Grade 1 Computational Thinker Cornerstone Task Lesson

Grade 1 CT Cornerstone Task Lesson

Select the tab below to view the lesson materials for each day.  If applicable an extension is also provided for each at the bottom of each tab.

Suggested Displays

Device Saving Recommendations: 

  • Create one Wixie Assignment for Students to add their Screenshots or Videos to that project in order to assess students work. Prep/Practice is required prior to using this strategy with students.
  • Instruct Students on how to screen capture (image or video) Links to an external site. with their code blocks and submit for you to assess their use of coding blocks.
  • If you do not have a class after 1st/2nd Grade - Have students stay logged in so that you can walk around and grade student work for individual elements
  • Have students complete one coding page at a time per class period and grade each individually
  • Consider using the Chromebooks assigned to Grades 1-2 rather than the Tech Teacher Cart  (if there are  enough). This may help as less students log in to the classroom computers per week than technology lab computers.
  • If at split school, do not use the same lab for all classes.

 

 Teacher Preparation

 

Motivation

Multiple Means of Motivation:

  • Review Cornerstone Overview with students. 
  • Consider reviewing what coding skills they have learned in the previous lessons in the unit.  
    • What do you remember?  What can you tell me about coding?  I remember.../I think...

Learning Target:

  • Students will understand the lesson objective.

Included in Student Facing Module:

  • Lesson Overview

Lesson

PREPARING THE LEARNER

Multiple Means of Representation:

INTERACTING WITH THE CONCEPT

  • Tell students that part of being a great programmer is knowing how to work as a team.  
  • Throughout our cornerstone task you will be assigned a programming partner to work with. This is also called pair programming.
  • Review with students the two roles that they can take when working with their partner using the Programming Partner Roles Links to an external site. - Google Slides.
    • Consider grouping students with varying linguistic ability levels to help promote modeling and listening.
  • NOTE: Even though students are working with a partner, they will each code their own final Dance Party.
  • Tell students that the first thing we are going to work on is creating our Cornerstone Plan.  
  • Demonstrate and Model how to complete the Cornerstone Planning sheet you have selected for your students.  Consider creating a class Dance.  
  • Make sure that you demonstrate what "drawing" the code blocks might look like on the planning sheet, either on the document camera or on the board.  Remind students that drawings don't have to be exact but should be recognizable.  
    • This will need to be reinforced and clarified.
  • Guide students to select the Cornerstone Planning - Paper Submission or the Cornerstone Planning - Digital Submission.

Learning Target:

  • Students will understand the roles of programming partners.
  • Students will understand how to create the plan for their Dance Party. 

Included in Student Facing Module:

Assessment

EXTENDING UNDERSTANDING

Multiple Means of Expression:

  • Students will complete their Cornerstone Plan for their Dance Party

Paper Submission

  • Pass out printed copies of the Cornerstone Project Plan Links to an external site. - PDF to each student or student pair.
  • Review the directions with students.
  • Guide students through completing their plan one step at a time, while modeling the process on the board or with a document camera.
  • Collect papers when students are finished and keep in a safe location for next class period.

Wixie Submission

Learning Target: 

  • Students will be able work in programming partners to complete their Plan for their Dance Party.

Included in Student Facing Module:

  • Cornerstone Task - Cornerstone Planning Sheet - Paper Submission
  • Cornerstone Task - Cornerstone Planning Sheet - Wixie Submission

 

 

 Teacher Preparation

 

Motivation

Multiple Means of Motivation:

  • Review Cornerstone Overview with students. 
  • Pass out to students the Cornerstone Planning Sheets from the previous two classes.
  • Review with students the Dance Moves that they created for their Dance Party.

Learning Target:

  • Students will understand the lesson objective.
  • Students will review their Planning Sheet.

Included in Student Facing Module:

  • Lesson Overview

Lesson

PREPARING THE LEARNER

Multiple Means of Representation:

  • Tell students that before we can code in Scratch Jr, we need to review the Student Checklist Links to an external site. - Google Slides.
  • Review each element on the checklist one at a time. For each checklist element, allow students time to review their plan to see if they have included that element.
  • Model for students this process using the Plan that you modeled in Days 1 & 2 as needed.
  • Remind students that if they have not included all of the elements, that it is OK!  
  • Anything that is not checked off, they should make sure to add to their Dance Party in Scratch Jr.
  • Tell students that now we will begin to code our Dance Party in Scratch Jr using our Plan as a guide.
  • Demonstrate for students using the written or Getting Started Cornerstone Directions (5:31) Links to an external site. - Studio video tutorial in the SF Module.

INTERACTING WITH THE CONCEPT

  • Allow student time to open the Scratch Jr. App on their Chromebook.  
  • Demonstrate and guide students through the process of creating a new project and naming it.  Ex. Cornerstone - First Name
  • Once students have their project open, remind students how to select a background.  Allow time for students to select a background for their dance.
  • Next remind students how to select a character. Consider having students delete the Cat character if they do not plan to use it as one of their characters.  Allow time for students to select one character for their dance.
  • Remind and demonstrate for students how to start to add code to make their character dance.  All code should start with a green flag block.  
  • Allow time for students to begin to build code for their character to dance.  Remind students that their final project needs to include an orange repeat block and a red loop block.
  • Repeat with their second character from their plan.  
  • Demonstrate for students how to switch back and forth between their two characters when adding code to make their characters dance.
  • Demonstrate for students how to start to add code to make their second character dance.  All code should start with a green flag block.  
  • Allow time for students to begin to build code for their second character to dance.  Remind students that their final project needs to include an orange repeat block and a red loop block for each character.
  • Students should work next to their programming partner so that they can support one another if needed.
  • Students should save their work at the end of each day.

Learning Target:

  • Students will create and name a Scratch Jr. project that they will use for their Cornerstone Task.
  • Students will begin to create their dance by adding a background, characters, and code blocks.

Included in Student Facing Module:

Assessment

EXTENDING UNDERSTANDING

Multiple Means of Expression:

  • As students are working, circulate and assist as needed.  Students should be working towards independence once provided a demonstration and directions.

Learning Target: 

  • Students will be able to navigate the Scratch Jr. app to code their Dance Party with minimal assistance.

Included in Student Facing Module:

  • Cornerstone Task - Observational Data

 

 

 Teacher Preparation

 

Motivation

Multiple Means of Motivation:

  • Review progress on Scratch Jr. projects from the previous class period.

Learning Target:

  • Students will be able to share their progress from the previous class period.

Included in Student Facing Module:

  • Lesson Overview

Lesson

PREPARING THE LEARNER

Multiple Means of Representation:

  • Tell students that today we are going to finish working on our Dance Party in Scratch Jr.
  • Allow student time to open the Scratch Jr. App on their Chromebook.  
  • Demonstrate and guide students through the process of opening their project from the previous class period.  
    • Reinforce FIRST, NEXT, THEN, etc. sequencing vocabulary.
  • Pass out the Student Project Checklist Links to an external site.- Google Slides from previous class period.
  • Model for students how to check their code in Scratch Jr and cross off elements on the checklist that are complete.

INTERACTING WITH THE CONCEPT

  • Tell students that they will have 5 minutes to do any final debugging or add any last minute elements to their Dance Party.
  • Project the Timer for Kids 5 Minutes! Links to an external site. (5:07) - YouTube video to keep track of remaining work time.
  • As students finish their dance projects, remind them to use the Student Project Checklist Links to an external site.- Google Slides. All required elements should be included.
  • Tell students that now that they have finished coding their dance in Scratch Jr. We are going to have a class Dance Party.
  • Consider ways that students can share their projects with each other such as:
    • sharing projects in small groups of 2-3
    • gallery walk
    • one at a time on the projector 
  • Consider playing fun music while dances play to create a Class Dance Party!

Learning Target:

  • Students will be able to create a Scratch Jr. project where two characters dance that includes all the requirements.
  • Students will share their Dance Party with peers

Included in Student Facing Module:

Assessment

EXTENDING UNDERSTANDING

Multiple Means of Expression:

  • As students are working, circulate and assist as needed.  Students should be working towards independence once provided a demonstration and directions.

Paper Submission

  • Pass out Student Self-Assessment Links to an external site. - Google Doc.
  • Read the directions for students.  Tell students that today they will score themselves based on the key provided.
  • Read each criteria to students and ask them to circle their score.
  • Then provide an opportunity for students to complete the sentence starter at the bottom of the page - One way that I persisted was...
    • Consider also "I was able to..."  "I worked hard to..."
  • Consider adding words to the board as needed to support students writing.
  • Collect work when students are finished.

Learning Target: 

  • Students will be able to navigate the Scratch Jr. app to complete the lesson with minimal assistance.
  • Students will be able to reflect on their work using a Student Assessment

Included in Student Facing Module:

  • Cornerstone Task - Student Reflection - Paper Submission
  • Cornerstone Task - Completed the Dance Party! -Observational Data

 

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