I strive to take a holistic approach on each subject I teach. The goal for each of my classes is for students to not only gain specific skills in a subject but also be able to apply these skills to their everyday life in some way. The following is a collection of curriculum I've been able to create, gather, and use. Feel free to use the following curriculum and give me any suggestions on how to improve it. The files are mainly in Microsoft Word format zipped together.
Download the zipIntroduction to Programming using Flash
After learning basic animation in Adobe Flash, students learn basic programming concepts such as variables, functions, and boolean logic while also creating their own flash games. There are many benefits for learning programming such as, knowing the basics of how computers work, increasing job opportunities, and improving critical thinking and problem solving skills. I created this unit from the ground up.
Download the zipIntroduction to Programming using Python
This is perhaps the best language to use when first learning how to computer program. The coding schemes & syntax are very, very simple. This prevents students from getting lost and frustrated through common syntactical errors. This curriculum uses the learning interface called RUR-PLE that allows students to learn to program by controlling a robot on the screen. While not quite as animated as the Flash unit, its simplicity greatly helps students' learning and understanding of basic computer programming concepts. I am currently building this unit, so as of now it only contains the first 2-3 weeks of material.
Download the zip3D Animation in Maya
Autodesk Maya is the ultimate in 3D animation for movies, games, and television projects. Students have lots of fun while learning the basic concepts of 3D animation. The curriculum includes several work-along examples. Many thanks to Scott Bartholomew for providing this starter curriculum.
Coming Soon...Web Design
This class offers students the opportunity to grow in both their design and organizational skills while learning the elements of effective web design. Students will be able to express themselves by creating their own web pages. Learning how to work in groups is also a major focus of this course.
Coming Soon...Introduction to Robotics
This curriculum helps students understand how robotics affect society. The students have hands-on experience of building and programming Lego NXT Robots which introduces careers such as robotic engineering and computer programming.
Coming Soon...Yearbook
In this class we work hard but play even harder. Students learn proper skills of photo and video documentation while being able to express themselves through proper design principles.