Computer Science for Kids

Book description

A kid-friendly and rigorous new way to teach young readers the fundamentals of computer science

In Computer Science for Kids: A Storytelling Approach, AWS Head of Academic Advocacy and Google Developer Expert Dr. Jen Looper delivers a colorful, fun, and exciting demonstration for young readers who want to learn the basics of computer science. Using a variety of technologies, the book covers the elements of computer science in concise detail and illustrates how to build projects to learn foundational concepts behind the technology powering the internet.

In the book, you’ll find projects to build using both basic and emerging technologies—like SQL, game development, storytelling software, and 3D augmented reality—as well as:

  • Chapter projects aligned to K-12 curriculum standards for grades 6-8 and a GitHub repo featuring open-source projects
  • Lesson plans for teachers
  • An online space for classrooms to showcase and discuss their work

An easy-to-follow and kid-friendly new resource for technology-curious middle school students, Computer Science for Kids is the fun and interesting web development resource that classroom teachers, parents, and homeschooling families have been waiting for.

Table of contents

  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Introduction
    1. Computer Science Teachers Association Standards
    2. What Does This Book Cover?
    3. Additional Resources
    4. Standards Map
  4. How to Contact Wiley or the Author
  5. Preface
  6. I: The Missing Fireflies
    1. 1. The Trapper
      1. Do Some Research
      2. Sketch It Out
      3. Your Challenge
      4. Think Like a Computer Scientist: Design Your System
      5. Project Recipe
      6. Extend Your Knowledge
      7. Vocabulary Review
      8. Quiz
      9. Assignment: Let's Go Outside!
    2. 2. The Firefly Refuge
      1. Do Some Research
      2. Sketch It Out
      3. Your Challenge
      4. Project Recipe
      5. Think Like a Computer Scientist: Tailor Your System to Your Users
      6. Extend Your Knowledge
      7. Vocabulary Review
      8. Quiz
      9. Assignment: Feed Me!
    3. 3. The Fireflies' Message
      1. Do Some Research
      2. Think Like a Computer Scientist: Fix Problems
      3. Sketch It Out
      4. Your Challenge
      5. Project Recipe
      6. Extend Your Knowledge
      7. Vocabulary Review
      8. Quiz
      9. Assignment: How'd They Do This?
    4. 4. A Home for All
      1. Do Some Research
      2. Think Like a Computer Scientist
      3. Sketch It Out
      4. Your Challenge
      5. Project Recipe
      6. Extend Your Knowledge
      7. Vocabulary Review
      8. Quiz
      9. Assignment: Usable or Not?
  7. II: The Glowing Moss
    1. 5. Goblin's Gold
      1. Do Some Research
      2. Think Like a Computer Scientist: Protocols
      3. Sketch It Out
      4. Your Challenge
      5. Project Recipe
      6. Extend Your Knowledge
      7. Vocabulary Review
      8. Quiz
      9. Assignment: Draw the Map
    2. 6. Securing the Moss
      1. Do Some Research
      2. Think Like a Computer Scientist: Barriers
      3. Your Challenge
      4. Sketch It Out
      5. Project Recipe
      6. Extend Your Knowledge
      7. Vocabulary Review
      8. Quiz
      9. Assignment: Research a Secure Site
    3. 7. The Whisper Network
      1. Do Some Research
      2. Think Like a Computer Scientist: Encryption and Keys
      3. Your Challenge
      4. Sketch It Out
      5. Project Recipe
      6. Extend Your Knowledge
      7. Vocabulary Review
      8. Quiz
      9. Assignment: Let's Encrypt
    4. 8. A Well‐Tested Solution
      1. Do Some Research
      2. Think Like a Computer Scientist
      3. Sketch It Out
      4. Your Challenge
      5. Project Recipe
      6. Extend Your Knowledge
      7. Vocabulary Review
      8. Quiz
      9. Assignment: Time to Test
  8. III: Geode Quest
    1. 9. Searching for Geodes
      1. Do Some Research
      2. Think Like a Computer Scientist
      3. Sketch It Out
      4. Your Challenge
      5. Project Recipe
      6. Extend Your Knowledge
      7. Vocabulary Review
      8. Quiz
      9. Assignment: Representing Data
    2. 10. Cleaning and Categorizing the Collection
      1. Do Some Research
      2. Think Like a Computer Scientist
      3. Your Challenge
      4. Project Recipe
      5. Extend Your Knowledge
      6. Vocabulary Review
      7. Quiz
      8. Assignment: Data Tidy‐Up
    3. 11. The Stone Library
      1. Do Some Research
      2. Think Like a Computer Scientist
      3. Sketch It Out
      4. Your Challenge
      5. Project Recipe
      6. Extend Your Knowledge
      7. Vocabulary Review
      8. Quiz
      9. Assignment: Build Your Database
    4. 12. Hide or Seek
      1. Do Some Research
      2. Think Like a Computer Scientist
      3. Sketch It Out
      4. Your Challenge
      5. Project Recipe
      6. Extend Your Knowledge
      7. Vocabulary Review
      8. Quiz
      9. Assignment: A Training Manual
  9. IV: The Petrified Forest
    1. 13. The Petrified Forest
      1. Do Some Research
      2. Sketch It Out
      3. Think Like a Computer Scientist
      4. Your Challenge
      5. Project Recipe
      6. Extend Your Knowledge
      7. Vocabulary Review
      8. Quiz
      9. Assignment: Pave the Way
    2. 14. The Butterfly Brigade
      1. Your Challenge
      2. Sketch It Out
      3. Think Like a Computer Scientist
      4. Project Recipe
      5. Extend Your Knowledge
      6. Vocabulary Review
      7. Quiz
      8. Assignment: Code Hunt
    3. 15. Power of the Weak
      1. Do Some Research
      2. Your Challenge
      3. Sketch It Out
      4. Think Like a Computer Scientist
      5. Project Recipe
      6. Extend Your Knowledge
      7. Vocabulary Review
      8. Quiz
      9. Assignment: A Realistic Simulation
    4. 16. The Written Artifact
      1. Do Some Research
      2. Your Challenge
      3. Sketch It Out
      4. Think Like a Computer Scientist
      5. Project Recipe
      6. Extend Your Knowledge
      7. Vocabulary Review
      8. Quiz
      9. Assignment: Showcase
  10. V: Legends of the Field Mice
    1. 17. The Field Mice
      1. Do Some Research
      2. Your Challenge
      3. Sketch It Out
      4. Think Like a Computer Scientist
      5. Project Recipe
      6. Vocabulary Review
      7. Quiz
      8. Assignment: Storytime
    2. 18. Lights, Sounds, Action
      1. Do Some Research
      2. Your Challenge
      3. Sketch It Out
      4. Think Like a Computer Scientist
      5. Project Recipe
      6. Extend Your Knowledge
      7. Vocabulary Review
      8. Quiz
      9. Assignment: Building Inventory
    3. 19. Unlocking the Vault
      1. Do Some Research
      2. Your Challenge
      3. Sketch It Out
      4. Think Like a Computer Scientist
      5. Project Recipe
      6. Extend Your Knowledge
      7. Vocabulary Review
      8. Quiz
      9. Assignment: A Postmortem
    4. 20. The Real World
      1. Do Some Research
      2. Your Challenge
      3. Sketch It Out
      4. Think Like a Computer Scientist
      5. Project Recipes
      6. Extend Your Knowledge
      7. Vocabulary Review
      8. Quiz
      9. Assignment: Demo Day
  11. Index
  12. Copyright
  13. Dedication
  14. About the Author
  15. About the Technical Editors
  16. Acknowledgments
  17. End User License Agreement

Product information

  • Title: Computer Science for Kids
  • Author(s): Jen Looper
  • Release date: May 2023
  • Publisher(s): Wiley
  • ISBN: 9781119912514