Code, AI, and the future — write documentation, then argue your position on technology.
| Day | Activity |
|---|---|
| Mon | Intro: what is code? Read accessible history of computing; discuss Turing Reading |
| Tue | Read article: "What is AI and how does it work?" — annotate for key claims Reading |
| Wed | Write: explain how a Scratch program works to someone who has never seen code Writing |
| Thu | Open Scratch and explore: build a simple animation or interactive story Computer |
| Fri | Demo your Scratch animation; explain what each block does Kinesthetic |
Explain how a computer program works to someone who has never seen one. Use an analogy from real life (a recipe, a traffic light, a vending machine) to explain the concept of input, process, and output. Write 2 paragraphs in clear, jargon-free language.
| Day | Activity |
|---|---|
| Mon | What is a README? Read examples from real open-source projects Reading |
| Tue | Writing workshop: clear user documentation — who is the audience? What do they need? Writing |
| Wed | Plan your Scratch project: write a design spec (goal, audience, features) Writing |
| Thu | Begin building your Scratch project; add comments inside your code blocks Computer |
| Fri | Pair up: explain your project to a partner using only your written spec Discussion |
Write a design spec for your Scratch project. Include: project title, goal (one sentence), target audience, three main features, and how a user will interact with it. This document should be clear enough that someone else could build it.
| Day | Activity |
|---|---|
| Mon | Discuss: how does AI like Claude assist (and not replace) writing? Reading |
| Tue | Use Claude Cowork to help draft and revise a piece of writing — reflect on the process Computer |
| Wed | Write: a reflection on using AI as a writing assistant — what helped, what didn't Writing |
| Thu | Continue building Scratch project; use Claude to debug or explain error messages Computer |
| Fri | Share: one thing Claude helped you do better, one thing you had to do yourself Discussion |
Write a reflection on using AI as a writing tool. What did you ask Claude to do? What did it do well? What was wrong or unhelpful? What did you have to change or decide yourself? Be specific — quote at least one thing Claude wrote and explain why you kept, changed, or rejected it.
| Day | Activity |
|---|---|
| Mon | Read: two short op-eds on AI — one pro, one skeptical; identify claims and evidence Reading |
| Tue | Argument structure: claim, reason, evidence, rebuttal; map both op-eds Writing |
| Wed | Choose your position on a specific AI question; write a claim + 3 reasons outline Writing |
| Thu | Research your position: find 2 reliable sources; take notes in Google Docs Computer |
| Fri | Peer debate: defend your position against a partner's counter-arguments Kinesthetic |
Choose one of these prompts: (A) Should AI be allowed to grade student writing? (B) Should there be an age limit on using AI tools? (C) Does AI make creative work better or worse? Write a clear claim and three reasons with at least one piece of evidence each.
| Day | Activity |
|---|---|
| Mon | Review essay structure: hook, background, thesis, body paragraphs, counter, conclusion Writing |
| Tue | Draft introduction and thesis for your AI essay Writing |
| Wed | Draft body paragraphs (3) — each with a clear reason and evidence Writing |
| Thu | Draft counter-argument paragraph and rebuttal; type full draft in Google Docs Computer |
| Fri | Peer review: does the argument flow? Is the evidence convincing? Discussion |
Write the counter-argument paragraph for your essay: fairly state the strongest version of the opposing view, then write your rebuttal explaining why your position is still correct. The best persuasive writers don't avoid the other side — they address it head-on.
| Day | Activity |
|---|---|
| Mon | Finalize Scratch project; complete code documentation and README Computer |
| Tue | Final revision of AI essay; proofread and check citations Computer |
| Wed | Prepare 5-minute showcase: demo the Scratch project + read key essay passages Writing |
| Thu | Practice presenting; rehearse live demo of Scratch project Kinesthetic |
| Fri | SHOWCASE: Live Scratch demo + persuasive essay reading Showcase |
Write a conclusion for your AI essay: restate your thesis in new words, summarize your three main reasons, and end with a call to action or a question that leaves the reader thinking. Your last sentence should be the most memorable in the essay.
A live demo of a completed Scratch project with written documentation (README + design spec), plus a 5-paragraph persuasive essay arguing a specific position on AI. Presented in a 5-minute showcase combining demo and reading.