What does a student learn in
New York, Grade 9, Computer Science & Digital Fluency ?

Students build a working digital model (a spreadsheet formula, a simulation, or a simple program) that predicts what will happen given different inputs. The focus is on testing whether the model's predictions hold up.

Students gather real data from more than one source, check it for accuracy and usefulness, then use it to build something: a program, a model, or a visualization.

Students take the same set of data and present it multiple ways, such as changing a graph type or reordering results, to show how the framing of data shapes the story it tells.

Students write a program that mixes their own custom functions with ready-made code libraries to keep the work organized. Instead of writing every line from scratch, students break the problem into reusable parts.

Students take a working function in a program and rewrite how it does its job inside, without changing what the program produces in the end. The output stays the same; only the approach changes.

Students learn two or more classic step-by-step procedures a computer follows to sort or search data, then compare them to see which one is faster or uses less memory for a given job.

Students write or modify a program that uses a list, table, or similar structure to keep track of related information as it changes. Think of storing and updating a contact list or a game's scoreboard.

Students write a working program that uses loops, conditionals, or other control structures to do something real, whether that solves a problem, expresses an idea, or tackles a topic they care about.

Students run their program through multiple test cases, including ones designed to catch likely mistakes or unexpected user actions, then fix what breaks before calling the work done.

Students work in groups to build an app, game, or tool for a specific audience, then write clear notes explaining how it works so teammates and users can understand it.

Students identify which personal details, files, and accounts need protection, such as passwords, financial records, and private messages, and explain why leaving them exposed creates real risk.

Keeping data safe requires more than a password. Students learn the practical steps, tools, and habits, from locked servers to software updates to safe browsing, that prevent unauthorized access and keep information accurate and available.

Picking stronger security, like a longer password or two-step login, often means more steps for the user. Students learn to weigh those real costs and benefits before deciding which protections are worth using.

Students examine how encryption protects data in real situations, such as online banking or private messages. They weigh how well a method works and what its limits are.

Students identify what to do before a security breach happens and how to respond if one does. This covers both prevention habits, like strong passwords and software updates, and response steps, like reporting the incident and limiting the damage.

Students type quickly and accurately enough that the keyboard stops slowing down their thinking. This is the baseline skill for almost every assignment they'll complete in high school and beyond.

Students use apps, shared documents, and online tools to learn alongside classmates and share what they know. Working digitally is treated as a skill, not just a convenience.

Mastery of this standard is expected before high school. Work on it shows up in earlier grades.

Students choose the right apps, platforms, or software for a project on their own, then use those tools to build, revise, and share polished digital work without being told which tool to use.

Students practice moving what they already know about one app or device to figure out a new one. The skill is learning to learn new tools, not just mastering the ones already in front of them.

Students learn to think before posting: what goes online stays online, and choices made now can affect future jobs, relationships, and reputation. They practice reviewing privacy settings and making deliberate decisions about what they share publicly.

Students create and follow real plans to protect their passwords, personal information, and privacy online. This includes thinking through how digital habits affect mental health and how to recognize and respond to threats like phishing or data breaches.

Students look at who benefits from a technology and who gets left out. They consider how access to computers and the internet shapes opportunities across different communities and countries.

Students look at real laws around data privacy, copyright, and online speech, then argue whether those rules help or hurt how technology gets built and used.

Students pick a real computing issue (facial recognition, data privacy, algorithm bias) and argue a position, considering who benefits, who's harmed, and what rules, if any, should apply.

Students weigh the real costs of using apps and services that collect personal data, such as convenience traded for privacy, and think through how those trade-offs affect individuals and communities.

Students examine how software and hardware can be built to work for people with disabilities, different languages, or limited internet access, and how designers anticipate problems before a product reaches the public.

Students design programs, apps, or digital content so people with disabilities can actually use them. That might mean adding alt text to images, making sure a site works with a screen reader, or choosing color contrast that someone with low vision can see.

Students look at how computer science shows up in fields like medicine, music, farming, and finance. The goal is to see that coding and data skills are useful far beyond a computer lab.

Students design a system that uses a small built-in computer (like a sensor or microcontroller) to collect data from the physical world automatically, without a person pressing a button or typing a command.

Students explain how the apps on a screen depend on the operating system underneath, which in turn depends on the physical hardware to actually run. Each layer has a job, and none of them works without the one below it.

Students create a step-by-step guide someone else can follow to diagnose and fix a broken device or component, then explain those steps clearly enough that another person could use them without help.

Students explain how the internet physically and logically works: how data travels across networks, where it gets stored, and how addresses and protocols help devices find each other.

Students explain how newer technologies, like 5G or cloud computing, are changing the way networks are built and used. They look at real examples of how these shifts affect everyday devices and online services.