring the concept of a positive online presence/identity, and identifying behaviors and information that could potentially affect them now and in the future.&nbsp;

Example 2 Have students review the “terms and conditions” of a commonly used site/app. Have them note anything surprising or confusing.

Example 3 Students can research how someone’s digital footprint negatively impacted their life.

MAD-Learn Free

Hour of Code: App Wars

Try this fun activity from Mad-Learn to teach about accessible app design.

Teach London Computing FREE

Robot PE

These fun and physical activities will help your students learn sequences, directions, and coordinates all while they are moving!

<a href="https://www.aiedu.org/ai-snapshots">aiEDU</a> The AI Education Project Free This slide deck has over 180 AI warmups to spark debate, ignite curiosity, and build community.

AI Snapshots | aiEDU

Free Stem Apply <a href="http://nicerc.org">NICERC.org</a> PDF

Icebreaker-Pigpen Cipher

This is a great introductory icebreaker activity that uses the Pigpen Cipher. Decode your icebreaker question using this cipher.

What Does a Cybersecurity Analyst Do?

What Does a Cybersecurity Analyst Do? 2022 Job Guide

Cybersecurity analysts are often the first line of defense against cybercrime. This article explains what a cybersecurity analyst does.

Common Sense Education Free

Digital Passport™ by Common Sense Education

Digital Connections for Educators | Common Sense Education

Digital Compass by Common Sense Education

While learning about computer science, you also need to address digital citizenship. No one does it better than <a href="https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-citizenship">Common Sense Education</a>. Play these games and explore these mini-lessons to practice the important skills that will make students' online world safer. While you are there, look at their <a href="https://www.commonsense.org/education/search?keywords=computer%20science&amp;sort_by=search_api_relevance">computer science resources.</a>

7-8.CY.3 Describe trade-offs of implementing specific security safeguards.

The focus is on thinking about how a specific safeguard impacts the confidentiality, integrity, and access of information. Additionally, there should be a focus on discussing whether strengthening one specific safeguard adversely affects another.

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Example 1 Students could examine the pros and cons of using different methods of authentication, for example passwords, biometrics, or key-fobs and the trade-offs of using single-factor vs multi-factor authentication.

Paid Sphero

Students code Sphero robots to navigate an obstacle course.

This is Sphero BOLT

Sphero Edu

NonFiction Writing Template

NOUN PROJECT

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Example 1 Students could argue that facial recognition software that works better for certain skin tones was likely developed with a homogeneous testing group and could be improved by sampling a more diverse population.

7-8.IC.5 Analyze potential sources of bias that could be introduced to complex computer systems and the potential impact of these biases on individuals.

The focus is on understanding different factors that introduce bias into an AI system and how those biases affect people.&nbsp;

Example 2 Students could research current events and determine bias by comparing reports on different sites/blogs/news outlets. (SOCIAL STUDIES)

Example 3 Students could use a search engine to search images and search on the word "grandma" and discuss whether the results of the images are expected, representative, in what way biased.

Example 4 Identify and give examples of a bias that relate to the class (ex: girls don’t like math, boys don’t take dance, boys like blue, girls like pink).

More Ideas from Janette Camacho in her book Building a STEM Program from the Ground Up

Amazon.com: Building a STEM Program from the Ground Up eBook : Camacho , Janette: Kindle Store

 STEMspirations: 300 Engaging Lesson Plans for Teaching Tomorrow's Innovators

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Lisa Blank Annemarie Dumar Jason Gish Laurie Guyon @smilelearning Casandra Jock Christine MacPherson Christina O'Malley

YouTube Free

Test your ability to complete these shapes without lifting a pencil. Then, see how it's done!

Draw this Figure without lifting pencil 🧠 BRAIN GAME

7-8.CT.4 Write a program using functions or procedures whose names or other documentation convey their purpose within the larger task.

Clarifying Statement: The focus is on identifying where there is potential to use a function or procedure to create a reusable computation.

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Example 1 Students could write a simple game or animation, introducing some functions to name meaningful collections of steps.

Example 2 Give students a program that creates a number of boxes by repeatedly drawing lines. The students can decompose the program by writing a function to draw one box and calling this function a number of times.

In this 3-8 lesson, students will develop a deeper understanding of how variable assignments help take advantage of computing power. Students will practice their new skills by completing a selection of CodeMonkey challenges.

Have you ever wondered why space exploration should matter to you? Or how the work of NASA scientists and engineers affects your daily life? “Spinoffs” are&nbsp;commercial products and services derived from NASA technology.

Nasa Home & City

<a href="https://www.aiedu.org/intro-to-ai">aiEDU</a> The AI Education Project Free

Introduction to Artificial Intelligence | aiEDU - Google Drive

Grab some <a href="https://extension.usu.edu/sanpete/files/ChalkCodingKit.pdf">chalk and build</a> algorithms outside!

4-H At Home Free

7-8.IC.2 Evaluate the impact of laws or regulations on the development and use of computing technologies and digital information.

The focus is on the potential consequences of laws related to computing technologies.

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Example 1 Students could research how laws protect the intellectual property rights of digital materials and how those laws changed the music industry. (SOCIAL STUDIES)

Example 2 Students can compare and contrast articles that showcase both sides in recent plagiarism cases in the music industry. (ELA)

Example 3 Students can discuss how laws that govern road traffic have changed with the advent of autonomous vehicles. &nbsp;

Example 4 Students can explore the creative commons and learn about why people would want to freely share their works.

Kami Freemium <a href="https://kami.app/lau-kbd-qjx">Free Trial</a>

Grab this template to explore, teach, and engage with Computer Science. Then check out the other <a href="https://www.kamiapp.com/library?sort=popularity&amp;randomize=true" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">templates</a>. Try one of the board games, life cycles, or graphing ones!

Kami

7-8.CT.3 Refine and visualize a data set in order to persuade an audience.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Clarifying Statement: Refining includes, but is not limited to, identifying relevant subsets of a data set, deleting unneeded data, and sorting and organizing data to highlight trends.

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Example 1 Students could access government data sets for science (tide, hurricane data, sunrise/sunset) and sort and analyze the data to get specific information to support a claim. (SCIENCE)

Example 2 Students can use a database program to create a pivot table to summarize multidimensional player stats from their favorite sport in order to tell a story or support a claim about a player’s career. (MATH, SOCIAL STUDIES)

Example 3 Students could locate tabular data presented in a news article and refine this data to create a visualization highlighting trends in different subgroups. (MATH, SOCIAL STUDIES)

In this lesson, students will learn the top 10 reasons to code. Students will learn about the different types of work computer programmers do and some of the perks of a career in coding.

Barefoot Intro to Abstraction Free Lesson

| STEM

This website has a ton of great activities for any grade level. From printables to links and resources, this site has it all. Start with small 10-minute lessons and then keep building.