Everyday Computer Science: Integrating Coding Across the Subject Areas

Purpose & objective

Educators and coaches will explore a variety of coding and computational thinking lesson examples to identify cross-curricular skills like sequencing, patterns, decomposition, and abstraction.

Educators and coaches can manipulate instructional resources such as books, tangrams, and digital lessons to spur discussion on how to integrate.

Educators and coaches will discuss ways to integrate computer science skills into lessons they are already teaching.

Educators and coaches will articulate how it is necessary to integrate CS into other subject areas to build culturally appropriate CS equity and access.

Outline

INTRO (10 min): What computer science and computational thinking is.
1. Mentimeter poll:
Do you know what CS stands for?
Do you know what computational thinking is?
Do you teach CS in your classroom?
2. Debrief discussion:
--Computer science is the study of computers: how they are used, built, and impact society. Students should use technology to create and collaborate, not just consume, in a culturally-relevant environment.
--Computational thinking is breaking down and solving complex problems. There are four essential skill-sets or pillars, problem decomposition, pattern recognition, abstraction, and algorithms, that serve as the foundation for more complex CS fields.
--Overview of today’s goals and remind participants that CS is everywhere

LESSON 1 DEMONSTRATION (ELA Sequencing): 10 minutes
1. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie or How to Code a Sand Castle
--Hold the book, and describe how to do the coding activity with students.
2. Interaction & Discussion:
--Educators and coaches can flip through the books and interact with the materials while the presenter is talking.
--They can scan a QR code to access the slide deck with resources. Educators and coaches can make a copy of the activity template to edit during the session.
--Educators and coaches can discuss current units or lessons they teach where these activities could fit in.
--Discuss how these activities help students practice algorithms, decomposition, and abstraction in both ELA and computer science.

LESSON 2 DEMONSTRATION (Math Patterns): 7 minutes
1. Tangrams - finding shapes inside a square
--Demonstrate how to use physical tangrams or digital tangrams with students.
--Discuss that tangrams help students practice decomposition, pattern recognition, and abstraction in both math and computer science.
2. Interaction & Discussion:
--Educators and coaches can scan a QR code to access the slide deck with resources to scroll through the slide deck. They can interact with the digital or physical tangram materials while the presenter is talking.
--Educators and coaches can make a copy of the activity template to edit during the session.
--Educators and coaches can discuss current units or lessons they teach where these activities could fit in.

LESSON 3 DEMONSTRATION (Science & ELA Cause & Effect): 10 minutes
1. Introduce Seesaw & Seesaw Lessons
2. Seesaw Mission Code example
3. Interaction & Discussion:
--Educators and coaches can scan a QR code to access the Seesaw Lesson if they have a Seesaw account or pick up an sharable iPad to view the preloaded Lesson.
--Educators and coaches can make a copy of the activity template to edit during the session.
--Educators and coaches can discuss current units or lessons they teach where these activities could fit in.
--Discuss how this lesson helps students practice algorithms through multimodal, plugged and unplugged activities to reinforce science, ELA, and computer science skills.

LESSON 4 DEMONSTRATION (Social Studies abstraction): 10 minutes
1. Seesaw K-2 Comp Thinking lesson example
2. Interaction & Discussion:
--Educators and coaches can scan a QR code to access the Seesaw Lesson if they have a Seesaw account or pick up an sharable iPad to view the preloaded Lesson.
--Educators and coaches can make a copy of the activity template to edit during the session.
--Educators and coaches can discuss current units or lessons they teach where these activities could fit in.
--Discuss how this lesson helps students practice abstraction through multimodal, plugged and unplugged activities to reinforce science, ELA, and computer science skills.

SHARING RESOURCES & DISCUSSION: QR code to other lesson resources: 5 minutes
1. Educators and coaches can click the links or scan the QR code to view resources asynchronously. Teachers can add resources to the Wakelet to share with other participants during and after the session.
--Coding to Kindness
--CS Wakelet of resources
2. Educators and coaches can watch videos of computer science Seesaw Lessons and make a copy of free activities to weave into their curriculum.

Q/A & DISCUSSION: 8 minutes
1. How might you integrate CS skills into lessons you already teach?
2. Which tech tools and resources empower your students to capture their learning?
3. Why is it important to integrate CS into other subject areas?
4. Share any resources

Supporting research

6 Reasons for Coding in the k-5 Classroom: https://www.iste.org/explore/In-the-classroom/6-reasons-for-coding-in-K-5-classrooms

ISTE-Reflections on Coding: https://www.iste.org/explore/Computer-Science/Reflections-on-coding-from-an-open-minded-skeptic

Coding to Engage Students in Reading and Writing: https://www.iste.org/explore/Computer-Science/Use-coding-to-engage-students-in-reading%2C-writing-lessons

Engage Learners with Coding: https://www.iste.org/explore/computer-science/engage-learners-coding-and-robotics

4 Reasons to Code with Scratch: https://www.iste.org/explore/computer-science/4-reasons-teach-young-learners-code-scratch