Seventh Grade Computer Science

In seventh grade, students are introduced to text-based programming languages. They use this flexible and powerful programming environment to create more complex programs. As the intricacy of students’ programs grows, so must their ability to organize their code and break up large problems into manageable sub-problems. Throughout the year, students focus on strategies for organizing their ideas and programs in order to share them with others as well as deepen their own understanding.

 

Students learn how to use HTML and CSS to build websites with diverse content, stylish themes, and interactive components. We define the criteria for a professional website and work to develop the skills to meet the criteria. Students create websites that connect to their personal interests and support their Entrepreneurial company.

 

Students learn about algorithmic programming and explore commonly used algorithms to explain a specific sorting algorithm in a presentation to their peers. Students also explore complex ethical dilemmas in technological advancement, including implicit bias in development and the surge of artificial intelligence technology in their daily lives. This unit culminates in a project where students invent or research a new or emerging technology as well as ethically critique a partner’s technology.

 

Students begin their exploration of Python through the essential features of programming languages: output, input, storing data, making decisions, loops, and grouping. As each feature is introduced in Python, students consider why it is essential and how to creatively incorporate it into their programs. They also practice using the language to communicate their problem-solving strategies at different levels of detail.