New Jersey Coding Studies — Grade 3
Comprehensive Course Syllabus
Course Overview
Our New Jersey Grade 3 Coding Studies course is designed around the New Jersey Student Learning Standards for Computer Science and Design Thinking (NJSLS-CSDT). The course develops students’ skills in computational thinking, algorithms, programming, data, digital citizenship, cybersecurity awareness, engineering design, and problem solving.
Students progress from foundational block-based programming to more structured programs involving variables, loops, conditionals, events, debugging, data representation, and interactive projects.
Computer Systems & Digital Foundations
Computer Systems
Students explore how computers use hardware and software to receive input, process information, store data, and produce output.
Hardware Components
Students identify common computer components such as processors, memory, storage devices, keyboards, screens, cameras, and other peripherals.
Software & Applications
Students understand the purpose of operating systems, applications, games, educational programs, and other types of software.
Input, Processing & Output
Students explore how information enters a computer, is processed by a program, and produces an output or result.
Digital Tools
Students use age-appropriate digital tools to create, communicate, organize information, and solve problems.
Computational Thinking
Decomposition
Students break complex problems into smaller, manageable parts that can be solved individually.
Pattern Recognition
Students identify patterns in numbers, words, shapes, data, and programs and use those patterns to develop solutions.
Abstraction
Students learn to focus on important information while ignoring unnecessary details when solving computational problems.
Algorithms
Students create step-by-step instructions for completing tasks and solving problems.
Computational Problem Solving
Students combine decomposition, patterns, abstraction, and algorithms to solve increasingly complex problems.
Algorithms & Programming
Algorithm Design
Students design clear and ordered instructions that can be followed by a person or computer.
Sequencing
Students arrange programming commands in the correct order to produce a desired result.
Events
Students create programs that respond to events such as mouse clicks, keyboard input, or other triggers.
Commands & Program Flow
Students combine multiple commands and understand how instructions control the flow of a program.
Algorithm Efficiency
Students compare different algorithms and identify ways to make solutions clearer, shorter, or more efficient.
Block-Based Programming
Introduction to Block Coding
Students use visual programming environments to create programs by connecting blocks representing commands.
Sprites & Objects
Students control characters, sprites, objects, and backgrounds within interactive programming environments.
Movement & Animation
Students program objects to move, rotate, change appearance, and interact with their environment.
Interactive Programs
Students create programs that respond to user actions and produce different outcomes.
Program Organization
Students organize blocks and instructions so programs are easy to understand, modify, and debug.
Loops & Repetition
Repeated Actions
Students identify repetitive instructions and determine when repetition can simplify a program.
For Loops
Students use simple counting loops to repeat commands a specific number of times.
While Loops
Students explore condition-based repetition where commands continue while a particular condition is true.
Nested Loops
Students use loops inside other loops to create more complex patterns and behaviors.
Loops in Games & Animations
Students apply loops to create repeated movement, animations, patterns, and game behaviors.
Conditionals & Logical Thinking
Boolean Conditions
Students learn that conditions can be evaluated as true or false and used to control program behavior.
If-Then Statements
Students create programs that perform an action when a specified condition is true.
If-Then-Else
Students create programs that perform different actions depending on whether a condition is true or false.
Logical Operators
Students receive an age-appropriate introduction to logical concepts such as AND, OR, and NOT.
Decision-Based Programs
Students use conditions to create programs that respond differently to user input, objects, or changing situations.
Variables & Data
Understanding Variables
Students learn that variables are containers used by programs to store information that can change.
Numbers & Text Data
Students use variables to store simple numerical and text information.
Changing Variable Values
Students modify variable values during program execution to control program behavior.
Score & Counter Variables
Students create simple counters and scoring systems for games and interactive projects.
Data in Programs
Students understand how programs use stored information to make decisions and produce results.
Debugging & Program Testing
Identifying Bugs
Students examine programs and identify instructions that cause unexpected or incorrect results.
Debugging Strategies
Students systematically test different parts of a program to locate and correct errors.
Testing Programs
Students run programs with different inputs and situations to determine whether they work correctly.
Improving Code
Students modify programs to improve accuracy, organization, efficiency, and user experience.
Debugging Challenges
Students solve age-appropriate coding puzzles where they must find and fix intentionally introduced errors.
Data & Information
What Is Data?
Students understand that data is information that can be collected, stored, organized, and analyzed.
Data Collection
Students collect simple information through surveys, observations, measurements, or digital activities.
Data Organization
Students organize information into categories, tables, lists, and simple databases.
Charts & Graphs
Students represent data using picture graphs, bar graphs, tables, and other simple visual formats.
Patterns in Data
Students analyze data to identify patterns, comparisons, trends, and relationships.
Digital Citizenship & Cybersecurity
Personal Information
Students learn which information should remain private when using computers, websites, games, and online services.
Password Safety
Students learn why passwords should be kept private and understand basic principles of creating secure passwords.
Safe Online Communication
Students practice respectful and responsible communication when using digital platforms.
Recognizing Online Risks
Students learn to recognize suspicious messages, unfamiliar links, inappropriate content, and unsafe online situations.
Trusted Adults & Reporting
Students understand when they should stop using a service and ask a parent, teacher, or trusted adult for assistance.
Robotics & Physical Computing
Introduction to Robotics
Students explore how robots combine hardware, software, sensors, and programmed instructions to perform tasks.
Robot Movement
Students create programs that control movement, direction, speed, and simple navigation.
Sensors & Inputs
Students learn how sensors can detect information such as touch, light, sound, distance, or movement.
Conditional Robotics
Students use sensor information with conditional statements to make robots respond to their surroundings.
Robot Challenges
Students program virtual or physical robots to complete mazes, obstacle courses, and simple real-world tasks.
Engineering Design & Coding Projects
Identify a Problem
Students identify everyday problems that could be addressed using programming, technology, or engineering.
Plan a Solution
Students brainstorm possible solutions and create simple plans, flowcharts, or diagrams.
Build a Prototype
Students create a basic digital or physical prototype of their proposed solution.
Test & Improve
Students test their solutions, analyze results, identify problems, and make improvements.
Final Coding Project
Students combine algorithms, sequences, loops, conditionals, variables, and debugging to create an original interactive project.
Teaching Methodology
Our Grade 3 Coding Studies classes focus on computational thinking, programming, problem solving, data, digital citizenship, robotics, and engineering design. Students learn through:
Learning Outcomes
By the end of Grade 3, students will be able to:
Assessment & Progress Tracking
Student progress is evaluated through: