Computer Science Curriculum for Charter Schools
Computer Science Curriculum for Charter Schools
Charter schools that need a computer science course for Grades 7–10 without a long adoption process can start with this bundle: 10 units and 30 lessons with lesson plans, slides, printable worksheets and projects. It downloads instantly, runs on the devices you already own, and gives a lean staff a working CS course that a new hire can pick up quickly.
View the CS bundle →Charter schools needing a fast-start computer science course can use the Computer Science Activities Bundle ($119.99): 10 units and 30 lessons for Grades 7–10 with plans, slides, printable worksheets, discussions and projects. Topics include algorithms, Python, AI literacy, cybersecurity, data privacy, cryptography, networks, binary and filter bubbles. It is a one-time digital download with no software or platform included. Schools should check content against their own charter and state requirements.
The resources
Computer Science Activities Bundle, Grades 7–10
Start with the first resource; the others are optional add-ons. Open any cover for the full contents and price.
Computer Science Activities Bundle | Artificial Intelligence, Python Programming, Cybersecurity & Digital Literacy | Middle School Grades 7–10
AI Literacy & Cybersecurity Activities | Artificial Intelligence, Prompt Engineering & Online Safety | Grades 7–10
Digital Citizenship Activities | Cyberbullying, AI, Social Media & Media Literacy Lessons | Grades 7–10
Programming with Python – Computer Science Unit (Grades 6–9)
Teach-Life-Balance: The Complete Time-Saving Course for Teachers (incl. Planner, Guides & Templates)
The real problem
Lean staff, fast timelines
Charter schools often build courses faster than districts do, and with fewer people. A charter adding a CS class might hire the teacher in August, set the schedule in the same week, and expect the course to run in September. There is rarely a curriculum office to vet options or a department to hand over last year's files. Staff turnover adds to the pressure. If the CS teacher leaves mid-year, the replacement needs to pick up the course without starting over. That only works if the course lives in shared materials, not in one person's head. Budgets matter too. Recurring per-student platform fees add up for a small school, and some tools need accounts and data agreements that take time to approve. Many charter leaders also have to answer to a board or authorizer about what students learn, which means a clear topic list helps. What a charter needs is a defined course that can start quickly, survive a staffing change, and run on equipment already in the building.
Why it fits
Why it fits a lean charter staff
The bundle keeps the course in files the school controls rather than in a platform or one teacher's memory.
- A one-time purchase avoids per-student platform fees that strain a small charter budget.
- No student accounts are required, so there are no extra data agreements to sign before starting.
- Lesson plans and slides let a replacement teacher continue the course after a mid-year staffing change.
- Ten clearly named units give leadership a topic list to describe the course to families.
- Printable worksheets keep the course running even when device rollout is behind schedule.
- Projects give the school student work to show when reporting on the new program.
Getting started
Getting a charter CS course running
A suggested path from purchase to a stable course, written for a small team.
- Clear licensing firstIf more than one teacher will use the materials, send Teach Lessons a short message about team use before buying. Settle it early so files can be stored in a shared school folder.
- Save files in a school-owned folderDownload the bundle into a folder the school controls, not one teacher's personal drive. That protects the course if staffing changes mid-year. Use clear folder names.
- Start the year without devicesOpen with computational thinking and binary, both of which work on paper. This buys time if laptops or the Python setup are not ready on day one.
- Write a one-page course outlineList the ten units in your chosen order and share it with leadership. It answers board or family questions about what students are learning. Keep it to one page.
- Keep short teacher notes per unitAfter each unit, note timing and changes in the shared folder. A new hire can then pick up the course where it left off. Notes can be brief.
What to buy
What a charter should buy
For a full CS course, buy the Computer Science Activities Bundle at $119.99. If your charter frames the class as advisory or digital citizenship rather than CS, Digital Citizenship Activities ($69.99) is the closer fit, and AI Literacy & Cybersecurity Activities ($69.99) covers AI, phishing and personal data. If you are adding coding to a STEM block that already exists, the single Programming with Python unit is $24.99. Team use across the school should be cleared with a short message to Teach Lessons first.
Honest limits
What it does not cover
It does not satisfy charter, authorizer or state requirements on its own, and you should check the content against them yourself. It includes no software, accounts, coding platform or devices. Thirty lessons give a strong core but may need extra project and practice time for a full-year course. Purchase orders, invoices and quotes are not promised; send purchasing questions to Teach Lessons before buying. Use across your team needs a short message first. If it is not a fit, exchange it within 7 days for store credit of equal value.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Will this satisfy our authorizer or state standards?
No such claim is made. The bundle has no alignment with CSTA, state standards or any authorizer, and no endorsement. It is written for Grades 7–10. Your school should compare the topics with its charter commitments and state requirements and document coverage itself. Keep that comparison on file for board or authorizer conversations, written in your own words and dated so you can update it each year.
Can our whole staff share it?
Use across a team or school is possible after a short message to Teach Lessons. Send it before purchase so you know how to store and share the files. Clearing it in advance also lets you store the files in a shared school drive with confidence, which matters for a small staff that often covers for each other.
Is there a subscription?
No. It is a digital download you buy once and keep for your own teaching. There are no per-student fees or accounts involved. That keeps costs predictable for a small charter budget. If you want to add material later, single units and related bundles can be bought separately when the need arises.
What if our CS teacher leaves mid-year?
Because the lessons, slides and worksheets are files, a replacement can continue from the next unit. Keeping them in a school-owned folder, with a few notes on progress, makes that handover much easier. It also means the school, not one person, keeps the course running.
Do we need to buy laptops or software?
Nothing in the product requires them. Most lessons are printable or discussion based. The Python unit uses whatever computers and Python setup your school already has. If devices arrive later in the year, schedule the Python unit for that point and teach the paper-based units first.
Can we pay with a purchase order?
That is not promised. Send Teach Lessons your purchasing questions before buying so you know what is possible. Questions about invoices, quotes or school purchasing processes should go to Teach Lessons in advance. That way your business manager knows what to expect and nobody assumes a process that is not offered. Individual teacher purchases follow normal store checkout.
A CS course your school owns
Download once, store it where your team can reach it, and start teaching this term.
View the CS bundle →