Search the California Content Standards

Standard:
Explain the functions of common hardware and software components of computing systems.

Descriptive Statement:
A computing system is composed of hardware and software. Hardware includes the physical components of a computer system. Software provides instructions for the system. These instructions are represented in a form that a computer can understand and are designed for specific purposes. Students identify and describe the function of hardware, such as desktop computers, laptop computers, tablet devices, monitors, keyboards, mice, trackpads, microphones, and printers. Students also identify and describe common software applications such as web browsers, games, and word processors. For example, students could create drawings of a computing system and label its major components with appropriate terminology. Students could then explain the function of each component. (VAPA Visual Arts 2 5.0) (CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy SL.K.5, SL.K.6, SL.1.5, SL.1.6, SL.2.5, SL.2.6) Alternatively, students could each be assigned a component of a computing system and arrange their bodies to represent the system. Students could then describe how their assigned component functions within the system. (P.E.K.1, 1.1)

Standard:
Describe basic hardware and software problems using accurate terminology.

Descriptive Statement:
Problems with computing systems have different causes. Accurate description of the problem aids users in finding solutions. Students communicate a problem with accurate terminology (e.g., when an app or program is not working as expected, a device will not turn on, the sound does not work, etc.). Students at this level do not need to understand the causes of hardware and software problems. For example, students could sort hardware and software terms on a word wall, and refer to the word wall when describing problems using "I see..." statements (e.g., "I see the pointer on the screen is missing", "I see that the computer will not turn on"). (CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy L.K.5.A, L.1.5.A, SL K.5, SL1.5, SL 2.5) (Visual Arts Kinder 5.2) Alternatively, students could use appropriate terminology during collaborative conversations as they learn to debug, troubleshoot, collaborate, and think critically with technology. (CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy SL.K.1, SL.1.1, SL.2.1)

Standard:
Explain why people use passwords.

Descriptive Statement:
Passwords protect information from unwanted use by others. When creating passwords, people often use patterns of familiar numbers and text to more easily remember their passwords. However, this may make the passwords weaker. Knowledge about the importance of passwords is an essential first step in learning about cybersecurity. Students explain that strong passwords are needed to protect devices and information from unwanted use. For example, students could play a game of guessing a three-character code. In one version of the game, the characters are only numbers. In the second version, characters are numbers or letters. Students describe why it would take longer to guess the correct code in the second case. Alternatively, students could engage in a collaborative discussion regarding passwords and their importance. Students may follow-up the discussion by exploring strong password components (combination of letters, numbers, and characters), creating their own passwords, and writing opinion pieces indicating reasons their passwords are strong. (CA CCSS for ELA/Literacy SL.K.1, SL.1.1, SL 2.1, W.1.1, W.2.1)

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:
Compare tradeoffs associated with computing technologies that affect people's everyday activities and career options.

Descriptive Statement:
Advancements in computer technology are neither wholly positive nor negative. However, the ways that people use computing technologies have tradeoffs. Students consider current events related to broad ideas, including privacy, communication, and automation. For example, students could compare and contrast the impacts of computing technologies with the impacts of other systems developed throughout history such as the Pony Express and US Postal System. (HSS.7.8.4) Alternatively, students could identify tradeoffs for both personal and professional uses of a variety of computing technologies. For instance, driverless cars can increase convenience and reduce accidents, but they may be susceptible to hacking. The emerging industry will reduce the number of taxi and shared-ride drivers, but may create more software engineering and cybersecurity jobs.

Standard:
Study, discuss, and think critically about the potential impacts and implications of emerging technologies on larger social, economic, and political structures, with evidence from credible sources.

Descriptive Statement:
For example, after studying the rise of artifical intelligence, students create a cause and effect chart to represent positive and negative impacts of this technology on society.

Standard:
Compare and contrast security measures to address various security threats.

Descriptive Statement:
Network security depends on a combination of hardware, software, and practices that control access to data and systems. The needs of users and the sensitivity of data determine the level of security implemented. Potential security problems, such as denial-of-service attacks, ransomware, viruses, worms, spyware, and phishing, present threats to sensitive data. Students compare and contrast different types of security measures based on factors such as efficiency, feasibility, ethical impacts, usability, and security. At this level, students are not expected to develop or implement the security measures that they discuss. For example, students could review case studies or current events in which governments or organizations experienced data leaks or data loss as a result of these types of attacks. Students could provide an analysis of actual security measures taken comparing to other security measure which may have led to different outcomes. Alternatively, students might discuss computer security policies in place at the local level that present a tradeoff between usability and security, such as a web filter that prevents access to many educational sites but keeps the campus network safe.

Standard:
Categorize and describe the different functions of operating system software.

Descriptive Statement:
Operating systems (OS) software is the code that manages the computer’s basic functions. Students describe at a high level the different functions of different components of operating system software. Examples of functions could include memory management, data storage/retrieval, processes management, and access control. For example, students could use monitoring tools including within an OS to inspect the services and functions running on a system and create an artifact to describe the activity that they observed (e.g., when a browser is running with many tabs open, memory usage is increased). They could also inspect and describe changes in the activity monitor that occur as different applications are executing (e.g., processor utilization increases when a new application is launched).

Standard:
Evaluate how computational innovations that have revolutionized aspects of our culture might evolve.

Descriptive Statement:
It is important to be able to evaluate current technologies and innovations and their potential for future impact on society. Students describe how a given computational innovation might change in the future and impacts these evolutions could have on society, economy, or culture. For example, students could consider ways in which computers may support education (or healthcare) in the future, or how developments in virtual reality might impact arts and entertainment. Alternatively, students could consider how autonomous vehicles will affect individuals' car ownership and car use habits as well as industries that employ human drivers (e.g., trucking, taxi service).