# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
7-8.NSD.2 - Design a project that combines hardware and software components.

7-8.NSD.3 - Identify and fix problems with computing devices and their components using a systematic troubleshooting method or guide.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Sub-Concept Area: Modeling and Simulation

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Subscribe to receive news and updates from the New York State Education Department.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Ballston Spa 7-8 CSDF Standards Unpacking Template

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Use the side navigation to explore ideas, lessons, and resources for each of the standards. It is broken down by subject and by grade band. These resources have been aggregated from workshops, webinars, and from the Smart Start resources. If you find an error, or have something to share, please

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Copy of 7-8 DF & CS Resource BOCES Template

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Grades 6+ Robotics Fulfillment Center Tour

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Semantris is a word association game powered by machine learning.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Check out a collection of techniques and strategies to help create and set up an accessible environment for coding education.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
These websites, apps and magazines showcase the incredible breadth and beauty of mathematics.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
ENGINEERING.com presents Connect It gear game. Locate the gears to make the connection. Can you solve all the levels?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Orange Game #

Computer networks are based on passing messages from computer to computer. This sounds simple in principle, but in practice all sorts of contention and bottlenecks can occur.

This activity gives some first hand experience of such issues, with a game for a group of students.

Activity description (PDF) #

Translations and other versions #

Videos #

See our video page.

Photos #

More activities and lessons #

National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) has a learning package called Unplugged in a Box which has detailed lesson plan of the "Orange Game" activity.

Misha Leder, a Software Engineer at Google has an activity called Message Routing which can be a nice extension activity. Internet works this way - computer networks are connected with each other via routers. Have kids sit at several tables, every child being a server. Have representatives for each tables to act as routers. Kids write messages to each other and routers help routing this messages.

eGFI-K12 has a complete lesson plans with a maths flavour Traffic Flow. Designed for advanced high-school algebra students, it can be worked out most easily using Microsoft Excel. Explore traffic engineering further with a competition developed at the University of Toronto, an animated diagram, and a game called Gridlock Buster.

The Mathmaniacs web site has a similar activity (lesson 16)

If you want to find out more #

Additional resources #

Great Principles of Computer Science #

ACM K12 Curriculum #

Level I (Grades 3–-5) Topic 11: develop a simple understanding of an algorithm

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Orange Game # Computer networks are based on passing messages from computer to computer. This sounds simple in principle, but in practice all sorts of contention and bottlenecks can occur. This activity gives some first hand experience of such issues, with a game for a group of students.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Please rotate back to portrait mode.

This experiment is not availble on this browser. Try it on Google Chrome.

Sorry, this experiment is not availble on this device or OS version.

?

We created this trainer to make the process of learning Morse code more fun and to encourage people to keep at it. Give it a try if you've set up Morse code for Gboard and are ready to learn Morse.

This experiment is part of a larger project to support Morse code for accessible communication. Learn more about it at g.co/morse.

Built by Use All Five and
Google Creative Lab.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Please rotate back to portrait mode. This experiment is not availble on this browser. Try it on Google Chrome. Sorry, this experiment is not availble on this device or OS version. ? We created this trainer to make the process of learning Morse code more fun and to encourage people to keep at it.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Web app offering modular conversion, encoding and encryption online. Translations are done in the browser without any server interaction. This is an Open Source project, code licensed MIT.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Modular conversion, encoding and encryption online

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Web app offering modular conversion, encoding and encryption online. Translations are done in the browser without any server interaction. This is an Open Source project, code licensed MIT.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Interland is an adventure-packed online game that puts the key lessons of digital citizenship and safety into hands-on practice. Play your way to being Internet Awesome.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
At Digital4Good, we are committed to showcasing and nurturing the remarkable potential of students using digital technology for positive community impact. Our Digital4Good Summit annually highlights ten outstanding student innovators who leverage digital media and technology to address significant challenges in social, economic, environmental, and educational realms.

This event transcends the traditional, unfolding as a globally accessible LiveStream event, offering a limitless virtual stage for these young trailblazers. These students are celebrated not only for their innovative solutions but also for the promise they hold as future leaders. They are paired with industry mentors, gaining invaluable insights and guidance to enhance their projects and amplify their impact.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Digital4Good Summit- Ignite Digital Impact, Empower Tomorrow's Leaders

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Digital4Good celebrates students who are using digital technology to make a positive impact in their communities. We're shining a spotlight on student innovation and leadership to show the world just what kids + teens can do with the right tools, education, and encouragement.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What isThe Global Write ? The Global Write is a FREE learning experience for all ages that develops thinking, creativity and student voice . A place where learners can write about the world with the world. With global thinking tasks, learners from all over the world can submit their work and be provided with an authentic...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Guess Where You Are - Free GeoGuessr Alternative

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Embark on a global adventure with Guess Where You Are game, a free alternative to GeoGuessr. Test your geography skills and discover the world like never before!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Share what you create with your students! Tag @BookCreatorApp & @ClassTechTips and use the hashtag #BookCreator

is a former classroom teacher, EdTech & Curriculum Consultant and founder of the blog ClassTechTips.com. She is the author and co-author of numerous books including Tasks Before Apps and #FormativeTech.

Creative Digital Citizenship Activities

What does it look like to promote digital citizenship in the classroom? Students can practice digital citizenship skills and show off what they've learned. In this book, I'll take you through a handful of digital citizenship activities featuring Book Creator. We'll look at resources to learn more about digital citizenship, spotlight classroom stories, and hopefully get your wheels spinning about ways to promote creativity as students learn about digital citizenship.

The team at Book Creator has been exploring this
topic for some time. You might have even read
Book Creator Ambassador, Dr. Beth Holland's
article 6Cs of education - Citizenship and
Character education. It includes an overview of
digital citizenship and references the work of
Michael Fullen and the 6 Cs.

Digital Citizenship in Action

The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) describes digital citizenship as:

Using technology to improve your community.

Engaging respectfully online with people who have different beliefs than you.

Using technology to make your voice heard by public leaders and to shape public policy.

Determining the validity of online sources of information.

In addition to the resources created by ISTE, the folks at Common Sense Education also have a fantastic curriculum on digital citizenship. Designed for K-12 students, this is the first place to stop if you want to learn more about this topic. We encourage you to check out their free teaching resources.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Creative Digital Citizenship Activities with Book Creator

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In this book we look at resources to learn more about digital citizenship, spotlight classroom stories, and inspire you and your student to get creative as you learn about digital citizenship.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We have a variety of prompts to help you lesson plan and do administrative tasks with GenAI chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, Bard, and Perplexity.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Common Online Data Analysis Platform (CODAP) - CODAP

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Teaching London Computing: A RESOURCE HUB from CAS LONDON & CS4FN

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Computational Thinking overlaps a lot with the way mathematicians think. Both are ultimately about solving problems. Computer Science focusses a lot more on the idea of algorithms as solutions as well as the importance of logic. Computer Scientists rely on maths a lot, and increasingly mathematicians are relying on computational thinking. Algorithms are even being used to prove unsolved mathematical problems that human mathematicians have struggled with for years.

Computer Science topics can also be used to support numeracy, by giving an exciting, fun real world context for the importance of numbers and mathematics.

Maths forms the background of lots of our resources. Here we pick out some with the most direct links.

Activity Sheets

The following activities draw out issues on the links between maths and computing.

Numeracy: numbers, counting, practical use of numbers

Numeracy: multiplication tables

9 Times table Algorithms
Explore algorithms that allow you to work out the 9 times table, exploring what an algorithm is, efficiency, patterns and using algebra to prove algorithms always work.

Tudor Multiplication
Learn a cunning Tudor algorithm for doing those tricky times tables you can never remember, and prove it does always work.

Happy Times maths card game
Happy Times is a fun Happy families / Rummy style card game where you collect sets of cards in the same times table to win. Playing helps you learn about the fun of numbers with a focus on times tables, multiplication, division and prime numbers. Start to gain an understanding of the patterns in numbers.

Ten maths card game
Ten is a fun maths card game that involves matching pairs of cards that add up to 10. It can help learn the pairs-that-add-to-10 number facts needed for lots of other things. Download all you need to make your own Ten pack at the end.

Numeracy: counting

Kriss-Kross Puzzles
Solve these word puzzles as a way to develop logical thinking and pattern matching skills needed to enjoy both computing and maths, while practicing counting and spelling.

Numeracy: fractions

Numeracy: odd and even

Shapes, Coordinates and Scaling

Algebra

Magic: The Red Black Mind Meld Activity
You control the actions of another placing cards making a red black prediction come true and see how algebra can be used to prove a trick (or algorithm) always works.

9 Times table Algorithms
Explore algorithms that allow you to work out the 9 times table, exploring what an algorithm is, efficiency, patterns and using algebra to prove algorithms always work.

Tudor Multiplication
Learn a cunning Tudor algorithm for doing those tricky times tables you can never remember, and prove it does always work.

Binary Numbers

Demonstrate how early computers were able to find data stored on punch cards using the above magic algorithm based on binary numbers.

Graphs

Cylinders, circumference and diameter

The Ancient Greek Scytale
Make a simple Ancient Greek device for encrypting messages then write, send and read secret messages - its just a cylinder but if your friends want to read your messages they need a cylinder with the same diameter, so that it's circumference is the same. Or you can use prisms, including certain chocolate packets.

Booklets and Magazines to download

cs4fn subject portals

There are lots of fun articles on the cs4fn website linked to maths. See the following portals:

External Resources

Here are some other related resources:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Computational Thinking overlaps a lot with the way mathematicians think. Both are ultimately about solving problems. Computer Science focusses a lot more on the idea of algorithms as solutions as well as the importance of logic. Computer Scientists rely on maths a lot, and increasingly mathematicians are relying on computational thinking.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Support Science Concepts & Inquiry through AI

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Zooniverse is the world's largest and most popular platform for people-powered research.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The world has almost 8 billion people living in it, each person with his or her own stories and experiences. What if you could get to know the people of the world? What if the world were a village of only 100 people. What languages would they speak?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Design and plant gardens for endangered bees, butterflies and other pollinators using the algorithmic tool - an artwork by Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Belouga | Learn about the world, with the world!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Belouga is a web based educational platform that connects classrooms around the world. Our mission is to encourage intercultural communication to create a better tomorrow.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Lab-grown woolly mammoths could walk the Earth in six years if geneticist’s new start-up succeeds

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Tech entrepreneur Ben Lamm is helping fund a project by Harvard geneticist George Church to revive the woolly mammoth by genetically engineering Asian elephants.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The National Geographic Society is proud to invest in a global community of intrepid Explorers working to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world. Make a tax-deductible gift to support the Society today, and your support will help fund the next generation of changemakers.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Learn With Us | National Geographic Society

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Explore educational opportunities that ignite the spirit of exploration and bring the wonder of the world to learners.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Before landing on the Moon or studying the surface of Mars, astronauts must go through years of training to be prepared mentally and physically for their space journey ahead. Deep-Dive with a few of the NASA crews and learn what training to be an astronaut is all about.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Ecosystems: Urban Farming and Composting

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Origin of Everything
Season 1 Episode 14 | 6m 16s |

Today, we think of computer science as a field dominated by men, but women have a long and important history in the field. Ada Lovelace is considered the first computer programmer, Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughn, & Mary Jackson played a hugely important part in the development of computing during the space race, and Elsie Schutt ran one of the first computer software companies. So what changed?

Aired: 12/21/17

Rating: NR

Problems Playing Video? Report a Problem |

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Origin of Everything | Why Are There So Few Women in Computer Science? | Season 1 | Episode 14

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Origin of Everything Season 1 Episode 14 | 6m 16s | Today, we think of computer science as a field dominated by men, but women have a long and important history in the field.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
OK Go Sandbox is an online resource for educators that uses OK Go's music videos as starting points for integrated guided inquiry challenges allowing students to explore various STEAM concepts.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Anyone can learn computer science. Make games, apps and art with code.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Zooniverse is the world's largest and most popular platform for people-powered research.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Most Likely Machine is an interactive learning prototype by Artefact designed to help pre-teens develop algorithmic literacy through play.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
SAAM’s education resources use artworks as invitations to explore historical eras, literary themes, and connections to the present day. Contextualized within the people, movements, and stories of the United States, these artworks provide rich opportunities to uncover complexities and perspectives an…

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
MIT grad student Joy Buolamwini was working with facial analysis software when she noticed a problem: the software didn't detect her face -- because the people who coded the algorithm hadn't taught it to identify a broad range of skin tones and facial structures. Now she's on a mission to fight bias in machine learning, a phenomenon she calls the "coded gaze." It's an eye-opening talk about the need for accountability in coding ... as algorithms take over more and more aspects of our lives.

This talk was presented to a local audience at TEDxBeaconStreet, an independent event. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Read more about TEDx.

Donate to the Algorithmic Justice League.

Fight coded bias by taking action through sharing your story, spreading the word and getting involved.

Sign up for the Algorithmic Justice League Newsletter.

Follow Joy Buolamwini on Twitter.

Clare Garvie, Alvaro Bedoya, Jonathan Frankle | Explore

The Perpetual Line-up: Unregulated Police Face Recognition in America

This investigative report highlights the growing use of facial recognition by law enforcement. One in two adults in the United State is in a facial recognition database that can be searched using algorithms that have not been publicly tested for demographic accuracy.

Cathy O'Neil | Crown, 2016 | Book

Weapons of Math Destruction

Through powerful examples, Cathy shows that the increasing use of machine learning to make life altering decisions about employment, loans and access to education necessitates transparency and accountability.

Margot Lee Shetterly | William Morrow Paperbacks, 2016 | Book

Hidden Figures

Shetterly revisits history to reveal the forgotten stories of brilliant black female mathematicians whose work enabled NASA to touch the stars. By uncovering their stories, she shows the importance of embracing full spectrum teams that propel humanity forward.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Joy Buolamwini: How I'm fighting bias in algorithms

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
MIT grad student Joy Buolamwini was working with facial analysis software when she noticed a problem: the software didn't detect her face -- because the people who coded the algorithm hadn't taught it to identify a broad range of skin tones and facial structures.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Artists Meet Machine Learning - Google Arts & Culture

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A grants program launched at Google I/O, supporting six artists to develop new work with machine learning. In collaboration with Artists + Machine Intellig...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How Coding Can Support Language Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Focusing on future-ready skills—like computer science and app development—helps English language learners become better critical thinkers and more fluent speakers.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
No, you will not be able to grant students access to Khanmigo. At this time, classroom access for Khanmigo is only available through school or district implementations. We invite district and school administrators to contact our Districts Partnership team to learn about Khanmigo for Districts.

Khanmigo for teachers offers a lot of exciting features, such as standards-aligned lesson planning tied to Khan Academy's world-class content library; an on-demand summary of recent student work so you can quickly assess progress and identify areas where additional support is needed; and Khanmigo-crafted learning objectives, rubrics, and even exit tickets.

As a nonprofit educational organization, we see it as our responsibility to explore what AI could mean for the future of education. We believe that AI has the potential to transform learning in a positive way, but we are also keenly aware of the risks. Therefore, we are only offering access to learners who are under 18 years old when their parents give them access or when their school district is partnered with Khan Academy. This collaboration across school leaders, teachers, families, and Khan Academy staff makes it possible to provide the level of supervision and support children deserve. We believe these guidelines will help us responsibly adapt AI for an educational setting.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Meet Khanmigo, Khan Academy's AI-powered teaching assistant & tutor

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Get immediate help with Khanmigo by Khan Academy, the best AI for learning and teaching. Save time with our teaching aid handling your prep tasks. Tackle homework challenges with a 24/7 tutor integrated into our world-class content library.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Plotting Plots | Book Lovers Who Like Data

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
You might not know it, but I have been working on Plotting Plots for many years (see the origin story here). There were so many iterations of activities and projects, which ultimately led to this. After getting asked by several teachers for resources beyond this website, I decided to put them all down in this post. I will periodically update links over time. Let's get to it!

You can download the latest Reader's Guide, including 20+ pages of step-by-step instructions and activities for Plotting Plots with your students. (It's is still a draft, but you are welcome to use it. Just please share feedback!)

I've written two books that can be helpful for English teachers as they explore computer science in ELA further-and a very helpful article in NCTE's English Education. Check them out here:

BONUS: For English educators, you might find this conceptual essay useful. It's called, "Electrical Evocations: Computer Science, the Teaching of Literature, and the Future of English Education".

Mixed literary analyses introduce students to computational text analysis techniques by exposing them to the ways quantitative data about literature can deepen one's qualitative interpretations. Here are three samples, which I developed for the NYC Department of Education's Computer Science for All program:

1. Plotting Plots [ Original assignment] | Students use word frequency data related to Romeo and Juliet to create an analogue graph of the interplay between "love" and "death".

2. Counting Characters | Students use a web-based text mining application called Voyant Tools to analyze lovers' relationships in A Midsummer Night's Dream.

3. Distant Readings | Students use Voyant Tools again, this time to analyze ALL of Shakespeare's tragedies at once.

All units include a three-week curriculum map that leverages The Folger's Shakespeare Library's Shakespeare Set Free.

BardBots is a project in which students are introduced to key concepts in computational thinking via an unlikely combination: Shakespeare and robots. We believe that the distance between the humanities, the arts, and computer science is not as wide as it appears. The project emerged over a series of conversations where we started thinking creatively about computer science education: What does literary study teach us about computational thinking? What does robotics teach us about humanity? Are computational languages really just another kind of human language? The result is BardBots. And there is a 20+ free curriculum guide available.

One of the core tenets of work has been to make explicit the linguistic nature of software, indeed all digital phenomena. When we talk about "digital" anything, we are talking about languages that human beings wrote to communicate with each other and machines. To help teachers explore the linguistic nature of programming, I designed this content-agnostic assignment (originally for a university teacher preparation program) that gives students an opportunity to unpack the parallels between learning a computer language and what they already know about human languages. You can download it here.

In this activity, students can explore authors' word choices via if-then logic from computer science. This activity is still in draft form, so please share your feedback! You can download it here.

The Bardic Bot: What a fascinating intro to computationality using poetic meter (h/t Pam Amendola)

AI for Teachers has this excellent unit for British Literature that explores the nature of artificial intelligence through literature

Google NGram allows you to search up for word frequencies across, well, every book published over the last century and a half. It's limited in terms of detail and depth, but for breadth it's astonishing

Check out The Concord Consortium for a wide array of excellent resource for CT and CS (also h/t Pam Amendola)

I got started exploring literary data with Voyant Tools, a robust and user-friendly dashboard that makes analyzing literature computationally really easy

Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn-all @tomliamlynch-so we can be in touch

If you have other resources, please message me!

Ready to get plotting? Check out the latest posts and newest books to plot!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
An English Teacher's Guide to Plotting Plots | Plotting Plots

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
You might not know it, but I have been working on Plotting Plots for many years (see the origin story here). There were so many iterations of activities and projects, which ultimately led to this.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
January, 1865. The peace on a regular English train journey from Carnforth to Liverpool is shattered by one man's deranged laughter and erratic antics. Armed with a gun and attacking the windows to get to the other increasingly frightened passengers, he seems out of control. At the next train stop in Lancaster, the man suddenly becomes calm and serenity is returned. But as the train begins to roll again, his aggression returns . The motion of the train becomes the only means to gauge the man's behavior. His mood changes from one stop to the next, twisting and turning with the carriage.

The railway passenger prancing around with a pistol was by no means the strangest case of "railway madness" reported during the Victorian era in Britain. There seemed to be something about the railways that made people-particularly men-suffer mental anguish and unrest.

As the railway grew more popular in the 1850s and 1860s, trains allowed travelers to move about with unprecedented speed and efficiency, cutting the length of travel time drastically. But according to the more fearful Victorians, these technological achievements came at the considerable cost of mental health. As Edwin Fuller Torrey and Judy Miller wrote in The Invisible Plague: The Rise of Mental Illness from 1750 to the Present, trains were believed to " injure the brain." In particular, the jarring motion of the train was alleged to unhinge the mind and either drive sane people mad or trigger violent outbursts from a latent "lunatic." Mixed with the noise of the train car, it could, it was believed, shatter nerves.

In the 1860s and '70s, reports began emerging of bizarre passenger behavior on the railways. When seemingly sedate people boarded trains, they suddenly began behaving in socially unacceptable ways. One Scottish aristocrat was reported to have ditched his clothes aboard a train before "leaning out the window" ranting and raving. After he left the train, he suddenly recovered his composure.

Regarding the specific type of mental condition believed to have been caused by the trains, Professor Amy-Milne Smith, a cultural historian at Wilfrid Laurier University, notes that "railway madmen would have all likely be seen as suffering mania." Medical journals at the time were very concerned about how railway madmen could be detected when their madness might lie latent.

Not all goings-on in the first- and second-class carriages involved eccentric rambling in the nude-vicious attacks with knives and other weapons that could result in death were reported as well. The trains themselves were considered to be ridden with perilous conditions that endangered passengers. Confined carriages were locked for privacy reasons, meaning people were at risk of being trapped in small rooms with "lunatics" who were ready to snap at any minute. The lack of suitable on-board communications meant that if attacked by such a person, you couldn't easily call for help.

The media did its part to whip up a frenzy over railway madness. One 1864 story, starkly titled "A Madman in a Railway Carriage," gleefully related how a burly sailor became incensed, flailing around in an erratic manner first trying to climb out of the window , and then swearing and shouting at the other occupants of the carriage and struggling with everyone . A superhuman strength gripped this aggressor and four people were required to restrain him and he had to be bound to a seat. The conflict was not over yet though. When the sailor was released, he charged viciously at those who had restrained him and accusing them of stealing from him, it took railway officials and finally the police to subdue and arrest the sailor.

The problem of railway madness did not just refer to those driven insane in the process of the journey. Another concern of the time was that the railway provided a swift and convenient getaway for patients who had escaped from the various mental-health institutions throughout Great Britain.

In 1845, Punch magazine published a cartoon showing train tracks leading to an asylum. The logistics of the railways dotted around the countryside meant that a "mental patient" could evade the staff and hop on the next train to freedom. Stories of maniacs and terror on the tracks terrified many and delighted others.

As Professor Anna Despotopoulou at the University of Athens says, "the train in the 19th century offered women an unprecedented opportunity to travel freely" but stories of madmen on the rails "often heightened the anxiety to travel." After going on a particular train ride, female novelist George Eliot stated with tongue firmly in cheek that upon seeing someone who looked wild and brutish, she was reminded of "all the horrible stories of madmen in railways." Elliot seemed to relish the excitement of a possible confrontation and sounded rather disappointed when the figure turned out to be an ordinary clergyman.

Other members of the elite were more frightened than Eliot of the potential for being in a compartment with a maniac. However, there was no easy solution because of the trains' design, which encouraged the form of physical isolation that increased fears of these fabled madmen.

It was nevertheless agreed that something had to be done to protect passengers against railway maniacs. Attacks, according to the Scotsman newspaper, were becoming an everyday occurrence, and railway madness on British trains had become internationally renowned. One "American Traveller" spoke of carrying a loaded revolver on trains in England because of the prospect of encounters with a "madman."

The 1864 by-laws of the Victorian Railways stipulated that "insane persons" should be isolated "in a compartment by themselves." If railway madmen could not be stopped then they might at least be contained. These regulations, of course, ignored those who boarded the train perfectly in control of their faculties and only displayed their erratic behavior once the train was in motion and the doors locked.

Implementing these rules was a problem. Every time an invention was proposed to ensure greater safety, it was rejected on the grounds of protecting personal space. Case in point: "Müller's lights," windows within the train carriages designed to allow observation of other compartments and installed by several companies such as the South Western Railway. These portholes were meant to reduce seclusion inside the coach, but were regarded as an intrusion-and raised fears about Peeping Toms. In other areas there were calls for increased communication on the trains such as cables to signal an emergency but problems of logistics prevented this.

The railways seemed to cause anxiety and concern about madness because of the noise and the unpredictable nature of the railways. There were also beliefs within the medical profession that the vibrations of the railway carriage could have a disastrous effect on people's nerves. And it was impossible to predict who might be the one to be driven mad. As Professor Amy-Milne Smith wrote, "not only might you be attacked by a madman on a railway journey- you might become one." As a result railways became associated with insanity. What might be thought of as more like post-traumatic stress disorder today was viewed as a form of nervous disturbance by Victorians.

Eventually, the outrage over mental-health problems on the railways and the "railway madmen" faded out as inexplicably as it had appeared. The blood-and-guts-loving Victorian media moved onto the next story, though onboard disturbances still happened from time to time. In 1894, one naked individual even launched a full-on assault on the train by disabling the communications and then attacking those onboard, roaming around at will through the train. The whole affair was treated as puzzling, but not frightening-the attacker was battled and jabbed back with the pointy end of an umbrella.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Victorian Belief That a Train Ride Could Cause Instant Insanity

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
January, 1865. The peace on a regular English train journey from Carnforth to Liverpool is shattered by one man's deranged laughter and erratic antics. Armed with a gun and attacking the windows to get to the other increasingly frightened passengers, he seems out of control.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Teaching London Computing: A RESOURCE HUB from CAS LONDON & CS4FN

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The best computer scientists aren't just good at writing code, they are good at writing english too. Any graduate does - being good at communicating is part of the job. Computation can also support literacy by opening up a whole new way of playing with words.

There's a whole new breed of computer scientists that are interested in English in a deep way. They are in the business of understanding how people communicate so that computers can better understand us - so they can make computers communicate in naturally human ways for example.

Other computer scientists are applying computational thinking to the practice of English: trying to invent algorithms that encapsulate what creative writing is all about: creating programs that can write stories, love letters, jokes, tweets...

The overlap between English and Computer Science is where all the creativity is!

Reading List

Here is our reading list of brilliant books to read that go well beyond just computing.

Computational Thinking Tales

Some fairy (and not-so-fairy) tales about computational thinking to read. Encourage your students to write (and send us) their own computational thinking tales.

Computing Jokes

Here are lots of jokes about computing - play with language and learn about computing.

Pseudocode Poems

Pseudocode poems are poems that also work as programs.

Activity Sheets and Booklets

The following activities draw out issues on the links between language, linguistics and computer science.

Magical Book Magic

A booklet describing a magic trick based on an intriguing computational property about words. Turn Macbeth, The Wizard of Oz, The Cat in the Hat (or some other book of your choice) into both reading fun and computational fun.

"I don't think reading a book is ever again going to be quite the same experience."

Write a program to write love letters, christmas greetings or postcards for you
Use a set of cards and templates to create an algorithm that generates love letters, writes post cards or christmas cards. Then write a Python program to do the same. Learn about nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc

Word Search Puzzles
A series of puzzles on computing topics that involve thinking about search algorithms as well as words.

Kriss-Kross Puzzles
Solve these word puzzles as a way to develop logical thinking and pattern matching skills needed to enjoy both computing and maths, while practicing spelling. Use phonic based ones like our snake-snail-day Kriss-Kross as fun practice reading words.

Compressed Code
Puzzles that involve unravelling compressed messages: ones hold the same information with fewer symbols.

Magazines to download

The following magazines include articles that draw on the links between English and computing.

cs4fn magazines to support literacy

Some schools use cs4fn magazines to support literacy, for example including physical copies in literacy boxes or having copies in the openly displayed in the library.

UK schools can order free copies (including class sets) of magazines as they come out via the form on the cs4fn website. The pdfs of back issues of all our magazines can also be downloaded from the website. Thousands of cs4fn articles including all magazine articles (and many more) are also available as individual pages on the cs4fn website. There are several ways to explore cs4fn eg

cs4fn subject portal

There are lots of fun articles on the cs4fn about computer science and lingusitics. See the portals:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The best computer scientists aren't just good at writing code, they are good at writing english too. Any graduate does - being good at communicating is part of the job. Computation can also support literacy by opening up a whole new way of playing with words.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Teaching London Computing: A RESOURCE HUB from CAS LONDON & CS4FN

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Teaching London Computing / cs4fn have produced a series of fun activities and booklets based around puzzles that teach computing topics and computational thinking for use in the classroom, suitable for all ages.

Do the puzzles and develop computational thinking skills as well as learn about some core computing topics. Includes puzzles suitable for all ages.

Below are links to pages on a wide variety of puzzles with computing lessons. See the end for booklets on puzzles.

In primary school, if you have a 10 minute calm down session at the end of the day, have a puzzle box with a mixture of different puzzle sheets for the kids to choose from (word searches, pixel puzzles, logic puzzles, ...) and spend their 10 minutes doing - improving their logical thinking skills and so maths and computing (and literacy skills) ten minutes at a time.

Sequencing and Looping Puzzles

Put events from life cycles in to a flow chart structure

Learn about sequences, loops and design stages of coding

Aimed at KS1 pre-coders

Pattern Matching Puzzles

including ...

Pattern matching: spot them, complete them and spot the odd one out

Learn about pattern matching and algorithmic thinking

Puzzles for KS1-precoders upwards to KS5

Spot the Difference Puzzles

Spot the difference: focus on the detail and find all the differences in images and in programs

Practice attention to detail.

Puzzles for KS2 upwards

Word Searches

Solve word search puzzles and learn about computational thinking and search algorithms.

Learn about linear search, algorithmic thinking, computational thinking.

Kriss-Kross Puzzles
Solve these word puzzles as a way to develop logical thinking and pattern matching skills needed to enjoy both computing and maths, while practicing spelling.

Compression Code Puzzles

Solve simple puzzles about words that involve decoding compressed messages.

Learn about compression algorithms, data representation, pattern matching, computational thinking.

The Chocolate Turing Machine

Create "instruction tables" that solve computational problems.

Learn about Turing machines, computation, symbol manipulation, low-level programming, data representation.

The Tour Guide Activity

Devise a tour that gets a tourist from their hotel to all the city sights and back to their hotel.

Learn about algorithms, sequences of instructions, graphs, data representation, computational thinking, requirements.

The Swap Puzzle Activity

Solve a puzzle, coming up with an algorithm that your team can follow faster than anyone else.

Learn about algorithms, computational thinking, testing, efficiency.

Sherlock Syllogisms
You just need very clear thinking to solve these pure logical thinking puzzles. Learn about: logical thinking

Lost Tomb Puzzles

Work out where the lost tombs are without digging

Logical Thinking

Complexity of algorithms: Tantrix Rotation Puzzles
Learn about the complexity of algorithms and the most famous equation in computer science.

Mousemat Maze Puzzles
Learn about properties of algorithms

Watch this space for lots more puzzle-based activities. We have lots more unplugged activities in our activity section.

The cs4fn puzzle portal has more puzzles that have a link to computing and computational thinking, including applets.

The Bebras Competition run by the University of Oxford, involves doing computational thinking puzzles - get all your school entering this international computational thinking challenge. Your students can have a go at past years' challenges - with answer booklets available.

More of our resources, including linked computing 'story' booklets can be found in our resources section. You may also want to look at cs4fn's teacher resources or browse the latest cs4fn magazine.

Other excellent sources of a similar style of activity are the New Zealand based but globally used CS Unplugged site and the Glasgow University CS Inside project.

The original version of this area was created due to support from Google's CS4HS programme with additional support from the Department for Education, Mayor of London and EPSRC through the CHI+MED research project and most recently the Institute of Coding. More recently it has been further developed with support from EPSRC.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Puzzles, Computer Science and Computational Thinking

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Teaching London Computing / cs4fn have produced a series of fun activities and booklets based around puzzles that teach computing topics and computational thinking for use in the classroom, suitable for all ages. Do the puzzles and develop computational thinking skills as well as learn about some core computing topics.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
By converting our sims to HTML5, we make them seamlessly available across platforms and devices. Whether you have laptops, iPads, chromebooks, or BYOD, your favorite PhET sims are always right at your fingertips.Become part of our mission today, and transform the learning experiences of students everywhere!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Teaching London Computing: A RESOURCE HUB from CAS LONDON & CS4FN

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Computational Thinking has given biologists a powerful new way to work. Rather than doing experiments on living things they can now build computational models and simulations of the biological systems of interest, from whole hearts to cancer cells. Experiments on the models can help them refine their understanding. Computer Scientists have also drawn from biology new ways of doing computation based on the brain and evolution, for example. New subjects like bioinformatics have emerged where powerful computing techniques are combined with statistics to held decode and understand the DNA of living things.

Activity Sheets

The following activities draw out issues on the links between biology and computing.

The Brain-in-a-bag Activity
Model the way brain works both as a way to illustrate computational modelling as applied to biology and understand how neurones work. Suitable both for computing and biology lessons.

The Sodarace Evolution Activity
Evolve creatures to try and win a race, learning about how computational modelling can help test and understand scientific theories, in this case evolution by natural selection.

Booklets and Magazines to download

cs4fn subject portals

There are lots of fun articles on the cs4fn website linked to biology. See the following portals:

External Resources

Explore evolution and the vast variety of choice creatures have in the way they move around the world with .

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Computational Thinking has given biologists a powerful new way to work. Rather than doing experiments on living things they can now build computational models and simulations of the biological systems of interest, from whole hearts to cancer cells. Experiments on the models can help them refine their understanding.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Resources for Educators Using Data in the Classroom | Oceans of Data

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
EDC’s Oceans of Data Institute (ODI) has compiled a list of data activities, lessons, and resources for the classroom, sorted by grade level:PreK | K-16 | Elementary School | Middle School | Middle and High School | High School | High School and Postsecondary | Postsecondary | Teachers’ Reference.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Information for students and teachers about the U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
As part of live coding the algorithms are written and performed live and with frequent improvisation in the form of programming source texts. Those who are programming live enter into a dialogue with the audience and also with the process that is underway.

In algorithmic composition, composers describe processes whose results can be made audible. By skilfully designing the algorithms, even a few instructions can create highly complex sound structures.

Some examples of classic algorithms are presented above. It is possible to explore Lindenmayer Systems, Markov Chains and Cellular Automata (from left). With Lindenmayer notes are replaced by one or more notes defined by a rule. A Markov Chain reproduces a melody in a mix of rules and randomness. The Cellular Automata changes its status from OFF to ON by the state of the surrounding cells. One famous cellular automata is John Convays "game of life" algorithm which is able to calculate evolutions o populations.

Spin, Bernd Lintermann (algorithmic visuals), Ludger Brümmer (algorithmic composition)

With algorithms many phenomena can be described or generated. Both Image and Music in Spin by Bernd Lintermann (video) and Ludger Brümmer (music) use rule-based systems. While the music uses Lindenmayer systems, the image is based on rule-based object generation. In Lindenmayer systems note sequences are generated from rules, whereby a rule defines how one information is replaced by another. If the rule is: "Replace the note C with C, D, E", each time a C occurs, it is replaced by three additional notes. In the visuals, rules describe the shape properties and branching structure of an architectonic strcuture.

Variations of Aesthetic Patterns

Sono reMorphed, Bernd Lintermann, Torsten Belschner

In "Sono reMorphed" genetic algorithms are used to help the user to create fantastic creatures and music. The sounds created by Torsten Belschner use physical models, simulations of real strings and objects, and are modelled on physical properties of the visual object.

The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.

Stories from ZKM | Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Algorithms have been used for centuries in an intuitive way in the form of rule systems, instructions, game rules, plans and scores in architecture and music. In the visual arts as well as in music, algorithms have long been of great importance as instruments of creation.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Teaching London Computing: A RESOURCE HUB from CAS LONDON & CS4FN

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Most people love some kind of music. Some even dream of being rock stars, but the combination of computational thinking skills and an interest in music opens up even more exciting avenues. Audio engineers constantly change the way we both make and listen to music, from the formats we use to listen to music, to creating new forms of computer generated musician. They can also use their skills to use sound in other novel ways, from anti sound that cuts out unwanted noise, to multimodal systems that give the blind new ways to interact with computers. Those with musical ability, computer science and electronic engineering skills together with a creative flair can both make new sounds but also change the way the rest of us make and use sound.

Activity Sheets

Watch this space.

Booklets and Magazines to download

cs4fn subject portals

There are lots of fun articles on the cs4fn website linked to music and audio engineering more generally:

External Resources

Download an app based on Steve Reich's Explore rhythm and help a research experiment.

Learn to program using music and making sounds. Download and get started.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Most people love some kind of music. Some even dream of being rock stars, but the combination of computational thinking skills and an interest in music opens up even more exciting avenues. Audio engineers constantly change the way we both make and listen to music, from the formats we use to listen to music, to...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
NOVA Online | Teachers | Classroom Activity | Decoding Nazi Secrets | PBS

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Classroom Activity for the NOVA program Decoding Nazi Secrets: In Operation Decode, students experience how ciphers can conceal and protect information. Grades 6-8.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
So how do I protect my data?

We're already well on our way, but now it's time to actually take action. Get started today with one of the solutions below to better protect your data!

Create at least one Backup on #WorldBackupDay!

Go through the steps below and read how you can easily secure your files via backups and how you can improve the security per device and solution. March 31st is WorldBackupDay: the day to prevent data loss!

Online Backup Services

Keeping your backup in the cloud is a good and future-proof alternative to physical data storage, instead of an external hard drive or USB stick. An external hard drive or USB stick can be lost or damaged. The biggest advantage of storing files in the cloud is that they are available anytime, anywhere. In terms of security, you should always pay close attention to access and security with cloud backups.

Also check out: Best Backup Software!

Below we list the best-known parties where you can make a backup in the cloud. Many of the companies below also offer a few GB of free space online.

Cloud Backup
For full backups: Backblaze or iDrive

Cloud Storage For storing a smaller amount of photos or files:

MEGA - 20 GB Free

pCloud - 10 GB Free

Apple iCloud - 5 GB Free

OneDrive - 5 GB Free

Google Cloud - 15 GB Free
There are more services like this though, Google 'Best Smartphone Backup' and you'll see many top lists from different blogs and experts!

External Storage Backup

External Hard Disk Drives (HDD)

External hard drive backups are still quite popular. Please note that you do not use a good backup method if you then keep the physical backup at home or on the same PC. Safe storage of an external hard drive is important.

External hard drives are mainly used for data storage and PC backups. The biggest disadvantage of an external hard drive is that the hard drive can break down or get lost. Physical external hard drives are often not handled with care or they are collecting dust for too long. The biggest advantage is that the storage space only needs to be purchased once. It is also a nice addition to a cloud or online backup. Don't forget to update your physical hard drive every year.

An external hard drive is usually available at web shops that sell other electrical hardware. You can purchase external hard drives from e-commerce platforms such as Amazon.com and BestBuy.

External Solid State Drive: (SSD)

The advantage of an SSD Backup vs an HDD Backup is faster access to data by using memory chips rather than a physical spinning disk that's found in hard drives. : The speed difference between an SSD vs a hard drive is most apparent when copying and moving huge files. HDDs can copy 30 to 150 MB per second (MB/s), while standard SSDs perform the same action at speeds of 500 MB/s. (Source: Backblaze.com) Since SSDs don't contain moving parts, they're less prone to damage if you drop or bang your computer.

SSDs are usually available at web shops that sell other electrical hardware already mentioned above.

Computer Backup

Where you previously had freedom of choice regarding making a backup, and you could easily make multiple choices from the operating system on your computer. Now the PC operating systems are mainly promoting and integrating their own cloud services. However, there are still several options for making a backup. Before you go into business with a storage or backup service, you should only thoroughly familiarize yourself with the backup providers. This is partly due to the fact that you can no longer properly select these options from, for example, Windows itself.

Creating a Computer / PC Backup with Windows operating system

Make a backup of your PC on an external (and connected) hard drive via "Backup Settings".

Make a backup of your PC on OneDrive via "Settings for Backups".

Select a party specialized in Backups and have your PC made a backup via the service or application of the service.

Some commonly used PC Backup specialists: Backblaze, iDrive

Creating a Computer Backup with macOS operating system

Make a basic backup of your Mac on an external hard drive via Time Machine. Go to System Settings, search for Time Machine, and add the backup disk.
Back up some of your data to iCloud (subscription required).
For greater control over your backup setup, you can select a company that is specialized in backups and use their software.
A commonly used Mac Backup specialist: Carbon Copy Cloner.

Backup Smartphone

It often goes wrong here! Did you know that a backup with, for example, iPhone does not store your photos and documents? 9 out of 10 times these images are stored in your iCloud and therefore not on backups. (1*) So is your iCloud account stolen or hacked? Then you can still lose everything. In addition, these backups pushed from operating systems are often stored in the cloud storage of expensive services, there are cheaper alternatives!
How ​​do you solve this?
Super easy.. Use another cloud storage or backup party for backups of your crucial files. Various backup services provide additional security and safe distance from the original files.
If you seek additional backup services for smartphone backups.

MEGA - 20 GB Free

pCloud - 5 GB Free

Apple iCloud - 5 GB Free (If you want to differentiate from Android systems)

OneDrive - 5 GB Free

Google Cloud - 15 GB Free (If you want to differentiate from IoS systems)
There are more though, Google 'Best Smartphone Backup' and you'll see many top lists from different blogs and experts.

1. Source: - What does Apple Backup

Creating a NAS Backup

Backing up to a NAS is a good safe way to backup mainly for small businesses, Tech-Savvy PC users, and smart homes. NAS is an abbreviation for Network Attached Storage. A NAS Server is a kind of computer cabinet that can convert one or more hard drives into one wireless network storage via a wireless connection.

A NAS is usually available at Webshops that sell electrical products. You can purchase a NAS from web shops such as Amazon.com and BestBuy

Other Backup Methods

Obviously, there are more methods for making backups. Both online and offline. Actually, there are too many topics to deal with per device, but we will mention most of them here briefly:

Backup via USB stick
One of the old and still effective methods is to use a USB stick, this is an easy method. Insert the USB stick into the Computer or Laptop and drag the files you want to save on the USB stick to the correct folder.

Backup from a MAC
Go to System Preferences and then Time Machine and follow the instructions within the Time Machine application to backup your Mac.

Back up your Website
If you want to make a backup of your website, open the file manager via the web hosting company or via an FTP server. Copy all folders from the website to a folder on the hard disk or to a cloud storage provider.

Back up Whatsapp
Whatsapp can be backed up via the export functionality or via the backup function, these backups (outside the export) can only be saved with the operating system. So iCloud with iPhones and with Android to Google Drive.

Secure Encrypted Backup Solutions
When you have sensitive data you need to back up consider using data-encrypted backup solutions. The Whitehouse recently said the following regarding using data encrypted backup solutions:
"Back up your data, system images, and configurations, regularly test them, and keep the backups offline: Ensure that backups are regularly tested and that they are not connected to the business network, as many ransomware variants try to find and encrypt or delete accessible backups. Maintaining current backups offline is critical because if your network data is encrypted with ransomware, your organization can restore systems."
Take the pledge

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Be prepared against data loss and data theft. March 31st is the day to backup and better protect your data.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How computers work - Google Arts & Culture

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Computers are arguably the most important invention for humankind since the development of agriculture 10,000 years ago. No other invention has changed the way humans work, play, and explore as dramatically as the computer. Find out about how they work on this tour.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
K-12 schools are major targets of cyberattacks, and some experts- including education and security leaders in the Biden administration -have said that one way to combat those challenges is by educating students about cybersecurity and preparing them to enter the cybersecurity industry.

The problem is that there are not enough cybersecurity teachers.

To help fill the shortage, Moriah Walker switched from teaching middle school English language arts to high school cybersecurity for the Lakota Local School District in Butler County, Ohio. In a conversation with Education Week during the International Society for Technology in Education conference, Walker discussed why she switched subject areas and the similarities between teaching English and cybersecurity.
The conversation has been edited for brevity and clarity.

How did you go from teaching English to teaching cybersecurity?

So I was a middle school English teacher and then I went to school to get my master's degree in educational technology because my goal was to be a technology integration specialist. I got that job and I loved it-it was incredible. I got to work with kids. I got to work with teachers.

Then there was an opening in our cybersecurity program because somebody was retiring. I was helping them find who that next person would be, and they said, 'Actually, you're really good at teaching. That's where your skills are. Why don't you come and teach cybersecurity?' And I said, 'I don't have any background in that. I don't know how to code. I don't have the skills.' They said, 'That's fine. You're really good at teaching. We want you to do this.'

So I spent all last summer going to different PDs and learning how to use Linux and understanding the big concepts in cybersecurity. Then I spent the entire year just learning the concepts with the students.

How does the cybersecurity program work in your district?

Our program serves students in 10th through 12th grade. It's a normal elective in a [student's] day. This past year [2022-23], we had 180 students, and next year we have 270 kids signed up. They get college credit through one of our community colleges, and they can also get industry certifications. They also get paid internships with our business partners.

What do you like about teaching cybersecurity?

The kids who sign up for cybersecurity are excited because it's a new field. The kids are happy to come to class. They get to run exploits [a program designed to find a security vulnerability] on their own computer on a virtual machine. And the kids get to have different experiences because they get to go on field trips to security operations centers. Getting to have different experiences and leading kids to something that they are passionate about makes me passionate about what I'm doing.

What was the biggest challenge for you moving from teaching English to cybersecurity instruction?

The biggest thing for me was I didn't have any background in this. Knowing that I was coming in without that background, I was a little apprehensive that the students might not see me as an expert, which I wasn't. So I had a lot of impostor syndrome, but I worked through that. My skills are in instruction and I was learning this with the students. I was a facilitator for them to get good at whatever they wanted to do.

Are there similarities between teaching English and teaching cybersecurity?

In teaching English, there's a lot of need for differentiation because there's a lot of different levels in a classroom like that. There's a lot of need for flexibility. Sometimes everybody didn't read the story they were supposed to read.

In cybersecurity, I had a lot of that, too. There were some students who were really knowledgeable and really good at solving ciphers [systems for encrypting and decrypting data], and then some students who had no idea what we were doing. I used my skills in differentiation and being able to do engaging lessons and small groups and all those things in cyber. And there's skills like writing and speaking and communication and collaboration that lend themselves very easily to a cybersecurity class.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How a Teacher Went From Teaching English to Teaching Cybersecurity

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A high school cybersecurity teacher discusses why she switched subject areas and how they are similar.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Skip to content

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking "Accept", you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Cybersecurity | Business English Lesson Plan | Your English Pal

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Business English ESL lesson plan on cybersecurity for business professionals at an intermediate (B1/B2) to advanced (C1/C2) level.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
World's Biggest Data Breaches & Hacks - Information is Beautiful

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Data visualization of the world biggest data breaches, leaks and hacks. Constantly updated. Powered by @VizSweet.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
ALPHABET NAVAJO WORD LITERAL TRANSLATION A WOL-LA-CHEE ANT A BE-LA-SANA APPLE A TSE-NILL AXE B NA-HASH-CHID BADGER B SHUSH BEAR B TOISH-JEH BARREL C MOASI CAT C TLA-GIN COAL C BA-GOSHI COW D BE DEER D CHINDI DEVIL D LHA-CHA-EH DOG E AH-JAH EAR E DZEH ELK E AH-NAH EYE

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Students will learn about the role of code talkers during World War II and discover how a Native language served as an unbreakable "secret" code.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Animated global statistics that everyone can understand

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learning for Justice is a community education program of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) that centers civic and political action education for everyone.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Explore Cybersecurity Degrees and Careers | CyberDegrees.org

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Cybersecurity Awareness for Students | Cyberdegrees.org

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learn about the most common cyber attacks on college campuses, from phishing attempts to social media hacks, and how students can protect themselves.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Most educators don't spend their days thinking about cybersecurity. Between classroom management, learning objectives, and so much more, it usually doesn't rise to top priority. But as technology evolves and continues to become more integrated into every aspect of our lives-including mental health and biometrics-and cybercrime increases and sometimes targets schools, cybersecurity is something we need to be mindful about and help students understand.

Use these questions to help you find the information you need:

What is cybersecurity?

In its simplest form, cybersecurity is everyone working together to keep our information safe and our computer systems secure.
More specifically, cybersecurity is the practice of protecting computer systems, networks, and sensitive information from unauthorized access that can compromise confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

Is it different from online privacy? If so, how?

Online privacy is just one small part of cybersecurity, which encompasses much more. Privacy is more about personal data and the control you have over it. Security is more about the systems that contain such data and preventing people from gaining unauthorized access to information.

What are the absolute basics I need to know?

Everyone who uses technology, even just a smartphone, should be familiar with common types of scams and know how to protect themselves, their data, and their devices. And when we're aware of the latest kinds of attacks and able to protect ourselves, then we can also help our students and our schools. For example, setting a strong password and enabling multifactor authentication are simple steps that can have a huge impact.

What steps can I take in my classroom to protect cybersecurity?

These basic steps apply to everyone:

Start with the passwords that you and your students use. Are they complex? Have young students change their passwords every year, more often as they get older. This video provides more detail, and here's a website where you can test a password's strength.

Think about personally identifiable information. This includes names, addresses, phone numbers, and any other information that would allow a stranger to know exactly who you are. Be mindful of sharing this information: When, where, and why are you inputting your own information or student data?

Keep devices updated. This can protect them from attacks. Create a routine for updating software and apps on a regular basis.

Make it a classroom rule to "pause and think" while online. Never click on a suspicious link or pop-up window. This also applies to QR codes-don't scan any that look suspicious. These can easily contain malware and viruses.

I teach young kids. What can I teach them about cybersecurity?

Cybersecurity can be an intimidating topic, but there are simple elements you can incorporate into your classroom. Additionally, teaching young kids about cybersecurity is an important step in helping them develop safe and responsible online habits.

Here are some key concepts that can be taught to elementary school students:

General digital citizenship: Teach younger students about the importance of being a responsible digital citizen. This includes respecting the privacy of others as well as following the rules and guidelines set by their parents, school, or community.

Device care: Make sure kids know how to take care of their devices, including keeping track of them and charging them. Not only will this help prevent lost devices, but also it lays the foundation for keeping them updated down the road.

Online safety: Tell students that they need to be careful about what they click, since sometimes things they click on can make their devices sick with a virus. This includes links, pop-ups, and ads. As they get older, you can expand this advice to QR codes and downloadable attachments. They also need to be aware of the safety of the site itself.

Passwords: Help students create strong passwords. Encourage them to use a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. In upper elementary school, students should be encouraged to set up multifactor authentication when possible.

Personal information: Teach students to be careful about sharing personal information online, such as their full name, address, phone number, and birthday. Encourage them to share this information only with trusted sources, and remind them to never post it publicly. When creating a username, students shouldn't use any part of their real name or birthday.

I teach middle school students. What can I teach them about cybersecurity?

By this point, students are online a lot. They have access to devices, maybe use social media, play games online, and more. Teaching middle school kids about cybersecurity is an important step in continuing their development of healthy online habits.

Here are some key concepts that can be taught to middle school students:

Online privacy: Continue to reinforce the concept of online privacy, including the risks associated with sharing personal information publicly on social media platforms. Emphasize the importance of adjusting privacy settings and being cautious about what they share online. Talk about how sites and apps might use that data.

Phishing awareness: Introduce students to the concept of phishing and show them how to identify suspicious emails, messages, or links that may attempt to steal personal information. Teach them to be cautious when clicking on unfamiliar links or sharing sensitive information.

Malware and viruses: Introduce the concept of malware and viruses, and discuss the potential risks they pose to devices and personal information. Teach students about the importance of using antivirus software and not downloading anything that looks suspicious.

Internet safety: Cover general internet safety practices, including being cautious about downloading files from unknown sources, recognizing fake websites, and avoiding interactions with strangers online.

Digital footprint: Help students understand how their online actions can leave a permanent trail. As they enter the world of social media, it's even easier to believe posts and messages disappear, so kids need to understand that they don't.

Online gaming safety: Address the importance of safe online gaming practices, including the risks associated with sharing personal information during gameplay and interacting with strangers.

I teach high school students. What can I teach them about cybersecurity?

High school students can benefit from a more in-depth understanding of cybersecurity concepts. It's essential to provide hands-on activities, simulations, and real-world examples to engage high school students in cybersecurity concepts.

Here are some cybersecurity concepts that can be taught to high school students:

Threat landscape: Discuss the current cybersecurity landscape, including common types of cyberthreats, such as phishing, malware, ransomware and social engineering. Help students understand the evolving nature of cybersecurity risks and the need for awareness.

Secure communication: Teach students about the importance of secure communication methods, such as using encryption, secure messaging apps, and virtual private networks (VPNs) to protect their online conversations and data.

Social engineering: Explain social engineering techniques used to manipulate individuals and gain unauthorized access to systems or information. Discuss common social engineering tactics, such as pretexting, phishing, and baiting to help students recognize and resist such attempts.

Network security: Introduce the basics of network security, including firewalls, intrusion detection systems (IDS), and secure Wi-Fi practices. Teach students about the risks of using unsecured public Wi-Fi networks and the importance of securing their home networks.

Data privacy and protection: Educate students about data privacy laws, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). Help them understand their rights regarding personal data and the importance of organizations protecting user data.

Ethical hacking and penetration testing: Introduce the concept of ethical hacking and system testing, explaining how these activities help identify vulnerabilities in systems and improve security. Emphasize the importance of obtaining proper authorization and ethical guidelines when conducting tests.

Multifactor authentication (MFA): Teach students about the benefits of using multifactor authentication to enhance account security. Explain how MFA adds an additional layer of protection by requiring a second verification step, such as a unique code sent to a mobile device.

Cybersecurity careers: Introduce students to various careers in cybersecurity, such as cybersecurity analyst, ethical hacker, digital forensics expert, and security consultant. Discuss the skills and qualifications needed for these roles and the demand for cybersecurity professionals in today's job market.

Online research and source evaluation: Help students develop critical thinking skills to evaluate online sources for reliability, credibility, and potential biases. Teach them to discern between trustworthy and potentially misleading information, particularly in the context of cybersecurity.

Are there other facets of cybersecurity to be aware of?

Cybersecurity is an ever-changing field, as systems and networks become more advanced, and the next generation is going to be innovating, maintaining, and strengthening these digital security efforts. We're all connected to devices and other people more than ever before, and much of our information and assets exist in cyberspace. Just as physical security continues to be imperative to protecting ourselves, cybersecurity is even more necessary in today's world.
This work was made possible with the generous support of Craig Newmark Philanthropies. Image credit: Photo by Allison Shelley for EDUimages

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Teachers' Essential Guide to Cybersecurity | Common Sense Education

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learn about the basics every educator and student should know.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
My students love playing Cyber Threat Defender. We use it in my computer repair course, and it is really the only exposure to security they get. I find that as they continue to play the game and get used to the available cards, they are also getting a basic understanding of the different threats and security features that are out there.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Cybersecurity Lessons & Educator Guide | Sphero BOLT Cybersecurity

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Explore hands-on cybersecurity lessons in the classroom; designed to help students, educators, and communities stay safe online. Download now to learn more!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Cybertraps Podcast is a twice-weekly podcast discussing all the trouble we can get into with technology. Hosted by Frederick Lane, author of the best selling Cybertraps series and Jethro Jones, host of the Transformative Principal podcast, this podcast delves into the world of where and how people get caught in Cybertraps, and more importantly, what you can do to avoid them.

One episode each week is an interview with some of the nation's leading experts from the fields of education, parenting, sociology, educational technology, and cybersafety. The second weekly episode is a conversation about current events around cybertraps with Jones and Lane.

Lane has published several books on the topic of Cybertraps: Cybertraps for the Young (2011), Cybertraps for Educators (2015), Cybertraps for Expecting Moms & Dads (2017), and Cybertraps for Educators 2.0 (2020). Learn more at cybertraps.com

Jones has published over 600 podcast episodes and has the longest-running podcast focused on school leadership in Transformative Principal . Jones is also the author of SchoolX, and founder of Transformative Leadership Summit, an online only leadership conference started in 2016.

Subscribe in all your major podcast services. Join us live weekly on Mondays at 12 pm Eastern.
Subscribe in Apple Podcasts

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Cybertraps Podcast is a twice-weekly podcast discussing all the trouble we can get into with technology. Hosted by Frederick Lane, author of the best selling Cybertraps series and Jethro Jones, host of the Transformative Principal podcast, this podcast delves into the world of where and how people get caught in Cybertraps, and more importantly, what you can do to avoid them.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Take cybersecurity into your own hands. In this Lab, you'll defend a company that is the target of increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks. Your task is to strengthen your cyber defenses and thwart the attackers by completing a series of cybersecurity challenges. You'll crack passwords, craft code, and defeat malicious hackers.

Video Intro About this Lab Educator Guide

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Take cybersecurity into your own hands by thwarting a series of cyber attacks.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Are you a student looking for cybersecurity information and resources to help you succeed and advance in the cybersecurity workforce?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
The National Cyber Scholarship Foundation

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A new initiative to develop the next generation of Cyber Stars

The National Cyber Scholarship Foundation (NCSF) has launched a national initiative to identify and develop a new generation of Cyber Stars, to help close the critical skills gap in the cybersecurity industry.

The initiative is designed to identify talent in high school and college students, and includes a comprehensive set of programs and supports that work together to create a more assured pipeline for building the next generation of cyber talent.

Find out more about the different NCSF-funded programs by exploring the components linked below.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The National Cyber Scholarship Foundation

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The National Cyber Scholarship Foundation (NCSF) has launched a national initiative to identify and develop a new generation of Cyber Stars, to help close the critical skills gap in the cybersecurity industry.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We couldn’t find the page you were looking for. This is either because:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Intriguing Times images stripped of their captions — and an invitation to students to discuss them live.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
AI Poem Generator - Write a rhyming poem with our free AI poem maker

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
AI Poem Generator - Write a rhyming poem with our free AI poem maker

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A free AI poem generator that generates rhyming poems. Our online AI poem maker can write you a beautiful rhyming poem on any subject.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Verse by Verse allows users to compose poems in collaboration with an AI.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Copyright & Creativity - K-12 Teaching Resources on Copyright and Fair Use

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
"These lessons are incredible. They help me teach the importance of copyright and fair use as my class does weekly research and inquiry."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Hāpara Cards Talks_ Digital Citizenship  (Conversation starters for learners)DB.pdf

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Generation Global is the Tony Blair Institute's global citizenship education programme for young people ages 13 to 17-years that enables them to embrace the future, equipped with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to become active and open-minded global citizens.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Generation Global is the Tony Blair Institute's global citizenship education programme for young people ages 13 to 17-years that enables them to embrace the future, equipped with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to become active and open-minded global citizens.