Unit 6 Overview
In Unit 6, students further develop their programming skills while more deeply exploring the role of hardware platforms in computing. By the end of the unit, students should be able to design and build a physical computing device that integrates hardware inputs and outputs with software. This unit builds on the skills and understandings from the Animations and Games unit with more sophisticated programming constructs, such as arrays, for-loops, and parameters, as well as a deeper understanding of the types of input and output that can be used in computing. Students should leave the unit feeling equipped to use physical computing to solve problems in fun and innovative ways.
Learning Framework
Computing Systems
Identify hardware used in computing systems
Describe different types of input and output that a computing device might use, and justify the choice of a particular input or output for a given task or computing system
Prototype a physical computing device
Develop an interactive physical prototype that integrates hardware and software, including simple circuits. Connect, troubleshoot, and debug external devices and integrated computing systems.
Use hardware output
Develop software to control a variety of physical devices. Recognize the needs for various types of hardware output in computing systems and use software to produce them.
Use hardware input
Develop a program that responds to a variety of hardware input, including those the user does and doesn’t actively control. Recognize the need for various types of input, both analog and digital, and represent the values of those inputs in various ways.
Algorithms
Events and user input
Use event handlers to respond to user interaction, and describe how an event handler responds to user input.
Use getters and setters to manipulate properties
Use getters and setters to access and manipulate the properties of elements in a system.
Modularity
Use functions with parameters
Create and use a function that uses parameters to generalize behavior. Recognize when a program can use parameterized functions to further generalize algorithms, and justify their use.
Use arrays and iteration
Recognize an array as a list of elements that can be operated on sequentially. Create, modify, and and access elements in arrays. Use for loops to iterate over arrays.
Program Development
Use a structured process to develop a piece of software
Implement different features of a program by following a structured project guide, scoping the features according to user needs and intended functionality.
Identify and analyze computing solutions to a specific problem
Identify various computing solutions to a given problem, and analyze their effectiveness. Suggest and implement improvements to computing solutions.
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Unit 6 - Physical Computing
Lesson 1: Innovations in Computing
Standards Alignment
CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards (2017)
IC - Impacts of Computing
- 2-IC-20 - Compare tradeoffs associated with computing technologies that affect people's everyday activities and career options.
Lesson 2: Designing Screens with Code
Standards Alignment
CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards (2017)
AP - Algorithms & Programming
- 2-AP-11 - Create clearly named variables that represent different data types and perform operations on their values.
- 2-AP-13 - Decompose problems and subproblems into parts to facilitate the design, implementation, and review of programs.
- 2-AP-16 - Incorporate existing code, media, and libraries into original programs, and give attribution.
- 2-AP-19 - Document programs in order to make them easier to follow, test, and debug.
Lesson 3: The Circuit Playground
Standards Alignment
CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards (2017)
AP - Algorithms & Programming
- 2-AP-11 - Create clearly named variables that represent different data types and perform operations on their values.
- 2-AP-13 - Decompose problems and subproblems into parts to facilitate the design, implementation, and review of programs.
- 2-AP-16 - Incorporate existing code, media, and libraries into original programs, and give attribution.
- 2-AP-19 - Document programs in order to make them easier to follow, test, and debug.
CS - Computing Systems
- 2-CS-02 - Design projects that combine hardware and software components to collect and exchange data.
- 2-CS-03 - Systematically identify and fix problems with computing devices and their components.
Lesson 4: Input Unplugged
Standards Alignment
CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards (2017)
AP - Algorithms & Programming
- 2-AP-10 - Use flowcharts and/or pseudocode to address complex problems as algorithms.
Lesson 5: Board Events
Standards Alignment
CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards (2017)
AP - Algorithms & Programming
- 2-AP-11 - Create clearly named variables that represent different data types and perform operations on their values.
- 2-AP-12 - Design and iteratively develop programs that combine control structures, including nested loops and compound conditionals.
- 2-AP-13 - Decompose problems and subproblems into parts to facilitate the design, implementation, and review of programs.
- 2-AP-16 - Incorporate existing code, media, and libraries into original programs, and give attribution.
- 2-AP-17 - Systematically test and refine programs using a range of test cases.
- 2-AP-19 - Document programs in order to make them easier to follow, test, and debug.
CS - Computing Systems
- 2-CS-01 - Recommend improvements to the design of computing devices, based on an analysis of how users interact with the devices.
- 2-CS-02 - Design projects that combine hardware and software components to collect and exchange data.
- 2-CS-03 - Systematically identify and fix problems with computing devices and their components.
Lesson 6: Getting Properties
Lesson 7: Analog Input
Standards Alignment
CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards (2017)
AP - Algorithms & Programming
- 2-AP-11 - Create clearly named variables that represent different data types and perform operations on their values.
- 2-AP-12 - Design and iteratively develop programs that combine control structures, including nested loops and compound conditionals.
- 2-AP-13 - Decompose problems and subproblems into parts to facilitate the design, implementation, and review of programs.
- 2-AP-16 - Incorporate existing code, media, and libraries into original programs, and give attribution.
- 2-AP-17 - Systematically test and refine programs using a range of test cases.
- 2-AP-19 - Document programs in order to make them easier to follow, test, and debug.
CS - Computing Systems
- 2-CS-01 - Recommend improvements to the design of computing devices, based on an analysis of how users interact with the devices.
- 2-CS-02 - Design projects that combine hardware and software components to collect and exchange data.
- 2-CS-03 - Systematically identify and fix problems with computing devices and their components.
Lesson 8: The Program Design Process
Standards Alignment
CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards (2017)
AP - Algorithms & Programming
- 2-AP-14 - Create procedures with parameters to organize code and make it easier to reuse.
- 3A-AP-16 - Design and iteratively develop computational artifacts for practical intent, personal expression, or to address a societal issue by using events to initiate instructions.
CS - Computing Systems
- 2-CS-03 - Systematically identify and fix problems with computing devices and their components.
Lesson 9: Project - Make a Game
Standards Alignment
CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards (2017)
AP - Algorithms & Programming
- 2-AP-10 - Use flowcharts and/or pseudocode to address complex problems as algorithms.
- 2-AP-11 - Create clearly named variables that represent different data types and perform operations on their values.
- 2-AP-12 - Design and iteratively develop programs that combine control structures, including nested loops and compound conditionals.
- 2-AP-13 - Decompose problems and subproblems into parts to facilitate the design, implementation, and review of programs.
- 2-AP-15 - Seek and incorporate feedback from team members and users to refine a solution that meets user needs.
- 2-AP-16 - Incorporate existing code, media, and libraries into original programs, and give attribution.
- 2-AP-17 - Systematically test and refine programs using a range of test cases.
- 2-AP-18 - Distribute tasks and maintain a project timeline when collaboratively developing computational artifacts.
- 2-AP-19 - Document programs in order to make them easier to follow, test, and debug.
CS - Computing Systems
- 2-CS-01 - Recommend improvements to the design of computing devices, based on an analysis of how users interact with the devices.
- 2-CS-02 - Design projects that combine hardware and software components to collect and exchange data.
- 2-CS-03 - Systematically identify and fix problems with computing devices and their components.
Lesson 10: Arrays and Color LEDs
Standards Alignment
CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards (2017)
AP - Algorithms & Programming
- 2-AP-11 - Create clearly named variables that represent different data types and perform operations on their values.
- 2-AP-13 - Decompose problems and subproblems into parts to facilitate the design, implementation, and review of programs.
- 2-AP-16 - Incorporate existing code, media, and libraries into original programs, and give attribution.
- 2-AP-19 - Document programs in order to make them easier to follow, test, and debug.
CS - Computing Systems
- 2-CS-02 - Design projects that combine hardware and software components to collect and exchange data.
Lesson 11: Making Music
Lesson 12: Arrays and For Loops
Standards Alignment
CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards (2017)
AP - Algorithms & Programming
- 2-AP-11 - Create clearly named variables that represent different data types and perform operations on their values.
- 2-AP-12 - Design and iteratively develop programs that combine control structures, including nested loops and compound conditionals.
- 2-AP-13 - Decompose problems and subproblems into parts to facilitate the design, implementation, and review of programs.
- 2-AP-14 - Create procedures with parameters to organize code and make it easier to reuse.
- 2-AP-16 - Incorporate existing code, media, and libraries into original programs, and give attribution.
- 2-AP-17 - Systematically test and refine programs using a range of test cases.
- 2-AP-19 - Document programs in order to make them easier to follow, test, and debug.
CS - Computing Systems
- 2-CS-01 - Recommend improvements to the design of computing devices, based on an analysis of how users interact with the devices.
- 2-CS-02 - Design projects that combine hardware and software components to collect and exchange data.
- 2-CS-03 - Systematically identify and fix problems with computing devices and their components.
Lesson 13: Accelerometer
Lesson 14: Functions with Parameters
Lesson 15: Circuits and Physical Prototypes
Standards Alignment
CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards (2017)
AP - Algorithms & Programming
- 2-AP-10 - Use flowcharts and/or pseudocode to address complex problems as algorithms.
- 2-AP-11 - Create clearly named variables that represent different data types and perform operations on their values.
- 2-AP-14 - Create procedures with parameters to organize code and make it easier to reuse.
- 2-AP-19 - Document programs in order to make them easier to follow, test, and debug.
CS - Computing Systems
- 2-CS-02 - Design projects that combine hardware and software components to collect and exchange data.
- 2-CS-03 - Systematically identify and fix problems with computing devices and their components.
IC - Impacts of Computing
- 2-IC-21 - Discuss issues of bias and accessibility in the design of existing technologies.
Lesson 16: Project - Prototype an Innovation
Standards Alignment
CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards (2017)
AP - Algorithms & Programming
- 2-AP-10 - Use flowcharts and/or pseudocode to address complex problems as algorithms.
- 2-AP-11 - Create clearly named variables that represent different data types and perform operations on their values.
- 2-AP-12 - Design and iteratively develop programs that combine control structures, including nested loops and compound conditionals.
- 2-AP-13 - Decompose problems and subproblems into parts to facilitate the design, implementation, and review of programs.
- 2-AP-15 - Seek and incorporate feedback from team members and users to refine a solution that meets user needs.
- 2-AP-16 - Incorporate existing code, media, and libraries into original programs, and give attribution.
- 2-AP-17 - Systematically test and refine programs using a range of test cases.
- 2-AP-18 - Distribute tasks and maintain a project timeline when collaboratively developing computational artifacts.
- 2-AP-19 - Document programs in order to make them easier to follow, test, and debug.
CS - Computing Systems
- 2-CS-01 - Recommend improvements to the design of computing devices, based on an analysis of how users interact with the devices.
- 2-CS-02 - Design projects that combine hardware and software components to collect and exchange data.
- 2-CS-03 - Systematically identify and fix problems with computing devices and their components.