Dear Parents,
 
We will be using Typing.com, an online typing tutor, to teach your child about proper touch-typing techniques and improve their keyboarding skills. Learning to touch type helps students be more productive and better prepares them for success in school and beyond.
 
On Typing.com, your child can practice and master the keyboard one lesson at a time. It allows them to pick up where they left off in the course and displays a keyboard and hand diagram as they type to reinforce proper finger placement.
 
I have set your child up with his/her own individual account. S/he can access Typing.com from any computer (with an internet connection and modern web browser). From the teacher account, I can monitor and review your child's progress and track important statistics like typing speed, accuracy, and time spent typing.
 
I will discuss specific assignments and grading requirements with the students in class. I look forward to a great year as we incorporate the use of technology into our curriculum.  If you have any questions, please contact me.
 
Student Log In: www.typing.com/student
 

Additionally, we are utilizing an amazing online series of modules that address Digital Wellness and Safety from EVERFI.  www.everfi.com  

Middle school students are part of a generation often referred to by the media as “digital natives” and their digital use often outpaces adults (especially in new platforms and technologies). But research shows that they often don’t know - or don’t follow - precautions to protect themselves and their data online. Students in middle school are susceptible to cyber-bullying (which peaks at this age group), as well as “social comparison” (the phenomenon of comparing yourself to others’ online image and finding yourself lacking). Research shows that they use digital resources regularly, but aren’t very savvy about understanding how to evaluate sources. And many in this age group express a desire to disconnect sometimes - but don’t always know how to take a break.

The rebooted Ignition course tackles some of the most pressing digital issues facing middle schoolers today, preparing them to be better digital citizens for their lifetime. It provides students with the skills they need to safely and confidently navigate the digital world. The course encourages students to take practical steps to protect their own privacy and safety online, while also teaching them how to evaluate content for accuracy, perspective, and motive. Ignition acknowledges the benefits of a digital community and resources, while teaching learners to successfully navigate pitfalls inherent in the digital space.

Each of the six evidence-informed lessons provides actionable techniques to improve how learners use their online communities, emphasizing safety, privacy, and when to get help from an adult. Each lesson contains a pre- and post-assessment to gauge knowledge gain, and the course contains a pre- and post-survey to track attitudinal and behavioral change.

Source: EVERFI.com  (Retrieved 10/2/19)

CODE.org          Bringing computer science into our classroom! 

In today’s world where software and technology are everywhere - in our computers, pockets, cars, and homes - computer science has become essential for a strong educational foundation, but unfortunately most schools don’t teach it. So, we’re proud and excited to introduce some of the basics of computer science into your child’s classroom this year using Code.org! Regardless of who they are, where they come from, or what careers or opportunities they pursue in the future, students will be better prepared and informed citizens of the digital age by learning computer science. Encourage your child as they take the course, helping them to get beyond CS stereotypes and feel empowered. Students of color and female students are among underrepresented groups in this field of study and can especially benefit from your encouragement!

What is Code.org?

Code.org offers a fun, creative platform for learning basic coding and computer science! Using a blended learning model, Computer Science Fundamentals courses blend online and "unplugged" non-computer activities to teach students computational thinking, problem solving, programming concepts and digital citizenship. Most importantly, students will learn skills that extend beyond CS and have a blast doing it! Research shows that students give computer science and the arts the highest ratings out of all their subjects. You can find more stats about CS at www.code.org/stats.

Students will study topics such as:
● Impacts of computing and digital citizenship
● Logic, problem solving and creativity
● How the Internet and computers work
● Basic computer programming
● Creating simple apps, animations, and “code art

Intermediate Course Objectives
Source: Progression of Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) K-12 Computer Science Standards, Revised 2017  csta.org  Retrieved 8/15/19.

By the end of grade five students will be able to:

Computing Systems

• Recommend improvements to the design of computing devices, based on an analysis of how users interact with the devices. (Devices)
• Design projects that combine hardware and software components to collect and exchange data. (Hardware & Software)
• Systematically identify and fix problems with computing devices and their components. (Troubleshooting)

Network & the Internet
 

• Model the role of protocols in transmitting data across networks and the Internet. (Network Communication & Organization)
• Explain how physical and digital security measures protect electronic information.(Cybersecurity)
• Apply multiple methods of encryption to model the secure transmission of information. (Cybersecurity)

Data & Analysis
 

• Represent data using multiple encoding schemes. (Storage)
• Collect data using computational tools and transform the data to make it more useful and reliable. (Collection, Visualization, & Transformation)
• Refine computational models based on the data they have generated. (Inferences & Models)

Algorithms & Programming

• Use flowcharts and/or pseudocode to address complex problems as algorithms. (Algorithms)
• Create clearly named variables that represent different data types and perform operations on their values. (Variables)
• Design and iteratively develop programs that combine control structures, including nested loops and compound conditionals. (Control)
• Decompose problems and subproblems into parts to facilitate the design, implementation, and review of programs. (Modularity)
• Create procedures with parameters to organize code and make it easier to reuse. (Modularity)
• Seek and incorporate feedback from team members and users to refine a solution that meets user needs. (Program Development)
• Incorporate existing code, media, and libraries into original programs, and give attribution.(Program Development)
• Systematically test and refine programs using a range of test cases. (Program Development)
• Distribute tasks and maintain a project timeline when collaboratively developing computational artifacts. (Program Development)
• Document programs in order to make them easier to follow, test, and debug. (Program Development)

Impact of Computing
 

• Compare tradeoffs associated with computing technologies that affect people's everyday activities and career options. (Culture)
• Discuss issues of bias and accessibility in the design of existing technologies. (Culture)
• Collaborate with many contributors through strategies such as crowdsourcing or surveys when Describe tradeoffs between allowing information to be public and keeping information private and secure. (Safety, Law & Ethics)