Developed by the NYCDOE CS education team, the Introduction to Physical Computing course is a 54-hour long introductory computer science course that guides students to explore fundamental CS concepts through tinkering with the micro:bit, a simple programmable computer device. Each unit of the course guides students through the learning process with three practices: analyzing computer applications around them based on a given issue; prototyping a project that reflects the result of the analysis plus their interest; and communicating about their projects, including the functionality of a project, a project development process, influence from other projects and their contribution to a project when working in a group. The curriculum and support sessions assist educators in discovering the most effective way of facilitating this course for their own classroom, while helping them to become comfortable with the main tool, the micro:bit.

This course introduces students to the fundamental concepts of physical computing systems through hands-on, real-life applications. Physical computing forms the basis of smart devices, wearables like smart watches, e-textiles / fashion, IoT (Internet of Things) devices, and hardware start-up

This course teaches students to design electronic devices that interact with the physical world by building circuits and developing software algorithms that run on a microcontroller. These devices will also be connected to the internet so they can send sensor data to dashboards and be remotely operated from a computer or mobile device.

This course is designed specifically for university undergraduate students from all majors. It presumes no in-depth knowledge of physics or math nor prior experience with electronics. The only expected prerequisite knowledge is introductory experience with procedural programming (i.e. variables, functions, loops).

This highly engaging lesson focuses on helping students to follow complex multi-step directions to program a micro:Bit in an Hour of Code™ activity related to an informative article. It uses micro:bit Go educational kits and easy JavaScript block coding. The micro:bit is a miniature programmable computer with 25 LED lights that was created by the BBC to introduce children in England to computing. It is available for purchase in the U.S. This lesson meets the 2014 Nebraska Language Arts Standard 8.3.2.c (among others).

Students download the software needed to create Arduino programs and make sure their Arduino microcontrollers work correctly. Then, they connect an LED to the Arduino and type up and upload programs to the Arduino board to 1) make the LED blink on and off and 2) make the LED fade (brighten and then dim). Throughout, students reflect on what they've accomplished by answering questions and modifying the original programs and circuits in order to achieve new outcomes. A design challenge gives students a chance to demonstrate their understanding of actuators and Arduinos; they design a functioning system using an Arduino, at least three actuators and either a buzzer or toy motor. For their designs, students sketch, create and turn in a user's manual for the system (text description, commented program, detailed hardware diagram). Numerous worksheets and handouts are provided.

The Software Engineering Program (SEP) is a multi-year, comprehensive, standards-aligned computer science education program for grades 6 to 12. The goals of the program are:

-Increase the number of high school graduates, particularly from traditionally underrepresented groups, that are ready to pursue new and emerging technology-driven roles across industries.

-Develop student computational thinking and problem-solving skills in real-world contexts.

The SEP curriculum gives students instruction and experience in the following areas: computer programming, robotics, web design, physical computing, and game design. SEP students participate in local and central hackathons, and in work-based experiences with major industry leaders and partners.