New Revised NERDC JSS 1 Digital Technologies Scheme of Work
Week 1: Basic Computer Network Components
1. Content: Knowledge: Meaning of computer network; Basic Network Components and their functions (Network interface card, Switch, Network cable, RJ45 connector, Router).
2. Performance Objectives: State the meaning of computer network; Identify basic computer network components; Mention functions of basic computer network components.
3. Learning Activities
i. Teacher Activities: Guide students to brainstorm in group on the meaning of computer network, Allow students to physically examine computer network components e.g. network interface card, Router, etc., Show a video on functions of computer network components.
ii. Student Activities: Brainstorm in group on the meaning of computer network, Physically examine computer network components e.g. network interface card, Router, etc., Watch a video on functions of computer network components.
4. Teaching and Learning Resources: Computers, Disassembled desktop or laptop, Network switch, router, network cable, network cable, Internet Access, Projector, Smart screen. Set up a small network in class if possible.
Week 2: Digital Media
1. Content: Knowledge: Examples of digital platforms (Websites, Social media – Facebook, WhatsApp, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter etc.); Uses of digital platforms; Advantages of Digital devices. Skill: Interacting using Digital Tool: WhatsApp.
2. Performance Objectives: List examples of digital media platforms; State the uses of digital platforms; Explain the advantages and disadvantages of digital devices; Responsibly use digital media platforms (e.g. WhatsApp) to interact with peers.
3. Learning Activities
i. Teacher Activities: Guide students to debate in support or against the statement that the advantages of digital platforms are more than the disadvantages, Lead students to participate in class discussion on the uses of digital platforms in education, Instruct students to interact with the class teacher using their parent’s social media account (e.g. submitting class assignment via WhatsApp).
ii. Student Activities: Debate in support or against the statement that the advantages of digital platforms are more than the disadvantages, Participate in class discussion on the uses of digital platforms in education, Interact with the class teacher using their parent’s social media account (e.g. submitting class assignment via WhatsApp).
4. Teaching and Learning Resources: Computers, Internet Access, Smart phone, Social media account, Power source, Text book.
Week 3: Coding (Programming)
1. Content: Knowledge: Types and examples of programming languages; Visual programming language e.g. Scratch and interface; Block palettes in visual programming language. Skill: Using block palettes to create a program.
2. Performance Objectives: State the types and examples of programming languages; Describe the components of a visual programming interface; Use different block palettes to create a program.
3. Learning Activities
i. Teacher Activities: Guide students to role-play that computers need instructions that are precise to carry out tasks, Lead discussion on the real-world application of programming which include the development of web and mobile apps, video games, internet browsers, digital devices, digital payments and so on,
Discuss what programming is all about and the various programming languages, Guide students to explore the Scratch Programming user interface such as Blocks, Block Palettes, Stage, Script, Scripting Area, Stage Area, Backdrops, Add Extension, Sprite and Sprite Library,
Instruct students to explore the different Block palettes to create a walking animation by following the steps in the activity guide.
ii. Student Activities: Role-play that computers need instructions that are precise to carry out tasks, Discuss the real-world application of programming which include the development of web and mobile apps, video games, internet browsers, digital devices, digital payments and so on,
Discuss what programming is all about and the various programming languages, Explore the Scratch Programming user interface such as Blocks,
Block Palettes, Stage, Script, Scripting Area, Stage Area, Backdrops, Add Extension, Sprite and Sprite Library, Explore the different Block palettes to create a walking animation by following the steps in the activity guide.
4. Teaching and Learning Resources: Scratch 3.0 software, Digital devices (computers or tablets), Role play guide, Activity guide. Start with simple code to make a sprite move. It’s a good intro.
Week 4: Basic Algorithm for creating programs (Block Coding)
1. Content: Knowledge: Flowcharts (meaning, symbols, benefits); Pseudocode (meaning, benefits). Skills: Designing a flowchart for an algorithm; Interpreting flowchart; Writing pseudocodes for an algorithm.
2. Performance Objectives: Describe flowcharts; State the importance of flowcharts in programming; Interpret flowcharts; Describe pseudocodes; State the benefits of pseudocodes; Use pseudocodes to execute a task.
3. Learning Activities
i. Teacher Activities: Direct students to use the internet to source for information and discuss the following about flowcharts (meaning and benefits, symbols), Guide students to write out an algorithm for a task. e.g simple steps for making tea, Instruct students to practise sequencing of the algorithm of making tea,
Guide students to construct a flowcharts for making tea and walking animation, Direct students to write out an algorithm for making a tea involving different sub-tasks, Instruct students to replicate their flowchart on the whiteboard and explain their solution to the rest of the class,
Guide students to use the internet to source information about pseudocodes (meaning, benefits), Instruct students to write the pseudocodes for the walking animation project.
ii. Student Activities: Use the internet to source for information and discuss the following about flowcharts (meaning and benefits, symbols), Write out an algorithm for a task. e.g simple steps for making tea, Practise sequencing of the algorithm of making tea,
Construct a flowcharts for making tea and walking animation, Write out an algorithm for making a tea involving different sub-tasks,
Replicate their flowchart on the whiteboard and explain their solution to the rest of the class, Use the internet to source information about pseudocodes (meaning, benefits), Write the pseudocodes for the walking animation project.
4. Teaching and Learning Resources: Printed resource on making tea steps, Printed flowchart symbols, Internet.
Week 5: Variables in Programming
1. Content: Knowledge: Variables (meaning, naming rules, data types); Types of Variables in block coding: local, global; Arithmetic Operators (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division);
Assignment Operators; Increment Decrement Operators. Skills: Predicting the outcome of a simple sequence involving variables; Using arithmetic and assignment operators to perform basic arithmetic operations.
2. Performance Objectives: Describe variables in programming; Name variables; State the data types in coding; State the types of variables in coding; Predict the outcome of a simple sequence that includes variables;
Trace the values of variables within a sequence; Perform arithmetic operations on variables; Identify increment decrement operator in a program.
3. Learning Activities
i. Teacher Activities: Lead discussion on the term variable and follow the rules to name variables, Guide students to role play a computer that stores data (in variable) and try to retrieve all of the data by following steps 1 to 10 in the activity guide,
Instruct students to work in pairs to read the code involving variables on the flashcards and write down their predictions, Guide students to track the change in sprite’s position using the up, left, down, and right arrow keys on the keyboard by following the step 1 to 18 of the tracking sprite guide,
Direct students to save user inputs in variables by following the steps 1 to 6 of the saving user input activity guide, Guide students to identify the types of variables in Scratch; global, local and sprite by following the steps 1 to 10 in the variable types activity guide,
Instruct students to use arithmetic and assignment operators by following steps 1 to 20 in the arithmetic activity guide to create a subtraction bot, Guide students to identify increment decrement operators (change variable block) in a game program.
ii. Student Activities: Discuss the term variable and follow the rules to name variables, Role play a computer that stores data (in variable) and try to retrieve all of the data by following steps 1 to 10 in the activity guide, Work in pairs to read the code involving variables on the flashcards and write down their predictions,
Track the change in sprite’s position using the up, left, down, and right arrow keys on the keyboard by following the step 1 to 18 of the tracking sprite guide, Save user inputs in variables by following the steps 1 to 6 of the saving user input activity guide,
Identify the types of variables in Scratch; global, local and sprite by following the steps 1 to 10 in the variable types activity guide,
Use arithmetic and assignment operators by following steps 1 to 20 in the arithmetic activity guide to create a subtraction bot, Identify increment decrement operators (change variable block) in a game program.
4. Teaching and Learning Resources: Scratch 3.0, Scratch flashcards, Digital devices (computers or tablets), Activity guide, Tracking sprite guide, Naming variable guide, User input guide, Arithmetic activity guide.
Week 6: Control with Conditions in programming
1. Content: Knowledge: Conditional Statement (meaning, examples); Relational Operators (meaning, examples); Logical Operators (meaning, examples); Combining Logical Operators; Nested Conditional Statements. Skills: Applying conditional statements to create a program.
2. Performance Objectives: Explain the following: conditional statement, relational operators and logical operators; Identify conditional statement, relational operators and logical operators in a program; Apply conditional statements to create a program.
3. Learning Activities
i. Teacher Activities: Lead discussion on the meaning and examples of conditional statements, operators (relational and logical) in programming, Guide students to follow the steps in the activity guide to make a program that asks the users to enter a test score.
If a user scores more than 20 marks, the user is informed that the test has been passed, Instruct students to create a program that receives the Age and Test Score of the user as inputs. Test Score of 50 and above is considered as Passed.
These two pieces of information are used to determine if the person is allowed to drive or not, Guide students to make a program that uses a combined logical operator “() AND () “ block in a conditional statement, Instruct students to make a program that asks the user to enter 2 numbers.
Depending on the numbers that are entered, one of the following messages is output: the two numbers are equal, the first number is larger than the second, the second number is larger than the first, Guide students to insert the if..then..else block inside another if..then…else block.
ii. Student Activities: Discuss the meaning and examples of conditional statements, operators (relational and logical) in programming, Follow the steps in the activity guide to make a program that asks the users to enter a test score.
If a user scores more than 20 marks, the user is informed that the test has been passed, Create a program that receives the Age and Test Score of the user as inputs. Test Score of 50 and above is considered as Passed.
These two pieces of information are used to determine if the person is allowed to drive or not, Make a program that uses a combined logical operator “() AND () “ block in a conditional statement, Make a program that asks the user to enter 2 numbers.
Depending on the numbers that are entered, one of the following messages is output: the two numbers are equal, the first number is larger than the second, the second number is larger than the first, Insert the if..then..else block inside another if..then…else block.
4. Teaching and Learning Resources: Scratch 3.0, WHOT Cards, Digital devices (computers or tablets).
Week 7: Mid-Term Break
Mid term test should be conducted the test should be from week 1 to 6.
Week 8: Loops in Programming
1. Content: Knowledge: Meaning of iteration; Meaning and benefits of loops; Types of loop (While, For, Nested). Skill: Using loops to execute a block of code repetitively, based on different conditions.
2. Performance Objectives: Define iteration; Describe the need for iteration; Identify where count-controlled iteration can be used in a program; Implement count-controlled iteration in a program; Use loops to execute a block of code repetitively, based on a condition.
3. Learning Activities
i. Teacher Activities: Guide students to brainstorm in groups, on the meaning of iteration and loops, Provide activity sheet containing repeated lines of code to spot iteration patterns and write down their observations, Lead discussion on the relationship between loops and iteration and identify the benefits of loops,
Guide students to create a program that outputs the word Hello! 3 times using repeat () block, say () for () block, wait () block, Instruct students to draw a flowchart of an increment loop,
Guide students to create a program that counts from 0 to 50 in five increments, outputs those numbers to the stage and terminates when the number is greater than 50 using variable, repeat until (), > operator, Say ().
ii. Student Activities: Brainstorm in groups, on the meaning of iteration and loops, Use the activity sheet containing repeated lines of code to spot iteration patterns and write down their observations, Discuss the relationship between loops and iteration and identify the benefits of loops,
Create a program that outputs the word Hello! 3 times using repeat () block, say () for () block, wait () block, Draw a flowchart of an increment loop, Create a program that counts from 0 to 50 in five increments, outputs those numbers to the stage and terminates when the number is greater than 50 using variable, repeat until (), > operator, Say ().
4. Teaching and Learning Resources: Scratch 3.0, For Loop activity guide, Digital devices (computers or tablets).
Week 9: Game Development with Visual Programming
1. Content: Knowledge: Meaning of Game Development; Important Elements of Game Design (Goal, Characters, Decision, Reward, Progression).
Skills: Decomposing the elements of a game; Designing a game; Creating assets for the game, such as background images and characters; Coding the game using Scratch; Debugging and improving the code.
2. Performance Objectives: Explain game development; State the important elements of game development; Decompose the elements of a game; Create a game that allows a user control a character, characters follow a path; Debug a game.
3. Learning Activities
i. Teacher Activities: Lead students to discuss, in groups, the meaning of game development and important elements of game design, Direct students to search and play a simple online game from an education website,
Guide students to design and create a game by performing the following: brainstorm on what the goal of the game should be, write down on sticky notes their consensus about the goals, characters, choose an objective for the character to complete the game, coding the game,
Guide students to follow the activity guide to decompose the elements of the beetle in a maze game and thereafter create the game where the beetle is guided through a maze to reach a delicious apple.
ii. Student Activities: Discuss, in groups, the meaning of game development and important elements of game design, Search and play a simple online game from an education website,
Design and create a game by performing the following: brainstorm on what the goal of the game should be, write down on sticky notes their consensus about the goals, characters, choose an objective for the character to complete the game, coding the game,
Follow the activity guide to decompose the elements of the beetle in a maze game and thereafter create the game where the beetle is guided through a maze to reach a delicious apple.
4. Teaching and Learning Resources: Scratch 3.0, Computers or tablets, Beetle in a maze activity guide.
Week 10: Basics of Robotics
1. Content: Knowledge: Advantages and Application of Robots; Components of robots (Microcontrollers, Actuators, Sensors). Skills: Connecting and programming sensors; Connecting and programming actuators; Building a robot car.
2. Performance Objectives: State the advantages of robots; Describe the applications of robots; Describe the components of a robot; Differentiate among the components of a robot; Couple a robot car; Program the robot car to move in different directions.
3. Learning Activities
i. Teacher Activities: Guide students to search the internet to source for the types of robots as well as the advantages and applications, Direct students to search the internet to source for the types and functions of actuators and sensors,
Lead students to brainstorm on the features of a microcontroller (Power pin, analogue pin and digital pin), Guide students to couple a robot car, Instruct students to program the robot car to move in different directions; forward, backward, turn right, turn left and spin,
Guide students to make an obstacle avoidance robot, Instruct students to construct the logic and flowchart of the obstacle avoidance robot, Guide students to program the obstacle avoidance robot,
Lead students to brainstorm on the applications of the obstacle avoidance robot, Direct students to search the internet to find out more applications of the obstacle avoidance robot.
ii. Student Activities: Search the internet to source for the types of robots as well as the advantages and applications, Search the internet to source for the types and functions of actuators and sensors, Brainstorm on the features of a microcontroller (Power pin, analogue pin and digital pin),
Couple a robot car, Program the robot car to move in different directions; forward, backward, turn right, turn left and spin, Make an obstacle avoidance robot,
Construct the logic and flowchart of the obstacle avoidance robot, Program the obstacle avoidance robot, Brainstorm on the applications of the obstacle avoidance robot, Search the internet to find out more applications of the obstacle avoidance robot.
4. Teaching and Learning Resources: Digital device (computer or tablet), Internet, Robot kits, Scratch 3.0 (Pictoblox), Robot car activity guide.
Week 11: Revision
Revised all the lessons and prepare your pupils for the exam.
Week 12: Examination
The exam for the term should start.
Week 13: Examination, Marking & Vacation
Examination should be concluded together with marking and recording then vacation follows once all have been achieved.