UNIT 01 What is Computing? ~4 weeks / 20 hrs ▾
Start with the big picture. Trace the history of computers from the earliest machines to modern devices, understand the difference between hardware and software, and consider where computing is headed next — including AI.
Topics
- History of computers & innovators
- What is a computer? (hardware vs. software)
- History of operating systems
- Hardware components of a modern computer
- Future of computing
- AI and emerging uses of technology
Sample activities
- Summarize an era of computing advances
- Label the parts of your computer
- Research a famous computer innovator
- Discuss: helpful or harmful tech advances?
UNIT 02 Electrical Circuits ~2 weeks / 10 hrs ▾
Understand the electrical foundations that power every computer. Learn lab safety, explore Ohm's Law using an online circuit simulator, and see how logic gates form the building blocks of computing.
Topics
- Lab & electrical safety (OSHA, NSTA)
- Basic electrical circuits
- Ohm's Law (V = IR) and power laws
- Using a digital multimeter
- Logic gates: AND, OR, NOT
Sample activities
- Exploring Ohm's Law (circuit simulator)
- Calculating resistance, voltage, current
- Logical AND and OR chips exploration
- Truth table: seatbelt warning light
UNIT 03 Web Design ~4 weeks / 20 hrs ▾
Learn to build web pages from scratch using HTML and CSS in the CodeHS browser editor. Understand how the web works, apply copyright fair use, and create pages with text, images, links, and styling.
Topics
- How web pages are built and served
- HTML tags, attributes, and elements
- Page structure (head, body, sections)
- Formatting text, hyperlinks, images
- Lists and tables
- CSS styling and selectors
- Copyright and fair use
- Keyboard shortcuts reference guide
Sample activities
- Build a page linking to 5 favorite sites
- Personal library page with images
- Add CSS styling to existing pages
- Create a keyboard shortcut table (project)
UNIT 04 Project: Create a Website ~3 weeks / 15 hrs ▾
Apply everything from Unit 3 in a real project. Build a personal portfolio website that lives on a custom domain and grows throughout the year as you add creative work from each unit. Practice team roles, project planning, and client communication.
Topics
- Software development team roles
- Planning a website (site map, timeline)
- Developing based on customer input
- Building collaboratively
- Client relations and feedback
Sample activities
- Mind map brainstorming
- Customer survey design
- Build a site featuring an Innovation
- Peer feedback and revision
Running Portfolio
The site you build in Unit 4 is not a one-time assignment — you keep improving it throughout the year, adding projects from each subsequent unit. By the end of CSF, your site is a real portfolio hosted on a custom domain.
UNIT 05 Digital Information ~3 weeks / 15 hrs ▾
All digital data is just 0s and 1s — but how does that work? Learn number systems (binary, hexadecimal), how data is compressed, and how to troubleshoot technology problems systematically using a documented process.
Topics
- How data is stored in computers
- Binary and hexadecimal number systems
- Translating between number bases
- Lossy vs. lossless data compression
- Troubleshooting process (6 steps)
- Flowcharts for logical problem-solving
Sample activities
- Binary to decimal conversion
- Hexadecimal color codes
- Compare image file sizes (lossy vs. lossless)
- Flowchart with 3+ decision paths
UNIT 06 The Internet ~3 weeks / 15 hrs ▾
Trace a web request from your keyboard to a server and back. Understand IP addressing, DNS, routing, and the social and ethical implications of a connected world — including copyright, privacy, and cybersecurity introductions.
Topics
- History and structure of the Internet
- IPv4 vs. IPv6 addressing
- How DNS works (domain → IP)
- Route tracing
- Sequential, parallel & distributed computing
- Copyright and Internet ethics
- Introduction to cybersecurity
- IT careers and the Internet
Sample activities
- Explore a live threat map
- Trace a route with traceroute/ping
- Research IT careers on the Internet
- Discuss: Internet impact on society
UNIT 07 Cloud Computing ~3–4 weeks / 15–20 hrs ▾
The cloud is not a mystery — it's someone else's computer. Explore how cloud computing evolved, who the key players are (customer, provider, partner), and how deployment models differ. Connect it to IoT: smart devices everywhere generating data.
Topics
- What is cloud computing?
- History and milestones of the cloud
- Cloud roles: customer, provider, partner
- Deployment models: public, private, community, hybrid
- Virtualization, storage, networking in the cloud
- Internet of Things (IoT)
- Statistical efficiency and data quality
Sample activities
- Cloud computing case study
- History of cloud computing (project)
- Comparing deployment models
- Smart devices in your life
UNIT 08 What is Cybersecurity? ~2 weeks / 10 hrs ▾
An introduction to the field you'll go deeper into in Cyber I and II. Understand why cybersecurity matters, explore recent real-world attacks, and learn the CIA Triad — the three pillars that every security decision is built on.
Topics
- What is cybersecurity? Why does it matter?
- Recent cyberattacks and their impact
- What do cybercriminals steal and do with it?
- The CIA Triad: Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability
- What makes a system secure?
- Data security and encryption basics
- Security breaches (enterprise-level)
- Security practices: BIOS, malware, access control
- AI ethics and responsible technology use
Sample activities
- Summarize a recent cyberattack
- Explore a live threat map
- CIA Triad scenario analysis
- Determine which pillar a breach violates
CIA Triad Scenario Analysis
Students are given a set of real and hypothetical breach scenarios and must identify which pillar of the CIA Triad was violated — Confidentiality, Integrity, or Availability — and explain what a defender should have done differently.
UNIT 09 Data ~1 week / 5 hrs ▾
Data is the currency of the modern world. Learn what data science is, how to visualize and interpret data, and how collection methods and limitations affect the conclusions we can draw.
Topics
- What is data science?
- Visualizing and interpreting data
- Data collection methods
- Data limitations and bias
- Data in IT career fields
Sample activities
- Data visualization exercise
- Class survey design and collection
- Reflect on data collection limitations
UNIT 10 Advanced Coding Concepts ~2 weeks / 10 hrs ▾
Go beyond the browser and into the terminal. Learn to navigate the command line, manage files for multi-page websites, write basic shell scripts, and understand the full software development lifecycle — including how Git and GitHub work.
Topics
- File and folder management for websites
- Command line interface (CLI) basics
- System commands: cd, ls, mkdir, etc.
- SSH logs and remote access
- Shell scripts and batch files
- Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)
- How GitHub works
- Programming languages overview (Python, HTML, JS, C++)
Sample activities
- Multi-file website structure lab
- Mac and Windows CLI simulators
- Write and execute a basic shell script
- Map the SDLC steps to a real project