Sphero Computer Science Foundations - Course 1

Computer Science Foundations (CSF) by Sphero is a dynamic, standards-aligned curriculum designed to be taught in the classroom alongside Sphero robots. Learn computer science and STEAM principles over three courses, with each customised lesson allowing teachers and students to learn and grow together. If you’ve been looking to integrate CS content into your STEAM classroom, look no further

CSF features student-facing instructions and pre-loaded blocks for every activity. Teachers can access every lesson in the Sphero Edu app by scanning the QR code or by navigating to the CS Foundations tab under ‘Activities’ in the app. Teachers can then assign individual lessons to each student’s Workbook. Many lessons have pre-loaded blocks so students can start coding right away.

• Educators learn, students learn - rather than be experts themselves, educators learn to code alongside students while fostering healthy class culture and modeling growth mindsets.
• Bring coding into content classrooms - CS Foundations enhances core content areas by enabling non-computer science teachers to make curricular connections and explore computer science with their students, from foreign language to science to PE.
• Elevate community through SEL - CS Foundations allows learners to grow vital social and emotional learning skills (SEL) as well as 21st century skills, such as creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, communication, and responsible decision-making.
• All ages, all abilities - whether a 3rd grader brand-new to coding or a high school senior who is a seasoned programmer, CS Foundations is an entry point into problem-solving through programming.
• Device compatibility - CS Foundations is designed around the pair-programming technique, where two students share one device and one Sphero robot. The program’s compatibility across devices allows ease of implementation, accommodating any device restriction.

Specifications:

• Printed Educator Guide for step-by-step instructional support
• Student-ready lessons, pre-loaded in the Sphero Edu app
• 72 scaffolded lessons across nine themes
• 45-60 minutes per lesson with handouts
• Optional extensions that allow lessons to augment additional class time
• Two to three students per Sphero robot and device
• Compatible with Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Chrome, and Kindle Fire
• Includes a perpetual license to all digital student facing materials and content
• Recommended Robots: Sphero BOLT (all courses) & Sphero RVR (courses 2 & 3)

Course 1

Course 1 features three themes, each theme comprising eight lessons. By the end of Course 1, students will demonstrate proficiency with the Draw Canvas and know how to use block programs to manipulate lights and sounds and create loops and conditionals.  Course 1 content covers:

Arts - using Sphero robots, students will use the Draw and Block Canvas to paint, write poetry, compose music, and dance.

Shapes & Numbers - as students progress to programming with blocks, they’ll learn how to connect numbers in equations, play dice games, design guessing games, and create their own figure skating routines.

Nature - students will use their polycarbonate robotic ball to understand the natural world by mimicking the movement of animals, programming a school of fish, and modeling sleep patterns.

By the end of Course 1 students will be able to:

• Create their own Draw programs—including movement (direction and speed) and lights
• Manipulate and sequence movement, lights and sound Blocks.
• Create and animate their own designs on the BOLT LED matrix.
• Create Block programs with 1 to 2 simple controls, including loop forever and loop x times.
• Display a basic understanding of how 1-2 more complex controls, including loop until, if/then, and if/else affect programs.
• Explain how conditionals use sensors, comparators, and operators to make decisions.
• Read and interpret sensor data from all Draw and basic Block programs.

What's included:

• A spiral-bound Course Educator Guide book containing 24 lessons

ACARA and NSW Curriculum
Curriculum links for ACARA and NSW are available here.

CS Foundation Course 1 Sample Activities
Click here for CS Foundation Course 1 sample activities.

CS Foundation Course 1 Sample Pages