Start here · Grade 1
What to teach in Grade 1
Start at Unit 1. If your class did the Kindergarten sequence, skip the Unit 1 hook and open at the sorting activity. Unplugged throughout.
Recommended sequence
Pacing and adjustments below are the Grade 1 rows from each unit’s teacher guide — the same numbers a teacher sees when they open the guide.
| Unit | Title | Active time | Adjust for Grade 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| U1 | Smart Machines Around Us | 2 × 15 min | Sort 6 cards; add the "why" sentence frame |
| U2 | Patterns Everywhere | 2 × 15 min | A-B-C patterns; add the "why it repeats" sentence frame; build the chart together |
| U3 | Teach the Machine | 2 × 15 min | Teach two groups; add the "guess the new card" beat; sort 6 cards |
| U4 | Being Fair and Safe with Smart Machines | 3 × 15 min | Full three sessions; sort 4 cards per idea |
Virginia CS SOL coverage for Grade 1
Grade 1: 3 of 13 Virginia CS SOL codes addressed (23%).
From Sand to Agents — K-12 Artificial Intelligence is a supplemental AI curriculum, not a complete computer science course. Every code below is listed — the ones this curriculum addresses and the ones it does not. Each claim points to the unit that earns it, so you can open the lesson and check.
| Strand | Addressed |
|---|---|
| Algorithms and Programming | 1 / 3 |
| Computing Systems | 0 / 2 · not covered |
| Cybersecurity | 1 / 2 |
| Data and Analysis | 1 / 2 |
| Impacts of Computing | 0 / 3 · not covered |
| Networks and the Internet | 0 / 1 · not covered |
Addressed (3)
| Code | Standard | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 1.AP.1 | The student will apply computational thinking by sorting items into categories based on multiple attributes and create patterns. | U2 |
| 1.CYB.1 | The student will demonstrate safe and responsible use of computing technologies. | U4 |
| 1.DA.2 | The student will create representations of data to make predictions and draw conclusions. | U2 |
Not covered (10)
These Grade 1 standards fall outside what this curriculum teaches. Most are programming-tool, networking, or screen-time standards that a general computer science course covers and an AI curriculum does not.
| Code | Standard |
|---|---|
| 1.AP.2 | The student will plan and implement algorithms that include the use of sequence and an event based on a predetermined task. |
| 1.AP.3 | The student will use the iterative design process to construct, test, and debug algorithms that include sequencing and an event. |
| 1.CSY.1 | The student will describe how computing components work together to create a computing system. |
| 1.CSY.2 | The student will use accurate terminology to describe when a computing system might not work as expected. |
| 1.CYB.2 | The student will discuss the importance of using a password to protect private information. |
| 1.DA.1 | The student will explore how data can be stored and retrieved from various computing devices. |
| 1.IC.1 | The student will describe how computing technologies impact daily tasks and communication. |
| 1.IC.2 | The student will describe tasks and activities that use screens and categorize them based on their use. |
| 1.IC.3 | The student will compare and contrast ways people complete tasks with and without computing technologies. |
| 1.NI.1 | The student will explain that computing devices and the use of the Internet allow people the ability to gather information and connect with others. |