November 17, 2025
Journal
Are you looking forward to Thanksgiving break?
November 10, 2025
Journal
Option 1: Technology & the Holidays
The holidays often bring new gadgets, apps, and games. Write a journal entry (5–7 sentences) using Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning (C.E.R.) considering the following:
- How has technology changed the way people celebrate or connect during the holidays?
- Do you think these changes make the holidays better or worse?
- Should developers be responsible for making sure holiday tech (like toys or assistants) respects privacy and family time? Why or why not?
Option 2: Gratitude & Growth
The end of the year is a time to reflect on what you’ve learned. What skills, habits, or moments from this semester that you’re most proud of, and how will you use it to grow next year? Write 5-7 sentences explaining your answer.
November 3, 2025
Journal: Technology and Food Access
Over the weekend, the SNAP program (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) ran out of funding. SNAP helps millions of families buy groceries each month, so when funding runs out, many people struggle to afford healthy food.
Technology has already made a big difference in other areas—like online shopping, delivery apps, and community alerts. Could it also help people find or access food when programs like SNAP are disrupted?
For your journal entry, write 5-7 sentences answering these questions:
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1. What’s the problem?
Why is it a big deal if SNAP runs out of funding? Who might be most affected?
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2. How could technology help?
Think about how apps, websites, or other tech tools could connect people to local food banks, free meal programs, or grocery stores.
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3. What challenges might exist?
What makes it hard for everyone to use tech-based solutions? (For example: no internet, no smartphone, privacy concerns.)
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4. If you were the designer…
Imagine you were creating a tool to help solve food insecurity. What would your idea be called, and what would it do?
October 27, 2025
Journal: Choose One of The Following
Option 1: Technology & Natural Disasters
Hurricane Melissa is approaching Jamaica right now, and people are using technology to stay safe and informed. Think about how technology helps us prepare for natural disasters like hurricanes, floods, or wildfires.
In your journal, answer the following:
- What are some examples of technology that help people before, during, or after a natural disaster?
- How do those tools make a difference in saving lives or keeping people informed?
- If you could invent a new piece of technology to help in the future, what would it do and why?
Write at least one full paragraph (5–7 sentences) explaining your ideas. Be sure to give real examples and describe how your invention could work.
Option 2: Cooking Class Logic Puzzle
- Cooking Class Logic Puzzle
- Complete the puzzle, and submit the answer as a Markdown Table in your journal
Example:
| Name | Main Dish | Dessert |
|---|---|---|
| Fiona | ||
| Tobias | ||
| Leanne |
October 20, 2025
Journal: Bungle On Board Logic Puzzle
- Bungle On Board Logic Puzzle
- Complete the puzzle, and submit the answer as a Markdown Table in your journal
Example:
| Name | Class | Seat |
|---|---|---|
| Franklin | ||
| Hardeep | ||
| Marla |
October 14, 2025
Journal Entry - Prompt Engineering with Canva AI
AI tools like Canva AI can help people design lessons, games, and creative projects — but only if they are given clear and detailed instructions. This skill is called prompt engineering.
According to CompTIA’s 2025 Workforce and Learning Trends report, AI skills are now a top workforce priority. And recent industry research shows that prompt engineers today can earn between $63,000 and over $270,000 annually, depending on experience and role. That means being good at writing prompts isn’t just creative — it can be financially worthwhile and useful in many tech-related jobs.
Today, you’ll act like a teacher or professional and create a Canva AI prompt that teaches something academic and includes interactive elements. You can check out my example here.
Part 1: Your Prompt
Choose a topic from any subject (science, math, history, English, or computer science).
Examples:
- “Create an interactive slide deck that explains the water cycle to 5th graders.”
- “Make a quiz that helps students practice variables in Python.”
- “Design a choose-your-own-path story about the Civil Rights Movement.”
Write a detailed Canva AI prompt that tells it exactly what to make.
Include:
- What the topic is
- Who it’s for (younger students, classmates, etc.)
- What you want it to build (slide deck, quiz, story, poster, or game)
- How it should look or sound (fun, professional, colorful, etc.)
Generate your design in Canva AI, publish your site, and share the link in your journal.
Part 2: Your Reflection
In 5–7 sentences, explain:
- What your prompt was designed to do
- How Canva AI understood or built your idea
- What parts worked well
- What parts didn’t come out as expected
- How you could improve your prompt to get a better design next time
- Why being good at prompt engineering could be valuable in future careers
October 6, 2025
Journal Entry
If you were in charge of your school, what would your technology and AI policy be? Think about things like cell phones, Chromebooks, AI tools (like ChatGPT), and online games. Should games be blocked, or should certain ones (like math or learning games) be allowed? In 5–7 sentences, explain your rules and why you think they would make school better.
September 30, 2025
Journal Entry
Students often say the phrase “6, 7” during the day, but its meaning is unclear. Your challenge is to explain this phrase in your own words. Write exactly 67 words, spread across six or seven sentences. Consider how students use it in class or in the halls. Think about the mood or tone when it’s spoken. Be creative, but also give your best explanation of why people keep repeating it.
September 22, 2025
Journal Entry
IKEA is experimenting with a virtual store inside Roblox, where people can actually earn $16.10 per hour to do jobs like restocking shelves, serving food, and helping customers—just like in a real store. You can read more here: IKEA is opening a new store on Roblox… and you could be paid to work there! .
Write a journal entry (5–7 sentences) using Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning (C.E.R.) to respond to this question:
Do you think working in a virtual store for real money is a good idea or a bad idea for the future of jobs? Why?
- Claim: State your opinion clearly.
- Evidence: Use the IKEA example or your own ideas about gaming, work, or technology.
- Reasoning: Explain why your evidence supports your claim.
September 16, 2025
Journal Entry
This year, the White House launched the Presidential AI Challenge. The goal is to find creative ways for students, teachers, and communities to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to solve real-world problems. The prize for winning teams is $10,000 per team member. You can learn more about the challenge here: Presidential AI Challenge.
Projects should:
- Use AI responsibly and ethically.
- Help people in education, health, safety, or the community.
- Be creative and realistic enough to try out.
Prompt
For today’s journal, write 5–7 complete sentences using the C.E.R. format:
- Claim: State your idea for an AI project.
- Evidence: Explain how your idea meets the challenge requirements.
- Reasoning: Show why your idea would be useful and how it would help people.
If you’re interested in actually submitting an idea for the challenge, you can fill out this form: Presidential AI Challenge - Participation.
September 8, 2025
Journal Entry
- Watch this video titled “Computer Science is Changing Everything”.
- In your GitHub journal, respond to the prompt below.
- Write at least 5 complete sentences.
- Use the C.E.R. format (Claim, Evidence, Reasoning).
[!IMPORTANT]
Heading Reminder
At the very top of your entry, include the date as a first-level heading in this exact format:# September 8, 2025 Write your entry here...
Prompt
Think of a career you’re interested in (e.g., nursing, filmmaking, fashion design, engineering, sports). Describe how computer science could be valuable in that profession. Use an example from the video or one from your own life to support your claim.
September 2, 2025
Complete the following assignment in your GitHub Journal. First, please check the screen to find your name and make sure that all columns are marked “TRUE.” If any column reads “FALSE,” I will not be able to see your journal, and you will not receive credit for this assignment. The instructions for setting up your journal can be found at jisd.link/journal. Please let me know if you need any assistance.
Journal Entry
[!IMPORTANT]
Heading Reminder
At the very top of your entry, include the date as a first-level heading in this exact format:# September 2, 2025 Write your entry here...
Prompt
Choose ONE of the following prompts and write a well-developed paragraph (5–7 sentences). Use C.E.R. (Claim, Evidence, Reasoning):
- Claim – your main point or stance
- Evidence – examples, experiences, or details to support your claim
- Reasoning – explain why your evidence proves your claim
Option 1: The New Cell Phone Law
What are your thoughts on the new school cell phone law? How are you adjusting to it, and what challenges or benefits do you see for students and teachers?
Option 2: Vibe Coding with AI
“Vibe coding” means using AI tools (like ChatGPT or GitHub Copilot) to help write or explain code instead of doing it fully on your own. What do you think are the risks and benefits of this AI-assisted approach for students learning computer science?
Option 3: Computer Science Expectations
What did you think computer science was before starting this class? Has your view changed so far? What do you hope to get from this course?