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Example:
Coding states of matter

Bringing basic coding to science curriculum on a topic like the states of matter is made easy with a resource like Ozobot. These tiny robots are sensitive to color, so when students draw lines, say on a map, the robot will do different tricks depending on the pattern and colors of the lines. Brown has used the bots to teach second graders about the states of matter – liquid, solid and gas.

She made up a story about the Ozobot looking for his long-lost brother in different parts of the world where there were different states of matter. Students must determine what state of matter they might encounter, for example, in Alaska and how the robot would move in that state. (Hint: ice makes for slow movement). What about in hot Bermuda? (Bot speeds increase). Students use Ozobot color-code markers and click-type coding on the robot itself to guide the robot through various states of matter at the proper speed.
For more info visit https://www.iste.org/explore/computer-science/teach-coding-and-computational-thinking-elementary-students
Dara Davis

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Students love it when teachers bring cool and creative things to the classroom, but unless those things connect to content and curriculum, the benefits can be limited.

And, as Patricia Brown, technology specialist at Old Bonhomme Elementary in St. Louis, Missouri, explains, lessons that are "all show and no go" might raise eyebrows with administrators.

That's why Brown, also a Code.org facilitator, uses her role to help K-6 teachers bring coding, computational thinking and computer science (CS) lessons that are grounded in grade-level curriculum to students. And she's doing it in a number of content areas, including math, science and social studies, with both unplugged and device-enabled lessons.

The benefits? "You create these engaged and curious playful learners that become creators and producers. Coincidentally, we're helping them prepare to be employed in our economy," Brown says. "They will be empowered to be informed citizens and inventors."

Brown admits that at first she thought coding was just about solving puzzles or participating in events like Hour of Code. "It's not. It's about tapping into computational thinking, collaborating and learning to be persistent in problem solving instead of just robots of knowledge."

Educators can tap into Brown's philosophy and bring coding and CS to their classrooms with a few easy, curriculum-based lessons.

Explaining algorithms

Unplugged lessons that rely on working collaboratively to solve problems or are powered by physical movement are a great way to introduce CS concepts and tackle math curriculum like algorithms. In one lesson, Brown explains to students that an algorithm is just a list of steps to complete a task. She then talks about how getting ready to come to school every day is an algorithm - a recipe for what you need to complete and in what order. Students then collaborate to create a get-ready-for-school algorithm.

"This is an example of a CS term and strategy that can be applied to any content area and to real life," Brown explains.

Coding states of matter

Bringing basic coding to science curriculum on a topic like the states of matter is made easy with a resource like Ozobot. These tiny robots are sensitive to color, so when students draw lines, say on a map, the robot will do different tricks depending on the pattern and colors of the lines. Brown has used the bots to teach second graders about the states of matter - liquid, solid and gas.

She made up a story about the Ozobot looking for his long-lost brother in different parts of the world where there were different states of matter. Students must determine what state of matter they might encounter, for example, in Alaska and how the robot would move in that state. (Hint: ice makes for slow movement). What about in hot Bermuda? (Bot speeds increase). Students use Ozobot color-code markers and click-type coding on the robot itself to guide the robot through various states of matter at the proper speed.

Schooling on sound

For a third grade science unit on sound, Brown has students create instruments using Scratch and Makey Makey. For example, to create a piano, students would use Scratch to code sounds or notes using arrow keys and the space bar. By attaching Makey Makey alligator clips to an everyday object, students can make sounds resonate from, say, a glass of water or a banana by having the Makey Makey "slots" represent a command from the keyboard.

Watch the video below to find out how Keri Gritt, technology coordinator at St. Stephen's School in Virginia, teaches 4- and 5-year-olds to code:

Discover fun ways to incorporate computational thinking into all subject areas to increase student engagement online or off by signing up for the ISTE U Course "Computational Thinking for Every Educator."

Julie Phillips Randles is a freelance writer and editor with 30 years of experience writing about education policy, leadership, curriculum and edtech. This is an updated version of a post that first published on January 27, 2017.

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Teach coding and computational thinking to elementary students

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Students love it when teachers bring cool and creative things to the classroom, but unless those things connect to content and curriculum, the benefits can be limited. And, as Patricia Brown, technology specialist at Old Bonhomme Elementary in St. Louis, Missouri, explains, lessons that are "all show and no go" might raise eyebrows with administrators.

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Sort it

Provide lots of opportunities to explore many kinds of materials that can be sorted and categorized by size or shape. These include small plastic toys such as animals and vehicles, Unifix cubes (or other "manipulatives"), blocks, or other small objects such as coins, stamps, cups, and bottle caps. Have children explore different ways sort objects into similar groups. The groups, or categories, could be general concepts such as "hard things" "soft things" or something personal, such as "things that were gifts," "things I found."

Same and different

Help your child learn about different classifications scientists use to help them organize information. Use children's books from the library to learn more about different classifications of animals, for example, mammals and reptiles. Discuss what reptiles and mammals have in common, and what makes each unique.
For more information go to https://www.readingrockets.org/article/patterns-and-categorizing
Dara Davis

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Children begin using their senses to recognize patterns and categorize things at a young age - skills that play an important role in early learning. This tip sheet provides some simple activities, as well as recommended books, that parents can use to help their kids build pattern recognition and categorization skills in science and math.

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Students will learn how to use algorithmic thinking or sequential steps to develop solutions to a problem.  An example might be baking a cake - what are the steps.  What happens if you mis a step?  Students will collaborate and discuss sequencing and order - the importance of.
Have students create an algorithm of getting to their resource classes in the from their homeroom classrooms; or what they do when they get ready for bed,, etc...
Key questions plan a vital role in algorithms -how would the order impact the outcome (reflective thinking).  What changes need to  occur?
Sherri

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Students are presented with complex situations or examples to break them down or strategize for better understanding and solving the problem.
Teacher might use examples like making your favorite recipe; planning a birthday party, real-world experiences that could save the environment, helping someone, etc... using visual representations, and journaling.  Here is a maker space resource
Sherri

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Students will focus on the information that is relevant and important by identifying the main idea and key details in a story, video or passage reading.
Teacher can give the students clues for identifying these items as they listen using immersive support, presentation/school-wide assembly, or read on their own (scavenger hunt-like).
Students will collaborate, communicate, and document their findings and begin sorting their data and complex information.
Sherri

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At Code.org in the Express course, students are presented with some complex problems. Lesson 12: Nested Loops in particular. It is necessary to do one part at a time to be successful. It is the perfect lesson and level to model solutions.

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Creating a winter scene. In groups each student draws a winter scene. Each student writes an algorithm for how they drew the picture. Students swap papers to see if the other person can draw the same picture. For younger learners you can use pre cut shapes and have students talk out their algorithms for the class to follow. 

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Creating a winter scene. In groups each student draws a winter scene. Each student writes an algorithm for how they drew the picture. Students swap papers to see if the other person can draw the same picture. For younger learners you can use pre cut shapes and have students talk out their algorithms for the class to follow. 

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Charlene Saint-Jean

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Create an algorithm for character, setting, subject description. Use these findings to analyze a story. Discuss with students the purpose of understanding the character, setting, subject..etc of a story. Big idea to understand author's purpose, idea, moral of the story. 

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Create an algorithm for character, setting, subject description. Use these findings to analyze a story. Discuss with students the purpose of understanding the character, setting, subject..etc of a story. Big idea to understand author's purpose, idea, moral of the story. 

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Charlene Saint-Jean

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Use poems and identify the sound patterns or letter patterns. Use a group of poems from a specific author...and find the pattern of words in the writing, characters, subject.

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Use poems and identify the sound patterns or letter patterns. Use a group of poems from a specific author...and find the pattern of words in the writing, characters, subject.

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Charlene Saint-Jean

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Use sight words...and break them into letters. Sound out each letter, write each letter, then put the word together again. 

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Use sight words...and break them into letters. Sound out each letter, write each letter, then put the word together again. 

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Charlene Saint-Jean

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Students will analyze similar objects/experiences by identifying commonalities and differences. Students will have a list of vocabulary ideas to choose from. An example might be dogs.
Key questions to think about are what all dogs have in common.
Students can create drawings or collages or even journal their findings. Then students will notice the similarities and then prepare to discuss and share out differences among dogs.
Students can document or draw their favorite type of dag and label the core components. Finding patterns will support their awareness while solving future problems and making predictions.
Sherri