Computer Science Curriculum
INSTRUCTIONAL APPROACH AND PEDAGOGY
In order to appeal to the broadest range of students and maximize recruitment & retention, 4D CS is the most engaging, relevant, and modern program, with regular content updates to meet the needs of this ever-evolving field.
4D CS includes comprehensive activities and resources from a variety of best-in-breed sources. (i.e., Unreal Engine, AppInventor, MIT Scratch, Android Studio, etc.). It also features the most comprehensive coverage of jurisdictional (CSTA) and global standards, and goes beyond those standards as well. The courses:
- Include comprehensive integration of content, Core Concepts, and 21st Century Skills/Competencies (collaboration, critical thinking, ethics, growth mindset, etc.)
- Offer a comprehensive classroom solution including the following components, all fully available online and in print: Teacher’s Guide with robust support for personalization and direct instruction; Student Activities, Projects, and Assessments; whole-class presentations for every lesson and activity; teacher support videos and instructional videos.
- Include comprehensive and flexible PD course to train teachers from other subject areas to become successful CS teachers.
Extensive Curriculum:
4D CS1, Grade 8 or 9
| Intro to Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality Intro | 4 Weeks |
| Intro to Computer Programming (with CoffeeScript and Pencil Code) | 4 Weeks |
| Game Development with Scratch | 4 Weeks |
| Intro to the Internet | 4 Weeks |
| Introduction to Artificial Intelligence | 5 Weeks |
| Online Safety & Security | 3 Weeks |
| Web Design | 3 Weeks |
| Mobile App Development | 5 Weeks |
*released in Fall 2019
4D CS2, Grade 10
| Intro to Computer Hardware | 4 Weeks |
| Cybersecurity | 4 Weeks |
| Programming with Python | 6 Weeks |
| Data & Machine Learning | 2 Weeks |
| Intro to Digital Graphics | 3 Weeks |
| 3D Modeling | 4 Weeks |
| Advanced Graphics for Gaming & VR | 9 Weeks |
*released Fall 2020
4D CS 3.1/4.1 Game Development
- 4D CS 3.1 – Programming for Game Development with Unreal Engine
- 4D CS 4.1 – Advanced Programming for Movie Making & Game Development with Unreal Engine
4D CS 3.2/4.2, App Development
- 4D CS 3.2 – Mobile App Development with Android Studio
- 4D CS 4.2 – Advanced App Development with Java Programming & Android Studio
“Beyond simply coding, computer science [must] teach students other important skills. Students start to develop an understanding about the kinds of skills and knowledge and ways of thinking that ultimately will better position them to choose a computer science pathway”.
According to this survey, teachers said that problem solving and reasoning are critical skills computer science can help develop: https://edscoop.com/theres-a-shortage-of-k-12-computer-science-education-in-the-u-s-microsoft-survey-finds/