Introduction

DroneBlocks is proud of our Institutional Partnership with CSTA. In this guide you will find aligned standards for each of the DroneBlocks Courses. While we also provide an exclusive Universal Skills & Educational Standards, we are strong advocates of the STA K–12 Computer Science Standards core set of learning objectives. 

You, the educator, are the professional in knowing which skills and standards align with the lessons you teach and we hope this guide will provide resources to simplify the process of aligning your lessons to best meet the needs of your students.

You will find that the CSTA Standards:

1. Introduce the fundamental concepts of computer science to all students, beginning at the elementary school level.

2. Present computer science at the secondary school level in a way that can fulfill a computer science, math, or science graduation credit.

3. Encourage schools to offer additional secondary-level computer science courses that will allow interested students to study facets of computer science in more depth and prepare them for entry into the workforce or college.

4. Increase the availability of rigorous computer science for all students, especially those who are members of underrepresented groups.

These standards have been written by educators to be coherent and comprehensible to teachers, administrators, and policymakers.

How To Access

In this comprehensive guide you can access standards for each DroneBlocks course. You can view a list of courses on the Standards By Course outline, then navigate to each course. At the end of this guide you will find helpful CSTA resources including a Glossary of Terms.

Troubleshooting Tello

Computing Systems 

1B-CS-03 Determine potential solutions to solve simple hardware and software problems using common troubleshooting strategies. 

Although computing systems may vary, common troubleshooting strategies can be used on all of them. Students should be able to identify solutions to problems such as the device not responding, no power, no network, app crashing, no sound, or password entry not working. Should errors occur at school, the goal would be that students would use various strategies, such as rebooting the device, checking for power, checking network availability, closing and reopening an app, making sure speakers are turned on or headphones are plugged in, and making sure that the caps lock key is not on, to solve these problems, when possible.

2-CS-03 Systematically identify and fix problems with computing devices and their components. 

Since a computing device may interact with interconnected devices within a system, problems may not be due to the specific computing device itself but to devices connected to it. Just as pilots use checklists to troubleshoot problems with aircraft systems, students should use a similar, structured process to troubleshoot problems with computing systems and ensure that potential solutions are not overlooked. Examples of troubleshooting strategies include following a troubleshooting flow diagram, making changes to software to see if hardware will work, checking connections and settings, and swapping in working components.

3A-CS-03 Develop guidelines that convey systematic troubleshooting strategies that others can use to identify and fix errors. 

Troubleshooting complex problems involves the use of multiple sources when researching, evaluating, and implementing potential solutions. Troubleshooting also relies on experience, such as when people recognize that a problem is similar to one they have seen before or adapt solutions that have worked in the past. Examples of complex troubleshooting strategies include resolving connectivity problems, adjusting system configurations and settings, ensuring hardware and software compatibility, and transferring data from one device to another. Students could create a flow chart, a job aid for a help desk employee, or an expert system.

Algorithms and Programming

1B-AP-15 Test and debug (identify and fix errors) a program or algorithm to ensure it runs as intended. 

As students develop programs they should continuously test those programs to see that they do what was expected and fix (debug),any errors. Students should also be able to successfully debug simple errors in programs created by others.

2-AP-15 Seek and incorporate feedback from team members and users to refine a solution that meets user needs. 

Development teams that employ user-centered design create solutions (e.g., programs and devices) that can have a large societal impact, such as an app that allows people with speech difficulties to translate hard-to-understand pronunciation into understandable language. Students should begin to seek diverse perspectives throughout the design process to improve their computational artifacts. Considerations of the end-user may include usability, accessibility, age-appropriate content, respectful language, user perspective, pronoun use, color contrast, and ease of use.

2-AP-17 Systematically test and refine programs using a range of test cases. 

Use cases and test cases are created and analyzed to better meet the needs of users and to evaluate whether programs function as intended. At this level, testing should become a deliberate process that is more iterative, systematic, and proactive than at lower levels. Students should begin to test programs by considering potential errors, such as what will happen if a user enters invalid input (e.g., negative numbers and 0 instead of positive numbers).

2-AP-19 Document programs in order to make them easier to follow, test, and debug. 

Documentation allows creators and others to more easily use and understand a program. Students should provide documentation for end users that explains their artifacts and how they function. For example, students could provide a project overview and clear user instructions. They should also incorporate comments in their product and communicate their process using design documents, flowcharts, and presentations.

Introduction to Tello Drone Programming

Computing Systems

1B-CS-02 Model how computer hardware and software work together as a system to accomplish tasks. 

In order for a person to accomplish tasks with a computer, both hardware and software are needed. At this stage, a model should only include the basic elements of a computer system, such as input, output, processor, sensors, and storage. Students could draw a model on paper or in a drawing program, program an animation to demonstrate it, or demonstrate it by acting this out in some way.

1B-CS-03 Determine potential solutions to solve simple hardware and software problems using common troubleshooting strategies.

Although computing systems may vary, common troubleshooting strategies can be used on all of them. Students should be able to identify solutions to problems such as the device not responding, no power, no network, app crashing, no sound, or password entry not working. Should errors occur at school, the goal would be that students would use various strategies, such as rebooting the device, checking for power, checking network availability, closing and reopening an app, making sure speakers are turned on or headphones are plugged in, and making sure that the caps lock key is not on, to solve these problems, when possible.

Algorithms and Programming

1B-AP-08 Compare and refine multiple algorithms for the same task and determine which is the most appropriate. 

Different algorithms can achieve the same result, though sometimes one algorithm might be most appropriate for a specific situation. Students should be able to look at different ways to solve the same task and decide which would be the best solution. For example, students could use a map and plan multiple algorithms to get from one point to another. They could look at routes suggested by mapping software and change the route to something that would be better, based on which route is shortest or fastest or would avoid a problem. Students might compare algorithms that describe how to get ready for school. Another example might be to write different algorithms to draw a regular polygon and determine which algorithm would be the easiest to modify or repurpose to draw a different polygon.

1B-AP-10 Create programs that include sequences, events, loops, and conditionals. 

Control structures specify the order (sequence) in which instructions are executed within a program and can be combined to support the creation of more complex programs. Events allow portions of a program to run based on a specific action. For example, students could write a program to explain the water cycle and when a specific component is clicked (event), the program would show information about that part of the water cycle. Conditionals allow for the execution of a portion of code in a program when a certain condition is true. For example, students could write a math game that asks multiplication fact questions and then uses a conditional to check whether or not the answer that was entered is correct. Loops allow for the repetition of a sequence of code multiple times. For example, in a program that produces an animation about a famous historical character, students could use a loop to have the character walk across the screen as they introduce themselves.

1B-AP-11 Decompose (break down) problems into smaller, manageable subproblems to facilitate the program development process. 

Decomposition is the act of breaking down tasks into simpler tasks. For example, students could create an animation by separating a story into different scenes. For each scene, they would select a background, place characters, and program actions.

1B-AP-12 Modify, remix, or incorporate portions of an existing program into one’s own work, to develop something new or add more advanced features. 

Programs can be broken down into smaller parts, which can be incorporated into new or existing programs. For example, students could modify prewritten code from a single-player game to create a two-player game with slightly different rules, remix and add another scene to an animated story, use code to make a ball bounce from another program in a new basketball game, or modify an image created by another student.

1B-AP-13 Use an iterative process to plan the development of a program by including others’ perspectives and considering user preferences. 

Planning is an important part of the iterative process of program development. Students outline key features, time and resource constraints, and user expectations. Students should document the plan as, for example, a storyboard, flowchart, pseudocode, or story map

1B-AP-15 Test and debug (identify and fix errors) a program or algorithm to ensure it runs as intended. 

As students develop programs they should continuously test those programs to see that they do what was expected and fix (debug) any errors. Students should also be able to successfully debug simple errors in programs created by others.

1B-AP-16 Take on varying roles, with teacher guidance, when collaborating with peers during the design, implementation, and review stages of program development. 

Collaborative computing is the process of performing a computational task by working in pairs or on teams. Because it involves asking for the contributions and feedback of others, effective collaboration can lead to better outcomes than working independently. Students should take turns in different roles during program development, such as note taker, facilitator, program tester, or “driver” of the computer.

2-AP-11 Create clearly named variables that represent different data types and perform operations on their values. 

A variable is like a container with a name, in which the contents may change, but the name (identifier) does not. When planning and developing programs, students should decide when and how to declare and name new variables. Students should use naming conventions to improve program readability. Examples of operations include adding points to the score, combining user input with words to make a sentence, changing the size of a picture, or adding a name to a list of people.

2-AP-12 Design and iteratively develop programs that combine control structures, including nested loops and compound conditionals. 

Control structures can be combined in many ways. Nested loops are loops placed within loops. Compound conditionals combine two or more conditions in a logical relationship (e.g., using AND, OR, and NOT), and nesting conditionals within one another allows the result of one conditional to lead to another. For example, when programming an interactive story, students could use a compound conditional within a loop to unlock a door only if a character has a key AND is touching the door.

2-AP-14 Create procedures with parameters to organize code and make it easier to reuse. 

Students should create procedures and/or functions that are used multiple times within a program to repeat groups of instructions. These procedures can be generalized by defining parameters that create different outputs for a wide range of inputs. For example, a procedure to draw a circle involves many instructions, but all of them can be invoked with one instruction, such as “drawCircle.” By adding a radius parameter, the user can easily draw circles of different sizes.

2-AP-17 Systematically test and refine programs using a range of test cases. 

Use cases and test cases are created and analyzed to better meet the needs of users and to evaluate whether programs function as intended. At this level, testing should become a deliberate process that is more iterative, systematic, and proactive than at lower levels. Students should begin to test programs by considering potential errors, such as what will happen if a user enters invalid input (e.g., negative numbers and 0 instead of positive numbers).

The DroneBlocks Simulator

Computing Systems

1B-CS-02 Model how computer hardware and software work together as a system to accomplish tasks. 

In order for a person to accomplish tasks with a computer, both hardware and software are needed. At this stage, a model should only include the basic elements of a computer system, such as input, output, processor, sensors, and storage. Students could draw a model on paper or in a drawing program, program an animation to demonstrate it, or demonstrate it by acting this out in some way.

1B-CS-03 Determine potential solutions to solve simple hardware and software problems using common troubleshooting strategies. 

Although computing systems may vary, common troubleshooting strategies can be used on all of them. Students should be able to identify solutions to problems such as the device not responding, no power, no network, app crashing, no sound, or password entry not working. Should errors occur at school, the goal would be that students would use various strategies, such as rebooting the device, checking for power, checking network availability, closing and reopening an app, making sure speakers are turned on or headphones are plugged in, and making sure that the caps lock key is not on, to solve these problems, when possible.

Algorithms and Programming

1B-AP-08 Compare and refine multiple algorithms for the same task and determine which is the most appropriate. 

Different algorithms can achieve the same result, though sometimes one algorithm might be most appropriate for a specific situation. Students should be able to look at different ways to solve the same task and decide which would be the best solution. For example, students could use a map and plan multiple algorithms to get from one point to another. They could look at routes suggested by mapping software and change the route to something that would be better, based on which route is shortest or fastest or would avoid a problem. Students might compare algorithms that describe how to get ready for school. Another example might be to write different algorithms to draw a regular polygon and determine which algorithm would be the easiest to modify or repurpose to draw a different polygon.

1B-AP-10 Create programs that include sequences, events, loops, and conditionals. 

Control structures specify the order (sequence) in which instructions are executed within a program and can be combined to support the creation of more complex programs. Events allow portions of a program to run based on a specific action. For example, students could write a program to explain the water cycle and when a specific component is clicked (event), the program would show information about that part of the water cycle. Conditionals allow for the execution of a portion of code in a program when a certain condition is true. For example, students could write a math game that asks multiplication fact questions and then uses a conditional to check whether or not the answer that was entered is correct. Loops allow for the repetition of a sequence of code multiple times. For example, in a program that produces an animation about a famous historical character, students could use a loop to have the character walk across the screen as they introduce themselves.

1B-AP-11 Decompose (break down) problems into smaller, manageable subproblems to facilitate the program development process. 

Decomposition is the act of breaking down tasks into simpler tasks. For example, students could create an animation by separating a story into different scenes. For each scene, they would select a background, place characters, and program actions.

1B-AP-12 Modify, remix, or incorporate portions of an existing program into one’s own work, to develop something new or add more advanced features. 

Programs can be broken down into smaller parts, which can be incorporated into new or existing programs. For example, students could modify prewritten code from a single-player game to create a two-player game with slightly different rules, remix and add another scene to an animated story, use code to make a ball bounce from another program in a new basketball game, or modify an image created by another student.

1B-AP-13 Use an iterative process to plan the development of a program by including others’ perspectives and considering user preferences. 

Planning is an important part of the iterative process of program development. Students outline key features, time and resource constraints, and user expectations. Students should document the plan as, for example, a storyboard, flowchart, pseudocode, or story map.

1B-AP-15 Test and debug (identify and fix errors) a program or algorithm to ensure it runs as intended. 

As students develop programs they should continuously test those programs to see that they do what was expected and fix (debug) any errors. Students should also be able to successfully debug simple errors in programs created by others.

1B-AP-16 Take on varying roles, with teacher guidance, when collaborating with peers during the design, implementation, and review stages of program development. 

Collaborative computing is the process of performing a computational task by working in pairs or on teams. Because it involves asking for the contributions and feedback of others, effective collaboration can lead to better outcomes than working independently. Students should take turns in different roles during program development, such as note taker, facilitator, program tester, or “driver” of the computer.

2-AP-11 Create clearly named variables that represent different data types and perform operations on their values. 

A variable is like a container with a name, in which the contents may change, but the name (identifier) does not. When planning and developing programs, students should decide when and how to declare and name new variables. Students should use naming conventions to improve program readability. Examples of operations include adding points to the score, combining user input with words to make a sentence, changing the size of a picture, or adding a name to a list of people.

2-AP-12 Design and iteratively develop programs that combine control structures, including nested loops and compound conditionals. 

Control structures can be combined in many ways. Nested loops are loops placed within loops. Compound conditionals combine two or more conditions in a logical relationship (e.g., using AND, OR, and NOT), and nesting conditionals within one another allows the result of one conditional to lead to another. For example, when programming an interactive story, students could use a compound conditional within a loop to unlock a door only if a character has a key AND is touching the door.

2-AP-14 Create procedures with parameters to organize code and make it easier to reuse. 

Students should create procedures and/or functions that are used multiple times within a program to repeat groups of instructions. These procedures can be generalized by defining parameters that create different outputs for a wide range of inputs. For example, a procedure to draw a circle involves many instructions, but all of them can be invoked with one instruction, such as “drawCircle.” By adding a radius parameter, the user can easily draw circles of different sizes.

2-AP-17 Systematically test and refine programs using a range of test cases. 

Use cases and test cases are created and analyzed to better meet the needs of users and to evaluate whether programs function as intended. At this level, testing should become a deliberate process that is more iterative, systematic, and proactive than at lower levels. Students should begin to test programs by considering potential errors, such as what will happen if a user enters invalid input (e.g., negative numbers and 0 instead of positive numbers).

Introduction to Tello EDU Drone Programming with DroneBlocks

Computing Systems

1B-CS-02 Model how computer hardware and software work together as a system to accomplish tasks. 

In order for a person to accomplish tasks with a computer, both hardware and software are needed. At this stage, a model should only include the basic elements of a computer system, such as input, output, processor, sensors, and storage. Students could draw a model on paper or in a drawing program, program an animation to demonstrate it, or demonstrate it by acting this out in some way.

1B-CS-03 Determine potential solutions to solve simple hardware and software problems using common troubleshooting strategies. 

Although computing systems may vary, common troubleshooting strategies can be used on all of them. Students should be able to identify solutions to problems such as the device not responding, no power, no network, app crashing, no sound, or password entry not working. Should errors occur at school, the goal would be that students would use various strategies, such as rebooting the device, checking for power, checking network availability, closing and reopening an app, making sure speakers are turned on or headphones are plugged in, and making sure that the caps lock key is not on, to solve these problems, when possible.

Algorithms and Programming

1B-AP-08 Compare and refine multiple algorithms for the same task and determine which is the most appropriate. 

Different algorithms can achieve the same result, though sometimes one algorithm might be most appropriate for a specific situation. Students should be able to look at different ways to solve the same task and decide which would be the best solution. For example, students could use a map and plan multiple algorithms to get from one point to another. They could look at routes suggested by mapping software and change the route to something that would be better, based on which route is shortest or fastest or would avoid a problem. Students might compare algorithms that describe how to get ready for school. Another example might be to write different algorithms to draw a regular polygon and determine which algorithm would be the easiest to modify or repurpose to draw a different polygon.

1B-AP-10 Create programs that include sequences, events, loops, and conditionals. 

Control structures specify the order (sequence) in which instructions are executed within a program and can be combined to support the creation of more complex programs. Events allow portions of a program to run based on a specific action. For example, students could write a program to explain the water cycle and when a specific component is clicked (event), the program would show information about that part of the water cycle. Conditionals allow for the execution of a portion of code in a program when a certain condition is true. For example, students could write a math game that asks multiplication fact questions and then uses a conditional to check whether or not the answer that was entered is correct. Loops allow for the repetition of a sequence of code multiple times. For example, in a program that produces an animation about a famous historical character, students could use a loop to have the character walk across the screen as they introduce themselves.

1B-AP-11 Decompose (break down) problems into smaller, manageable subproblems to facilitate the program development process. 

Decomposition is the act of breaking down tasks into simpler tasks. For example, students could create an animation by separating a story into different scenes. For each scene, they would select a background, place characters, and program actions.

1B-AP-12 Modify, remix, or incorporate portions of an existing program into one’s own work, to develop something new or add more advanced features. 

Programs can be broken down into smaller parts, which can be incorporated into new or existing programs. For example, students could modify prewritten code from a single-player game to create a two-player game with slightly different rules, remix and add another scene to an animated story, use code to make a ball bounce from another program in a new basketball game, or modify an image created by another student.

1B-AP-13 Use an iterative process to plan the development of a program by including others’ perspectives and considering user preferences. 

Planning is an important part of the iterative process of program development. Students outline key features, time and resource constraints, and user expectations. Students should document the plan as, for example, a storyboard, flowchart, pseudocode, or story map.

1B-AP-15 Test and debug (identify and fix errors) a program or algorithm to ensure it runs as intended. 

As students develop programs they should continuously test those programs to see that they do what was expected and fix (debug) any errors. Students should also be able to successfully debug simple errors in programs created by others.

1B-AP-16 Take on varying roles, with teacher guidance, when collaborating with peers during the design, implementation, and review stages of program development. 

Collaborative computing is the process of performing a computational task by working in pairs or on teams. Because it involves asking for the contributions and feedback of others, effective collaboration can lead to better outcomes than working independently. Students should take turns in different roles during program development, such as note taker, facilitator, program tester, or “driver” of the computer.

2-AP-11 Create clearly named variables that represent different data types and perform operations on their values. 

A variable is like a container with a name, in which the contents may change, but the name (identifier) does not. When planning and developing programs, students should decide when and how to declare and name new variables. Students should use naming conventions to improve program readability. Examples of operations include adding points to the score, combining user input with words to make a sentence, changing the size of a picture, or adding a name to a list of people.

2-AP-12 Design and iteratively develop programs that combine control structures, including nested loops and compound conditionals. 

Control structures can be combined in many ways. Nested loops are loops placed within loops. Compound conditionals combine two or more conditions in a logical relationship (e.g., using AND, OR, and NOT), and nesting conditionals within one another allows the result of one conditional to lead to another. For example, when programming an interactive story, students could use a compound conditional within a loop to unlock a door only if a character has a key AND is touching the door.

2-AP-14 Create procedures with parameters to organize code and make it easier to reuse. 

Students should create procedures and/or functions that are used multiple times within a program to repeat groups of instructions. These procedures can be generalized by defining parameters that create different outputs for a wide range of inputs. For example, a procedure to draw a circle involves many instructions, but all of them can be invoked with one instruction, such as “drawCircle.” By adding a radius parameter, the user can easily draw circles of different sizes.

2-AP-17 Systematically test and refine programs using a range of test cases. 

Use cases and test cases are created and analyzed to better meet the needs of users and to evaluate whether programs function as intended. At this level, testing should become a deliberate process that is more iterative, systematic, and proactive than at lower levels. Students should begin to test programs by considering potential errors, such as what will happen if a user enters invalid input (e.g., negative numbers and 0 instead of positive numbers).

Advanced Tello Programming with DroneBlocks

Computing Systems 

2-CS-03 Systematically identify and fix problems with computing devices and their components. 

Since a computing device may interact with interconnected devices within a system, problems may not be due to the specific computing device itself but to devices connected to it. Just as pilots use checklists to troubleshoot problems with aircraft systems, students should use a similar, structured process to troubleshoot problems with computing systems and ensure that potential solutions are not overlooked. Examples of troubleshooting strategies include following a troubleshooting flow diagram, making changes to software to see if hardware will work, checking connections and settings, and swapping in working components.

Algorithms and Programming

1B-AP-08 Compare and refine multiple algorithms for the same task and determine which is the most appropriate. 

Different algorithms can achieve the same result, though sometimes one algorithm might be most appropriate for a specific situation. Students should be able to look at different ways to solve the same task and decide which would be the best solution. For example, students could use a map and plan multiple algorithms to get from one point to another. They could look at routes suggested by mapping software and change the route to something that would be better, based on which route is shortest or fastest or would avoid a problem. Students might compare algorithms that describe how to get ready for school. Another example might be to write different algorithms to draw a regular polygon and determine which algorithm would be the easiest to modify or repurpose to draw a different polygon.

1B-AP-09 Create programs that use variables to store and modify data. 

Variables are used to store and modify data. At this level, understanding how to use variables is sufficient. For example, students may use mathematical operations to add to the score of a game or subtract from the number of lives available in a game. The use of a variable as a countdown timer is another example.

1B-AP-10 Create programs that include sequences, events, loops, and conditionals. 

Control structures specify the order (sequence) in which instructions are executed within a program and can be combined to support the creation of more complex programs. Events allow portions of a program to run based on a specific action. For example, students could write a program to explain the water cycle and when a specific component is clicked (event), the program would show information about that part of the water cycle. Conditionals allow for the execution of a portion of code in a program when a certain condition is true. For example, students could write a math game that asks multiplication fact questions and then uses a conditional to check whether or not the answer that was entered is correct. Loops allow for the repetition of a sequence of code multiple times. For example, in a program that produces an animation about a famous historical character, students could use a loop to have the character walk across the screen as they introduce themselves.

1B-AP-12 Modify, remix, or incorporate portions of an existing program into one’s own work, to develop something new or add more advanced features. 

Programs can be broken down into smaller parts, which can be incorporated into new or existing programs. For example, students could modify prewritten code from a single-player game to create a two-player game with slightly different rules, remix and add another scene to an animated story, use code to make a ball bounce from another program in a new basketball game, or modify an image created by another student.

1B-AP-15 Test and debug (identify and fix errors) a program or algorithm to ensure it runs as intended. 

As students develop programs they should continuously test those programs to see that they do what was expected and fix (debug) any errors. Students should also be able to successfully debug simple errors in programs created by others.

1B-AP-16 Take on varying roles, with teacher guidance, when collaborating with peers during the design, implementation, and review stages of program development. 

Collaborative computing is the process of performing a computational task by working in pairs or on teams. Because it involves asking for the contributions and feedback of others, effective collaboration can lead to better outcomes than working independently. Students should take turns in different roles during program development, such as note taker, facilitator, program tester, or “driver” of the computer.

2-AP-11 Create clearly named variables that represent different data types and perform operations on their values. 

A variable is like a container with a name, in which the contents may change, but the name (identifier) does not. When planning and developing programs, students should decide when and how to declare and name new variables. Students should use naming conventions to improve program readability. Examples of operations include adding points to the score, combining user input with words to make a sentence, changing the size of a picture, or adding a name to a list of people.

2-AP-12 Design and iteratively develop programs that combine control structures, including nested loops and compound conditionals. 

Control structures can be combined in many ways. Nested loops are loops placed within loops. Compound conditionals combine two or more conditions in a logical relationship (e.g., using AND, OR, and NOT), and nesting conditionals within one another allows the result of one conditional to lead to another. For example, when programming an interactive story, students could use a compound conditional within a loop to unlock a door only if a character has a key AND is touching the door.

2-AP-13 Decompose problems and subproblems into parts to facilitate the design, implementation, and review of programs. 

Students should break down problems into subproblems, which can be further broken down to smaller parts. Decomposition facilitates aspects of program development by allowing students to focus on one piece at a time (e.g., getting input from the user, processing the data, and displaying the result to the user). Decomposition also enables different students to work on different parts at the same time. For example, animations can be decomposed into multiple scenes, which can be developed independently.

2-AP-14 Create procedures with parameters to organize code and make it easier to reuse. 

Students should create procedures and/or functions that are used multiple times within a program to repeat groups of instructions. These procedures can be generalized by defining parameters that create different outputs for a wide range of inputs. For example, a procedure to draw a circle involves many instructions, but all of them can be invoked with one instruction, such as “drawCircle.” By adding a radius parameter, the user can easily draw circles of different sizes.

2-AP-17 Systematically test and refine programs using a range of test cases. 

Use cases and test cases are created and analyzed to better meet the needs of users and to evaluate whether programs function as intended. At this level, testing should become a deliberate process that is more iterative, systematic, and proactive than at lower levels. Students should begin to test programs by considering potential errors, such as what will happen if a user enters invalid input (e.g., negative numbers and 0 instead of positive numbers).

3A-AP-13 Create prototypes that use algorithms to solve computational problems by leveraging prior student knowledge and personal interests. 

A prototype is a computational artifact that demonstrates the core functionality of a product or process. Prototypes are useful for getting early feedback in the design process, and can yield insight into the feasibility of a product. The process of developing computational artifacts embraces both creative expression and the exploration of ideas to create prototypes and solve computational problems. Students create artifacts that are personally relevant or beneficial to their community and beyond. Students should develop artifacts in response to a task or a computational problem that demonstrate the performance, reusability, and ease of implementation of an algorithm.

3A-AP-14 Use lists to simplify solutions, generalizing computational problems instead of repeatedly using simple variables. 

Students should be able to identify common features in multiple segments of code and substitute a single segment that uses lists (arrays) to account for the differences.

Tello & Art Presents: Dance

Computing Systems 

1B-CS-03 Determine potential solutions to solve simple hardware and software problems using common troubleshooting strategies. 

Although computing systems may vary, common troubleshooting strategies can be used on all of them. Students should be able to identify solutions to problems such as the device not responding, no power, no network, app crashing, no sound, or password entry not working. Should errors occur at school, the goal would be that students would use various strategies, such as rebooting the device, checking for power, checking network availability, closing and reopening an app, making sure speakers are turned on or headphones are plugged in, and making sure that the caps lock key is not on, to solve these problems, when possible.

2-CS-02 Design projects that combine hardware and software components to collect and exchange data. 

Collecting and exchanging data involves input, output, storage, and processing. When possible, students should select the hardware and software components for their project designs by considering factors such as functionality, cost, size, speed, accessibility, and aesthetics. For example, components for a mobile app could include accelerometer, GPS, and speech recognition. The choice of a device that connects wirelessly through a Bluetooth connection versus a physical USB connection involves a tradeoff between mobility and the need for an additional power source for the wireless device.

2-CS-03 Systematically identify and fix problems with computing devices and their components. 

Since a computing device may interact with interconnected devices within a system, problems may not be due to the specific computing device itself but to devices connected to it. Just as pilots use checklists to troubleshoot problems with aircraft systems, students should use a similar, structured process to troubleshoot problems with computing systems and ensure that potential solutions are not overlooked. Examples of troubleshooting strategies include following a troubleshooting flow diagram, making changes to software to see if hardware will work, checking connections and settings, and swapping in working components.

Algorithms and Programming

1B-AP-08 Compare and refine multiple algorithms for the same task and determine which is the most appropriate. 

Different algorithms can achieve the same result, though sometimes one algorithm might be most appropriate for a specific situation. Students should be able to look at different ways to solve the same task and decide which would be the best solution. For example, students could use a map and plan multiple algorithms to get from one point to another. They could look at routes suggested by mapping software and change the route to something that would be better, based on which route is shortest or fastest or would avoid a problem. Students might compare algorithms that describe how to get ready for school. Another example might be to write different algorithms to draw a regular polygon and determine which algorithm would be the easiest to modify or repurpose to draw a different polygon.

1B-AP-10 Create programs that include sequences, events, loops, and conditionals. 

Control structures specify the order (sequence) in which instructions are executed within a program and can be combined to support the creation of more complex programs. Events allow portions of a program to run based on a specific action. For example, students could write a program to explain the water cycle and when a specific component is clicked (event), the program would show information about that part of the water cycle. Conditionals allow for the execution of a portion of code in a program when a certain condition is true. For example, students could write a math game that asks multiplication fact questions and then uses a conditional to check whether or not the answer that was entered is correct. Loops allow for the repetition of a sequence of code multiple times. For example, in a program that produces an animation about a famous historical character, students could use a loop to have the character walk across the screen as they introduce themselves.

1B-AP-11 Decompose (break down) problems into smaller, manageable subproblems to facilitate the program development process. 

Decomposition is the act of breaking down tasks into simpler tasks. For example, students could create an animation by separating a story into different scenes. For each scene, they would select a background, place characters, and program actions.

1B-AP-12 Modify, remix, or incorporate portions of an existing program into one’s own work, to develop something new or add more advanced features. 

Programs can be broken down into smaller parts, which can be incorporated into new or existing programs. For example, students could modify prewritten code from a single-player game to create a two-player game with slightly different rules, remix and add another scene to an animated story, use code to make a ball bounce from another program in a new basketball game, or modify an image created by another student.

1B-AP-14 Observe intellectual property rights and give appropriate attribution when creating or remixing programs. 

Intellectual property rights can vary by country but copyright laws give the creator of a work a set of rights that prevents others from copying the work and using it in ways that they may not like. Students should identify instances of remixing, when ideas are borrowed and iterated upon, and credit the original creator. Students should also consider common licenses that place limitations or restrictions on the use of computational artifacts, such as images and music downloaded from the Internet. At this stage, attribution should be written in the format required by the teacher and should always be included on any programs shared online.

1B-AP-16 Take on varying roles, with teacher guidance, when collaborating with peers during the design, implementation, and review stages of program development. 

Collaborative computing is the process of performing a computational task by working in pairs or on teams. Because it involves asking for the contributions and feedback of others, effective collaboration can lead to better outcomes than working independently. Students should take turns in different roles during program development, such as note taker, facilitator, program tester, or “driver” of the computer.

1B-AP-17 Describe choices made during program development using code comments, presentations, and demonstrations. 

People communicate about their code to help others understand and use their programs. Another purpose of communicating one’s design choices is to show an understanding of one’s work. These explanations could manifest themselves as in-line code comments for collaborators and assessors, or as part of a summative presentation, such as a code walk-through or coding journal.

2-AP-12 Design and iteratively develop programs that combine control structures, including nested loops and compound conditionals. 

Control structures can be combined in many ways. Nested loops are loops placed within loops. Compound conditionals combine two or more conditions in a logical relationship (e.g., using AND, OR, and NOT), and nesting conditionals within one another allows the result of one conditional to lead to another. For example, when programming an interactive story, students could use a compound conditional within a loop to unlock a door only if a character has a key AND is touching the door.

2-AP-14 Create procedures with parameters to organize code and make it easier to reuse. 

Students should create procedures and/or functions that are used multiple times within a program to repeat groups of instructions. These procedures can be generalized by defining parameters that create different outputs for a wide range of inputs. For example, a procedure to draw a circle involves many instructions, but all of them can be invoked with one instruction, such as “drawCircle.” By adding a radius parameter, the user can easily draw circles of different sizes.

2-AP-15 Seek and incorporate feedback from team members and users to refine a solution that meets user needs. 

Development teams that employ user-centered design create solutions (e.g., programs and devices) that can have a large societal impact, such as an app that allows people with speech difficulties to translate hard-to-understand pronunciation into understandable language. Students should begin to seek diverse perspectives throughout the design process to improve their computational artifacts. Considerations of the end-user may include usability, accessibility, age-appropriate content, respectful language, user perspective, pronoun use, color contrast, and ease of use.

2-AP-19 Document programs in order to make them easier to follow, test, and debug. 

Documentation allows creators and others to more easily use and understand a program. Students should provide documentation for end users that explains their artifacts and how they function. For example, students could provide a project overview and clear user instructions. They should also incorporate comments in their product and communicate their process using design documents, flowcharts, and presentations.

3A-AP-13 Create prototypes that use algorithms to solve computational problems by leveraging prior student knowledge and personal interests.

 A prototype is a computational artifact that demonstrates the core functionality of a product or process. Prototypes are useful for getting early feedback in the design process, and can yield insight into the feasibility of a product. The process of developing computational artifacts embraces both creative expression and the exploration of ideas to create prototypes and solve computational problems. Students create artifacts that are personally relevant or beneficial to their community and beyond. Students should develop artifacts in response to a task or a computational problem that demonstrate the performance, reusability, and ease of implementation of an algorithm.

3A-AP-16 Design and iteratively develop computational artifacts for practical intent, personal expression, or to address a societal issue by using events to initiate instructions. 

In this context, relevant computational artifacts include programs, mobile apps, or web apps. Events can be user-initiated, such as a button press, or system-initiated, such as a timer firing. At previous levels, students have learned to create and call procedures. Here, students design procedures that are called by events. Students might create a mobile app that updates a list of nearby points of interest when the device detects that its location has been changed.

3A-AP-18 Create artifacts by using procedures within a program, combinations of data and procedures, or independent but interrelated programs. 

Computational artifacts can be created by combining and modifying existing artifacts or by developing new artifacts. Examples of computational artifacts include programs, simulations, visualizations, digital animations, robotic systems, and apps. Complex programs are designed as systems of interacting modules, each with a specific role, coordinating for a common overall purpose. Modules allow for better management of complex tasks. The focus at this level is understanding a program as a system with relationships between modules. The choice of implementation, such as programming language or paradigm, may vary. Students could incorporate computer vision libraries to increase the capabilities of a robot or leverage open-source JavaScript libraries to expand the functionality of a web application.

3A-AP-22 Design and develop computational artifacts working in team roles using collaborative tools. 

Collaborative tools could be as complex as source code version control system or as simple as a collaborative word processor. Team roles in pair programming are driver and navigator but could be more specialized in larger teams. As programs grow more complex, the choice of resources that aid program development becomes increasingly important and should be made by the students. Students might work as a team to develop a mobile application that addresses a problem relevant to the school or community, selecting appropriate tools to establish and manage the project timeline; design, share, and revise graphical user interface elements; and track planned, in-progress, and completed components.

Impacts of Computing

1B-IC-21 Use public domain or creative commons media, and refrain from copying or using material created by others without permission. 

Ethical complications arise from the opportunities provided by computing. The ease of sending and receiving copies of media on the Internet, such as video, photos, and music, creates the opportunity for unauthorized use, such as online piracy, and disregard of copyrights. Students should consider the licenses on computational artifacts that they wish to use. For example, the license on a downloaded image or audio file may have restrictions that prohibit modification, require attribution, or prohibit use entirely.

2-IC-20 Compare tradeoffs associated with computing technologies that affect people’s everyday activities and career options. 

Advancements in computer technology are neither wholly positive nor negative. However, the ways that people use computing technologies have tradeoffs. Students should consider current events related to broad ideas, including privacy, communication, and automation. For example, driverless cars can increase convenience and reduce accidents, but they are also susceptible to hacking. The emerging industry will reduce the number of taxi and shared-ride drivers, but will create more software engineering and cybersecurity jobs.

2-IC-23 Describe tradeoffs between allowing information to be public and keeping information private and secure. 

Sharing information online can help establish, maintain, and strengthen connections between people. For example, it allows artists and designers to display their talents and reach a broad audience. However, security attacks often start with personal information that is publicly available online. Social engineering is based on tricking people into revealing sensitive information and can be thwarted by being wary of attacks, such as phishing and spoofing.

3A-IC-27 Use tools and methods for collaboration on a project to increase connectivity of people in different cultures and career fields. 

Many aspects of society, especially careers, have been affected by the degree of communication afforded by computing. The increased connectivity between people in different cultures and in different career fields has changed the nature and content of many careers. Students should explore different collaborative tools and methods used to solicit input from team members, classmates, and others, such as participation in online forums or local communities. For example, students could compare ways different social media tools could help a team become more cohesive.

3B-IC-27 Predict how computational innovations that have revolutionized aspects of our culture might evolve. 

Areas to consider might include education, healthcare, art/entertainment, and energy.

Data and Analysis

3A-DA-11 Create interactive data visualizations using software tools to help others better understand real-world phenomena. 

People transform, generalize, simplify, and present large data sets in different ways to influence how other people interpret and understand the underlying information. Examples include visualization, aggregation, rearrangement, and application of mathematical operations. People use software tools or programming to create powerful, interactive data visualizations and perform a range of mathematical operations to transform and analyze data. Students should model phenomena as systems, with rules governing the interactions within the system and evaluate these models against real-world observations. For example, flocking behaviors, queueing, or life cycles. Google Fusion Tables can provide access to data visualization online.

Tello Challenges from Italy with Mr. Torelli 

Computing Systems 

2-CS-03 Systematically identify and fix problems with computing devices and their components. 

Since a computing device may interact with interconnected devices within a system, problems may not be due to the specific computing device itself but to devices connected to it. Just as pilots use checklists to troubleshoot problems with aircraft systems, students should use a similar, structured process to troubleshoot problems with computing systems and ensure that potential solutions are not overlooked. Examples of troubleshooting strategies include following a troubleshooting flow diagram, making changes to software to see if hardware will work, checking connections and settings, and swapping in working components.

Algorithms and Programming

1B-AP-08 Compare and refine multiple algorithms for the same task and determine which is the most appropriate. 

Different algorithms can achieve the same result, though sometimes one algorithm might be most appropriate for a specific situation. Students should be able to look at different ways to solve the same task and decide which would be the best solution. For example, students could use a map and plan multiple algorithms to get from one point to another. They could look at routes suggested by mapping software and change the route to something that would be better, based on which route is shortest or fastest or would avoid a problem. Students might compare algorithms that describe how to get ready for school. Another example might be to write different algorithms to draw a regular polygon and determine which algorithm would be the easiest to modify or repurpose to draw a different polygon.

1B-AP-09 Create programs that use variables to store and modify data. 

Variables are used to store and modify data. At this level, understanding how to use variables is sufficient. For example, students may use mathematical operations to add to the score of a game or subtract from the number of lives available in a game. The use of a variable as a countdown timer is another example.

1B-AP-10 Create programs that include sequences, events, loops, and conditionals. 

Control structures specify the order (sequence) in which instructions are executed within a program and can be combined to support the creation of more complex programs. Events allow portions of a program to run based on a specific action. For example, students could write a program to explain the water cycle and when a specific component is clicked (event), the program would show information about that part of the water cycle. Conditionals allow for the execution of a portion of code in a program when a certain condition is true. For example, students could write a math game that asks multiplication fact questions and then uses a conditional to check whether or not the answer that was entered is correct. Loops allow for the repetition of a sequence of code multiple times. For example, in a program that produces an animation about a famous historical character, students could use a loop to have the character walk across the screen as they introduce themselves.

1B-AP-12 Modify, remix, or incorporate portions of an existing program into one’s own work, to develop something new or add more advanced features. 

Programs can be broken down into smaller parts, which can be incorporated into new or existing programs. For example, students could modify prewritten code from a single-player game to create a two-player game with slightly different rules, remix and add another scene to an animated story, use code to make a ball bounce from another program in a new basketball game, or modify an image created by another student.

1B-AP-15 Test and debug (identify and fix errors) a program or algorithm to ensure it runs as intended. 

As students develop programs they should continuously test those programs to see that they do what was expected and fix (debug) any errors. Students should also be able to successfully debug simple errors in programs created by others.

1B-AP-16 Take on varying roles, with teacher guidance, when collaborating with peers during the design, implementation, and review stages of program development. 

Collaborative computing is the process of performing a computational task by working in pairs or on teams. Because it involves asking for the contributions and feedback of others, effective collaboration can lead to better outcomes than working independently. Students should take turns in different roles during program development, such as note taker, facilitator, program tester, or “driver” of the computer.

2-AP-11 Create clearly named variables that represent different data types and perform operations on their values. 

A variable is like a container with a name, in which the contents may change, but the name (identifier) does not. When planning and developing programs, students should decide when and how to declare and name new variables. Students should use naming conventions to improve program readability. Examples of operations include adding points to the score, combining user input with words to make a sentence, changing the size of a picture, or adding a name to a list of people.

2-AP-12 Design and iteratively develop programs that combine control structures, including nested loops and compound conditionals. 

Control structures can be combined in many ways. Nested loops are loops placed within loops. Compound conditionals combine two or more conditions in a logical relationship (e.g., using AND, OR, and NOT), and nesting conditionals within one another allows the result of one conditional to lead to another. For example, when programming an interactive story, students could use a compound conditional within a loop to unlock a door only if a character has a key AND is touching the door.

2-AP-13 Decompose problems and subproblems into parts to facilitate the design, implementation, and review of programs. 

Students should break down problems into subproblems, which can be further broken down to smaller parts. Decomposition facilitates aspects of program development by allowing students to focus on one piece at a time (e.g., getting input from the user, processing the data, and displaying the result to the user). Decomposition also enables different students to work on different parts at the same time. For example, animations can be decomposed into multiple scenes, which can be developed independently.

2-AP-14 Create procedures with parameters to organize code and make it easier to reuse. 

Students should create procedures and/or functions that are used multiple times within a program to repeat groups of instructions. These procedures can be generalized by defining parameters that create different outputs for a wide range of inputs. For example, a procedure to draw a circle involves many instructions, but all of them can be invoked with one instruction, such as “drawCircle.” By adding a radius parameter, the user can easily draw circles of different sizes.

2-AP-17 Systematically test and refine programs using a range of test cases. 

Use cases and test cases are created and analyzed to better meet the needs of users and to evaluate whether programs function as intended. At this level, testing should become a deliberate process that is more iterative, systematic, and proactive than at lower levels. Students should begin to test programs by considering potential errors, such as what will happen if a user enters invalid input (e.g., negative numbers and 0 instead of positive numbers).

3A-AP-13 Create prototypes that use algorithms to solve computational problems by leveraging prior student knowledge and personal interests. 

A prototype is a computational artifact that demonstrates the core functionality of a product or process. Prototypes are useful for getting early feedback in the design process, and can yield insight into the feasibility of a product. The process of developing computational artifacts embraces both creative expression and the exploration of ideas to create prototypes and solve computational problems. Students create artifacts that are personally relevant or beneficial to their community and beyond. Students should develop artifacts in response to a task or a computational problem that demonstrate the performance, reusability, and ease of implementation of an algorithm.

3A-AP-14 Use lists to simplify solutions, generalizing computational problems instead of repeatedly using simple variables. 

Students should be able to identify common features in multiple segments of code and substitute a single segment that uses lists (arrays) to account for the differences.

3B-AP-11 Evaluate algorithms in terms of their efficiency, correctness, and clarity. 

Examples could include sorting and searching.

3B-AP-12 Compare and contrast fundamental data structures and their uses. 

Examples could include strings, lists, arrays, stacks, and queues.

Impacts of Computing

3A-IC-26 Demonstrate ways a given algorithm applies to problems across disciplines. 

Computation can share features with disciplines such as art and music by algorithmically translating human intention into an artifact. Students should be able to identify real-world problems that span multiple disciplines, such as increasing bike safety with new helmet technology, and that can be solved computationally.

3A-IC-27 Use tools and methods for collaboration on a project to increase connectivity of people in different cultures and career fields. 

Many aspects of society, especially careers, have been affected by the degree of communication afforded by computing. The increased connectivity between people in different cultures and in different career fields has changed the nature and content of many careers. Students should explore different collaborative tools and methods used to solicit input from team members, classmates, and others, such as participation in online forums or local communities. For example, students could compare ways different social media tools could help a team become more cohesive.

Data and Analysis

2-DA-09 Refine computational models based on the data they have generated. 

A model may be a programmed simulation of events or a representation of how various data is related. In order to refine a model, students need to consider which data points are relevant, how data points relate to each other, and if the data is accurate. For example, students may make a prediction about how far a ball will travel based on a table of data related to the height and angle of a track. The students could then test and refine their model by comparing predicted versus actual results and considering whether other factors are relevant (e.g., size and mass of the ball). Additionally, students could refine game mechanics based on test outcomes in order to make the game more balanced or fair.

Tello Drone Programming with Python – Video Course

Computing Systems

2-CS-02 Design projects that combine hardware and software components to collect and exchange data. 

Collecting and exchanging data involves input, output, storage, and processing. When possible, students should select the hardware and software components for their project designs by considering factors such as functionality, cost, size, speed, accessibility, and aesthetics. For example, components for a mobile app could include accelerometer, GPS, and speech recognition. The choice of a device that connects wirelessly through a Bluetooth connection versus a physical USB connection involves a tradeoff between mobility and the need for an additional power source for the wireless device.

3B-CS-02 Illustrate ways computing systems implement logic, input, and output through hardware components. 

Examples of components could include logic gates and IO pins.

Networks and the Internet

1B-NI-04 Model how information is broken down into smaller pieces, transmitted as packets through multiple devices over networks and the Internet, and reassembled at the destination. 

Information is sent and received over physical or wireless paths. It is broken down into smaller pieces called packets, which are sent independently and reassembled at the destination. Students should demonstrate their understanding of this flow of information by, for instance, drawing a model of the way packets are transmitted, programming an animation to show how packets are transmitted, or demonstrating this through an unplugged activity which has them act it out in some way

Data Analysis

2-DA-07 Represent data using multiple encoding schemes. 

Data representations occur at multiple levels of abstraction, from the physical storage of bits to the arrangement of information into organized formats (e.g., tables). Students should represent the same data in multiple ways. For example, students could represent the same color using binary, RGB values, hex codes (low-level representations), as well as forms understandable by people, including words, symbols, and digital displays of the color (high-level representations).

3A-DA-09 Translate between different bit representations of real-world phenomena, such as characters, numbers, and images. 

For example, convert hexadecimal color codes to decimal percentages, ASCII/Unicode representation, and logic gates.

3A-DA-11 Create interactive data visualizations using software tools to help others better understand real-world phenomena. 

People transform, generalize, simplify, and present large data sets in different ways to influence how other people interpret and understand the underlying information. Examples include visualization, aggregation, rearrangement, and application of mathematical operations. People use software tools or programming to create powerful, interactive data visualizations and perform a range of mathematical operations to transform and analyze data. Students should model phenomena as systems, with rules governing the interactions within the system and evaluate these models against real-world observations. For example, flocking behaviors, queueing, or life cycles. Google Fusion Tables can provide access to data visualization online

Algorithms and Programming

2-AP-10 Use flowcharts and/or pseudocode to address complex problems as algorithms. 

Complex problems are problems that would be difficult for students to solve computationally. Students should use pseudocode and/or flowcharts to organize and sequence an algorithm that addresses a complex problem, even though they may not actually program the solutions. For example, students might express an algorithm that produces a recommendation for purchasing sneakers based on inputs such as size, colors, brand, comfort, and cost. Testing the algorithm with a wide range of inputs and users allows students to refine their recommendation algorithm and to identify other inputs they may have initially excluded. 

2-AP-14 Create procedures with parameters to organize code and make it easier to reuse. 

Students should create procedures and/or functions that are used multiple times within a program to repeat groups of instructions. These procedures can be generalized by defining parameters that create different outputs for a wide range of inputs. For example, a procedure to draw a circle involves many instructions, but all of them can be invoked with one instruction, such as “drawCircle.” By adding a radius parameter, the user can easily draw circles of different sizes.3B-AP-10 Use and adapt classic algorithms to solve computational problems. Examples could include sorting and searching.

2-AP-16 Incorporate existing code, media, and libraries into original programs, and give attribution. 

Building on the work of others enables students to produce more interesting and powerful creations. Students should use portions of code, algorithms, and/or digital media in their own programs and websites. At this level, they may also import libraries and connect to web application program interfaces (APIs). For example, when creating a side-scrolling game, students may incorporate portions of code that create a realistic jump movement from another person’s game, and they may also import Creative Commons-licensed images to use in the background. Students should give attribution to the original creators to acknowledge their contributions.

2-AP-17 Systematically test and refine programs using a range of test cases. 

Use cases and test cases are created and analyzed to better meet the needs of users and to evaluate whether programs function as intended. At this level, testing should become a deliberate process that is more iterative, systematic, and proactive than at lower levels. Students should begin to test programs by considering potential errors, such as what will happen if a user enters invalid input (e.g., negative numbers and 0 instead of positive numbers).

3A-AP-13 Create prototypes that use algorithms to solve computational problems by leveraging prior student knowledge and personal interests. 

A prototype is a computational artifact that demonstrates the core functionality of a product or process. Prototypes are useful for getting early feedback in the design process, and can yield insight into the feasibility of a product. The process of developing computational artifacts embraces both creative expression and the exploration of ideas to create prototypes and solve computational problems. Students create artifacts that are personally relevant or beneficial to their community and beyond. Students should develop artifacts in response to a task or a computational problem that demonstrate the performance, reusability, and ease of implementation of an algorithm.

3A-AP-14 Use lists to simplify solutions, generalizing computational problems instead of repeatedly using simple variables. 

Students should be able to identify common features in multiple segments of code and substitute a single segment that uses lists (arrays) to account for the differences.

3A-AP-16 Design and iteratively develop computational artifacts for practical intent, personal expression, or to address a societal issue by using events to initiate instructions. 

In this context, relevant computational artifacts include programs, mobile apps, or web apps. Events can be user-initiated, such as a button press, or system-initiated, such as a timer firing. At previous levels, students have learned to create and call procedures. Here, students design procedures that are called by events. Students might create a mobile app that updates a list of nearby points of interest when the device detects that its location has been changed.

3A-AP-18 Create artifacts by using procedures within a program, combinations of data and procedures, or independent but interrelated programs. 

Computational artifacts can be created by combining and modifying existing artifacts or by developing new artifacts. Examples of computational artifacts include programs, simulations, visualizations, digital animations, robotic systems, and apps. Complex programs are designed as systems of interacting modules, each with a specific role, coordinating for a common overall purpose. Modules allow for better management of complex tasks. The focus at this level is understanding a program as a system with relationships between modules. The choice of implementation, such as programming language or paradigm, may vary. Students could incorporate computer vision libraries to increase the capabilities of a robot or leverage open-source JavaScript libraries to expand the functionality of a web application.

3B-AP-11 Evaluate algorithms in terms of their efficiency, correctness, and clarity. 

Examples could include sorting and searching.

3B-AP-16 Demonstrate code reuse by creating programming solutions using libraries and APIs. 

Libraries and APIs can be student-created or common graphics libraries or maps APIs, for example.

3B-AP-20 Use version control systems, integrated development environments (IDEs), and collaborative tools and practices (code documentation) in a group software project. 

Group software projects can be assigned or student-selected.

3B-AP-22 Modify an existing program to add additional functionality and discuss intended and unintended implications (e.g., breaking other functionality). 

For instance, changes made to a method or function signature could break invocations of that method elsewhere in a system.

3B-AP-24 Compare multiple programming languages and discuss how their features make them suitable for solving different types of problems. 

Examples of features include blocks versus text, indentation versus curly braces, and high-level versus low level.

OpenCV, Python, and DroneBlocks for Tello Camera

Computing Systems

2-CS-02 Design projects that combine hardware and software components to collect and exchange data. 

Collecting and exchanging data involves input, output, storage, and processing. When possible, students should select the hardware and software components for their project designs by considering factors such as functionality, cost, size, speed, accessibility, and aesthetics. For example, components for a mobile app could include accelerometer, GPS, and speech recognition. The choice of a device that connects wirelessly through a Bluetooth connection versus a physical USB connection involves a tradeoff between mobility and the need for an additional power source for the wireless device.

3B-CS-02 Illustrate ways computing systems implement logic, input, and output through hardware components. 

Examples of components could include logic gates and IO pins.

Networks and the Internet

1B-NI-04 Model how information is broken down into smaller pieces, transmitted as packets through multiple devices over networks and the Internet, and reassembled at the destination. 

Information is sent and received over physical or wireless paths. It is broken down into smaller pieces called packets, which are sent independently and reassembled at the destination. Students should demonstrate their understanding of this flow of information by, for instance, drawing a model of the way packets are transmitted, programming an animation to show how packets are transmitted, or demonstrating this through an unplugged activity which has them act it out in some way.

Data Analysis

2-DA-07 Represent data using multiple encoding schemes. 

Data representations occur at multiple levels of abstraction, from the physical storage of bits to the arrangement of information into organized formats (e.g., tables). Students should represent the same data in multiple ways. For example, students could represent the same color using binary, RGB values, hex codes (low-level representations), as well as forms understandable by people, including words, symbols, and digital displays of the color (high-level representations).

3A-DA-09 Translate between different bit representations of real-world phenomena, such as characters, numbers, and images. 

For example, convert hexadecimal color codes to decimal percentages, ASCII/Unicode representation, and logic gates.

3A-DA-11 Create interactive data visualizations using software tools to help others better understand real-world phenomena. 

People transform, generalize, simplify, and present large data sets in different ways to influence how other people interpret and understand the underlying information. Examples include visualization, aggregation, rearrangement, and application of mathematical operations. People use software tools or programming to create powerful, interactive data visualizations and perform a range of mathematical operations to transform and analyze data. Students should model phenomena as systems, with rules governing the interactions within the system and evaluate these models against real-world observations. For example, flocking behaviors, queueing, or life cycles. Google Fusion Tables can provide access to data visualization online.

Algorithms and Programming

2-AP-10 Use flowcharts and/or pseudocode to address complex problems as algorithms. 

Complex problems are problems that would be difficult for students to solve computationally. Students should use pseudocode and/or flowcharts to organize and sequence an algorithm that addresses a complex problem, even though they may not actually program the solutions. For example, students might express an algorithm that produces a recommendation for purchasing sneakers based on inputs such as size, colors, brand, comfort, and cost. Testing the algorithm with a wide range of inputs and users allows students to refine their recommendation algorithm and to identify other inputs they may have initially excluded. 

2-AP-14 Create procedures with parameters to organize code and make it easier to reuse. 

Students should create procedures and/or functions that are used multiple times within a program to repeat groups of instructions. These procedures can be generalized by defining parameters that create different outputs for a wide range of inputs. For example, a procedure to draw a circle involves many instructions, but all of them can be invoked with one instruction, such as “drawCircle.” By adding a radius parameter, the user can easily draw circles of different sizes.3B-AP-10 Use and adapt classic algorithms to solve computational problems. Examples could include sorting and searching.

2-AP-16 Incorporate existing code, media, and libraries into original programs, and give attribution. 

Building on the work of others enables students to produce more interesting and powerful creations. Students should use portions of code, algorithms, and/or digital media in their own programs and websites. At this level, they may also import libraries and connect to web application program interfaces (APIs). For example, when creating a side-scrolling game, students may incorporate portions of code that create a realistic jump movement from another person’s game, and they may also import Creative Commons-licensed images to use in the background. Students should give attribution to the original creators to acknowledge their contributions.

2-AP-17 Systematically test and refine programs using a range of test cases. 

Use cases and test cases are created and analyzed to better meet the needs of users and to evaluate whether programs function as intended. At this level, testing should become a deliberate process that is more iterative, systematic, and proactive than at lower levels. Students should begin to test programs by considering potential errors, such as what will happen if a user enters invalid input (e.g., negative numbers and 0 instead of positive numbers).

3A-AP-13 Create prototypes that use algorithms to solve computational problems by leveraging prior student knowledge and personal interests. 

A prototype is a computational artifact that demonstrates the core functionality of a product or process. Prototypes are useful for getting early feedback in the design process, and can yield insight into the feasibility of a product. The process of developing computational artifacts embraces both creative expression and the exploration of ideas to create prototypes and solve computational problems. Students create artifacts that are personally relevant or beneficial to their community and beyond. Students should develop artifacts in response to a task or a computational problem that demonstrate the performance, reusability, and ease of implementation of an algorithm.

3A-AP-14 Use lists to simplify solutions, generalizing computational problems instead of repeatedly using simple variables. 

Students should be able to identify common features in multiple segments of code and substitute a single segment that uses lists (arrays) to account for the differences.

3A-AP-15 Justify the selection of specific control structures when tradeoffs involve implementation, readability, and program performance, and explain the benefits and drawbacks of choices made. 

Implementation includes the choice of programming language, which affects the time and effort required to create a program. Readability refers to how clear the program is to other programmers and can be improved through documentation. The discussion of performance is limited to a theoretical understanding of execution time and storage requirements; a quantitative analysis is not expected. Control structures at this level may include conditional statements, loops, event handlers, and recursion. For example, students might compare the readability and program performance of iterative and recursive implementations of procedures that calculate the Fibonacci sequence.

3A-AP-16 Design and iteratively develop computational artifacts for practical intent, personal expression, or to address a societal issue by using events to initiate instructions. 

In this context, relevant computational artifacts include programs, mobile apps, or web apps. Events can be user-initiated, such as a button press, or system-initiated, such as a timer firing. At previous levels, students have learned to create and call procedures. Here, students design procedures that are called by events. Students might create a mobile app that updates a list of nearby points of interest when the device detects that its location has been changed.

3A-AP-17 Decompose problems into smaller components through systematic analysis, using constructs such as procedures, modules, and/or objects. 

At this level, students should decompose complex problems into manageable subproblems that could potentially be solved with programs or procedures that already exist. For example, students could create an app to solve a community problem by connecting to an online database through an application programming interface (API).

3A-AP-18 Create artifacts by using procedures within a program, combinations of data and procedures, or independent but interrelated programs. Computational artifacts can be created by combining and modifying existing artifacts or by developing new artifacts. 

Examples of computational artifacts include programs, simulations, visualizations, digital animations, robotic systems, and apps. Complex programs are designed as systems of interacting modules, each with a specific role, coordinating for a common overall purpose. Modules allow for better management of complex tasks. The focus at this level is understanding a program as a system with relationships between modules. The choice of implementation, such as programming language or paradigm, may vary. Students could incorporate computer vision libraries to increase the capabilities of a robot or leverage open-source JavaScript libraries to expand the functionality of a web application.

3A-AP-21 Evaluate and refine computational artifacts to make them more usable and accessible. 

Testing and refinement is the deliberate and iterative process of improving a computational artifact. This process includes debugging (identifying and fixing errors) and comparing actual outcomes to intended outcomes. Students should respond to the changing needs and expectations of end users and improve the performance, reliability, usability, and accessibility of artifacts. For example, students could incorporate feedback from a variety of end users to help guide the size and placement of menus and buttons in a user interface.

3B-AP-08 Describe how artificial intelligence drives many software and physical systems. 

Examples include digital ad delivery, self-driving cars, and credit card fraud detection.

3B-AP-09 Implement an artificial intelligence algorithm to play a game against a human opponent or solve a problem. 

Games do not have to be complex. Simple guessing games, Tic-Tac-Toe, or simple robot commands will be sufficient.

3B-AP-11 Evaluate algorithms in terms of their efficiency, correctness, and clarity. 

Examples could include sorting and searching.

3B-AP-15 Analyze a large-scale computational problem and identify generalizable patterns that can be applied to a solution. 

As students encounter complex, real-world problems that span multiple disciplines or social systems, they should decompose complex problems into manageable subproblems that could potentially be solved with programs or procedures that already exist. For example, students could create an app to solve a community problem by connecting to an online database through an application programming interface (API).

3B-AP-16 Demonstrate code reuse by creating programming solutions using libraries and APIs. 

Libraries and APIs can be student-created or common graphics libraries or maps APIs, for example.

3B-AP-20 Use version control systems, integrated development environments (IDEs), and collaborative tools and practices (code documentation) in a group software project. 

Group software projects can be assigned or student-selected.

3B-AP-22 Modify an existing program to add additional functionality and discuss intended and unintended implications (e.g., breaking other functionality). 

For instance, changes made to a method or function signature could break invocations of that method elsewhere in a system.

3B-AP-23 Evaluate key qualities of a program through a process such as a code review. 

Examples of qualities could include correctness, usability, readability, efficiency, portability and scalability.

3B-AP-24 Compare multiple programming languages and discuss how their features make them suitable for solving different types of problems. 

Examples of features include blocks versus text, indentation versus curly braces, and high-level versus low level.

Node-RED Programming with Tello and Tello EDU

Computing Systems

2-CS-02 Design projects that combine hardware and software components to collect and exchange data. 

Collecting and exchanging data involves input, output, storage, and processing. When possible, students should select the hardware and software components for their project designs by considering factors such as functionality, cost, size, speed, accessibility, and aesthetics. For example, components for a mobile app could include accelerometer, GPS, and speech recognition. The choice of a device that connects wirelessly through a Bluetooth connection versus a physical USB connection involves a tradeoff between mobility and the need for an additional power source for the wireless device.

3B-CS-02 Illustrate ways computing systems implement logic, input, and output through hardware components. 

Examples of components could include logic gates and IO pins.

Networks and the Internet

1B-NI-04 Model how information is broken down into smaller pieces, transmitted as packets through multiple devices over networks and the Internet, and reassembled at the destination. 

Information is sent and received over physical or wireless paths. It is broken down into smaller pieces called packets, which are sent independently and reassembled at the destination. Students should demonstrate their understanding of this flow of information by, for instance, drawing a model of the way packets are transmitted, programming an animation to show how packets are transmitted, or demonstrating this through an unplugged activity which has them act it out in some way.

Data Analysis

2-DA-07 Represent data using multiple encoding schemes. 

Data representations occur at multiple levels of abstraction, from the physical storage of bits to the arrangement of information into organized formats (e.g., tables). Students should represent the same data in multiple ways. For example, students could represent the same color using binary, RGB values, hex codes (low-level representations), as well as forms understandable by people, including words, symbols, and digital displays of the color (high-level representations).

3A-DA-09 Translate between different bit representations of real-world phenomena, such as characters, numbers, and images. 

For example, convert hexadecimal color codes to decimal percentages, ASCII/Unicode representation, and logic gates.

3A-DA-11 Create interactive data visualizations using software tools to help others better understand real-world phenomena. 

People transform, generalize, simplify, and present large data sets in different ways to influence how other people interpret and understand the underlying information. Examples include visualization, aggregation, rearrangement, and application of mathematical operations. People use software tools or programming to create powerful, interactive data visualizations and perform a range of mathematical operations to transform and analyze data. Students should model phenomena as systems, with rules governing the interactions within the system and evaluate these models against real-world observations. For example, flocking behaviors, queueing, or life cycles. Google Fusion Tables can provide access to data visualization online.

3B-DA-06 Select data collection tools and techniques to generate data sets that support a claim or communicate information.

Algorithms and Programming

2-AP-10 Use flowcharts and/or pseudocode to address complex problems as algorithms. 

Complex problems are problems that would be difficult for students to solve computationally. Students should use pseudocode and/or flowcharts to organize and sequence an algorithm that addresses a complex problem, even though they may not actually program the solutions. For example, students might express an algorithm that produces a recommendation for purchasing sneakers based on inputs such as size, colors, brand, comfort, and cost. Testing the algorithm with a wide range of inputs and users allows students to refine their recommendation algorithm and to identify other inputs they may have initially excluded. 

2-AP-14 Create procedures with parameters to organize code and make it easier to reuse. 

Students should create procedures and/or functions that are used multiple times within a program to repeat groups of instructions. These procedures can be generalized by defining parameters that create different outputs for a wide range of inputs. For example, a procedure to draw a circle involves many instructions, but all of them can be invoked with one instruction, such as “drawCircle.” By adding a radius parameter, the user can easily draw circles of different sizes.3B-AP-10 Use and adapt classic algorithms to solve computational problems. Examples could include sorting and searching.

2-AP-16 Incorporate existing code, media, and libraries into original programs, and give attribution. 

Building on the work of others enables students to produce more interesting and powerful creations. Students should use portions of code, algorithms, and/or digital media in their own programs and websites. At this level, they may also import libraries and connect to web application program interfaces (APIs). For example, when creating a side-scrolling game, students may incorporate portions of code that create a realistic jump movement from another person’s game, and they may also import Creative Commons-licensed images to use in the background. Students should give attribution to the original creators to acknowledge their contributions.

2-AP-17 Systematically test and refine programs using a range of test cases. 

Use cases and test cases are created and analyzed to better meet the needs of users and to evaluate whether programs function as intended. At this level, testing should become a deliberate process that is more iterative, systematic, and proactive than at lower levels. Students should begin to test programs by considering potential errors, such as what will happen if a user enters invalid input (e.g., negative numbers and 0 instead of positive numbers).

3A-AP-13 Create prototypes that use algorithms to solve computational problems by leveraging prior student knowledge and personal interests. 

A prototype is a computational artifact that demonstrates the core functionality of a product or process. Prototypes are useful for getting early feedback in the design process, and can yield insight into the feasibility of a product. The process of developing computational artifacts embraces both creative expression and the exploration of ideas to create prototypes and solve computational problems. Students create artifacts that are personally relevant or beneficial to their community and beyond. Students should develop artifacts in response to a task or a computational problem that demonstrate the performance, reusability, and ease of implementation of an algorithm.

3A-AP-14 Use lists to simplify solutions, generalizing computational problems instead of repeatedly using simple variables. 

Students should be able to identify common features in multiple segments of code and substitute a single segment that uses lists (arrays) to account for the differences.

3A-AP-15 Justify the selection of specific control structures when tradeoffs involve implementation, readability, and program performance, and explain the benefits and drawbacks of choices made. 

Implementation includes the choice of programming language, which affects the time and effort required to create a program. Readability refers to how clear the program is to other programmers and can be improved through documentation. The discussion of performance is limited to a theoretical understanding of execution time and storage requirements; a quantitative analysis is not expected. Control structures at this level may include conditional statements, loops, event handlers, and recursion. For example, students might compare the readability and program performance of iterative and recursive implementations of procedures that calculate the Fibonacci sequence.

3A-AP-16 Design and iteratively develop computational artifacts for practical intent, personal expression, or to address a societal issue by using events to initiate instructions. 

In this context, relevant computational artifacts include programs, mobile apps, or web apps. Events can be user-initiated, such as a button press, or system-initiated, such as a timer firing. At previous levels, students have learned to create and call procedures. Here, students design procedures that are called by events. Students might create a mobile app that updates a list of nearby points of interest when the device detects that its location has been changed.

3A-AP-17 Decompose problems into smaller components through systematic analysis, using constructs such as procedures, modules, and/or objects. 

At this level, students should decompose complex problems into manageable subproblems that could potentially be solved with programs or procedures that already exist. For example, students could create an app to solve a community problem by connecting to an online database through an application programming interface (API).

3A-AP-18 Create artifacts by using procedures within a program, combinations of data and procedures, or independent but interrelated programs. 

Computational artifacts can be created by combining and modifying existing artifacts or by developing new artifacts. Examples of computational artifacts include programs, simulations, visualizations, digital animations, robotic systems, and apps. Complex programs are designed as systems of interacting modules, each with a specific role, coordinating for a common overall purpose. Modules allow for better management of complex tasks. The focus at this level is understanding a program as a system with relationships between modules. The choice of implementation, such as programming language or paradigm, may vary. Students could incorporate computer vision libraries to increase the capabilities of a robot or leverage open-source JavaScript libraries to expand the functionality of a web application.

3A-AP-21 Evaluate and refine computational artifacts to make them more usable and accessible. 

Testing and refinement is the deliberate and iterative process of improving a computational artifact. This process includes debugging (identifying and fixing errors) and comparing actual outcomes to intended outcomes. Students should respond to the changing needs and expectations of end users and improve the performance, reliability, usability, and accessibility of artifacts. For example, students could incorporate feedback from a variety of end users to help guide the size and placement of menus and buttons in a user interface.

3B-AP-08 Describe how artificial intelligence drives many software and physical systems. 

Examples include digital ad delivery, self-driving cars, and credit card fraud detection.

3B-AP-09 Implement an artificial intelligence algorithm to play a game against a human opponent or solve a problem. 

Games do not have to be complex. Simple guessing games, Tic-Tac-Toe, or simple robot commands will be sufficient.

3B-AP-11 Evaluate algorithms in terms of their efficiency, correctness, and clarity. 

Examples could include sorting and searching.

3B-AP-13 Illustrate the flow of execution of a recursive algorithm.

3B-AP-15 Analyze a large-scale computational problem and identify generalizable patterns that can be applied to a solution. 

As students encounter complex, real-world problems that span multiple disciplines or social systems, they should decompose complex problems into manageable subproblems that could potentially be solved with programs or procedures that already exist. For example, students could create an app to solve a community problem by connecting to an online database through an application programming interface (API).

3B-AP-16 Demonstrate code reuse by creating programming solutions using libraries and APIs. 

Libraries and APIs can be student-created or common graphics libraries or maps APIs, for example.

3B-AP-20 Use version control systems, integrated development environments (IDEs), and collaborative tools and practices (code documentation) in a group software project. 

Group software projects can be assigned or student-selected.

3B-AP-22 Modify an existing program to add additional functionality and discuss intended and unintended implications (e.g., breaking other functionality). 

For instance, changes made to a method or function signature could break invocations of that method elsewhere in a system.

3B-AP-23 Evaluate key qualities of a program through a process such as a code review. 

Examples of qualities could include correctness, usability, readability, efficiency, portability and scalability.

3B-AP-24 Compare multiple programming languages and discuss how their features make them suitable for solving different types of problems. 

Examples of features include blocks versus text, indentation versus curly braces, and high-level versus low level.

Introduction to JavaScript Programming with DroneBlocks Code

Computing Systems

2-CS-02 Design projects that combine hardware and software components to collect and exchange data. 

Collecting and exchanging data involves input, output, storage, and processing. When possible, students should select the hardware and software components for their project designs by considering factors such as functionality, cost, size, speed, accessibility, and aesthetics. For example, components for a mobile app could include accelerometer, GPS, and speech recognition. The choice of a device that connects wirelessly through a Bluetooth connection versus a physical USB connection involves a tradeoff between mobility and the need for an additional power source for the wireless device.

3B-CS-02 Illustrate ways computing systems implement logic, input, and output through hardware components. 

Examples of components could include logic gates and IO pins.

Networks and the Internet

1B-NI-04 Model how information is broken down into smaller pieces, transmitted as packets through multiple devices over networks and the Internet, and reassembled at the destination. 

Information is sent and received over physical or wireless paths. It is broken down into smaller pieces called packets, which are sent independently and reassembled at the destination. Students should demonstrate their understanding of this flow of information by, for instance, drawing a model of the way packets are transmitted, programming an animation to show how packets are transmitted, or demonstrating this through an unplugged activity which has them act it out in some way.

Data Analysis

2-DA-07 Represent data using multiple encoding schemes. 

Data representations occur at multiple levels of abstraction, from the physical storage of bits to the arrangement of information into organized formats (e.g., tables). Students should represent the same data in multiple ways. For example, students could represent the same color using binary, RGB values, hex codes (low-level representations), as well as forms understandable by people, including words, symbols, and digital displays of the color (high-level representations).

3A-DA-09 Translate between different bit representations of real-world phenomena, such as characters, numbers, and images. 

For example, convert hexadecimal color codes to decimal percentages, ASCII/Unicode representation, and logic gates.

3A-DA-11 Create interactive data visualizations using software tools to help others better understand real-world phenomena. 

People transform, generalize, simplify, and present large data sets in different ways to influence how other people interpret and understand the underlying information. Examples include visualization, aggregation, rearrangement, and application of mathematical operations. People use software tools or programming to create powerful, interactive data visualizations and perform a range of mathematical operations to transform and analyze data. Students should model phenomena as systems, with rules governing the interactions within the system and evaluate these models against real-world observations. For example, flocking behaviors, queueing, or life cycles. Google Fusion Tables can provide access to data visualization online.

3B-DA-06 Select data collection tools and techniques to generate data sets that support a claim or communicate information.

Algorithms and Programming

2-AP-10 Use flowcharts and/or pseudocode to address complex problems as algorithms. 

Complex problems are problems that would be difficult for students to solve computationally. Students should use pseudocode and/or flowcharts to organize and sequence an algorithm that addresses a complex problem, even though they may not actually program the solutions. For example, students might express an algorithm that produces a recommendation for purchasing sneakers based on inputs such as size, colors, brand, comfort, and cost. Testing the algorithm with a wide range of inputs and users allows students to refine their recommendation algorithm and to identify other inputs they may have initially excluded. 

2-AP-11 Create clearly named variables that represent different data types and perform operations on their values. 

A variable is like a container with a name, in which the contents may change, but the name (identifier) does not. When planning and developing programs, students should decide when and how to declare and name new variables. Students should use naming conventions to improve program readability. Examples of operations include adding points to the score, combining user input with words to make a sentence, changing the size of a picture, or adding a name to a list of people.

2-AP-12 Design and iteratively develop programs that combine control structures, including nested loops and compound conditionals. 

Control structures can be combined in many ways. Nested loops are loops placed within loops. Compound conditionals combine two or more conditions in a logical relationship (e.g., using AND, OR, and NOT), and nesting conditionals within one another allows the result of one conditional to lead to another. For example, when programming an interactive story, students could use a compound conditional within a loop to unlock a door only if a character has a key AND is touching the door.

2-AP-14 Create procedures with parameters to organize code and make it easier to reuse. 

Students should create procedures and/or functions that are used multiple times within a program to repeat groups of instructions. These procedures can be generalized by defining parameters that create different outputs for a wide range of inputs. For example, a procedure to draw a circle involves many instructions, but all of them can be invoked with one instruction, such as “drawCircle.” By adding a radius parameter, the user can easily draw circles of different sizes.3B-AP-10 Use and adapt classic algorithms to solve computational problems. Examples could include sorting and searching.

2-AP-16 Incorporate existing code, media, and libraries into original programs, and give attribution. 

Building on the work of others enables students to produce more interesting and powerful creations. Students should use portions of code, algorithms, and/or digital media in their own programs and websites. At this level, they may also import libraries and connect to web application program interfaces (APIs). For example, when creating a side-scrolling game, students may incorporate portions of code that create a realistic jump movement from another person’s game, and they may also import Creative Commons-licensed images to use in the background. Students should give attribution to the original creators to acknowledge their contributions.

2-AP-17 Systematically test and refine programs using a range of test cases. 

Use cases and test cases are created and analyzed to better meet the needs of users and to evaluate whether programs function as intended. At this level, testing should become a deliberate process that is more iterative, systematic, and proactive than at lower levels. Students should begin to test programs by considering potential errors, such as what will happen if a user enters invalid input (e.g., negative numbers and 0 instead of positive numbers).

3A-AP-13 Create prototypes that use algorithms to solve computational problems by leveraging prior student knowledge and personal interests. 

A prototype is a computational artifact that demonstrates the core functionality of a product or process. Prototypes are useful for getting early feedback in the design process, and can yield insight into the feasibility of a product. The process of developing computational artifacts embraces both creative expression and the exploration of ideas to create prototypes and solve computational problems. Students create artifacts that are personally relevant or beneficial to their community and beyond. Students should develop artifacts in response to a task or a computational problem that demonstrate the performance, reusability, and ease of implementation of an algorithm.

3A-AP-14 Use lists to simplify solutions, generalizing computational problems instead of repeatedly using simple variables. 

Students should be able to identify common features in multiple segments of code and substitute a single segment that uses lists (arrays) to account for the differences.

3A-AP-15 Justify the selection of specific control structures when tradeoffs involve implementation, readability, and program performance, and explain the benefits and drawbacks of choices made. 

Implementation includes the choice of programming language, which affects the time and effort required to create a program. Readability refers to how clear the program is to other programmers and can be improved through documentation. The discussion of performance is limited to a theoretical understanding of execution time and storage requirements; a quantitative analysis is not expected. Control structures at this level may include conditional statements, loops, event handlers, and recursion. For example, students might compare the readability and program performance of iterative and recursive implementations of procedures that calculate the Fibonacci sequence.

3A-AP-16 Design and iteratively develop computational artifacts for practical intent, personal expression, or to address a societal issue by using events to initiate instructions. 

In this context, relevant computational artifacts include programs, mobile apps, or web apps. Events can be user-initiated, such as a button press, or system-initiated, such as a timer firing. At previous levels, students have learned to create and call procedures. Here, students design procedures that are called by events. Students might create a mobile app that updates a list of nearby points of interest when the device detects that its location has been changed.

3A-AP-17 Decompose problems into smaller components through systematic analysis, using constructs such as procedures, modules, and/or objects. 

At this level, students should decompose complex problems into manageable subproblems that could potentially be solved with programs or procedures that already exist. For example, students could create an app to solve a community problem by connecting to an online database through an application programming interface (API).

3A-AP-18 Create artifacts by using procedures within a program, combinations of data and procedures, or independent but interrelated programs. 

Computational artifacts can be created by combining and modifying existing artifacts or by developing new artifacts. Examples of computational artifacts include programs, simulations, visualizations, digital animations, robotic systems, and apps. Complex programs are designed as systems of interacting modules, each with a specific role, coordinating for a common overall purpose. Modules allow for better management of complex tasks. The focus at this level is understanding a program as a system with relationships between modules. The choice of implementation, such as programming language or paradigm, may vary. Students could incorporate computer vision libraries to increase the capabilities of a robot or leverage open-source JavaScript libraries to expand the functionality of a web application.

3A-AP-21 Evaluate and refine computational artifacts to make them more usable and accessible. 

Testing and refinement is the deliberate and iterative process of improving a computational artifact. This process includes debugging (identifying and fixing errors) and comparing actual outcomes to intended outcomes. Students should respond to the changing needs and expectations of end users and improve the performance, reliability, usability, and accessibility of artifacts. For example, students could incorporate feedback from a variety of end users to help guide the size and placement of menus and buttons in a user interface.

3B-AP-08 Describe how artificial intelligence drives many software and physical systems. 

Examples include digital ad delivery, self-driving cars, and credit card fraud detection.

3B-AP-09 Implement an artificial intelligence algorithm to play a game against a human opponent or solve a problem. 

Games do not have to be complex. Simple guessing games, Tic-Tac-Toe, or simple robot commands will be sufficient.

3B-AP-10 Use and adapt classic algorithms to solve computational problems. 

Examples could include sorting and searching.

3B-AP-11 Evaluate algorithms in terms of their efficiency, correctness, and clarity. 

Examples could include sorting and searching.

3B-AP-12 Compare and contrast fundamental data structures and their uses. 

Examples could include strings, lists, arrays, stacks, and queues.

3B-AP-13 Illustrate the flow of execution of a recursive algorithm.

3B-AP-14 Construct solutions to problems using student-created components, such as procedures, modules and/or objects. 

Object-oriented programming is optional at this level. Problems can be assigned or student-selected.

3B-AP-15 Analyze a large-scale computational problem and identify generalizable patterns that can be applied to a solution. 

As students encounter complex, real-world problems that span multiple disciplines or social systems, they should decompose complex problems into manageable subproblems that could potentially be solved with programs or procedures that already exist. For example, students could create an app to solve a community problem by connecting to an online database through an application programming interface (API).

3B-AP-16 Demonstrate code reuse by creating programming solutions using libraries and APIs. 

Libraries and APIs can be student-created or common graphics libraries or maps APIs, for example.

3B-AP-20 Use version control systems, integrated development environments (IDEs), and collaborative tools and practices (code documentation) in a group software project. 

Group software projects can be assigned or student-selected.

3B-AP-22 Modify an existing program to add additional functionality and discuss intended and unintended implications (e.g., breaking other functionality). 

For instance, changes made to a method or function signature could break invocations of that method elsewhere in a system.

3B-AP-23 Evaluate key qualities of a program through a process such as a code review. 

Examples of qualities could include correctness, usability, readability, efficiency, portability and scalability.

3B-AP-24 Compare multiple programming languages and discuss how their features make them suitable for solving different types of problems. 

Examples of features include blocks versus text, indentation versus curly braces, and high-level versus low level.

Advanced Tello Programming with Python 3 and OpenCV – Course 1/3

Computing Systems

2-CS-02 Design projects that combine hardware and software components to collect and exchange data. 

Collecting and exchanging data involves input, output, storage, and processing. When possible, students should select the hardware and software components for their project designs by considering factors such as functionality, cost, size, speed, accessibility, and aesthetics. For example, components for a mobile app could include accelerometer, GPS, and speech recognition. The choice of a device that connects wirelessly through a Bluetooth connection versus a physical USB connection involves a tradeoff between mobility and the need for an additional power source for the wireless device.

3B-CS-02 Illustrate ways computing systems implement logic, input, and output through hardware components. 

Examples of components could include logic gates and IO pins.

Networks and the Internet

1B-NI-04 Model how information is broken down into smaller pieces, transmitted as packets through multiple devices over networks and the Internet, and reassembled at the destination. 

Information is sent and received over physical or wireless paths. It is broken down into smaller pieces called packets, which are sent independently and reassembled at the destination. Students should demonstrate their understanding of this flow of information by, for instance, drawing a model of the way packets are transmitted, programming an animation to show how packets are transmitted, or demonstrating this through an unplugged activity which has them act it out in some way.

Data Analysis

2-DA-07 Represent data using multiple encoding schemes. 

Data representations occur at multiple levels of abstraction, from the physical storage of bits to the arrangement of information into organized formats (e.g., tables). Students should represent the same data in multiple ways. For example, students could represent the same color using binary, RGB values, hex codes (low-level representations), as well as forms understandable by people, including words, symbols, and digital displays of the color (high-level representations).

3A-DA-09 Translate between different bit representations of real-world phenomena, such as characters, numbers, and images. 

For example, convert hexadecimal color codes to decimal percentages, ASCII/Unicode representation, and logic gates.

3A-DA-11 Create interactive data visualizations using software tools to help others better understand real-world phenomena. 

People transform, generalize, simplify, and present large data sets in different ways to influence how other people interpret and understand the underlying information. Examples include visualization, aggregation, rearrangement, and application of mathematical operations. People use software tools or programming to create powerful, interactive data visualizations and perform a range of mathematical operations to transform and analyze data. Students should model phenomena as systems, with rules governing the interactions within the system and evaluate these models against real-world observations. For example, flocking behaviors, queueing, or life cycles. Google Fusion Tables can provide access to data visualization online.

3B-DA-06 Select data collection tools and techniques to generate data sets that support a claim or communicate information.

Algorithms and Programming

2-AP-10 Use flowcharts and/or pseudocode to address complex problems as algorithms. 

Complex problems are problems that would be difficult for students to solve computationally. Students should use pseudocode and/or flowcharts to organize and sequence an algorithm that addresses a complex problem, even though they may not actually program the solutions. For example, students might express an algorithm that produces a recommendation for purchasing sneakers based on inputs such as size, colors, brand, comfort, and cost. Testing the algorithm with a wide range of inputs and users allows students to refine their recommendation algorithm and to identify other inputs they may have initially excluded. 

2-AP-11 Create clearly named variables that represent different data types and perform operations on their values. 

A variable is like a container with a name, in which the contents may change, but the name (identifier) does not. When planning and developing programs, students should decide when and how to declare and name new variables. Students should use naming conventions to improve program readability. Examples of operations include adding points to the score, combining user input with words to make a sentence, changing the size of a picture, or adding a name to a list of people.

2-AP-12 Design and iteratively develop programs that combine control structures, including nested loops and compound conditionals. 

Control structures can be combined in many ways. Nested loops are loops placed within loops. Compound conditionals combine two or more conditions in a logical relationship (e.g., using AND, OR, and NOT), and nesting conditionals within one another allows the result of one conditional to lead to another. For example, when programming an interactive story, students could use a compound conditional within a loop to unlock a door only if a character has a key AND is touching the door.

2-AP-14 Create procedures with parameters to organize code and make it easier to reuse. 

Students should create procedures and/or functions that are used multiple times within a program to repeat groups of instructions. These procedures can be generalized by defining parameters that create different outputs for a wide range of inputs. For example, a procedure to draw a circle involves many instructions, but all of them can be invoked with one instruction, such as “drawCircle.” By adding a radius parameter, the user can easily draw circles of different sizes.3B-AP-10 Use and adapt classic algorithms to solve computational problems. Examples could include sorting and searching.

2-AP-16 Incorporate existing code, media, and libraries into original programs, and give attribution. 

Building on the work of others enables students to produce more interesting and powerful creations. Students should use portions of code, algorithms, and/or digital media in their own programs and websites. At this level, they may also import libraries and connect to web application program interfaces (APIs). For example, when creating a side-scrolling game, students may incorporate portions of code that create a realistic jump movement from another person’s game, and they may also import Creative Commons-licensed images to use in the background. Students should give attribution to the original creators to acknowledge their contributions.

2-AP-17 Systematically test and refine programs using a range of test cases. 

Use cases and test cases are created and analyzed to better meet the needs of users and to evaluate whether programs function as intended. At this level, testing should become a deliberate process that is more iterative, systematic, and proactive than at lower levels. Students should begin to test programs by considering potential errors, such as what will happen if a user enters invalid input (e.g., negative numbers and 0 instead of positive numbers).

3A-AP-13 Create prototypes that use algorithms to solve computational problems by leveraging prior student knowledge and personal interests. 

A prototype is a computational artifact that demonstrates the core functionality of a product or process. Prototypes are useful for getting early feedback in the design process, and can yield insight into the feasibility of a product. The process of developing computational artifacts embraces both creative expression and the exploration of ideas to create prototypes and solve computational problems. Students create artifacts that are personally relevant or beneficial to their community and beyond. Students should develop artifacts in response to a task or a computational problem that demonstrate the performance, reusability, and ease of implementation of an algorithm.

3A-AP-14 Use lists to simplify solutions, generalizing computational problems instead of repeatedly using simple variables. 

Students should be able to identify common features in multiple segments of code and substitute a single segment that uses lists (arrays) to account for the differences.

3A-AP-15 Justify the selection of specific control structures when tradeoffs involve implementation, readability, and program performance, and explain the benefits and drawbacks of choices made. 

Implementation includes the choice of programming language, which affects the time and effort required to create a program. Readability refers to how clear the program is to other programmers and can be improved through documentation. The discussion of performance is limited to a theoretical understanding of execution time and storage requirements; a quantitative analysis is not expected. Control structures at this level may include conditional statements, loops, event handlers, and recursion. For example, students might compare the readability and program performance of iterative and recursive implementations of procedures that calculate the Fibonacci sequence.

3A-AP-16 Design and iteratively develop computational artifacts for practical intent, personal expression, or to address a societal issue by using events to initiate instructions. 

In this context, relevant computational artifacts include programs, mobile apps, or web apps. Events can be user-initiated, such as a button press, or system-initiated, such as a timer firing. At previous levels, students have learned to create and call procedures. Here, students design procedures that are called by events. Students might create a mobile app that updates a list of nearby points of interest when the device detects that its location has been changed.

3A-AP-17 Decompose problems into smaller components through systematic analysis, using constructs such as procedures, modules, and/or objects. 

At this level, students should decompose complex problems into manageable subproblems that could potentially be solved with programs or procedures that already exist. For example, students could create an app to solve a community problem by connecting to an online database through an application programming interface (API).

3A-AP-18 Create artifacts by using procedures within a program, combinations of data and procedures, or independent but interrelated programs. 

Computational artifacts can be created by combining and modifying existing artifacts or by developing new artifacts. Examples of computational artifacts include programs, simulations, visualizations, digital animations, robotic systems, and apps. Complex programs are designed as systems of interacting modules, each with a specific role, coordinating for a common overall purpose. Modules allow for better management of complex tasks. The focus at this level is understanding a program as a system with relationships between modules. The choice of implementation, such as programming language or paradigm, may vary. Students could incorporate computer vision libraries to increase the capabilities of a robot or leverage open-source JavaScript libraries to expand the functionality of a web application.

3A-AP-21 Evaluate and refine computational artifacts to make them more usable and accessible. 

Testing and refinement is the deliberate and iterative process of improving a computational artifact. This process includes debugging (identifying and fixing errors) and comparing actual outcomes to intended outcomes. Students should respond to the changing needs and expectations of end users and improve the performance, reliability, usability, and accessibility of artifacts. For example, students could incorporate feedback from a variety of end users to help guide the size and placement of menus and buttons in a user interface.

3B-AP-08 Describe how artificial intelligence drives many software and physical systems. 

Examples include digital ad delivery, self-driving cars, and credit card fraud detection.

3B-AP-09 Implement an artificial intelligence algorithm to play a game against a human opponent or solve a problem. 

Games do not have to be complex. Simple guessing games, Tic-Tac-Toe, or simple robot commands will be sufficient.

3B-AP-10 Use and adapt classic algorithms to solve computational problems. 

Examples could include sorting and searching.

3B-AP-11 Evaluate algorithms in terms of their efficiency, correctness, and clarity. 

Examples could include sorting and searching.

3B-AP-12 Compare and contrast fundamental data structures and their uses. 

Examples could include strings, lists, arrays, stacks, and queues.

3B-AP-13 Illustrate the flow of execution of a recursive algorithm.

3B-AP-14 Construct solutions to problems using student-created components, such as procedures, modules and/or objects. 

Object-oriented programming is optional at this level. Problems can be assigned or student-selected.

3B-AP-15 Analyze a large-scale computational problem and identify generalizable patterns that can be applied to a solution. 

As students encounter complex, real-world problems that span multiple disciplines or social systems, they should decompose complex problems into manageable subproblems that could potentially be solved with programs or procedures that already exist. For example, students could create an app to solve a community problem by connecting to an online database through an application programming interface (API).

3B-AP-16 Demonstrate code reuse by creating programming solutions using libraries and APIs. 

Libraries and APIs can be student-created or common graphics libraries or maps APIs, for example.

3B-AP-20 Use version control systems, integrated development environments (IDEs), and collaborative tools and practices (code documentation) in a group software project. 

Group software projects can be assigned or student-selected.

3B-AP-22 Modify an existing program to add additional functionality and discuss intended and unintended implications (e.g., breaking other functionality). 

For instance, changes made to a method or function signature could break invocations of that method elsewhere in a system.

3B-AP-23 Evaluate key qualities of a program through a process such as a code review. 

Examples of qualities could include correctness, usability, readability, efficiency, portability and scalability.

3B-AP-24 Compare multiple programming languages and discuss how their features make them suitable for solving different types of problems. 

Examples of features include blocks versus text, indentation versus curly braces, and high-level versus low level.

Resources

K-12 CS Education Glossary

This glossary includes definitions of terms used in the CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards (2017), CSTA Standards for Computer Science Teachers (2020), and K-12 Computer Science Framework (2016). It also includes other terms relevant from the fields of education and computer science. 

https://www.csteachers.org/page/glossary

Standards Progression Chart 

https://csteachers.org/documents/en-us/d227e2a4-ce35-434e-a20b-24355d11b015/1/

Licensing

The referenced work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.Computer Science Teachers Association (2017). CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards, Revised 2017.