Technology class is about much more than learning how to use a computer! Throughout the year, students build age-appropriate skills in keyboarding, digital citizenship, online safety, research, digital creativity, coding, data, problem-solving, and digital communication.

As students move from Kindergarten through 5th grade, they continue building on the skills they learned in previous years and gradually become more independent and confident technology users. Projects are often connected to what students are learning in their other classes, allowing them to use technology as a tool for learning, creating, communicating, and solving problems.

Kindergarten

Technology Skills & Projects 

Kindergarten students build foundational computer skills while learning how to use technology independently, safely, and creatively.

• Computer & Mouse Skills: Learn computer parts, practice using a mouse, clicking, dragging, scrolling, and using arrow keys through age-appropriate games and activities.
• Keyboard & Typing: Learn where letters and keys are located, identify the home row, practice finger placement, and begin developing basic typing skills.
• Digital Citizenship: Begin learning how to be safe, responsible, and respectful when using technology.
• Digital Art: Explore the tools in PaintZ to draw, paint, create pictures, and experiment with digital tools.
• Pretend Laptop Project: Build and personalize a paper "laptop" while learning about keyboard layout and finger placement.
• Typing Practice: Use kid-friendly typing games to develop keyboard familiarity and accuracy.
• Coding & Sequencing: Learn that computers and robots follow specific instructions. Students practice putting directions in the correct order and begin exploring coding concepts.
• Robotics: Discover how coding and detailed instructions help robots and computers accomplish tasks.

1st Grade

Technology Skills & Projects

First graders continue developing computer independence while learning digital citizenship, research skills, digital art, typing, and introductory coding.

• Computer Skills: Review computer parts, keyboard letters, classroom technology procedures, and responsible computer use.
• Digital Citizenship: Learn about online safety, responsible technology use, and making good choices online. Students create Online Safety Badges and participate in discussions about digital citizenship.
• Typing: Build keyboard familiarity and typing skills through age-appropriate typing programs.
• Digital Art: Use PaintZ tools to create seasonal artwork while learning how digital drawing tools work.
• Searching & Research: Learn what a search engine is and how keywords help us find information. Students practice kid-safe image searches and learn that search results can vary in relevance.
• Coding: Begin learning the concept of sequence—putting instructions in the correct order for a computer to follow.
• ScratchJr Coding: Learn how to change backgrounds and characters and use block coding to make characters move.
• Digital Creativity: Use Google Drawings and other digital tools to create and organize simple projects.
• Animation: Apply ScratchJr coding skills to create an animated classroom scene using characters, movement, events, and communication.

2nd Grade

Technology Skills & Projects

Second graders develop stronger keyboarding, research, Google Workspace, and digital citizenship skills while connecting technology projects to classroom learning.

• Typing: Build speed, accuracy, and keyboard familiarity through Typetastic and other typing activities.
• Online Safety & Digital Citizenship: Learn about safe and responsible technology use, screen-time awareness, and making thoughtful choices when using digital devices.
• Google Earth: Explore the world using Google Earth. Students learn how to search for real places, navigate maps, and use coordinates to locate places around the world.
• Kid-Safe Searching: Learn how to search safely for images, facts, and information using a child-friendly search engine.
• Google Docs: Learn how to create and edit a document, use alignment, bold text, bullet points, copy/paste, and organize information.
• Research Skills: Practice finding appropriate images and facts and deciding which information is useful for a project.
• Google Slides: Create organized digital presentations while learning about slide layout, images, text, and presentation organization.
• Digital Presentation Skills: Learn that a good presentation is organized and designed to help an audience easily follow the information.
• Coding & Problem-Solving: Explore block-based coding activities and learn how computers follow instructions in a specific sequence.
• Robotics: Apply coding and sequencing skills to a variety of classroom robots.

3rd Grade

Technology Skills & Projects 

Third graders begin using technology as a tool for research, communication, creativity, data collection, and problem-solving.

• Online Safety & Digital Citizenship: Learn about online safety, digital etiquette, responsible communication, and making positive choices online.
• Digital Citizenship Projects: Create an Online Safety Contract and participate in activities such as Google Interland to reinforce safe and responsible online behaviors.
• Google Slides: Learn to add, edit, resize, layer, and arrange images and objects. Students create projects while learning how to organize information visually.
• Research: Practice finding appropriate images and information using kid-safe search tools.
• Google Slides Presentations: Conduct short research projects and create multi-slide presentations.
• Presentation Design: Learn about slide layout, organization, readability, and how to create presentations that are easy for an audience to follow.
• Google Sheets: Learn the basics of collecting and organizing data, entering information into a spreadsheet, and creating charts.
• Data & Graphing: Collect class data and turn that information into visual charts such as pie charts and bar charts.
• Coding: Explore block-based coding and problem-solving through Code.org and classroom robotics.
• Creative Technology: Use technology to combine research, design, organization, and creativity into completed digital projects.

4th Grade

Technology Skills & Projects 

Fourth graders use technology to create, research, analyze information, explore artificial intelligence, code, and develop increasingly complex digital projects.

• Online Safety & Digital Citizenship: Review responsible online behavior, digital etiquette, and safe technology choices.
• Digital Research: Practice searching for information and images while learning how to evaluate and use search results appropriately.
• Google Slides: Develop more advanced skills including layering, arranging, editing, and combining digital images and objects.
• Coding: Explore coding through Code.org and other coding activities while developing sequencing, logic, and problem-solving skills.
• Artificial Intelligence: Explore the basics of AI, including what artificial intelligence is, how it works, and examples of how AI is used in everyday life. Students use interactive Code.org lessons to think critically about AI and its impact.
• Google Sheets: Build on previous spreadsheet skills by collecting and organizing data, using formulas, and creating charts.
• Data Analysis: Collect class-generated data, organize it in a spreadsheet, and represent findings using bar charts.
• 3D Design: Learn the basics of 3D computer-aided design using Tinkercad. Students work through a series of guided tutorials to learn how to create and manipulate 3D objects.
• Stop-Motion Animation: Use Google Slides, digital images, transparent backgrounds, and keyboard shortcuts to create animated sequences.
• Digital Problem-Solving: Apply skills from previous projects to create increasingly independent technology projects.

5th Grade

Technology Skills & Projects 

Fifth graders apply their technology skills to larger projects involving research, digital design, coding, data analysis, artificial intelligence, animation, and 3D design.

• Online Safety & Digital Citizenship: Review online safety, digital etiquette, responsible online communication, and making thoughtful choices when interacting online.
• Canva Digital Comic: Create a digital comic in Canva that demonstrates an online safety situation, using images, characters, text, and design tools to communicate a safe and responsible choice online.
• Artificial Intelligence: Explore what AI is, how AI systems work at a basic level, and how artificial intelligence is being used in the world around us. Students consider both the possibilities and impact of AI.
• Typing & Keyboarding: Continue building typing speed, accuracy, and efficiency through structured typing practice.
• Google Slides: Use advanced tools to create organized digital projects, including layering, arranging, editing, resizing, and combining images.
• Research & Presentation: Conduct research, locate appropriate images and information, organize content, and create presentations designed for an audience.
• Google Sheets: Collect, organize, sort, and filter data. Students use formulas and create charts to represent and analyze information.
• Data Analysis: Work with real or classroom-generated data and learn how sorting, filtering, and visualizing information can help us understand patterns.
• Coding: Use text-based coding in Bitsbox to build simple apps using JavaScript, helping students understand how real computer programs are created.
• 3D Design: Learn computer-aided 3D design using Tinkercad through guided tutorials and independent design challenges.
• Stop-Motion Animation: Create animations using Google Slides, transparent images, layering, and keyboard shortcuts. Students use technology to demonstrate concepts such as circuits or animal behaviors.
• Robotics & Problem-Solving: Apply coding and computational thinking skills to a variety of classroom robots and coding challenges.