Start here · Grade 3
What to teach in Grade 3
Start at Unit 1. No prior band required — Unit 1 builds binary from scratch with 5-bit strips. If your students did K-2, they will recognise the "machines notice and decide" framing but nothing else is assumed.
Recommended sequence
Pacing and adjustments below are the Grade 3 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 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| U1 | Inside the Box: Switches and Signals | 2 × 25-30 min | Use 5-bit strips; encode a 1-letter initial; trace input→output with the system board |
| U2 | Algorithms: Recipes a Computer Follows | 2 × 25-30 min | Sequence + one loop. Algorithm of 5-7 steps; debug one planted bug |
| U3 | Data, Sorting, and Smart Guesses | 3 × 25 min | Survey + bar graph + one prediction; do the ML demo as a story only |
| U4 | Good Data, Fair Results | 2 × 25-30 min | Use 4 scenario cards; focus on Session 1 (gather/organize data) |
Virginia CS SOL coverage for Grade 3
Grade 3: 6 of 16 Virginia CS SOL codes addressed (38%).
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 | 2 / 3 |
| Computing Systems | 1 / 2 |
| Cybersecurity | 0 / 3 · not covered |
| Data and Analysis | 2 / 3 |
| Impacts of Computing | 1 / 4 |
| Networks and the Internet | 0 / 1 · not covered |
Addressed (6)
| Code | Standard | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 3.AP.1 | The student will apply computational thinking to design algorithms to extend patterns, processes, or components of a problem. | U2 |
| 3.AP.3 | The student will use the iterative design process to create, test, and debug programs containing events, loops, and conditional structures in a block-based programming tool. How this is met: Met via the optional block-based build, or a full guided hand-trace (Material F) where devices are unavailable. | U2 |
| 3.CSY.1 | The student will model how computing devices within a computing system work. | U1 |
| 3.DA.1 | The student will gather, store, and organize data to evaluate trends and identify patterns using a computing device. | U4 |
| 3.DA.2 | The student will create and evaluate data representations and conclusions. | U3 |
| 3.IC.1 | The student will identify and examine the positive and negative impacts of the prevalence of computing technologies. | U4 |
Not covered (10)
These Grade 3 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 |
|---|---|
| 3.AP.2 | The student will plan and implement algorithms that consist of events and conditional control structures using a block-based programming language. |
| 3.CSY.2 | The student will use accurate terminology when troubleshooting problems when a computing system is not working as expected. |
| 3.CYB.1 | The student will apply safe practices to protect private information. |
| 3.CYB.2 | The student will identify the relationship between passwords and security risk. |
| 3.CYB.3 | The student will define and explain cybersecurity. |
| 3.DA.3 | The student will create models that can represent a physical object or process. |
| 3.IC.2 | The student will discuss and describe strategies to manage screen time. |
| 3.IC.3 | The student will identify and describe computing technology careers and their impact on society. |
| 3.IC.4 | The student will demonstrate how to use information created by others with permission. |
| 3.NI.1 | The student will describe computing networks. |