Express

Express

CS Fundamentals Express combines much of Courses A-F into a single self-paced course. We recommend Courses A-F for most K-5 classrooms, If you want to have your students work through plugged lessons from multiple courses at their own paces, the Express course can be a better choice.

Warm Up

Lesson 1: Dance Party

Warm-up

  • Getting Started (5 minutes)
  • Activity (30-45 minutes)
  • Wrap Up (5 minutes)
  • Assessment (2 minutes)

In this lesson, students will program their own interactive dance party. This activity requires sound as the tool was built to respond to music.

Teacher Links:


Sequencing

Lesson 2: Programming with Angry Birds

Sequencing

  • Previewing Online Puzzles as a Class (3 min)
  • Main Activity (30 min)
  • Wrap Up (5 - 10 min)
  • Extended Learning

Learn about sequences and algorithms with Angry Birds.

Student Links: Reflection Journal

Lesson 3: Debugging with Scrat

Sequencing

  • Warm Up (15 min)
  • Main Activity (30 min)
  • Wrap Up (5 - 10 min)
  • Extended Learning

Find problems in puzzles and practice your debugging skills.

Student Links: Reflection Journal

Lesson 4: Collecting Treasure with Laurel

Sequencing

  • Warm Up (5 min)
  • Bridging Activity - Programming (10 min)
  • Main Activity (30 min)
  • Wrap Up (5 - 10 min)

Write algorithms to help Laurel the Adventurer collect lots of gems!

Student Links: Reflection Journal

Lesson 5: Creating Art with Code

Sequencing

  • Warm Up (10 min)
  • Main Activity (30 min)
  • Wrap Up (10 - 15 min)
  • Extended Learning

Create beautiful images by programming the Artist.

Student Links: Student Video | Student Handout | Reflection Journal


Loops

Lesson 6: Loops with Rey and BB-8

Loops

  • Bridging Activity - Loops (10 min)
  • Main Activity (30 min)
  • Wrap Up (5 - 10 min)
  • Extended Learning

Help BB-8 through mazes using loops!

Student Links: Reflection Journal

Lesson 7: Sticker Art with Loops

Loops

  • Warm Up (15 min)
  • Main Activity (30 min)
  • Wrap Up (15 min)

In this lesson, loops make it easy to make even cooler images with Artist!

Student Links: Reflection Journal

Lesson 8: Nested Loops in Maze

Loops

  • Warm Up (10 min)
  • Main Activity (30 min)
  • Wrap Up (15 min)

Loops inside loops inside loops. What does this mean? This lesson will teach you what happens when you create a nested loop.

Student Links: Reflection Journal

Lesson 9: Snowflakes with Anna and Elsa

Loops

  • Warm Up (15)
  • Main Activity (30)
  • Wrap Up (15)

Anna and Elsa have excellent ice-skating skills, but need your help to create patterns in the ice. Use nested loops to create something super COOL.

Student Links: Reflection Journal

Lesson 10: Looking Ahead with Minecraft

Loops

  • Warm Up (15 min)
  • Main Activity (30 min)
  • Wrap Up (15 min)
  • Extended Learning

Avoid the lava! Here you will learn about conditionals in the world of Minecraft.

Student Links: Reflection Journal


Conditionals

Lesson 11: If/Else with Bee

Conditionals

  • Preview of Online Puzzles (15 min)
  • Main Activity (30 min)
  • Wrap Up (15 min)
  • Extended Learning

Now that you understand conditionals, it's time to program Bee to use them when collecting honey and nectar.

Student Links: Reflection Journal

Lesson 12: While Loops with the Farmer

Conditionals

  • Warm Up (10 min)
  • Main Activity (30 min)
  • Wrap Up (15 min)
  • Bridging Activity (15 min)

Loops are so useful in coding. This lesson will teach you about a new kind of loop: while loops!

Student Links: Reflection Journal

Lesson 13: Conditionals in Minecraft: Voyage Aquatic

Conditionals

  • Warm Up (15 min)
  • Main Activity (30 min)
  • Wrap Up (15 min)
  • Extended Learning

Here you will learn about conditionals in the world of Minecraft.

Student Links: Reflection Journal

Lesson 14: Until Loops in Maze

Conditionals

  • Warm Up (10 min)
  • Bridging Activity (15 min)
  • Main Activity (30 min)
  • Wrap Up (15 min)

You can do some amazing things when you use until loops!

Student Links: Reflection Journal

Lesson 15: Harvesting with Conditionals

Conditionals

  • Warm Up (5 min)
  • Main Activity (30 min)
  • Wrap Up (15 min)

It's not always clear when to use each conditional. This lesson will help you get practice deciding what to do.

Student Links: Reflection Journal


Functions

Lesson 16: Functions in Minecraft

Functions

  • Warm Up (10 min)
  • Bridging Activity - Functions (15 min)
  • Main Activity (30 min)
  • Wrap Up (15 min)

Can you figure out how to use functions for the most efficient code?

Student Links: Reflection Journal

Lesson 17: Functions with Harvester

Functions

  • Warm Up (10 min)
  • Main Activity (30 min)
  • Wrap Up (15 min)

Functions will save you lots of work as you help the farmer with her harvest!

Student Links: Reflection Journal

Lesson 18: Functions with Artist

Functions

  • Warm Up (15 min)
  • Main Activity (30 min)
  • Wrap Up (15 min)
  • Extended Learning

Make complex drawings more easily with functions!

Student Links: Reflection Journal


Variables

Lesson 19: Variables with Artist

Variables

  • Warm Up (15 min)
  • Bridging Activity - Variables (15 min)
  • Main Activity (30 min)
  • Wrap Up (15 min)

Don't forget to bring creativity to class! In these puzzles you will be making fantastic drawings using variables.

Student Links: Reflection Journal

Lesson 20: Changing Variables with Bee

Variables

  • Warm Up (15 min)
  • Main Activity (30 min)
  • Wrap Up (15 min)

This bee loves variables!

Student Links: Reflection Journal

Lesson 21: Changing Variables with Artist

Variables

  • Warm Up (5 min)
  • Main Activity (20 min)
  • Wrap Up (15 min)

In this lesson, you'll make drawings using variables that change as the program runs.

Student Links: Student Video | Reflection Journal


For Loops

Lesson 22: For Loops with Bee

For Loops

  • Bridging Activity - For Loops (15 min)
  • Main Activity (30 min)
  • Wrap Up (15 min)

Buzz buzz. In these puzzles you will be guiding a bee to nectar and honey using for loops!

Student Links: Reflection Journal

Lesson 23: For Loops with Artist

For Loops

  • Warm Up (15 min)
  • Main Activity (30 min)
  • Wrap Up (15 min)

Get ready to make your next masterpiece. Here you will be using for loops to make some jaw-dropping pictures.

Student Links: Reflection Journal


Sprites

Lesson 24: Swimming Fish in Sprite Lab

Sprites

  • Warm Up (10 min)
  • Main Activity (20 min)
  • Wrap Up (15 min)

Learn how to create and edit sprites.

Student Links: Reflection Journal

Lesson 25: Alien Dance Party

Sprites

  • Warm Up (15 min)
  • Main Activity (30 min)
  • Wrap Up (15 min)

Practice making games to share with your friends and family.

Student Links: Reflection Journal

Lesson 26: Behaviors in Sprite Lab

Sprites

  • Warm Up (15 min)
  • Main Activity (30 min)
  • Wrap Up (15 min)

Learn to program your own sprite behaviors!

Student Links: Reflection Journal

Lesson 27: Virtual Pet with Sprite Lab

Sprites

  • Warm Up (15 min)
  • Main Activity (30 min)
  • Wrap Up (15 min)

In this lesson, students will create an interactive Virtual Pet that looks and behaves how they wish. Students will use Sprite Lab's "Costumes" tool to customize their pet's appearance. They will then use events, behaviors, and other concepts they have learned to give their pet a life of its own!

Student Links: Reflection Journal


End of Course Project

Lesson 28: End of Course Project

End of Course Project

  • Explore Project Ideas (45 min)
  • Build Your Project (45 min)
  • Extension Activity

Projects this big take time and plenty of planning. Find your inspiration, develop a plan, and unleash your creativity!

Teacher Links: Teacher Prep Guide | Worksheet | Rubric