CoderZ Launches New TEKS Aligned Computer Science Curriculum for Grades 3-8

Demand for skilled STEM occupations is growing rapidly around the country, and especially in Texas where the government estimates these roles will make up 10.5% of total state employment. As a long-time leader in the technology sector, it’s not a surprise to see Texas at the forefront of this national trend. As an Intelitek subsidiary, CoderZ has the opportunity to help educators around the world prepare students for these lucrative and engaging careers. That’s why we have built new courses from the ground up, specifically for Texas educators. 

With full alignment to the revised TEKS for Technology Applications and robust teacher support for interdisciplinary lessons, these courses make it easy for educators to integrate computer science into core subject learning, and flexible implementation options such as Spanish language support give schools and teachers the resources they need to build a strong foundation for technical and engineering career pathways that expand opportunities for all students.   

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) are the curriculum standards for all public schools in Texas.  Initiated in 2011, the Technology Applications TEKS cover what students should know and be able to do in technology. In response to the increasing reach of technology in every aspect of life, Texas revised Tech Apps TEKS for the 2024-2025 school year.  These new standards better reflect the computational thinking and data analysis required in this growing field, as well as overarching skills like communication and collaboration.  

The new TEKS for Tech App standards are an important part of ensuring students have equitable access to high-quality computer science education. As AI and countless smart technologies impact more aspects of our everyday lives, we must prepare young people to fully comprehend the impact of these technologies, both for themselves and for the benefit of our wider society. While these standards are designed to give students strong economic opportunities in an increasingly technological workforce, they also provide students with the ability to engage with technology for personal fulfillment or as critical consumers and informed citizens, giving Texan students a jump start on building better futures for themselves and their communities.  

CoderZ courses have always provided students with a strong foundation in the principles of robotics and computing, but our new courses go further in completely aligning to TEKS for Technology Applications at each grade level, incorporating crucial topics such as digital citizenship, emerging technologies, and data analysis. In addition, all courses include TEKS-aligned ELAR and Mathematics extensions. Below are examples of courses for grades 3-6. 

CoderZ Adventure: Trailblazers introduces elementary students to the basics of computing and robotics through a gamified environment in which students program a robot to explore virtual worlds. Fully aligned to Grade 3 TEKS for Technology Applications, the course covers coding fundamentals such as sensors, loops, conditionals, and variables, as well as broader problem solving, design, and analysis skills.  

• Fundamentals of robot systems 
• Coding with loops and conditionals 
• Planning and problem solving 
• Geometry and data analysis 
• Technology impacts and digital literacy 

CoderZ Adventure: New Worlds builds on what students have learned in Trailblazers, as the virtual robot explores new environments that incorporate more advanced computing and robotics concepts. Aligned to Grade 4 TEKS for Technology Applications, the course reviews the topics covered in Trailblazers and introduces new ways for the robot to interact with increasingly complex and unpredictable environments.  

Robotics and automation 

• Coding with procedures and events 
• Data and analysis 
• Critical thinking with debugging 
• Physics and mechanics 
• Digital security and ethics 

CoderZ Code Farm: Breaking Ground introduces upper elementary students to the fundamentals of computing and robotics. Students navigate a virtual robot through agricultural-themed missions as they learn coding basics such as sensors, loops, and conditionals. Fully aligned to Grade 5 TEKS for Technology Applications, the course goes beyond programming to incorporate a wide range of problem solving, design, and analytical skills.  

• Robotics and automation 
• Coding with loops and conditionals 
• User centered design and accessibility 
• Problem solving and debugging 
• Collaboration and communication 
• Digital literacy and ethics 

CoderZ Code Farm: Growing Season builds on what students have learned in Breaking Ground, going deeper into more advanced topics that incorporate new sensors and more complex missions. Aligned to Grade 6 TEKS for Technology Applications, the course reviews the topics covered in Breaking Ground and introduces new concepts such as sensor-based navigation and optimizing for speed and accuracy.  

Navigational sensors such as gyroscopes 

• Collaborative problem solving 
• Impacts of emerging technologies 
• Data management and representation 

Contact us to learn more about how we can help
transform student engagement in STEM

CoderZ is much more than an engaging computer science platform. It is a company of people dedicated to supporting the entire ecosystem of students, teachers, classrooms, schools, and districts. Our school and district partners value our dedicated customer success team and the equitable, engaging, collaborative nature of CoderZ’s instructional model. This model supports TEKS standards across all subject areas in several ways: 

• Turn-Key Solution: Our platform, curricular resources, and professional development all work together to ensure districts, schools, and teachers have everything they need to provide a high-quality learning experience for students.  
• Building Students’ Resilience: While the kids are learning, they are having fun! Because students enjoy the gamified learning environment, they are motivated to solve the mission, and keep trying until they succeed. This is the foundation of building a growth mindset when they approach any new subject. 
• Brings Collaboration and Creativity to the forefront of our curriculum and support the development of students’ career readiness skills. Collaboration and creativity are both an important part of ELAR and Tech Apps standards. 
• Interdisciplinary Learning Is Built In: While many other coding programs try to simplify content for students by removing math, science, and reading instruction, CoderZ’s curriculum is designed to support student learning across all subject areas.  

Contact us to learn more about how we can help
transform student engagement in STEM