This is a free and fully-resourced scheme of work - I use it for the first year of Computing for Key Stage 3 students. I created most of the presentations from looking at the National Curriculum, and before I looked at the GCSE specifications, but it turns out that a lot of the lessons would also be suitable for the start of a GCSE Computing or Computer Science course. Obviously, if you do start in KS3 then you give students the opportunity to master these things and give yourself more time for controlled assessments in KS4.
"I remember seeing your KS3 SoW a couple of years ago and it was a light bulb moment for me (having taught Maths to fill the timetable, I saw that they repeated over and over the concepts taught at GCSE from Year 7), [I] re-wrote my SoW... and have just done it for the first full year with end of year KS3 exams and have been so impressed at how they have dealt with some of the GCSE questions I have thrown in. I think this will make a difference in both uptake and scores in a couple of years time.", Head of Department, UK Secondary School
"I teach middle school computer science in Colorado. I just wanted to say I have been using the tools on this site for years now, and it is still one of the best places I have found online to make the abstract, hard to visualize concepts in computer science much more accessible and understandable for students new to the topics. It's been an integral part of my classroom."
This first year of the course aims to introduce students to the breadth of fundamental computing concepts such as binary, Boolean logic and programming. The second year of the course builds on these, for example with binary arithmetic. There is a complete set of resources for KS3 Computing and/or GCSE Computer Science here.
|
Topic |
Lesson Content and Presentation Used |
Tasks / Links |
1 |
Introduction |
An introduction to what computing is, some computing ideas, with demonstrations using Just Basic, Scratch, etc. |
|
2 |
Storage of Information |
Units of storage, properties of storage media (demonstration of screenshots) |
|
3 |
Information Systems - Input, Process, Output |
How computer/information systems use input, processing and output |
|
4 |
Internal Representation of Data |
How different types of data - numbers, text, images, sound - are stored inside the computer |
Links: |
5 |
Computer Graphics |
The features and relative merits of vector of bitmaps graphics, and how to choose between BMP, GIF and JPEG formats. |
Links: Task: |
6 |
Introduction to Binary |
What binary is, and why it's used in computers |
Links: Task: |
7
|
Data Transmission and Errors |
Parallel and serial transmission. |
Links: Card Flip Magic (with digits) [Press F1 for help with the above] |
8 |
Scratch |
Movement, turning, and use of the pen. |
Links: Task: |
9 |
Scratch |
Use of procedures to structure a program; use of arguments. |
Task: |
10 |
Scratch |
How to get sprites to bounce of horizontal and vertical surfaces, and off each other. |
Task: |
11 |
Scratch |
The user of variables in a program, e.g. for movement, scores, etc. |
Links: Task: |
12 |
Scratch |
Accepting user input - keyboard, mouse movements, etc. |
Task: |
13 |
Scratch |
Stages in a programming project - analysis, design, implementation, testing, evaluation. |
Task: |
14 |
Introduction to Boolean Logic |
An introduction to the idea of truth values, how they can be represented using 0/1/on/off/true/false, and Boolean operators: AND, OR and NOT |
Links: Task: |
15 |
Logical Reasoning |
Introduction to other types of logical reasoning, including syllogisms and the prosecutor's fallacy. |
Task: |
16 |
Encryption |
The difference between privacy and security. |
Links: Task: |
17 |
Bitwise Boolean Logic |
Combining ideas from the last two lessons - bitwise logical operations, and why they might be useful (show encryption with EOR as an example) |
Links: |
18 |
Shortest Path |
Introduction to graph theory (with links to efficiency and networking) |
Task: |
19 |
Networking |
What networks are for, and their advantages and disadvantages |
Task: |
20 |
Spreadsheets |
Introduction to spreadsheets - cells, rows, columns, formulae, etc. |
Task: |
21 |
Spreadsheets |
Formulae revision |
|
22 |
Spreadsheets |
User Interfaces - different types and why they are needed. |
|
23 |
Spreadsheets |
Use of random numbers and making decisions: =if(), rand(), etc. |
Task: |
24 |
Spreadsheets |
Macros - what they are and how to create them |
|
25 |
Spreadsheets |
if() and macro revision, paste special |
Task: |
26 |
Algorithms |
Introduction the ideas of algorithms - what they are and how they can be written down |
|
27 |
Algorithms |
Algorithms and efficiency - an introduction to the idea that the
algorithm you use can make a difference to the speed with which
something takes place - e.g. sorting and searching. |
Links: |
28 |
Programming |
Hello world! An introduction to the JustBasic interface and how to output to the screen. Programming
in BASIC - Introduction |
Task: |
29 |
Programming |
Variables - what they are and how we use them Programming
in BASIC - Variables |
Task: |
30 |
Programming |
Repetition - why a program might need to repeat things, and how many times Programming
in BASIC - Repetition |
Task: |
31 |
Programming |
How to get a program to make a decision Programming
in BASIC - Decisions |
Task: |
32 |
Programming |
Arrays and their use for storing multiple items: Programming
in BASIC - Arrays |
|
33 |
Programming |
Arrays and their use for "lookup" or reference (also tuples for Python): Programming
in BASIC - Arrays |
Task: |
34 |
Programming |
Random numbers - how they are useful, and how to scale them into the right range Programming
in BASIC - Random Numbers |
Link: Task: |
| 35 | Computer Graphics | Common graphics file formats: BMP, GIF, jpeg, PNG Their properties and uses Why it’s important to choose the correct format. Bitmap and Vector Graphics (slides 2, 4, 9-) |
Links: Assignment: |
36 |
HTML |
Creating a web-page: what a web-page is / use of HTML what a text editor is and how to use Notepad |
|
37 |
HTML |
Using CSS to style a web-page |
Task: |
38 |
HTML |
A discussion on the different sorts of image files and the features they support. How to insert images and hyperlinks. Also: introduction to Expression Web (which will be used from this lesson onwards) |
Link: Task: |
39 |
HTML |
The use of transparency and translucency in images, and how to use CSS to swap images and create rollovers |
|
40 |
HTML |
DIVs and Animation - an overview of where the students can go from here in developing their web-pages |
Link: |
41 |
E-Safety |
Does our reliance on technology have a negative impact on learning? Discussion of recent news articles (links on right):
|
Link: Digital dependence ‘eroding human memory’ Tablet computers are widely used by the under-fives Computers 'do not improve' pupil results, says OECD |
42 |
Cyber Crime |
Raise awareness of potential offences under the Computer Misuse Act and support for the Regional Organised Crime Unit's Prevent programme, including:
NB. the "other offences" bullet point refers to a separate presentation on laws relating to data protection, copyright, Freedom of Information Act, etc. |
Link: Video: Cyber Choices |
NB. While there are 42 lessons here to allow some flexibility, there are only 37 in the second year, so you could carry some over.