Computing systems and networks
Students start the year learning how the hardware, software, and networks they use every day actually work. They troubleshoot common problems and look at how the internet moves and protects information.
What does a student learn in
This is the year computing shifts from using tools to building them. Students write real programs, breaking big problems into smaller pieces and testing their code until it works. They dig into how networks move data, how to spot patterns in large data sets, and how technology choices affect people. By spring, students can plan, code, and debug a working program and explain the trade-offs behind it.
- Programming
- Algorithms
- Data analysis
- Networks and the internet
- Ethics in tech
- Debugging
Year at a glance
How the year usually goes. Every school and district set their own curriculum, so treat this as a guide, not official pacing.
- 1
- 2
Working with data
Students gather data, clean it up, and turn it into charts and tables. They look for patterns and learn to back up a claim with what the numbers actually show.
- 3
Programming and algorithms
Students write programs to solve problems and automate tasks. They break big problems into smaller steps, test their code, and fix it when something goes wrong.
- 4
Building and testing projects
Students plan and build a project of their own, often with a partner or team. They share drafts, take feedback, and revise the project until it works the way real users need it to.
- 5
Computing in the real world
Students look at how computing shapes daily life, from privacy and security to fairness and access. They weigh the tradeoffs of a technology and explain their thinking with clear evidence.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 12.
Concepts
Concepts
- High School
Identify, select, and apply hardware, software
Students pick the right hardware and software for a given task, then work through problems when something stops working. The focus is practical: find what fits the job, and fix it when it breaks.
- High School
Explain how computer networks and the Internet enable communication…
Students explain how the internet moves data between devices and what keeps that data secure in transit. This includes how networks let people share files, send messages, and work together across different locations.
- High School
Collect, transform, and represent data
Students gather raw data, clean it up, and turn it into charts or summaries. Then they use software to spot patterns and explain what the numbers actually mean.
- High School
Design, develop, and analyze algorithms and programs to solve problems…
Students write and test programs that solve real problems or automate repetitive tasks. They also examine how their code works and look for ways to improve it.
- High School
Investigate the social, ethical, legal
Students look at how computers and the internet shape real life: privacy, fairness, laws, and what happens when technology spreads unevenly across the world.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Identify, select, and apply hardware, software High School | Students pick the right hardware and software for a given task, then work through problems when something stops working. The focus is practical: find what fits the job, and fix it when it breaks. | NH-CSDF.C1.9-12 |
| Explain how computer networks and the Internet enable communication… High School | Students explain how the internet moves data between devices and what keeps that data secure in transit. This includes how networks let people share files, send messages, and work together across different locations. | NH-CSDF.C2.9-12 |
| Collect, transform, and represent data High School | Students gather raw data, clean it up, and turn it into charts or summaries. Then they use software to spot patterns and explain what the numbers actually mean. | NH-CSDF.C3.9-12 |
| Design, develop, and analyze algorithms and programs to solve problems… High School | Students write and test programs that solve real problems or automate repetitive tasks. They also examine how their code works and look for ways to improve it. | NH-CSDF.C4.9-12 |
| Investigate the social, ethical, legal High School | Students look at how computers and the internet shape real life: privacy, fairness, laws, and what happens when technology spreads unevenly across the world. | NH-CSDF.C5.9-12 |
Practices
Practices
- High School
Foster an inclusive computing culture that values diverse perspectives and…
Students practice working on tech projects with classmates who have different backgrounds and viewpoints. The goal is to build habits of listening, sharing credit, and making sure no one gets left out of the work.
- High School
Collaborate around computing — divide work, share ideas
Students work with others to build a program or digital project: splitting up the tasks, sharing ideas along the way, and folding in feedback before the final version is done.
- High School
Identify and define problems that can be solved with computation and decompose…
Students look at a real problem, decide whether a computer could help solve it, and then break it into smaller steps a program could actually handle.
- High School
Use abstractions to simplify complexity, generalise solutions
Students take a complicated program or system and find the pattern underneath it. They write code or design solutions that work for many situations, not just one.
- High School
Create computational artifacts — programs, simulations, models — by applying…
Students build working programs or simulations by writing code, testing it, fixing problems, and improving it in repeated rounds until it does what they intend.
- High School
Systematically test computational artifacts and refine them based on evidence…
Students run planned tests on a program or app, then fix problems based on what they find. The goal is a tool that works correctly and is easy for other people to use.
- High School
Communicate clearly with appropriate vocabulary, visualizations
Students explain how a program works or why a technology matters, using the right words, charts, or examples to make the case clearly to any audience.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Foster an inclusive computing culture that values diverse perspectives and… High School | Students practice working on tech projects with classmates who have different backgrounds and viewpoints. The goal is to build habits of listening, sharing credit, and making sure no one gets left out of the work. | NH-CSDF.P1.9-12 |
| Collaborate around computing — divide work, share ideas High School | Students work with others to build a program or digital project: splitting up the tasks, sharing ideas along the way, and folding in feedback before the final version is done. | NH-CSDF.P2.9-12 |
| Identify and define problems that can be solved with computation and decompose… High School | Students look at a real problem, decide whether a computer could help solve it, and then break it into smaller steps a program could actually handle. | NH-CSDF.P3.9-12 |
| Use abstractions to simplify complexity, generalise solutions High School | Students take a complicated program or system and find the pattern underneath it. They write code or design solutions that work for many situations, not just one. | NH-CSDF.P4.9-12 |
| Create computational artifacts — programs, simulations, models — by applying… High School | Students build working programs or simulations by writing code, testing it, fixing problems, and improving it in repeated rounds until it does what they intend. | NH-CSDF.P5.9-12 |
| Systematically test computational artifacts and refine them based on evidence… High School | Students run planned tests on a program or app, then fix problems based on what they find. The goal is a tool that works correctly and is easy for other people to use. | NH-CSDF.P6.9-12 |
| Communicate clearly with appropriate vocabulary, visualizations High School | Students explain how a program works or why a technology matters, using the right words, charts, or examples to make the case clearly to any audience. | NH-CSDF.P7.9-12 |
Common Questions
What does a high school computer science course actually cover?
Students learn how computers and networks work, how to write and debug programs, how to work with data, and how computing affects people and society. They also build habits around teamwork, testing their work, and explaining technical ideas in plain language.
My child has never coded before. Will they be behind?
No. High school courses are built so students can start from scratch. The early work is about breaking problems into smaller steps and learning the basic moves of a programming language, not about writing finished apps on day one.
How can I help at home if my child gets stuck on a coding assignment?
Ask them to read the error message out loud and explain what the program was supposed to do versus what it actually did. Most bugs get found by talking through the problem one line at a time, even with someone who does not code.
How should the year be sequenced across the five concept areas?
A common arc starts with hardware and problem decomposition, moves into programming and algorithms by midyear, then layers in data and networks, with ethics and impact woven through every unit. Saving ethics for the last week rarely works.
Which skills usually need the most reteaching?
Debugging and decomposition. Students often want to rewrite a whole program instead of isolating the broken part, and they tend to jump to code before defining the problem. Short, repeated practice with both pays off more than one long unit.
Does my child need to memorise a specific programming language?
No. The language is a tool. What matters is whether students can read code, find their own mistakes, and explain how a program works. Those skills carry over when they meet a new language later.
How do I know if a student is ready for the next course?
By the end of the year, students should be able to plan a program before writing it, test it with cases they chose themselves, work with a partner without one person doing all the typing, and discuss the ethical tradeoffs of a tool they built or used.
How much of the grade should come from finished projects versus process?
Process work, planning notes, test cases, revision logs, deserves real weight. A polished final project can hide weak habits, and a rough project can hide strong ones. Grading both keeps the focus on how students think, not just what they ship.
How do I support a student who is nervous about group coding work?
Set clear roles for each partner and rotate them often, so no one is stuck as the silent helper or the sole typist. Short check-ins where each student explains their piece of the code make the collaboration real instead of performative.