We finally have a class completely dedicated to coding using the CSD course. The class meets for 22 days a year for 70 min each day. They will have a total of 66 days when they leave middle school (22 days in each grades 6-8). The tricky part is that last year we had a hybrid course that partially taught CSD to grades 6-8. So, if we just use CSD with grades 7 and 8 this year they will have already seen/completed some/many of the tasks expected of them. We realize the new incoming 6th graders will be easy… we can start from the beginning with them and over the course of the next three years those students will have completed the course. What do you suggest regarding a pre-test for grades 7 & 8 to see what they remember from last year? Is there something in CDS that would be great to have them re-do to prove their understanding? Is there another platform that we might want to use? We do not have a lot of money to spend so something free or inexpensive would be best for us. Do we build a Google form with scenarios we take from parts of the course to see what they recall?
Do you know which units they taught? If they didn’t teach all of them, maybe you could start with problem solving (there are a lot of alternate lessons in that unit so you could teach a different version of the unit than was taught last year pretty easily) and then add the units they didn’t have last year.
As far as which units would be redoable, I think unit 3, for sure, would be one that could be done again and kids who have already done it would be able to help the others. Once they get back into the hang of it, they could make different versions of the animated greeting card and/or game than they may have made the previous year.
Unit 2 could also be expanded upon. They may be able to remember the basics of the web development, but still using web lab, they could learn other tags from other websites such as w3schools.com and make their websites even better while helping the newer students to learn.
If they didn’t do unit 7 last year (artificial intelligence), there’s a lot there that could be taught to any student as well. I wouldn’t start with unit 7, but maybe after problem solving and either web or game lab and perhaps the other units they may not have covered, unit 7 would be a fun one to teach as well.
If you search the assessments board on the forum, you will find that quite a few teachers have shared some assessments and you may be able to use those for pretesting if you want as well. I’m sure others may have some good ideas as well…
I would second what @mwood suggested. As far as the pre-test goes, you might check in the assessment section of the forum (accessible to any verified teachers on Code.org). Many teachers share assessments that they’ve created that may offer a sort of clearinghouse of questions for you to utilize in creating something to fit your specific needs. https://forum.code.org/c/csd/assessment/371