Curriculum and Classes
Lower School
Middle School
High School
Lower School Curriculum
Philosophy Statement:
The primary goal in the Lower School computer classes is to help the students
become technologically literate. This is achieved by exposing students to a
wide variety of hands-on computer experiences which includes programming,
simulations, information gathering, and working with applications and subject
area software. By providing a broad range of computer experiences, we help
students understand how computers can facilitate learning in all subject
areas.
We encourage students to respect one another's learning styles and different
levels of computer expertise. Cooperative learning is encouraged so that the
computer is viewed as a tool, not a companion.
An effective computer program provides students with the opportunity to be
self-directed, to pose and pursue their own questions, to explore, construct
and create. We encourage students to feel confident enough to explore and build
on what they know.
Goals:
- To develop technological fluency through the effective use of
computers
- To familiarize students with various computer applications
- To encourage students to be problem solvers
- To foster independence
- To help students develop self-confidence as they develop their
technological skills
- To augment what students are learning in the homeroom by promoting the
integration of computer use with classroom work
- To promote cooperative learning through group activities
- To provide guidelines for the ethical use of computer
Skill Development for Grade 2:
- Basic word processing skills
- Development of critical thinking skills through simulations, problem
solving, and drawing conclusions
- Introduction to software media representing different subject areas
- Introduction to the server
- Introduction to desktop management
- Mouse manipulation
- Drawing, painting, and desktop publishing
- Introduction of hardware and software terminology
- Menus
- Introduction to working with two documents at one time
- Introduction to geography software using maps and legends
Skill Development for Grade 3:
- Basic word processing skills
- More advanced drawing and painting techniques
- Development of critical thinking skills through simulations, problem
solving, and drawing conclusions
- Introduction to using computer reference materials through the library
browse screen
- Introduction to using the Internet
- Continued use of software media representing different subject areas
- Introduction to the applications menu
- Independent use of the server
- Basic use of geography software
Skill Development for Grade 4:
- Intermediate word processing skills including:
- Formatting documents, text editing tools, content editing, inserting
pictures, using graphic tools for drawing and painting
- More advanced critical thinking skills through simulations, problem
solving, and drawing conclusions
- Intermediate use of computer reference materials through the library browse
and detailed search screens
- Intermediate use of the Internet search engines and navigation tools
- Ethical use of the computer and Internet
- Continued use of the server
- Manipulation of hardware including use of laser and color printers,
selecting printer to suit own needs
- Introduction to keyboard skills and basic positioning
- Introduction to use of multiple applications at one time
- Intermediate use of geography software
Middle School Curriculum
Philosophy Statement and Goals:
The primary goal in the middle school computer science curriculum is twofold:
to experience the critical thinking and problem solving that comprise the
foundations of computer science and to use the computer as a tool to be
utilized in all aspects of the students' educational experience. This is
achieved in two ways: by computer science classes and by integration of
technology into classroom curriculum.
Our computer curriculum also provides a format for discussion of ethical
behavior in regard to computer usage.
Concepts for 5th Grade:
- Keyboard skills
- File server usage and logging in with password
- Discussion of ethical considerations
- Internet use for research
- Internet use for class project presentations
- Word processing
- Spreadsheets and graphing
- Digital photography
- Programming
- Image processing
- Multimedia techniques
- Concept mapping
- Bit-mapped painting vs. vector-based drawing
Concepts for 6th Grade:
- Keyboard skills
- File server usage and logging in with password
- Discussion of ethical considerations
- Internet use for research
- Internet use for class project presentations
- Word processing
- Spreadsheets and graphing
- Geometry (Tesselations)
- Concept mapping
- Image processing
- Multimedia techniques
- Programming
Concepts for 7th Grade:
- File server usage and logging in with password
- Discussion of ethical considerations
- Internet use for research
- Internet use for class project presentations
- Hyper Text Mark-up Language
- Word processing
- Spreadsheets and graphing
- Scanner usage
- Image processing
Concepts for 8th Grade:
- Keyboard skills
- File server usage and logging in with password
- Discussion of ethical considerations
- Internet use for research
- Internet use for class project presentations
- Word processing
- Bit-mapped drawing
- Image processing
- Multimedia techniques
- Programming
Computer Science Course Work in the 5th Grade:
- Keyboarding
- File server usage and logging in with password
- Ethics: discussion of the school's computing
policy
- Research skills using the on-line library resources and web browser
- Word Processing using Microsoft Word
- Spreadsheets and graphing using Microsoft Excel
- Digital photography using still and DV digital cameras
- Programming with LOGO using MicroWorlds
- Image processing using a variety of programs
- Concept mapping using Inspiration
- Multi-media techniques using eZedia
Computer Science Course Work in the 6th Grade:
- Keyboarding
- File server usage and logging in with password
- Ethics: discussion of the school's computing
policy
- Research skills using the Internet
- Internet use for class project presentations
- Word Processing using Microsoft Word
- Spreadsheets and graphing using Microsoft Excel
- Image processing using a variety of programs
- Multimedia techniques using PowerPoint and eZedia
- Programming using MicroWorlds
- Concept mapping using Inspiration
Computer Science Course Work in the 8th Grade
(elective):
- Keyboarding
- File server usage and logging in with password
- Ethics: discussion of the school's computing
policy
- Programming with Runtime Revolution
- Graphics techniques and animation
- Objects and scripts: buttons, fields, cards, stacks
- Variables and variable scope
- Program control: loops and conditional statements
- User interface considerations
Integration of Technology into Subject Area Curriculum in the 5th
Grade:
- Sutherland Award in conjunction with the librarians using Microsoft
Word
- Homeroom teachers research projects (timeline of historical events) using
the Internet
- Story writing using word processing
- Lego/LOGO using MicroWorlds and LOGO
- Keyboard practice
Integration of Technology into Subject Area Curriculum in the 6th
Grade:
- Writer's workshop uses Microsoft Word
- Internet research using the Web
- Spanish uses language drill software
Integration of Technology into Subject Area Curriculum in the 7th
Grade:
- Writer's workshop uses Microsoft Word
- Science spreadsheets and graphing using Microsoft Excel
- Research projects use the Internet, electronic library search, and
electronic encyclopedia
- Humanities uses web page editors to create web pages
- World Languages uses the Internet and Powerpoint to create presentations,
and language drill software
- Humanities uses PowerPoint to create presentations
Integration of Technology into Subject Area Curriculum in the 8th
Grade:
- Science uses the Web extensively; The Martian Sun-Times, a series of
on-line weather lessons, was developed at the Laboratory Schools
- Science uses database software to create and use databases
- Science uses Powerpoint for multimedia presentations
- Spanish uses language drill software
- Math uses Geometer's Sketchpad
- Humanities uses the Web for research
- Humanities uses iLife for multimedia projects
- Humanities uses PowerPoint to create presentations
- Humanities uses web page editors to create web pages
High School Course Offerings
The Computer Science Department is implementing a three-year computer
science curriculum for students who are interested and capable in the field.
This program is based on typical college curricula that is beginning to
percolate down to the high school level. By establishing a CS curriculum that
focuses on liberal and intellectual arts more than tool usage, utilizing and
augmenting the deep thinking skills that we wish all of our students to
develop, we provide students with a good foundation to enter, participate in,
and change the technological world in which they live.
Intro to Computer Science - (2006-07 class
web page)
If you are like most Americans you realize that Information Technology (IT) has
entered our lives over a relatively brief period of time with little warning
and essentially no formal educational preparation. There are impressive claims
for the potential benefits of IT. If you would like to know more about what’s
inside the box, and to more deeply understand what computers are, and how they
work, Introduction to Computer Science will address these concerns and give you
a foundation to live and lead in the technological world.
The course introduces students to an array of topics that make up the field
of computer science today with a particular focus on IT. It focuses on three
essential areas of IT knowledge:
- Contemporary Skills: using applications to perform tasks such as searching
the Web for information, using and designing databases, using spreadsheet and
graphing tools, making web pages, etc.
- Foundational Concepts: how the Internet works, how information is
represented digitally, the history of computer science and IT, etc.
- Intellectual Capabilities: thinking skills such as troubleshooting problems
with IT, organizing and navigating information structures, and anticipating
technological change.
Students will combine core computer science concepts with hands-on
experience as they complete projects such as designing web pages, using
high-end multimedia tools, building logic circuits, programming in Java,
designing database software, writing programs in Flash and enhancing web pages
with JavaScript.
This course is open to any level of student but is highly recommended for
ninth and tenth graders. It serves as a prerequisite for AP Computer
Science.
Advanced Placement - (2006-07 class web
page)
This year-long course will build on the work done in Introduction to Computer
Science for those interested in studying object-oriented programming, program
design, data structures, program analysis, and traditional algorithms in depth.
The course will follow the AP Computer Science syllabus as it prepares students
to take the AB Advanced Placement exam.
Independent Project in Computer Science - (2006-07 class web
page)
he motivated student is provided the opportunity to build on the skills and
concepts learned in the AP Computer Science course by creating a project on an
advanced topic in Computer Science. A non-exhaustive list of potential topics
includes game programming, cryptology, algorithms, “hard” problems in CS,
operating systems, networking and distributed computing, parallel computing,
graphics, artificial intelligence, and databases.
Interested students should obtain further information and assistance in
developing a plan of study by consulting members of the computer science
department. In addition, it will be necessary to have a computer science
department faculty member sign the course registration, agreeing to sponsor
this independent project.
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