This course builds on the coding concepts and skills learned in the Lower School. Students are introduced to Logo syntax and more complex programming topics including conditional statements and variables. Coding projects include Mad Libs, interactive conversations, mazes and trivia. For a final project, students design and program an interactive video game. Students then have the opportunity to design a 3-D object from their game and print it on the 3-D printer.

As part of an interdisciplinary partnership with the Science Department, all Grade 6 to 8 students engage in two programming-intensive units in their science classes throughout the academic school year. During the unit, students meet four times a week. The Grade 6 course helps develop students’ programming skills and habits through a study of 3D animation using Alice 3, as well as design thinking through physical computing using circuits and Arduinos. In the Grade 8 course, students continue to learn the fundamentals of programming by creating art using Processing, a Java-based open-source language, and hone their design skills in a web development unit using HTML and CSS. Using the knowledge and skills they acquire from these units, students develop culminating projects integrated with their most recent science units.

All Grade 6 and Grade 8 students engage in two programming-intensive units in their science classes throughout the academic school year. During the unit, students meet four times a week. The Grade 6 course helps develop students’ programming skills and habits through a study of 3D animation using Alice 3, as well as design thinking through physical computing using circuits and Arduinos. In the Grade 8 course, students continue to learn the fundamentals of programming by creating interactive, dynamic visuals using p5.js, and hone their design skills in a web development unit using HTML and CSS. Using the knowledge and skills they acquire from these units, students develop culminating projects.

This elective course offers students an opportunity to continue their work in computer science. Students are introduced to the field of robotics and study the role it plays in present-day life. Students design and build objects that interact with the physical world through sensors, motors and LEDs. Project work forms a major part of the course, and in the spring, students participate in a citywide robotics event.