North Dakota Middle School Computer Science: Four Units for Grades 6–9
North Dakota Middle School Computer Science: Four Units for Grades 6–9
North Dakota law now covers mandatory computer science and cybersecurity instruction, and a middle school teacher new to the subject can start with the Coding & Computer Basics Units Bundle ($69.99). It has four units: algorithms, Python, binary and digital images, and how the internet works, each with leveled worksheets, a reading text, a hands-on task, slides and full answer keys.
View the coding bundleThe Coding & Computer Basics Units Bundle ($69.99, parts $99.96) is a sensible first purchase for a North Dakota middle school teacher building a computer science class. Its four units cover algorithms and computational thinking, programming with Python, binary and digital images, and how the internet works. Each has worksheets on four levels, a reading text, a hands-on deep-dive task, slides and answer keys with a marking guide. It is not aligned to North Dakota's 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
Why middle school CS carries more weight in North Dakota now
In 2023 the Legislative Assembly amended N.D.C.C. 15.1-21-01, 15.1-21-02 and 15.1-21-02.2 to cover mandatory computer science and cybersecurity instruction and high school graduation requirements. Under HB 1398, the class of 2026 must complete a computer science or cybersecurity course, and the state's graduation worksheet lists one unit of either, unless a local school board-approved integration plan applies. That high school unit goes far better for students who already know what an algorithm is and have written a few lines of code. So the pressure travels down to grades 6 to 8, often to teachers hired for math, science or business who now carry a technology class. The state's reference document is the Computer Science and Cybersecurity K-12 Standards 2019, and reading it is the easy part. The hard part is having lessons that work for the student who has never coded sitting next to the one who builds games at home, plus answer keys for a subject you may be teaching for the first time. North Dakota also passed a school cell phone law in 2025 (HB 1160), one more reason to plan on school devices and paper rather than students' own phones.
Why it fits
What the four units bring to a North Dakota classroom
Each unit is complete on its own, so you can teach them in order or slot one into a rotation.
- Algorithms and Computational Thinking gives students the step-by-step reasoning every later unit depends on.
- Programming with Python covers print, variables, input, if statements and loops, ending in a mini-project.
- The Python unit is written for students brand new to coding and for confident ones.
- Data and Encoding explains binary and digital images, a natural bridge to cybersecurity topics later.
- How the Internet Works gives background students need before high school cybersecurity coursework.
- Worksheets on Basic, Standard, Plus and Project levels help in rooms with very mixed experience.
Getting started
Suggested order for a quarter-long course
A suggested sequence, not a state pacing guide. Adjust it to the minutes and devices your school gives you.
- Read the 2019 standards next to the unitsPut the Computer Science and Cybersecurity K-12 Standards 2019 beside the four unit overviews and note where they meet. That page of notes also helps when your principal asks about the course.
- Start with algorithmsTeach Algorithms and Computational Thinking first. The reading text and leveled worksheets get everyone using the same vocabulary before anyone opens a code editor on a school computer.
- Move to binary and imagesData and Encoding gives students a concrete picture of what a computer stores. It also sets up later class conversations about files, privacy and encryption.
- Teach how the internet worksUse How the Internet Works before coding so students understand what happens when they load a page. The hands-on deep-dive task suits a longer block period.
- Finish with PythonEnd with Programming with Python on whatever Python setup your school already has. The mini-project makes a clear final grade, scored with the marking guide.
What to buy
What to buy for a North Dakota CS class
Start with the Coding & Computer Basics Units Bundle: $69.99 for four units that cost $99.96 separately. If your course leans toward the cybersecurity half of the state's focus, the AI & Cybersecurity Units Bundle ($89.99, parts $149.94) adds how AI works, prompting, filter bubbles, data protection, phishing and encryption. Teachers who want a longer program for grades 7–10 can choose the Computer Science Activities Bundle ($119.99), with 10 units and 30 lessons. If you only need coding, the Programming with Python unit is $24.99 on its own.
Honest limits
What to check before you rely on it
The bundle is not written for North Dakota and carries no codes from the Computer Science and Cybersecurity K-12 Standards 2019. It has not been approved by the Department of Public Instruction or any district, and it does not count toward any graduation unit. Compare it with the standards and your course plan. Computers, a Python environment and accounts are not included; you use what your school has. Sharing it across a department needs a message to Teach Lessons first. Within 7 days you can exchange it for store credit of equal value, not cash.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Is this aligned to North Dakota's computer science standards?
No. The units were not written for North Dakota and have not been reviewed, aligned or approved under the Computer Science and Cybersecurity K-12 Standards 2019 or by any district. Algorithms, programming, data and networks are common computer science topics, so expect overlap, but checking the match against the standards and your course plan is up to you.
Does it count toward the high school CS or cybersecurity unit?
No. The graduation unit is a high school requirement handled by your district, and a set of middle school units does not fulfill it. What the bundle can do is give students in grades 6–9 a foundation in algorithms, coding, data and how the internet works before they reach that course.
I have never taught coding. Is that a problem?
The bundle is meant for teachers starting a computer science class, including those who have never taught coding. Each unit has a reading text, slides for the whole unit and full answer keys with a marking guide. You will still want to work through the Python unit yourself before teaching it.
What software do students need?
None comes with the bundle. The materials are worksheets, reading texts, slides and answer keys. For the Python unit you use whatever Python setup your school already has; the other three units are built around reading, worksheets and hands-on tasks. Check with your technology coordinator early in the year.
Can I teach it in a combined grade 6–8 elective?
Yes. Every unit has differentiated worksheets on four levels, Basic, Standard, Plus and Project, so a sixth grader and an eighth grader can work on the same topic at different depths. The Python unit is described as working both for students brand new to coding and for confident ones.
Can other teachers in my building use it?
The licence is for your own teaching. If a colleague or a whole technology team wants the files, send Teach Lessons a short message before buying so team use is set up. Posting the materials publicly or sharing them with other schools is not permitted.
Have the first CS unit ready before the course begins
See the four units and their parts on the product page.
View the coding bundle