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 has been an invaluable tool this year. It has given my students the ability to explain what they want to happen in their creations while slowly learning the specific nomenclature of computer science and game design. Jason Mickelson Teacher from St. Matthew's Episcopal Day School, CA
I've seen my students motivated like never before! Don Fitz-Roy Teacher from WNS Schools, CA