Welcome to KELP-CS 

KELP-CS is a modular curriculum for 4th-6th graders created by an interdisciplinary research team at UC Santa Barbara.  Each of our modules consists of 16 hours of instruction, and can be used for each grade level. The first module introduces students to block-based programming and digital storytelling. The second develops these programming skills further and teaches students about game design.

Moreover, KELP-CS emphasizes design thinking, the process by which engineers develop innovative solutions to problems. Design thinking is a core part of new science standards for K-12 students, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and involves understanding the problem, generating ideas, selecting an idea based on multiple constraints, and improving the idea. We see design thinking overlapping with computer science in ways that allow students to access each in new and exciting ways!

Press Release

Module 1
Digital Story Telling
Module 1 is intended as a 4th, 5th, or 6th grader's first introduction to computational thinking and programming. Students learn general programming concepts in the context of a particular language and programming environment (LaPlaya).   
As students learn and practice these concepts, they apply them to their animated story, satisfying design thinking standards.

Materials for Module 1 were developed and tested during 2013-14 .  Currently, classrooms throughout California are implementing during the 2014-15 academic year.
Computational Thinking Topics
  • Placing things in order in a program
  • Breaking down complex tasks into their basic components
  • Properly associating code with the events that trigger them
  • Managing the complexity of several sprites moving at once.
  • Thinking as a computer developer
Programming Topics
  • Sequential programming
  • Event-driven programming
  • Initialization
  • Animation: Costume changes
  • Animation: Scene changes. 

Module 2
Game Design
Module 2 is geared towards 5th grade and builds off of module 1. Students learn the different skills needed to design a game in LaPlaya. Throughout the activities, students brainstorm, plan, and execute their own games for others to play.

We are currently finalizing materials for Module 2 to test in classrooms during Winter/Spring 2015.
Computational Thinking Topics
  • Features of of engaging games
  • Writing good directions
  • Managing multiple logic statements
  • Increasing complexity of programs
  • Thinking about the user of program
Programming Topics
  • Sending messages
  • Loops
  • Sensing / decisions
  • Variables