Get inspired by activity ideas and real-life sample program materials, consider multiple program types to implement, and utilize “How-To Guides” for planning and facilitation.
AspireIT Core Values
Evaluation shows there are three core values that foster effectiveness and lead to the greatest impact for participants and their communities: peer mentorship, inclusivity, and hands-on engagement. Click on the icons below to get a brief overview of each value to keep at the forefront while planning and running programs.
Activity Ideas
CSforALL
The CSforALL Curriculum Directory contains more than 115 activities focused on algorithms, data and analysis, and more.
The CSforALL mission is to make high-quality computer science an integral part of the educational experience of all K-12 students and teachers and to support student pathways to college and career success.
Google for Education: CS First
CS First is a free computer science curriculum that makes coding easy to teach and fun to learn. Teachers are not required to have previous computer science experience, and CS First is always free! Students learn through video-based lessons, with different themes like sports, art, and game design.
Infosys Foundation USA Pathfinders Online Institute
The Infosys Foundation USA Pathfinders Online Institute is a dynamic online learning platform with high-quality computer science and maker education content for students, teachers, and families. Create a free account to access a range of materials from various content providers.
Additionally, the Infosys Foundation USA generously funds the Broadening Participation in Computer Science (CS) Education webinar, a six-part series that provides educators and students with resources and recommendations for making computing education more inclusive for all.
Microsoft MakeCode
- Middle School Intro to CS with micro:bit – https://makecode.microbit.org/courses/csintro-educator
- Middle School Coding with Minecraft – https://education.minecraft.net/en-us/resources/computer-science-subject-kit/coding-with-minecraft
- High School AP Computer Science Principles – https://makecode.com/csp
- High School Intro to CS with Arcade Games – https://arcade.makecode.com/courses/introcs
NCWIT “In-a-Box” Resources
- Computer Science-in-a-Box: Unplug Your Curriculum
Computer Science-in-a-Box: Unplug Your Curriculum introduces fundamental building blocks of computer science — without using computers. Use it with students ages 9 to 14 to teach lessons about how computers work, while addressing critical mathematics and science concepts such as number systems, algorithms, and manipulating variables and logic. - AgentCubes-in-a-Box: Introduce Computing Through Game Design
Introduce students to computer science through AgentCubes, a powerful and engaging 2-D and 3-D programming tool. By completing the lessons in this program-in-a-box, your middle school students will learn to program their own games and simulation worlds, and in the process, learn the fundamentals of computer science. - e-Textiles-in-a-Box
Use the e-Textiles-in-a-Box tutorial and get ready to teach young people about electronics and computing. Based on the Computational Textiles Curriculum and Sew Electric from MIT, e-Textiles-in-a-Box provides instructions for sewing soft circuits and programming an Arduino microprocessor on the way to creating a bookmark book light and an interactive felt monster that lights up and sings.
Program Types
| Program Type | Description | Audience | Typical Individual Session Duration | Typical Program Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| After-School | An after-school program engages participants after classes end, but before family members may be done with work. They can cover one topic in depth or touch lightly on a variety of areas, depending on how often they meet. Most meetings take place in a school or offsite at a library or community center. | Grades K-12 | 45 – 90 min. | Daily or Weekly for 1 Quarter or Semester |
| Camp | A camp is a longer, in-depth program that allows you and your participants to take a deep dive into computing-related topic(s). Camps typically take place during the summer months or over longer holiday breaks throughout the school year. | Grades K-12 | 4 – 8 hrs. | Daily for 1 Week to 1 Month |
| Hackathon | A hackathon is a sprint-like computing event where participants can collaborate on an individual project together. The goal of a hackathon is for the participants to have created functioning software or hardware towards the end of the event. | Grades 6-12 | 4 – 8 hrs. | Daily for 1 Day – 1 Week |
| Community Event | One-day events (like Hour of Code) can be a great way to spark interest in your community, recruit participants, peer mentors and volunteers, and gain experience running programs. | Grades K-12 and their families | 1 – 4 hrs. | Daily for 1 – 2 days |
*NOTE: Staffing and program costs vary greatly depending on: the number, age and experience level of participants, the content and type of technology required, and the comfort level of the facilitators.
Asynchronous Demonstration
Regardless of your program type and whether your program is taking place virtually or in-person, participants learn at different speeds and asynchronous learning models can be very beneficial. Check out the following example from one of our amazing Community Members to see what this type of demonstration looks like in action.
Sanjitha Prabakaran is the Founder and CEO of STEM 4 Scouts, a non-profit program dedicated to bringing computer science education to Girl Scouts. They have helped over 3,000 Girl Scouts earn their STEM-related badges through in-person and virtual workshops. All materials used in STEM 4 Scouts virtual workshops are also housed in a Google Classroom that participants can access to independently complete their badges. Participants can then post questions and receive additional information about future opportunities.
“How-To” Guides
PROGRAM PLANNING
The Program Planning document walks you through key considerations concerning planning the logistics (space, materials, budgets, fundraising, recruitment, etc.) and compiling an implementation team that will facilitate your program.
LESSON DESIGN
FACILITATION
The Facilitation document outlines the key components to hone your skills as a facilitator and encourages you to ask meaningful questions, create a space that is welcoming, and conduct activities that will be fun and leave the participants wanting more.
- Download the Facilitation guide: PDF.
IMPACT AND REFLECTION
The Impact and Reflection document encourages you and your team to reflect on your program and offers several activities and resources to consider when evaluating participant progress and success.
- Download the Impact and Reflection Guide: PDF. Associated sample survey questions are also available for this guide:
ONE-DAY EVENT GUIDE
Check out the NCWIT AspireIT One-Day Event Guide to gather tips on how to implement a one-day computing outreach event/workshop in your community.
- Download the One-Day Event Guide: (PDF)