Day 1
01 Workshop Opener 02 Previously, on Unit 3 03 Break 04 Model Lesson U3L7 05 Reflection 06 Debugging 07 Lunch 08 Curriculum Investigation 09 Assessment 10 Break 11 Conclusions and Connections 12 Scenarios 13 Wrap Up 14 Debrief

Session 8: Curriculum Investigation

lesson exploration

Purpose

The purpose of this session is for participants to investigate Unit 3 and reflect on how they will implement the lessons with their students. Although it is not possible to cover all unit content within the time allotted, core concepts are highlighted within this investigation. The overall goal of this session is for participants to reflect on the role of the teacher in a programming unit with a specific focus on how that role changes and stays the same throughout various lessons.

Objectives

  • Participants are exposed to core CS concepts within Unit 3 (variables, draw loops, booleans and user input)
  • Participants investigate a variety of lesson types and Game Lab features
  • Participants identify strategies they will use to implement selected lessons in their classrooms

Supplies & Prep

Room Setup:

  • Participants are sitting in pods

Facilitator Supplies:

Teacher Materials:

  • Laptops

Agenda

Dig into Unit 3 (55 minutes)

Reflection / Share Out (10 minutes)

Facilitation Guide

Dig into Unit 3 (55 minutes)

(15 minutes) Investigation Part 1

Facilitator Tip

While the groups are working through their unit exploration, facilitators should circulate the room. While circulating:

  • Listen in on group conversations.
  • Ask probing questions to help participants land on the intended outcomes of the session.
  • Check for understanding of core CS concepts (animations, variables, draw loops, booleans, and user input). This can be done by either directly asking participants to explain a concept or by listening in on conversations within the group.

If participants are having difficulty understanding the content of a lesson, direct them to the Help & Tips section in Code Studio to find the appropriate resources. Make sure to call out the videos within this tab. Try to avoid directly explaining a concept until after the participant has accessed the reference resources.

Unit 3 Lesson 11 - The Draw Loop

  • INVESTIGATION GOAL
    • Use a draw loop to add movement to sprites in Game Lab
  • INVESTIGATION TASK
    • Read the full lesson plan for lesson 11
    • Complete Levels 1 - 6 in Code Studio

(5 minutes) Discussion

Distance Learning Modification

For any of the reflection prompts you can follow up with a distance learning question such as “What might this look like in the context of distance learning?”. To make space for this, reduce the number of reflection questions you are asking after each investigation.

After fifteen minutes, the facilitator brings the group’s attention to the reflection questions. Participants are instructed to discuss the prompts with a partner. After the five minute discussion, participants are encouraged to explore a new lesson.

Prompts:

  • Assessing student learning in the lesson: How will you assess if students have learned what they need to learn in the lesson?
  • Referencing Resources: How will you help students develop the skill of referencing resources in this lesson?

(15 minutes) Investigation Part 2

Unit 3 Lesson 12 - Sprite Movement

  • INVESTIGATION GOAL
    • Use a counter pattern to animate sprites in Game Lab
  • INVESTIGATION TASK
    • Read the full lesson plan for Lesson 12
    • Complete Levels 1 - 6 in Code Studio

(5 minutes) Discussion

After fifteen minutes, the facilitator brings the group’s attention to the reflection questions. Participants are instructed to discuss the prompts with a partner. After the five minute discussion, participants are encouraged to explore a new lesson.

Prompts:

  • Debugging: Where do you think students might engage in debugging or problem solving during this lesson (think about specific levels or activities)? How can you support them with that work?
  • Acting as a lead learner: Identify spots in the lesson where you might be tempted to tell students what to do but can instead respond as a learner.

(15 minutes) Investigation Part 3

Unit 3 Lesson 14 - Conditionals

  • INVESTIGATION GOALS
    • Use conditionals to react to changes in variables and sprite properties
  • INVESTIGATION TASK
    • Complete bubbles 1 - 7 in Code Studio

Reflection / Share Out (10 minutes)

(5 minutes) Unit Reflection

Remarks

At this point, we have participated in four lessons from Unit 3 together (3 in the summer workshop + 1 model today) and you have investigated some lessons on your own. Now, let’s shift to think about the unit as a whole. Discuss the following prompts with a partner keeping in mind the unit as a whole and not individual lessons.

Prompts:

  • In what ways can you leverage your role as the teacher to promote inclusion while teaching Unit 3?

(5 minutes) Share Out

Discussion Goal

Answers will vary here, but the goal is for teachers to recognize that programming can be intimidating for some students which could lead to students not feeling like they belong in CS. The goal of this discussion is to draw out things that teachers might do to make all students feel included and avoid privileging prior knowledge. Examples include:

  • Incorporating multiple opportunities to check for understanding throughout each lesson
  • Looking for ways to highlight achievements of students who sometimes struggle
  • Being intentional about how to pair students for pair programing and other group activities

The facilitator asks one person from each table to share one reflection with the larger group.

  • Key points or themes are added to the shared slide deck.
  • The facilitator ends the activity by asking if anything should be added to the role of the teacher poster.