I’m having trouble choosing between Focus on Data and Focus on Hardware. This is my first time using Code.org and I had no idea full curriculum was available for free. I’m a teacher in Texas and I teach both 7th Technology class and 8th grade Computer Science. I’m currently trying to decide what curriculum fits 7th grade technology better. 7th grade course is called “Independent Study of Emerging and Evolving Technology”. This course focuses on problem-solving through technology, hardware, and software. First semester, I covered digital citizenship, ethics, and societal impact. I’ve narrowed it down to Focus on Data or Focus on Hardware for this semester but could someone help me deicide the best curriculum?
Hi @cguajardo15788,
I could see Code.org’s Discoveries used for either of your focus areas. The Discoveries units are stand-alone units for the most part. You don’t need to follow them in order or complete one to move onto the next.
So, my thinking would be that for the focus on Data, you could follow the suggestion give in the Implementation Guide:
For the focus on hardware, I would suggest Unit 1: Problem Solving because Chapter 2 focuses on “What makes a computer a computer”. Then, you could complete one of the Unit 6 options depending on whether you have Microbits or Circuit Playgrounds. I have also supplemented the hardware topic with finding old computers kids could take apart - they loved that!
Those are my suggestions - perhaps others will add ideas.
~Michelle
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Which collection to use might depend on what you have available for your students. The Focus on Hardware collection uses the “Creating Apps with Devices” which requires either Circuit Playgrounds or micro:bits for your students. Since you mentioned having to touch on hardware, if you have either of those devices for your students to use, you might want to choose that collection.
However, you also mentioned ethics and societal impact - if those topics are more important than hardware, choosing the Focus on Data collection would probably be better since students look at both of those topics in the two chapters of the Data and Society unit and AI and Machine Learning unit found in the Focus on Data collection.
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Thank you so much for the recommendations!
Thank you for detailed recommendations!