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Week 2: Code Your Future — Programming Careers in IT

1st Six Weeks | Information Technology Cluster | 5 class periods (50 min each)

Lesson Objective

Students explore the Information Technology cluster through Hats & Ladders (Ch 12), focus on the Programming and Software Development pathway, compare salaries and demand for programming careers in the DFW area, and complete a Code.org Hour of Code activity to experience the fundamentals of writing software. Students connect the IT cluster to Irving ISD's Computer Science (District Wide) and Programming & Digital Tech (Singley) pathways, both leading to Certified Entry Level Python Programmer credentials.

Demonstration of Learning

"I can describe the IT career cluster and its 5 pathways, identify at least 3 programming careers with their salary ranges and education requirements, and complete a Code.org Hour of Code activity that demonstrates a programming concept."

TEKS Alignment

  • d(1)(A): Analyze and discuss assessment results (Day 5 H&L Pathway Fit).
  • d(1)(B): Explore and describe the CTE career clusters (Day 1).
  • d(1)(C): Identify various career opportunities within one or more career clusters (Days 1-5).
  • d(2)(A): Research applicable academic, technical, certification, and training requirements (Day 2 Hat Research).
  • d(5)(A): Analyze labor market trends related to a career of interest (Day 3 BLS job growth).
  • d(5)(E): Use resources to compare salaries of at least three careers in the student's interest area (Day 3).

Materials Needed

Career Connection

Information Technology is one of the fastest-growing and highest-paying career clusters in the U.S. economy. In the DFW area, companies like AT&T, Texas Instruments, Toyota, State Farm, and hundreds of tech startups hire thousands of IT professionals each year. The largest IT employer in DFW is the financial sector. Banks and insurance companies need software developers, network engineers, and cybersecurity analysts to run their digital infrastructure.

What is Happening at Irving ISD? Computer Science (District Wide, every IISD high school) and Programming & Digital Tech (Singley Academy) both lead to the Certified Entry Level Python Programmer credential. Python is the most widely-used programming language for data science, AI, web backends, and automation. A student who earns this credential in high school can step directly into a paid internship or entry-level dev role.

Vocabulary

  • Algorithm: A step-by-step set of instructions for solving a problem or completing a task. Code is one way to write an algorithm.
  • Software Developer: A professional who designs, builds, and maintains computer programs and applications.
  • Web Developer: A developer specializing in websites and web applications. The H&L workbook (Ch 12) features Web Developers in the "Website Design" project.
  • Programming Language: The set of rules and syntax used to write code (Python, JavaScript, Java, C++, HTML/CSS).
  • Python: A popular programming language used in web development, data science, AI, and automation. Irving ISD offers Python certification.
  • Hour of Code: A free 1-hour beginner coding tutorial offered by Code.org. Students can choose from dozens of activities (Minecraft, Star Wars, Frozen, dance party, etc.).
  • Labor Market: The supply of and demand for workers in a specific field or geographic area.
  • Demand Indicator: Data showing whether a career is growing, steady, or declining. H&L displays this on Hat profiles.

Bridge to Theory (Hats & Ladders)

The H&L workbook (Ch 12: Information Technology, pp. 191-207) covers five IT pathways:

  1. Information Technology Support and Services: Help people and businesses troubleshoot computers and networks.
  2. Web Development: Create and maintain websites that look good and function well.
  3. Networking Systems: Design, set up, and maintain the systems that connect computers to the internet.
  4. Cybersecurity: Protect computers, networks, and data from hackers and cyber threats.
  5. Programming and Software Development: Write code to create apps, games, and computer programs.

The chapter includes three named activities (used across Weeks 2-5):

  • Cybersecurity in Action (saved for Wk5): Cyber Safety Creator project
  • Job Applications (referenced in Wk3): Practice filling out a standard job application for Future Work, Inc.
  • Website Design (saved for Wk3): Web Developer wireframing project

Week 2 focuses on the Programming and Software Development pathway specifically. The chapter intro (Ch 12, p. 192) is the foundation reading for the entire IT block (Wks 2-5).

IISD Instructional Strategies

  • Sentence Stems: "The highest-paying programming career I researched is _ because . Compared to __, it pays $_____ more/less per year."
  • Think-Pair-Share: After exploring IT careers in H&L, students think about which career surprised them most, pair to discuss, then share with the class.
  • Active Monitoring: During Hour of Code, walk the room with a 3-checkpoint clipboard tracking (1) student progress through the tutorial, (2) student verbalization of programming concepts (loops, conditionals), (3) student frustration vs. persistence.
  • Modeling: Demonstrate the IT Salary Comparison worksheet on the projector with one career filled in as an example before students start their own.

Week at a Glance

Day Focus Key Activities Deliverable
1 IT Cluster Tour + 5 Pathways H&L Ch 12 read-along + Making Connections + IT cluster app exploration Stop and Jot notes (2 careers, 2 questions)
2 Programming Pathway Deep-Dive Explore Software Developer, Web Developer, App Developer, Game Developer Hats in H&L Hat Research worksheet (Ch 12, p. 199) for one programming career
3 IT Salary Showdown H&L salary data + BLS cross-reference + IT Salary Comparison worksheet (3 careers) Completed salary comparison worksheet
4 Hour of Code (Day 1) Code.org Hour of Code tutorial, students choose theme Completed Hour of Code certificate (Code.org issues automatically)
5 Hour of Code (Day 2) + Pathway Fit + Favorites Finish Hour of Code + H&L Pathway Fit Assessment + favorite 2 IT careers + Xello Favorite Clusters Hour of Code finished + 2 IT favorites + Xello cluster favorited

Formative Assessment

  • Day 1: Stop and Jot notes + Venn Diagram exit ticket (Programming vs. Web Dev). d(1)(B), d(1)(C)
  • Day 2: Hat Research worksheet + Mini-Case exit ticket (cross-platform mobile game app hire). d(1)(C), d(2)(A)
  • Day 3: IT Salary Comparison worksheet + Comparison Matrix exit ticket (3 careers x pay/education/growth). d(1)(C), d(5)(A), d(5)(E)
  • Day 4: Hour of Code midpoint progress + Short Constructed Response exit ticket (programming concept + career + job task). d(1)(C)
  • Day 5: Hour of Code finish + 2 favorited IT careers + Concept Map exit ticket (favorited career + Pathway Fit + RIASEC + HoC experience). d(1)(A), d(1)(C)

Summative Assessment

IT Salary Comparison Worksheet + Hour of Code Reflection (Day 5): Students submit their completed worksheet showing 3 IT careers compared on salary, education, growth rate, daily tasks, and DFW employer. They also write a 4-sentence reflection: (1) which Hour of Code activity they did, (2) one programming concept they used, (3) which IT career they favorited and why, (4) whether they could see themselves in IT. Aligned to d(1)(C), d(5)(A), d(5)(E).

Differentiation

Scaffolded Learning

  • Pre-printed IT Salary Comparison worksheet with one career filled in (Software Developer) as a model.
  • BLS data extraction guide showing exactly which fields to copy (highlighted screenshots).
  • Pair work option for Hour of Code: one student drives, the other navigates.
  • Provide a Code.org tutorial picker that recommends easier tutorials (Minecraft Adventurer, Frozen) for students new to coding.

Extensions

  • Students research the Python certification pathway and create a 4-year HS plan to earn it (9th grade through 12th grade course sequence).
  • Compare DFW IT salaries to Silicon Valley salaries using BLS data and discuss cost of living adjustment.
  • Students who finish Hour of Code early try a SECOND Hour of Code tutorial with a different theme.

ELL Language Support

  • Pre-teach: Algorithm = Algoritmo, Software Developer = Desarrollador de software, Code = Código, Debugging = Depuración, Programming Language = Lenguaje de programación.
  • Bilingual IT Salary Comparison worksheet with Spanish column headers.
  • Code.org Hour of Code is available in Spanish. Direct ELL students to the Spanish tutorial selector.
  • Pair ELL students with bilingual peers for the Day 5 Pathway Fit discussion.