« K-8 Courses
This course is included with our Coding/STEAM Curriculum - K-8 Plan

A collection of fun programming projects that demonstrate the application of coding to topics in biology.

  • Grades 3-5
  • Beginner
  • Web iPad

Description

Once your students have completed at least five lessons of Programming 101 or equivalent coding experience, you can assign these NGSS-aligned projects to complement your teaching on topics in biology, anatomy, and genetics. For example, if you’re teaching a lesson on food chains, you can assign the ecological pyramid project. Your students will choose an ecosystem and use coding and outside research to create a unique interactive ecological pyramid.

With this collection of life science projects, you can easily integrate coding and project-based learning into your curriculum. Each STEM lesson walks students through how to make a project about something they’re learning in school with step-by-step instructions. At each step, it encourages them to make their project unique and interesting, emphasizing that coding is a creative medium much like writing or drawing.

We’re constantly updating our STEM courses with new projects, so if there’s something you’d like us to add, send us a message at support@tynker.com.

What Students Learn

  • Use programming for science projects
  • Build a slide show on a topic
  • Build a quiz game
  • Make an interactive charts and models
  • Use animation to illustrate
  • Narrate using your own voice
  • Use the physics engine to model
  • Troubleshoot and debug programs

Technical Requirements

* Online courses require a modern desktop computer, laptop computer, Chromebook, or Netbook with Internet access and a Chrome (29+), Firefox (30+), Safari (7+), or Edge (20+) browser. No downloads required.
* Tablet courses require an iPad (iOS 10+) with Tynker or Tynker Junior app installed and Internet access


Lesson 1 : Life Cycle of a Frog
Life Science 101

Time: 45+ minutes

Introduction

Tynker Blocks Introduced

Vocabulary

Objectives

Materials

Warm-Up (15 minutes)

Activities (30 minutes)

Facilitate as students complete all Life Cycle of a Frog modules on their own:

1. Introduction (Introduction)
2. Life Cycle of a Frog Example (Example)
3. Life Cycle of a Frog (DIY)
4. Quiz (Multiple-choice)

Extended Activities (10 minutes)

U.S. Standards

  • NGSS-Science: 3.LS1.1
  • CCSS-Math: MP.1
  • CCSS-ELA: L.RF.3.4.A, SL.3.1 L.RF.4.4.A, SL.4.1 L.RF.5.4.A, SL.5.1
  • CSTA: 1B-AP-11, 1B-AP-12, 1B-AP-15
  • CS CA: 3-5.AP.10, 3-5.AP.13, 3-5.AP.14, 3-5.AP.17
  • ISTE: 1.c, 1.d, 4.d, 5.c, 5.d, 6.b

U.K. Standards

Key stage 1
Pupils should be taught to:
  • understand what algorithms are, how they are implemented as programs on digital devices, and that programs execute by following precise and unambiguous instructions
  • create and debug simple programs
  • use logical reasoning to predict the behaviour of simple programs
  • use technology purposefully to create, organise, store, manipulate and retrieve digital content
  • use technology safely and respectfully, keeping personal information private; identify where to go for help and support when they have concerns about content or contact on the internet or other online technologies
    • Key stage 2
    Pupils should be taught to:
  • design, write and debug programs that accomplish specific goals, including controlling or simulating physical systems; solve problems by decomposing them into smaller parts
  • use sequence, selection, and repetition in programs; work with variables and various forms of input and output
  • use logical reasoning to explain how some simple algorithms work and to detect and correct errors in algorithms and programs
  • understand computer networks, including the internet; how they can provide multiple services, such as the World Wide Web, and the opportunities they offer for communication and collaboration
  • use technology safely, respectfully and responsibly; recognise acceptable/unacceptable behaviour; identify a range of ways to report concerns about content and contact

    • Class Presentations

    These student-facing slide presentations help educators seamlessly run Tynker lessons in a virtual or physical classroom setting. Each lesson has its own set of slides that introduce the big ideas, suggest unplugged activities, and include a section for each activity module. While running lesson slides, you can switch back and forth between the activity, the slides, answer keys and other lesson materials.
    A sample slide presentation is available for your review. Please log in to view all the class presentations available with your plan..
    Lesson 1
    Life Cycle of a Frog
    24 Slides
    PREVIEW
    Lesson 2
    Ocean Food Chain Pyramid
    24 Slides
    Lesson 3
    Life Cycle of a Dragonfly
    23 Slides
    Lesson 4
    Butterfly Life Cycle
    27 Slides
    Lesson 5
    Silkworm Life Cycle
    20 Slides
    Lesson 6
    Deep Sea
    19 Slides
    Lesson 7
    Parts of a Bee
    21 Slides
    Lesson 8
    Parts of Corn
    23 Slides
    Lesson 9
    Insect Anatomy
    22 Slides
    Lesson 10
    Food Web
    22 Slides
    Lesson 11
    Types of Trees
    22 Slides
    Lesson 12
    Teeth
    22 Slides
    Lesson 13
    Adaptation and Survival
    21 Slides
    Lesson 14
    Dispersion of Seeds
    22 Slides
    Lesson 15
    What Do Plants Need?
    20 Slides
    Lesson 16
    Uses of Sunlight
    17 Slides
    Lesson 17
    The Five Senses
    22 Slides
    I just had my first group of 6th graders coding - Instant engagement! Love it (plus now I am a teacher hero). Paula Pletcher Teacher from St. Simon School, IN
    Tynker's beginning levels are basic enough to welcome all students to coding concepts, and its higher levels are sophisticated and complex enough to challenge and attract the most advanced programmers among my students. Dr Jeanie Smith Teacher from Jordon Middle School, CA
    I've seen my students motivated like never before! Don Fitz-Roy Teacher from WNS Schools, CA