United States · Common Core State Standards
10th Grade Computer Science
This course challenges students to move beyond basic coding into the realm of complex problem solving and systems architecture. Students explore how data structures, network security, and algorithmic efficiency shape the modern digital landscape while developing advanced programming skills.
Algorithmic Logic and Complexity
Students analyze the efficiency of different algorithms and learn to decompose complex problems into manageable computational steps.
Breaking down large scale problems into smaller modules and identifying recurring logic patterns.
An exploration of linear versus binary searching and various sorting techniques like merge and quick sort.
Communicating logic clearly before implementation using standardized notation and visual mapping.
Advanced Data Structures and Management
Focuses on how data is organized, stored, and manipulated to optimize software performance and user experience.
Understanding the structural differences between indexed collections and key-value pairs.
Introduction to structured query language and the importance of data normalization.
Transforming raw data into meaningful visual representations to drive decision making.
Network Architecture and Web Systems
An investigation into how computers communicate across global networks and the protocols that keep them connected.
Breaking down the TCP/IP and OSI models to understand how data packets travel.
Examining the shift from local processing to scalable cloud-based environments.
Understanding HTTP/S, DNS, and the methods used to secure data in transit.
Cybersecurity and Digital Defense
Students learn to identify vulnerabilities and implement strategies to protect systems from malicious attacks.
Identifying potential attack vectors including social engineering and software exploits.
The mathematics of secret writing and the methods used to verify identity.
Developing protocols for when a breach occurs and understanding the legal landscape of hacking.
Software Engineering and Development
A deep dive into the software development life cycle, emphasizing collaborative coding and version control.
Managing code changes and collaborating with others using repositories.
Using classes and objects to create modular and reusable code structures.
Systematic approaches to finding bugs and ensuring software meets user requirements.
Impacts of Computing and AI
Students examine the societal, ethical, and global consequences of emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence.
Investigating how human prejudices can be encoded into automated systems.
Analyzing how robotics and AI are reshaping the global economy and labor market.
The fundamentals of how machines learn from data and the limits of current AI.