YouTube has been around for over a decade now, and it dominates as the top place for video content. Because of that, it’s way more of a business now than anyone could have imagined. The advertising world refers to many of the stars on YouTube, Instagram, and other social media platforms as influencers, because they have their own, home-grown fanbase that they have been interacting with for years. To capitalize on that fanbase, companies pay these influencers to promote their product or service. Watch the latest Above the Noise video to find out whether you can trust what's on YouTube and what are the rules about influencers advertising products in their videos. This video comes with a student handout that helps guide the discussion of this activity.
Make a coded message called a scytale message to send to a friend. This activity from Zoom focuses on your ability to follow directions and requires a cylinder. This learning activity can be used during a lesson on encryption.
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To kick off the app design project, the class organizes into teams and starts exploring app topics. Several example socially impactful apps serve as inspiration for the project.
Note: You will need to create a free account on code.org before you can view this resource.
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Programming--sometimes referred to as coding--is a nuts and bolts activity for computer scientists. While this chapter won't teach you how to program (we've given some links to sites that can do this in the introduction), we are going to look at what a programming language is, and how computer scientists breathe life into a language. From a programmer's point of view, they type some instructions, and the computer follows them. But how does the computer know what to do? Bear in mind that you might be using one of the many languages such as Python, Java, Scratch, Basic or C#, yet computers only have the hardware to follow instructions in one language: a very simple "machine code" that is difficult for humans to read and write. Then if you invent a new programming language, how do you tell the computer how to use it?
In this chapter, we'll look at what happens when you write and run a program, and how this affects the way that you distribute the program for others to use.
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Not all hackers are malicious cybercriminals intent on stealing your data (these people are known as Black Hats). There are also White Hats, who hunt for bugs, close security holes, and perform security evaluations for companies. And there are a lot of different motivations for hackers.
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While students are in pairs and without being able to see each other, student 1 designs and provides oral instructions to student 2 in order for student 2 to recreate a shape and/or structure only student 1 can see. Student 2 can ask clarifying questions, but that is all. This activity builds skills in sequencing, classifying, sorting, orientation, and relative position of objects. It also builds listening skills for oral comprehension and asking and answering concise questions.
This activity was created as a result of the DLCS COS Resource Development Summit.
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Students, working with a partner or team will brainstorm physical devices they wish to prototype. Students have the option to design a new creation or recreate a device they have found in the "real world". Students will complete a planning guide to determine the resources (physical and digital) they will need to create their prototype. Students will design a user interface (typically an app or circuit board) that may control some output device (like a circuit board). It will be necessary for students to develop pseudocode or algorithms to aid in the coding process. Students will need to complete the problem-solving process during this lesson plan which will include testing a revising the prototype.
Note: You will need to create a free account on code.org before you can view this resource.
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Networks are everywhere in modern society: roads, wires, water and gas pipes all connect one place to another. Computers are built of networks at many levels, from the microscopic connections between transistors in a chip to the cables and satellites that link the internet around the world. People who build networks often need to work out the most efficient way to make connections, which can be a difficult problem.
This puzzle shows students the decisions involved in linking a network between houses in a muddy city. It can lead to a discussion of minimal spanning tree algorithms for optimizing networks.
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This lesson, to be used with Underground Railroad: The William Still Story, introduces students to the benefits of recording history. However, they also learn the dangers of sharing information publicly. Social media is explored as an effective, but a sometimes dangerous messaging tool.
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This lesson gives students the opportunity to explore volcanoes and their impact on our planet. Students will take a virtual field trip of a dormant volcano and answer research questions about its formation and its after-effects. Next, students will discover which volcanoes in the United States are currently active. Finally, students will use an interactive map activity to explore famous eruptions from around the world. They will be given clues about the date and consequences of the eruption. Once they locate the volcano, they will place a virtual pin in its location on the world map. This lesson aligns with 6th grade Alabama Science Course of Study.
This activity was created as a result of the DLCS COS Resource Development Summit.
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Building on the concept of repeating instructions from "My Loopy Robotic Friends," this stage will have students using loops to get to the acorn more efficiently on Code.org.
Students will be able to:
- Construct a program using structures that repeat areas of code.
- Improve existing code by finding areas of repetition and moving them into looping structures.
Note: You must create a free account to access this and use this resource.
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Life is sweet! It is especially sweet when you have all of the tools right at your fingertips to complete a project thus making you more productive!
Imagine using a program at school for typing a paper; however, at home, you do not have the software. Panic sets in! How are you possibly going to finish your assignment in the time your teacher has given without having the same software at home? Well, with a productivity suite that is FREE and online (such as Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive), you can get your work done in the comfort of your own home, PLUS you can collaborate on work, online, and with others!
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
When you have completed this activity you will:
- understand how to use a word processing application [Empowered Learner]
- know how to use advanced word processing features [Creative Communicator]
- know how to share documents with others [Digital Citizen]
- know how to collaborate with others [Global Collaborator]
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Welcome to Crash Course Computer Science! This video will take a look at computing’s origins because even though our digital computers are relatively new, the need for computation is not.
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This activity provides the students with a visual description of the four types of chemical reactions using cartoon illustrations and then allows them time to interact with their peers so they will understand the components of each reaction. Students will also create a flip-book for the following reactions: synthesis, decomposition, single, and double replacement in order to describe the conservation of mass. Finally, students will use a digital tool to produce a "Cartoon Chemistry" artifact which will allow them to demonstrate their understanding of chemical reactions.
This activity was created as a result of the DLCS COS Resource Development Summit.
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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 and explore the similarities and differences between in-person and online communication. Students then brainstorm ways to respond to cyberbullying.
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.
Students will be able to:
- 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.
Note: You will need to create a free account on code.org before you can view this resource.
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Santa’s Dirty Socks
This activity introduces the idea of “divide and conquer” using a fictitious but serious problem – a pair of dirty socks have accidentally been wrapped in one of the presents that Santa is about to deliver, and he needs to figure out which one to avoid a child getting a nasty surprise.
You can either play the video (linked in the activity) or download the PDF of the book (see the PDF files in the link to the activity) to read aloud or give to students.
The solution in the story points out that when there are 1024 boxes to test, instead of having to open all of them until the socks are found, one half can be eliminated at a time, and repeatedly halving the problem very quickly narrows it down to one box (the size of the problem starts at 1024, then with one weighing there are 512 boxes, then 256, 128, 64, 32, 16, 8, 4, 2 and 1.) This idea comes up frequently in the design of fast computer algorithms.
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So you may have heard of Moore's Law and while it isn't truly a law it has pretty closely estimated a trend we've seen in the advancement of computing technologies. Moore's Law states that we'll see approximately a 2x increase in transistors in the same space every two years, and while this may not be true for much longer, it has dictated the advancements we've seen since the introduction of transistors in the mid-1950s. So today we're going to talk about those improvements in hardware that made this possible - starting with the third generation of computing and integrated circuits (or ICs) and printed circuit boards (or PCBs). But as these technologies advanced a newer manufacturing process would bring us to the nanoscale manufacturing we have today - photolithography.
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In this activity, the students will review the school technology/acceptable use policy. The students will research items to include in these types of policies, including legal protections such as CIPA, COPPA, FERPA, ADA Compliance, etc. Finally, the students will collaboratively draft their own policy and share with their classmates, school, and/or board of education.
This activity was created as a result of the DLCS COS Resource Development Summit.
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Students will use the free online coding program Scratch to learn the basics of coding and how to use blocks and animations to create a game. Students will create a game to find multiples of a given factor by making a character fly into the correct multiple of the given factor. The student will go through a series of coding steps to create a background, make a character fly, and create the factor and multiple game.
This lesson plan was created as a result of the Girls Engaged in Math and Science, GEMS Project.
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This lesson focuses on the economic and consumer concerns around apps and websites that collect and track data about you in exchange for providing you a service free of cost. Often the quality of the service itself is dependent on having access to data about many people and their behavior. The main takeaway of the lesson is that students should be more informed consumers of the technology around them. They should be able to explain some of the trade-offs between maintaining personal privacy and using innovative software free of cost.
Students will be able to:
- explain how and why personal data is exchanged for the use of free software.
- explain some of the privacy and economic tradeoffs involved in the collection and use of personal data.
- describe the ways and reasons organizations collect information about individuals.
- read and critically evaluate a data privacy policy.
Note: You will need to create a free account on code.org before you can view this resource.
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The lesson elements in this module teach students about the privacy principle “There is no anonymity on the Internet”. They are designed to be independent and flexible, so you can incorporate them into any size lesson plan. Student resources are available at https://teachingprivacy.org/theres-no-anonymity/.
Summary of Learning Objectives: Students can explain (in general terms) how data tracked by online services can be used to identify them; students can use tools and techniques to reduce the effectiveness of tracking.
Target Age: High school, college undergraduate.
Learning objectives:
- Students can explain (in general terms) how data aggregation, data mining, and inference are carried out and can give examples of how these techniques can be used to match “anonymous” users to their real identities.
- Students can explain what online behavioral tracking is, can give examples of what types of information can be gathered about them, and can give examples of how personal devices can be used to track and collect that information.
- Students can give examples of what types of information can still be collected by websites when they are using their browser’s “private browsing” or “incognito” mode.
- Students can explain how the amount and type of information available about them online affects the likelihood that someone can connect their online personas with their offline identities.
- Students can give examples of effective tools and techniques that reduce the ability of websites, apps, and services to track their online behavior, explain (in general terms) how they work, and enumerate some of their limitations.
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In this media-rich lesson plan, students explore how to keep their digital lives safe, spot cyber scams, and learn the basics of coding from NOVA Labs. The lesson begins with students watching the Cybersecurity 101 video and discussing the online safety measures that they currently take. Next, students make predictions about online safety best practices, complete the Level 1 challenges of the NOVA Cybersecurity Lab, and compare the best practices from the game with their predictions. Students reconvene for direct instruction on the best practices and key computer science terms and then finish the Cybersecurity Lab game. Finally, students complete the video quizzes with short-response discussion questions and can work on the Cybersecurity stories as homework reading assignments.
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This activity will guide students through a discussion of why, how and when passwords are used to protect individual privacy, how to create strong passwords, and who to share passwords with. The activity will also show students how they can adjust their privacy settings on their online accounts. After the presentation and discussion, students will practice what they have learned by playing “InterLand,” an online game resource that is part of the “Be Internet Awesome with Google” digital citizenship curriculum, designed for students in grades 3-6. The “Tower of Treasure” learning game focuses on protecting privacy and creating strong passwords.
This activity was created as a result of the ALEX Resource Development Summit.
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In this lesson, students will define conflict as it relates to Native American land conflict during the early nineteenth century. Students will compare Native Americans' and settlers' perspectives on land. Students will write a narrative writing as a Creek Chief watching the settlers move into their territory, focusing on how this makes them feel and how these events will change the lives of his/her people.
This lesson was created in partnership with the Alabama Department of Archives and History.
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Students continue to practice working with arrays and are introduced to a new user interface element, the canvas. The canvas includes commands for drawing simple geometric shapes (circles, rectangles, lines) and also triggers mouse and key events like any other user interface element. Over the course of the lesson, students combine these features to make an app that allows a user to draw an image while recording every dot drawn on the canvas in an array. By processing this array in different ways, the app will allow students to redraw their image in different styles, like random, spray paint, and sketching. Along the way, students use their knowledge of functions with return values to make code which is easy to manage and reuse.
Students will be able to:
- programmatically control the canvas element in response to user interactions.
- maintain a dynamically generated array through the running of a program in order to record and reuse user input.
- use nested loops within a program to repeat a command on the same array index multiple times.
- perform variable arithmetic within an array index to access items in an array by their relative position.
Note: You will need to create a free account on code.org before you can view this resource.
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In this activity, students will use keyword searches in Pebble Go to research a chosen animal and curate information about that animal. The information will be collected on a note-taking graphic organizer. The students will record four facts about their animal. Students will choose 2 favorite facts from the four they curated.
This learning activity was created as a result of the ALEX - Alabama Virtual Library (AVL) Resource Development Summit.
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Technology use isn't always a distraction, but there are definitely times when it's best to keep devices away. Help students learn when it's appropriate to use technology and when it's not -- and practice making family rules for device-free time at home.
Students will be able to:
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Recognize the ways in which digital devices can be distracting.
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Identify how they feel when others are distracted by their devices.
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Identify ideal device-free moments for themselves and others.
Users will need to create a free account to access this resource.
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In this lesson, students begin working with the data that they have been collecting since the first lesson of the chapter in the class "data tracker". They are introduced to the first step in analyzing data: cleaning the data. Students will follow a guide in Code Studio, which demonstrates the common techniques of filtering and sorting data to familiarize themselves with its contents. Then they will correct errors they find in the data by either hand-correcting invalid values or deleting them. Finally, they will categorize any free-text columns that were collected to prepare them for analysis. This lesson introduces many new skills with spreadsheets and reveals the sometimes subjective nature of data analysis.
Students will be able to:
- filter and sort a dataset using a spreadsheet tool.
- identify and correct invalid values in a dataset with the aid of computational tools
- justify the need to clean data prior to analyzing it with computational tools.
Note: You will need to create a free account on code.org before you can view this resource.
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With so much information at our fingertips, students learn what it means to "give credit" when using content they find online. Taking on the role of a detective, students learn why it's important to give credit and the right ways to do it when they use words, images, or ideas that belong to others.
Students will be able to:
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Explain how giving credit is a sign of respect for people's work
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Learn how to give credit in their schoolwork for the content they use from the internet
Users will need to create a free account to access this resource.
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Print and shuffle the following block slides to play the PBS KIDS ScratchJr Block version of Simon Says.
PBS KIDS ScratchJr app is now available for free from the App Store on iPad and from the Google Play store on Android tablets.
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Students will be introduced to a five-step action plan to reduce their use of digital devices and decrease the negative consequences of a "poor digital diet." Students will analyze the relationship between all aspects of social and emotional health and describe how the use of digital devices can affect their health. Students will write and present a personal pledge to improve their "digital diet," demonstrating their command of the formal English language and presentation skills.
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This lesson covers the input and output aspects of computers in a context that is relevant and familiar to students: apps. The class evaluates various web applications to analyze the specific problems that they were designed to solve, the inputs that they need to work, and the outputs they provide to users. The class concludes with observations of these apps as well as a teacher-led discussion about the impact of apps on society.
Note: You will need to create a free account on code.org before you can view this resource.
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As kids grow, they'll naturally start to communicate more online. But some of what they see could make them feel hurt, sad, angry, or even fearful. Help your students build empathy for others and learn strategies to use when confronted with cyberbullying.
Students will be able to:
- Understand that it's important to think about the words we use, because everyone interprets things differently.
- Identify ways to respond to mean words online, using S-T-O-P.
- Decide what kinds of statements are OK to say online and which are not.
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The web is full of questionable stuff, from rumors and inaccurate information to outright lies and so-called fake news. So how do we help students weed out the bad and find what's credible? Help students dig into why and how false information ends up online in the first place and then practice evaluating the credibility of what they're finding online.
Students will be able to:
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learn reasons that people put false or misleading information on the internet.
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learn criteria for differentiating fake news from credible news.
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practice evaluating the credibility of information they find on the internet.
Users will need to create a free account to access this resource.
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Students are immersed in a multi-level adventure game cleverly designed to introduce computer programming concepts and improve problem-solving skills. To save the motherboard, kids create a custom hero character and fight bugs! Estimated time: 40 min. A teacher guide and answer key is provided. More free coding activities at www.tynker.com/hour-of-code.