Description

Create topical / themed topic outlines that address 1 of 4 weeks of pre-requisite knowledge

Location

New folder called prerequisites

Why Is This Important

Currently the program is being run part-time, which inherently has changed the application process. With 2025-H2, many basic applicant and participant needs were identified that should met and/or assessed for ahead of pre-work. This addition is an effort to promote access and exposure to such skills for the population served, while also making such programming accessible to all via the open source curriculum.

Acceptance Criteria

Create week 1 of pre-requisite topic outlines.

In addition to usual topic outline sections, each write up should include:

• specific tasks of activities that participants should complete as well as specific resources to use and how to turn items in
• how to show up and participate in pre-requisite sessions

Week 1 — Curiosity + Digital Foundations

• Mindset: Curiosity, openness, willingness to explore
• Technical: Mac basics, typing, browser literacy, Slack, Zoom

Session 1 (July 6) — Curiosity + Mac Basics

Pre‑Session Tasks:

1. “Explore Your Mac Scavenger Hunt”
   Participants must find 12 specific Mac features (e.g., Mission Control, Spotlight, Activity Monitor, keyboard shortcuts) and record a 2‑minute screen recording explaining how they discovered each one.
2. “Curiosity Log”
   Spend 20 minutes clicking through unfamiliar Mac settings and write a short reflection in Google Docs:
   • 5 things they discovered
   • 3 things they still don’t understand
   • 2 questions they want to ask peers
3. "Basic Computer Hardware Vocab"
   Explore basic computer hardware vocab like RAM, CPU, GPU, hard drive AKA storage

In‑Session Flow:

• Breakouts (40 min): Participants demo their scavenger hunt + discuss their curiosity logs.
• Group share (10–15 min): What surprised them? What confused them?
• Staff-led session (40–50 min):
• Live demo of Mac workflows
  • tabs, windows, shortcuts
  • screen recording
  • finder (toggle hidden view, sidebar, and toolbar)
• Mini-challenge: “Find the fastest way to do X”
• Reinforce curiosity as a core engineering skill
• Q&A (10 min)

Session 2 (July 9) — Digital Literacy + Curiosity

Pre‑Session Tasks:

1. “Digital Life Setup Challenge”
   Participants must document each step with screenshots in a Google Doc:
   • Create a Slack profile with photo + bio
   • Send a message in a designated channel
   • Join a Zoom meeting alone and test audio/video
   • Bookmark 5 program-related links
2. “Curiosity Interview”
   Interview a friend/family member about how they use technology. Create a 2–3 minute Loom video summarizing:
   • What they learned
   • What surprised them
   • What they want to explore next

In‑Session Flow:

• Breakouts: Demo digital setup + share Loom videos
• Group share: Common digital literacy gaps
• Staff-led session:
  • Slack etiquette
  • Zoom professionalism
  • How curiosity improves remote learning
  • Typing speed and accuracy as necessary vs helpful component of writing code
• Q&A