2020-2021 vs 2018 Version

Hello,

This is my second year teaching CS Discoveries and I believe that this years version seems a little sloppy compared to previous ones. I’m at Lesson 7 and here students are expected to work with code that includes class rule sets (HTML) and the exemplar for the project guide talks about including pictures in their websites. However, there is no mention of class rule sets until lesson 18 and I’m not even sure with lesson talks about how to add pictures in HTML.

My first year I used the 2018 version and I don’t recall having these types of issues. They are small things but I feel like they can be confusing for students, and more so with virtual learning.

What do you guys think?

Hi @alfredo.a.cruz,

I agree that a change in curriculum can be a little disrupting. I did like the changes to the 2020 version in that the introduction to CSS is earlier. In prior versions, students would get frustrated at not being able to add color in the first chapter. I did not see the reference to a class but could have missed it? I see many references to “rule-set” as that is how you build a stylesheet - with a selector and a set of rules. Where do you see a reference to class leading up to Lesson 7? As I said - I could have missed it.

And yes, I see that the exemplar Project Guide does list pictures as probable ways a student might respond to the questions about how they could communicate style in a webpage. I do think this an accurate exemplar representing how a middle-school student would respond to those questions:) The rubric for the lesson does not include adding images. And they soon learn how to add them in the following 2 lessons (8-Intellectual Property and then 9-Adding Images). The wrap-up prompt at the end of the lesson for the journal is, “What’s one thing that would make your web page better that you don’t know how to do yet?” I’m guessing most students will respond with “adding images!” The lesson is optional and could be skipped since Lesson 10 is similar.

Those are some of my thoughts. And like I said, I didn’t see the reference to class before Lesson 7 so let us know where you see that.
~Michelle

Ah yes. I knew it was there - I just didn’t see it. You could report your concern and mention the specific level and issue regarding the early use of class. If enough reports are received on the same issue, then they will consider revising it in future.

I had never noticed the forum link before. I did look at earlier versions and when you click on the “forum” under “support” in the lesson plans of the 2019 version, it took you specifically to that lesson section of the forum. The 2020 version link to the forum takes you to CSD and not to the specific lesson. I’ll ask around about this and report back after the holidays:)

Thanks for all your input!
Michelle