Computer Science Discoveries

What is CS Discoveries?

Computer Science Discoveries is an introductory computer science course for 6 - 10th grade students. Mapped to CTSA standards, the course takes a wide lens on computer science by covering topics such as problem solving, programming, physical computing, user centered design, and data, while inspiring students as they build their own websites, apps, animations, games, and physical computing systems.

CS Discoveries can be flexibly taught as a single semester, two semesters over multiple years, or as a full-year course. Options are even available for less than one semester. Our curriculum is available at no cost for anyone, anywhere to teach. And, professional learning opportunities are available!

Bring CS Discoveries to your school!

Why should you teach CS Discoveries?

Engaging Curriculum

Our team designed the CS Discoveries curriculum to support students and teachers new to the discipline. The curriculum includes daily lesson plans made up of inquiry-based activities, videos, assessments, and computing tools, allowing teachers to guide and learn alongside students as they discover core computing concepts.

The Problem Solving unit is a highly interactive and collaborative introduction to the field of computer science. Through a series of puzzles, challenges, and real world scenarios, students are introduced to a problem solving process and learn how computers input, output, store, and process information.

Students are empowered to create and share their own content using the Web Lab platform in the Web Development unit. They engage in problem solving as it relates to programming, as they learn valuable skills such as debugging, commenting, and structure of language.

In the Interactive Animations and Games unit, students create programmatic images, animations, interactive art, and games in Game Lab. Along the way, they practice design, testing, and iteration, as they come to see that failure and debugging are an expected and valuable part of the programming process.

Students transition from thinking about computer science as a tool to solve their own problems towards considering the broader social impacts of computing in the Design Process unit. Through a series of design challenges, students prototype technological solutions to a problem both on paper and in App Lab, before testing their solutions with real users.

The Data and Society unit highlights how computers can help us use data to solve problems. First, students explore different systems used to represent information in a computer, then they learn how collections of data are used to solve problems, and how computers help automate the steps of this process.

In the Physical Computing unit, students use App Lab and Adafruit’s Circuit Playground to develop programs that utilize the same hardware inputs and outputs that we see in many modern smart devices, and they get to see how a rough prototype can lead to a finished product. The unit concludes with a design challenge that asks students to use the Circuit Playground as the basis for an innovation of their own design. For more information about getting the Adafruit Circuit Playgrounds in your classroom, click here

Extensive Teacher Resources

Check out the CS Discoveries curriculum page for our series of guides designed to help support new and veteran teachers. These include the Getting Started Guide and the latest Curriculum Guide, where you'll learn about the classroom and student practices that flow throughout the course and how to navigate course tools. Also available are the Implementation Guide, the Assessment Guide, and the Debugging Guide.

The CS Discoveries curriculum page is also where teachers can access to daily lesson plans. Along with integrated discussion goals, teaching tips, and assessment opportunities, our lesson plans come with detailed pacing instructions, activity guides, exemplar projects, sample marked rubrics, and more!

Create and manage your classroom sections, check student progress, administer assessments, and integrate with your Google or Clever classroom, all from your Teacher Dashboard! (Sign in required.)

Professional Learning

Interested in professional learning? Find out more!

Looking for an in-depth program to help you implement CS Discoveries? Apply to join a Professional Learning Program in your region! Code.org's Regional Partners offer hands-on, Code.org-designed workshops to thousands of eachers across the country each year.

Whether you’re brand new to computer science or an experienced teacher looking for the best way to use the Code.org curriculum, our Professional Learning Program is a great way to get started. And teachers love it! Over 90% rank it the best professional development ever.

Keep up with CS Discoveries!

Stay connected

Let us know how we're doing!

We are always looking for ways to improve our courses. If something's not quite working, or you have ideas about features that you'd like to see, we'd love to hear from you!

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Chat about CS Discoveries in the forum

We have forums for educators to discuss and trade ideas about CS Discoveries and talk about the curriculum. Code.org forums are used for all of our courses K-12.

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Frequently Asked Questions

For answers to our most frequently asked questions, click on the questions below!

Is CS Discoveries mapped to standards?

CS Discoveries was written using both the K-12 Framework for Computer Science and the 2017 CSTA standards as guidance. Currently, every lesson in CS Discoveries contains mappings to the relevant 2017 CSTA standards. The summary of of all CSTA 2017 mappings can be found at curriculum.code.org/csd/standards

How/Where can I get professional development for this course?

Our Professional Learning Program offers year-round support. The program kicks off with a 5-day summer workshop where you'll have an opportunity to work hands-on with the curriculum and meet other teachers from your area. Throughout the year, we offer forum support and follow-up workshops. You don't need any prior computer science experience to get started. And teachers love it! 90% rank it the best professional development ever. Click here to apply and learn more.

Have questions about professional development? Provide your contact information to a Regional Partner in your area.

I'm teaching CS Discoveries but have less than one semester with my students. What would you recommend?

CS Discoveries consists of two semesters that build on each other. Schools can choose to teach a single semester, two sequential semesters, or a single, year-long course. Options are even available for less than one semester. See the CS Discoveries Guide to Implementation for more details.

What materials and supplies are required for CS Discoveries?

This course requires that students have access to computers with a modern web browser. At this time, our courses are not optimized for tablets or mobile devices. For more details, check out Code.org's technology requirements.

In addition to computer access, you'll need:

Normal classroom supplies (pens, pencils, coloring, scissors, extra paper)
Worksheet Printing (There are worksheets with some lessons. We currently also provide Google Docs of our activity guides, which some teachers use to help reduce printing.)
A few decks of cards (we recommend one deck per 8 students)
Aluminum foil
Containers that can hold water
Adafruit's Circuit Playground Boards and Micro USB cables. The curriculum is designed for a ratio of 2 students to 1 board & 1 usb cable.

To learn more about getting Adafruit Circuit Playground Boards for your classroom and their software requirements, please visit code.org/circuitplayground

How can I access answer keys?

With an approved teacher account you can find answer keys in a blue "Teacher Only" panel that shows in the online lessons and activities.

Teachers in our Professional Learning Program will automatically be approved to view answer keys. If you need an approved teacher account, you can apply for access to protected teacher-only materials (answer keys, etc) through this form. Please keep in mind that it may take 3-5 business days to verify your account.

How does CS Discoveries fit with the other Code.org courses?

CS Discoveries is designed to fit naturally between our CS Fundamentals courses and our CS Principles course. While each of these courses is designed to be an age-appropriate entry point to computer science, students with previous experience will find many new topics to explore, and they will revisit familiar topics in novel and more challenging contexts.

For more information about our goals and approach to our courses, please see our curriculum values and our professional learning values.