In this lesson, students will have the opportunity to learn about concepts not currently covered in this course and relates to the societal impacts of computing. Take this opportunity to allow students to explore outside of their course work and learn where computer science intersects other industries. Have them dive deep into a concept and challenge them to explore their interests.
Students will be able to...
- Describe how computer science intersects with other industries.
- Explore new topics in computer science that interests them.
- Connect their learning to some aspect of their culture, society, or life.
- Select a video or reading excerpt about a real world topic.
- Prepare leading questions directly relevant to the video or reading.
- TEALS Volunteer show and tell example video
- Computer Science Education Week daily video playlist
- Created by the Computer Science Teacher Association
| Duration | Description |
|---|---|
| 5 minutes | Welcome, attendance, bell work, announcements |
| 10 minutes | Introduction to topic and video or reading |
| 15 minutes | Watch video or Read material |
| 20 minutes | Class discussion or activity |
| 5 minutes | Debrief and wrap-up |
Feel free to adjust the pacing guide liberally to meet the needs of your chosen material. If a video or reading will require more than 20-25 minutes, consider splitting the lesson across two days.
- Day one should include introduction of the topic, the video/reading, and a brief reflection, with the discussion or activity pushed to day two.
Show video or have students read to begin class. Students may take notes if desired, but should give their full attention to the material.
Example discussion questions:
- Was there anything that suprised you about the video?
- How does this video relate to what we are currently studing in class.
Reinforce how the video or reading relates to the current topic in class.
- Your goal is to provide context and background, not to preview the material itself.
Provide students with some leading questions about the topic to push them into exploration.
- You will want to elaborate on the questions to get students all on the same page.
- In some cases, you will want to be deliberately vague to encourage students to form their own ideas or interpretations.
Lead a class discussion or activity about the topics covered in the video/reading and guiding by the questions presented before the material. This can take one of several forms, including, but not limited to:
When using the approach, be sure that all students have a chance to contribute and that the conversation is not dominated by a few voices.
This can either be open-ended, allowing each group to discuss whatever they choose, or a "jigsaw"-style activity where each group is given one question to focus on.
- Video explanation of a think-pair-share activity.
- Have students share out about their discussions with the class.
"think-pair-share" - a structured activity to simulate or recreate something discussed in the material to allow students to gain a deeper appreciation of the topic.
- As an example, after a reading or video on computer security, students could play (or at least read about and consider) the game Control-Alt-Hack
Ask one or more students to summarize the topics covered in the lesson and their thought or opinions.
Consider collecting some evidence of the activity, such as students' responses to the guiding questions or notes from small-group discussions, to evaluate engagement with the lesson.
For example, if showing "Smartest Machine on Earth", be aware that some students may not be familiar with Jeopardy!.
Try to vary the topics of culture days throughout the semester to engage a broad range of students' interests and experiences. Not all students will connect with every lesson, but you should strive to have every student connect with at least one or two culture days each semester.