Florida Middle School Computer Science: Four Units for a First CS Class
Florida Middle School Computer Science: Four Units for a First CS Class
A Florida middle school teacher starting computer science without a background in it can begin with the Coding & Computer Basics Units Bundle: four units on algorithms, Python, binary and the internet, each with leveled worksheets, a reading text, slides and full answer keys, for $69.99. It is not written to any Florida course code, and no software or devices come with it.
Preview the four CS unitsThe Coding & Computer Basics Units Bundle costs $69.99, compared with $99.96 for the four units separately. It covers algorithms and computational thinking, programming with Python, binary and digital images, and how the internet works. Each unit has worksheets on four levels, a detailed reading text, a hands-on deep-dive task, slides for the whole unit and full answer keys with a marking guide. It is not aligned to any Florida course or standards.
The resources
Coding & Computer Basics Units Bundle, Grades 6–9
4 resources in one download: $69.99 instead of $99.96 bought separately.
Start with the first resource; the others are optional add-ons. Open any cover for the full contents and price.
Coding & Computer Basics Units Bundle | Algorithms, Python, Binary & How the Internet Works | 4 Units | Grades 6–9
AI & Cybersecurity Units Bundle | How AI Works, Prompting, Phishing, Encryption & Data Privacy | 6 Units | Grades 6–9
Computer Science Activities Bundle | Artificial Intelligence, Python Programming, Cybersecurity & Digital Literacy | Middle School Grades 7–10
Programming with Python – Computer Science Unit (Grades 6–9)
The real problem
Florida's CS law and the teacher who ends up teaching it
Under s. 1007.2616, F.S., Florida public schools must give K–12 students opportunities to learn computer science, and middle and high schools must include CS courses. Elementary schools may include coding instruction, and the state notes that districts currently have no requirement to offer CS in K–5. The courses that count are identified in the Course Code Directory, and a district that does not offer an identified course must provide access through Florida Virtual School or other means. There is no CS graduation requirement, though some CS courses and certifications may satisfy math or science requirements as the directory lists. For a middle school, the practical result is a CS section on the master schedule that someone has to teach. It may well be a math, science or technology teacher who has never taught coding. That teacher faces two problems at once: learning the content well enough to explain it, and producing lessons for students who range from complete beginners to kids who already code at home. The materials also cannot depend on phones. Florida's HB 379, enacted in 2023, bans phone use during instructional time and has been in effect since July 2024, so anything built around students' own devices is out.
Why it fits
Why these four units suit a first CS course
The four units cover the basics a new CS class needs, and each is built the same way, so you learn the format once.
- Algorithms and computational thinking starts with logic and step-by-step problem solving before anyone opens an editor.
- The Python unit moves from print, variables and input to if statements, loops and a mini-project.
- Its description says it works for students brand new to coding and for confident ones.
- Binary and digital images explains how computers store pictures and data, largely through paper worksheets.
- How the internet works gives you solid lessons for days when computer lab time is not available.
- Four worksheet levels and a marking guide help a new CS teacher grade fairly across a mixed class.
Getting started
A suggested order for your first semester
One possible sequence for a middle school CS section. Check it against the course your school uses from the Course Code Directory.
- Begin with algorithmsTeach the algorithms and computational thinking unit first. Students learn to break problems into steps on paper, which makes the later Python work feel much less intimidating.
- Read ahead of your studentsBefore each unit, read its detailed reading text yourself. It doubles as your own briefing on the topic, which matters a great deal when computer science is new to you too.
- Run Python on the school's setupTeach the Python unit on whatever computers and Python environment your school already provides. Test the first lesson on those machines a week ahead so setup problems do not eat class time.
- Binary and the internetUse the binary unit and the internet unit to explain what happens inside the machine and between machines. Both suit weeks when lab access is tight.
- Grade with the marking guideUse the four worksheet levels to place students, then the answer keys and marking guide to give consistent feedback across all your sections. That matters when you are new to grading code and logic.
What to buy
Which CS bundle to start with
Start with the Coding & Computer Basics Units Bundle at $69.99 (parts $99.96) if your course is about how computers and code work. If you also want AI and online safety, the AI & Cybersecurity Units Bundle ($89.99, parts $149.94) adds how AI works, prompting, recommendation algorithms, data protection, phishing and encryption. Teachers of Grades 7–10 who want one larger purchase can choose the Computer Science Activities Bundle ($119.99): 10 units and 30 lessons covering those topics together. If you only need a coding unit, Programming with Python is $24.99 on its own.
Honest limits
What you still need to provide
These units are not aligned to Florida's CS course descriptions or any standards, and they contain nothing Florida-specific. Compare them with the course your school offers before planning a semester around them. No software, coding platform, student accounts or laptops are included; the Python unit runs on whatever setup your school already has. Four units will not fill a full year by themselves. One licence covers your own teaching, and a team that wants to share it should message Teach Lessons first. Within 7 days you can exchange the bundle for store credit of equal value if it is not a fit; refunds are not paid in cash.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Is this aligned to Florida's computer science courses or standards?
No. It is not aligned to, approved or endorsed under any Florida course, standard or the state's CS law, and it carries no course codes. The topics are common ones for an introductory middle school class, but you need to check them against the Course Code Directory description for your course and your district's expectations.
I have never taught coding. Can I teach the Python unit?
That is who the bundle is written for. The reading text explains each topic, the slides cover the whole unit, and the answer keys include a marking guide. The Python unit begins with print, variables and input before moving to if statements and loops, so you only need to stay a lesson ahead.
What software do students need?
None is included. For Python you use whatever editor or Python setup your school already approves. The other three units rely mainly on worksheets, reading and slides. Check with your IT department early in the year, because software installs and account permissions can take weeks in a large district.
Can students use their phones for the activities?
Plan without them. Florida's HB 379, enacted in 2023, bans phone use during instructional time and has been in effect since July 2024. The units are built on printable worksheets, slides and school computers, so personal phones are not needed for any of them, and nothing has to be downloaded by students.
How does it handle students with very different skill levels?
Each unit has worksheets on four levels, Basic, Standard, Plus and Project, plus a hands-on deep-dive task. A beginner and a student who already codes at home can work on the same topic at different depths, and the Project level gives fast finishers something real to build.
Can my school use it across several CS sections?
If you teach all the sections yourself, yes. If several teachers will use it, send Teach Lessons a short message about team or school use before sharing. Questions about how your school wants to purchase can go in the same message, so you get one answer before anyone buys.
Give your first CS class a solid base
Open the product page to preview the four units and see how a lesson is laid out.
Preview the four CS units