Computer Science Teacher: Mrs. Kellie Johnson, johnsonk@srd29.org

In District 29, we introduce Computer Science to children beginning in Kindergarten. Students are exposed to the Design Thinking Process where they engage in hands-on activities and experience a solution based approach to problem solving. Computer Science education goes beyond learning the content of coding, it provides exposure to life skills such as perseverance, creativity and critical thinking.  Empathy is also a learned skill in the Design Thinking Process as students have to identify a need in order to begin the design process to create an innovative solution. 

Kindergarten - Animals and Algorithms
Students are introduced to the engineering process while developing coding skills as they learn about the sequential nature of computer programming.  They use an animal to design and program a simple digital animation project. 

1st Grade - Animated Storytelling
Storytelling is a skill that first graders develop and practice through the Computer Science unit.  The sequential nature of computer programming is repeated in first grade as students are asked to combine the fundamental skills of Computer Science with story-building skills to design digital characters that showcase character, settings, action, and events from a story.   

2nd Grade - Grids and Games
Numerical relationships are introduced in second grade as students continue learning about the sequence and structure of Computer Science.  These skills are applied as students design and develop a game in which the player interacts with a character and objects on the screen.  

3rd Grade - Programming Patterns
Blocked-based computer language is introduced to students in third grade as they learn to think computationally about a problem.  Students design and create a game on a tablet using modular functions and branching logic.