Search the California Content Standards

Standard:
Model the way programs store data.

Descriptive Statement:
Information in the real world can be represented in computer programs. Students model the digital storage of data by transforming real-world information into symbolic representations that include text, numbers, and images. For example, after identifying symbols on a map and explaining what they represent in the real world, students could create their own symbols and corresponding legend to represent items on a map of their classroom (HSS.K.4.3, 1.2.3, 2.2.2) Alternatively, students could invent symbols to represent beat and/or pitch. Students could then modify symbols within the notation and explain how the musical phrase changes. (VAPA Music K.1.1, 1.1.1, 2.1.1, 2.2.2)

Standard:
Identify and describe patterns in data visualizations, such as charts or graphs, to make predictions.

Descriptive Statement:
Data can be used to make inferences or predictions about the world. For example, students could record the number of each color of candy in a small packet. Then, they compare their individual data with classmates. Students could use the collected data to predict how many of each colored candy will be in a full size bag of like candy. (CA CCSS for Mathematics K.MD.3, 1.MD.4, 2.MD.10) Alternatively, students could sort and classify objects according to their properties and note observations. Students could then create a graph or chart of their observations and look for connections/relationships (e.g., items that are hard are usually also smooth, or items that are fluffy are usually also light in weight.) Students then look at pictures of additional objects and make predictions regarding the properties of the objects pictured. (CA NGSS: 2-PS1-1, 2-PS1-2)

Standard:
Work respectfully and responsibly with others when communicating electronically.

Descriptive Statement:
Electronic communication facilitates positive interactions, such as sharing ideas with many people, but the public and anonymous nature of electronic communication also allows intimidating and inappropriate behavior in the form of cyberbullying. Responsible electronic communication includes limiting access to personably identifiable information. Students learn and use appropriate behavior when communicating electronically (often called "netiquette"). For example, students could share their work on a classroom blog or in other collaborative spaces online, taking care to avoid sharing information that is inappropriate or that could personally identify themselves to others. (CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy W.K.6, W.1.6, W.21.6) Alternatively, students could provide feedback to others on their work in a kind and respectful manner. They could learn how written words can be easily misinterpreted and may seem negative when the intention may be to express confusion, give ideas, or prompt further discussion. They could also learn to identify harmful behavior on collaborative spaces and intervening to find the proper authority to help. (CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy W.K.5, W.1.5, W.2.5) (HSS 1.1.2)

Standard:
Create programs that use variables to store and modify data.

Descriptive Statement:
Variables are used to store and modify data. Students use variables in programs they create. At this level, students may need guidance in identifying when to create variables (i.e., performing the abstraction). For example, students could create a game to represent predators and prey in an ecosystem. They could declare a "score" variable, assign it to 0 at the start of the game, and add 1 (increment) the score each time the predator captures its prey. They could also declare a second "numberOfLives" variable, assign it to 3 at the start of the game, and subtract 1 (decrement) each time a prey is captured. They could program the game to end when "numberOfLives" equals 0. (CA NGSS: 5-LS2-1) (CA CCSS for Mathematics 5.OA.3) Alternatively, when students create programs to draw regular polygons, they could use variables to store the line size, line color, and/or side length. Students can extend learning by creatively combining a variety of polygons to create digital artwork, comparing and contrasting this to another work of art made by the use of different art tools and media, such as watercolor or tempera paints. (CA CCSS for Mathematics 3.G.1) (VAPA Visual Arts 3.1.4)

Standard:
Use data to highlight and/or propose relationships, predict outcomes, or communicate ideas.

Descriptive Statement:
The accuracy of data analysis is related to how the data is represented. Inferences or predictions based on data are less likely to be accurate if the data is insufficient, incomplete, or inaccurate or if the data is incorrect in some way. Additionally, people select aspects and subsets of data to be transformed, organized, and categorized. Students should be able to refer to data when communicating an idea, in order to highlight and/or propose relationships, predict outcomes, highlight different views and/or communicate insights and ideas. For example, students can be provided a scenario in which they are city managers who have a specific amount of funds to improve a city in California. Students can collect data of a city concerning land use, vegetation, wildlife, climate, population density, services and transportation (HSS.4.1.5) to determine and present what area needs to be focused on to improve a problem. Students can compare their data and planned use of funds with peers, clearly communicating or predict outcomes based on data collected. (CA CCCS for ELA/Literacy SL.3.1, SL.4.1, SL.5.1) Alternatively, students could record the temperature at noon each day to show that temperatures are higher in certain months of the year. If temperatures are not recorded on non-school days or are recorded incorrectly, the data would be incomplete and ideas being communicated could be inaccurate. Students may also record the day of the week on which the data was collected, but this would have no relevance to whether temperatures are higher or lower. In order to have sufficient and accurate data on which to communicate the idea, students might use data provided by a governmental weather agency. (CA NGSS: 3-ESS2-1)

Standard:
Seek and explain the impact of diverse perspectives for the purpose of improving computational artifacts.

Descriptive Statement:
Computing technologies enable global collaboration and sharing of ideas. Students solicit feedback from a diverse group of users and creators and explain how this input improves their computational artifacts. For example, students could seek feedback from classmates via user surveys, in order to create an idea and then make a claim as to how to improve the overall structure and function of their computational artifact. Using the feedback students could write an opinion piece supporting their claim. (CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy W.3.1, W.4.1, W.5.1) Alternatively, with guidance from their teacher, students could use video conferencing tools, shared documents, or other online collaborative spaces, such as blogs, wikis, forums, or website comments, to gather and synthesize feedback from individuals and groups about programming projects. (CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy SL.3.1, SL.4.1, SL.5.1)

Standard:
Create clearly named variables that store data, and perform operations on their contents.

Descriptive Statement:
A variable is a container for data, and the name used for accessing the variable is called the identifier. Students declare, initialize, and update variables for storing different types of program data (e.g., text, integers) using names and naming conventions (e.g. camel case) that clearly convey the purpose of the variable, facilitate debugging, and improve readability. For example, students could program a quiz game with a score variable (e.g. quizScore) that is initially set to zero and increases by increments of one each time the user answers a quiz question correctly and decreases by increments of one each time a user answers a quiz question incorrectly, resulting in a score that is either a positive or negative integer. (CA CCSS for Mathematics 6.NS.5) Alternatively, students could write a program that prompts the user for their name, stores the user's response in a variable (e.g. userName), and uses this variable to greet the user by name.

Standard:
Test and analyze the effects of changing variables while using computational models.

Descriptive Statement:
Variables within a computational model may be changed, in order to alter a computer simulation or to more accurately represent how various data is related. Students interact with a given model, make changes to identified model variables, and observe and reflect upon the results. For example, students could test a program that makes a robot move on a track by making changes to variables (e.g., height and angle of track, size and mass of the robot) and discussing how these changes affect how far the robot travels. (CA NGSS: MS-PS2-2) Alternatively, students could test a game simulation and change variables (e.g., skill of simulated players, nature of opening moves) and analyze how these changes affect who wins the game. (CA NGSS: MS-ETS1-3) Additionally, students could modify a model for predicting the likely color of the next pick from a bag of colored candy and analyze the effects of changing variables representing the common color ratios in a typical bag of candy. (CA CCSS for Mathematics 7.SP.7, 8.SP.4)

Standard:
Collaborate with many contributors when creating a computational artifact.

Descriptive Statement:
Users have diverse sets of experiences, needs, and wants. These need to be understood and integrated into the design of computational artifacts. Students use applications that enable crowdsourcing to gather services, ideas, or content from a large group of people. At this level, crowdsourcing can be done at the local level (e.g., classroom, school, or neighborhood) and/or global level (e.g., age-appropriate online communities). For example, a group of students could use electronic surveys to solicit input from their neighborhood regarding an important social or political issue. They could collaborate with a community artist to combine animations and create a digital community collage informing the public about various points of view regarding the topic. (VAPA Visual Art 8.5.2, 8.5.4)

Standard:
Create more generalized computational solutions using collections instead of repeatedly using simple variables.

Descriptive Statement:
Computers can automate repetitive tasks with algorithms that use collections to simplify and generalize computational problems. Students identify common features in multiple segments of code and substitute a single segment that uses collections (i.e., arrays, sets, lists) to account for the differences. For example, students could take a program that inputs students' scores into multiple variables and modify it to read these scores into a single array of scores. Alternatively, instead of writing one procedure to find averages of student scores and another to find averages of student absences, students could write a single general average procedure to support both tasks.