Hudson · born 2019 · age 7 · ≈ 2nd grade

Computer Science
3-Month Plan

A gentle, mostly hands-on start: what a computer is, thinking in steps, first block coding, and a friendly first look at how machines learn. Plan on a grown-up sitting alongside — reading is still developing.

GOAL 01 · HOW IT WORKS

The machine, demystified

Understand a computer as parts that work together, and that code is just step-by-step instructions.

GOAL 02 · AI & THE FUTURE

Use the new tools well

Meet AI as something that learns from examples — by training a simple one and playing with it.

0 / 14 done

Roughly one card per week, ~12 weeks. Order matters within a month; months build on each other. Tick a task when it's truly understood, not just finished.

Month 1

Thinking in steps

Unplugged + first blocks
Week 1

What even is a computer?

  • FUNDAMENTALS
    Find the parts
    Watch a short, kid-friendly tour: the brain, memory, things that go in, things that come out.
    What Makes a Computer? (video) ↗
  • FUNDAMENTALS
    Be the robot
    Play CS Unplugged's 'Rescue Mission' (in the Kidbots unit): take turns giving exact step-by-step commands to move each other across a grid. Computers only do exactly what they're told.
    CS Unplugged: Kidbots ↗
Week 2

Algorithms = recipes

  • FUNDAMENTALS
    First puzzles
    Make a free Code.org account, then play Course A 'Sequencing with Scrat' — drag blocks in order to reach the goal.
    Course A: Sequencing ↗
  • FUNDAMENTALS
    Make a sandwich
    Write the steps to make a snack, then follow them literally. Find the missing step.
Week 3

Doing things again (loops)

Week 4

First real coding

  • FUNDAMENTALS
    Make it move
    In the free ScratchJr app (iPad / Android / Chromebook), drag a blue 'move right' block onto your character and tap the green flag. New to the app? Open the interface guide first.
    ScratchJr: app guide ↗
Month 2

Making things happen

Stories & games in ScratchJr
Week 5

Two characters, one story

  • FUNDAMENTALS
    Tell a tiny story
    In ScratchJr, add two characters; give each a 'say' bubble and a 'move' block so they talk and walk. Need ideas? Print a ScratchJr activity card.
    ScratchJr: activity cards ↗
Week 6

When I tap... (events)

  • FUNDAMENTALS
    Make it react
    In ScratchJr, use the yellow 'Start on Tap' trigger block so things happen when you touch a character. The interface guide shows what each block colour does.
    ScratchJr: blocks guide ↗
Week 7

Find the bug

  • FUNDAMENTALS
    Fix it
    Play Code.org's 'Debugging in Maze' puzzles — the program is broken; figure out why and fix it.
    Code.org: Debugging ↗
Week 8

Your first game

  • FUNDAMENTALS
    Build & share
    Make a simple tap-to-score game in ScratchJr (tap a character to add points). The activity cards include a game to start from.
    ScratchJr: activity cards ↗
Month 3

Tech all around us

Internet safety + first AI
Week 9

Staying safe online

  • FUNDAMENTALS
    Be a good digital citizen
    Watch the K–2 lessons about kindness and safety online (try 'Safety in My Online Neighborhood').
    Common Sense: K–2 lessons ↗
Week 10

Teach a machine

  • AI & TOOLS
    Train your first AI
    With a grown-up, open Teachable Machine → new Image Project. Make two classes, hold each stuffed animal to the webcam for ~20 photos, press Train, then watch it guess which is which.
    Teachable Machine: Image ↗
Week 11

Help the computer sort

  • AI & TOOLS
    AI for Oceans
    Teach a machine which things are fish and which are trash — see how examples train it.
    AI for Oceans ↗
Week 12

Show & tell

  • FUNDAMENTALS
    Make something you love
    Build a ScratchJr project about a favorite thing, then explain what the computer did. Stuck for ideas? Browse the activity cards.
    ScratchJr: activity cards ↗