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Solving a Simple Maze
Solve a maze ... from a robot's point of view. In the instructional activity, your scholars build a small, simple maze from cardboard and then find a route from the start point to the finish point. They write an algorithmic process that...
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Fun with Sorting
Who knew sorting could be so much fun? Scholars participate in a sorting activity where they develop questions to place a list of numbers in order. They consider how these questions can be used as an algorithm.
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Computing in the Cloud
What and where is "the cloud"? The lesson teaches scholars about the history of cloud computing and about its current uses. It also teaches how to install a multiple guest OS in a host OS and how to use cloud computing services.
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Arduino Blink Challenge
Who knew turning a light on and off could be so complicated? In the instructional activity, pupils use Arduino boards to learn about computer codes and programs. They program an Arduino to make a light turn on and off at certain time...
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Program Your Own Game
Young computer scientists get to see what it's like to be a software engineer as they use free online software to design a computer game. They play and evaluate games groups created to round out the activity.
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Boolean Algebra is Elementary
See how Boolean algebra relates to video games with a lesson that teaches young scholars how to use Boolean algebra to create rules for a virtual world. They test the rule base for consistency in groups.
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Graphics: Bits and Points
What can a mural teach pupils about computer science? The activity has scholars create a mural on a wall to learn about bitmap and vector graphics. Along the way, they learn about the graphics coordinate system.
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Networks
Ever wonder how the Internet works? The lesson teaches scholars the basics of graph theory and how it applies to the Internet. They perform simulations to see how information is sent on the Internet.
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Recursion: Smaller Sibling Pyramids
Get siblings to do your work. Scholars learn how to perform summations of arithmetic sequences in an innovative lesson. They use iterations, smaller siblings (tail-end recursion), and the divide-and-conquer approach.
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Sorting Socks is Algorithm Complexity
Use hosiery to teach computer science. Scholars use socks to develop a set of algorithms. They find ways to find a particular sock from a set and ways to sort socks. Finally, they use their algorithms to consider time complexity.
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Data Representation: Millions of Colors
How many colors do you know? The lesson teaches scholars how digital devices use binary and hexadecimal representations to store colors. They learn how millions of colors are available on these devices.
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Sugar Crystal Challenge
Be sure to use this sweet resource. Scholars perform an experiment using sugar to investigate how surface area relates to the coarseness of sugar. They consider how this concept connects to nanotechnology.
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What is a Nanometer?
Exactly how small is a nanometer? Scholars investigate the scale of a nanometer by measuring classroom objects and converting these measurements to nanometers.
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Nano Waterproofing
Does your shirt hate water? In the activity, future engineers observe the hydrophobic effect in fabrics. They brainstorm and test some ideas for waterproofing fabrics.
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Exploring at the Nanoscale
Discover a world too small to see. In the instructional activity, young scientists learn about nanotechnology and brainstorm ideas for new applications of it. They perform an activity to determine how surface area changes when objects...
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Search Engines
Introduce search engines with an activity that models how search engines work and the different algorithms they employ. Working in groups, class members then build search queries to demonstrate the knowledge learned.
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Choose Your Best Way
Find the best path through town. The lesson teaches future computer programmers about networks and paths in graph theory. They develop a network of their towns to determine the most efficient path to visit each of their homes.
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Give Binary a Try!
Digital, analog, and now binary clocks? The instructional activity teaches individuals how to interpret binary code. They use an online software program to read binary clocks.
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Solving Problems with Decision Trees
Combat crime with computers. The lesson teaches young computer scientists about decision trees and how to use them. They consider telecommunications subscriptions and how decision trees can help detect fraud.
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Search Engines
Learn how to find things quickly and efficiently on the Internet. The lesson teaches how search engines work and how to efficiently use them. It includes an activity where groups develop search queries to find sites using given criteria.
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Circuits and Boolean Expressions
Teach basic logic using Boolean operators. Young computer scientists learn about the operators NOT, AND, and OR, and how they can be expressed using Boolean notation, logic gates, or truth tables. Along the way, they learn about half...
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Irrigation Ideas
Students design and build an irrigation system that can move water from one place to another. In this engineering lesson, students test whether their system can move two cups of water to at least three feet from the source. They evaluate...
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Getting Your Bearings
Students study friction and how the ball bearing was improved upon to increase efficiency. In this friction lesson students work in groups to complete an activity and worksheet.
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How the Rubber Meets the Road
Students design their own tire tread pattern that meets a certain requirement. In this technology activity, students explore how engineers develop tire treads. They evaluate their own work and share their product with the class.