Grades 6-8 | Computer Science

Action steps

1. Use a computing device to search for and document the history of how improvements have been made on networking computing devices.

2. Use a computing device to design a project where a team of people work together to collect and exchange data that helps them perform analysis on a matter of importance to them.

3. Use a computing device to document how you would systematically identify and fix an unstable internet connection.

Action steps

1. Use a computing device to search for and document the rules (protocols) that define how information is securely transmitted across the internet.

2. Use a computing device to search for and document how some of the physical and digital security measures are used to protect electronic information.

3. Use a computing device to create and document a method of encoding and decoding (encrypting) messages.

Action steps

1. Use a computing device to research and document how color is displayed in different formats such as binary, RGB values, and hex codes.

2. Use a computing device to research and document how data are stored in a relational database.

3. Use a computing device to collect, store, and retrieve data using a database.

Action steps

1. Use a computing device to document an algorithm that produces a recommendation for purchasing shoes based on inputs such as size, colors, brand, comfort, and cost.

2. Use a computing device to capture the feedback you get from talking with others about how they make a decision on which shoe they want to buy.

3. Use a computing device to refine your algorithm based on the feedback you got.

4. Use a computing device to name the variables that you would use to store information about shoe size, colors, brand, comfort, and cost.

5. Use a computing device to design a program to take inputs such as size, colors, brand, comfort, and cost to produce a shoe recommendation as output.

6. Use a computing device to document the code in the program to make it easier to maintain and modify when necessary.

7. Use a computing device to systematically test and refine the program based on feedback you get from people who use the program.

Action steps

1. Use a computing device to search for information about how the use of artificial intelligence can be both positive and negative, and document your findings.

2. Use a computing device to test and document the usability of selected apps or games to determine issues of bias and accessibility.

3. Use a computing device to work as a team with student team members to address an issue at your school and document your findings.

4. Use a computing device to search for and document the tradeoffs between allowing information to be public and keeping information private and secure.