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!