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Software Development Cycle

Ninth graders learn the software development cycle — plan, design, code, test, and deploy — the professional process that turns an idea into finished, working software.

Grade 9Software Engineering50 minutes1 class periodUse → Modify → CreateExplicit teaching4 StandardsCSTA
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Explain the development cycle.
  • ✓Order the stages.
  • ✓Know testing matters.
  • ✓Build like a pro.
Essential Question

Real software isn’t written in one shot — it follows a cycle from idea to release and beyond. What are the stages of the software development cycle?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Explore · Interactive

The Development Cycle Explorer

Project this and tap each stage. Have students learn the software development cycle.

🔄 Explore the development cycle — tap eachTry it

The Lesson · Use → Modify → Create (a coding progression with Unplugged practice)

50 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Hook — Idea to Release

5 min

Software follows a cycle from idea to release — what are the stages?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show a finished app.
  • Ask how it was made.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Look.
  • Wonder.
  • Predict.
2

Unplugged — Unplug It

11 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Plan a simple app.
  • Design it on paper.
  • Feel the cycle.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Plan it.
  • Design it.
  • Feel it.
3

Use — Explore the Cycle

15 min

Students use.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to the Development Cycle Explorer.
  • Note each stage.
  • Note testing.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Tap each.
  • Note them.
  • Explain.
4

Modify — Apply It

14 min

Students modify.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Map an app to the cycle.
  • Explain a stage.
  • Plan testing.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Map it.
  • Explain.
  • Plan it.
5

Create — Create

5 min

Students conclude.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name a stage.
  • Explain why testing matters.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name one.
  • Explain it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards and ISTE Standards for Students.

CSTA
3A-AP-21

Develop, test, and refine programs.

CSTA
3A-AP-22

Design programs iteratively.

CSTA
3A-AP-18

Plan software systematically.

ISTE
4

Innovative Designer.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Stage cards.
  • Sentence frame: “In the ___ stage, ___.”
  • Use an app example.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with plan and test.
  • Use a simple app.
  • Name one stage.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Run a full mini-cycle.
  • Add a design mockup.
  • Explain iteration.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Projector / board
  • 🔄A cycle diagram
  • 💻The Development Cycle Explorer
  • ✏️Planning paper
  • 📋App examples
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

softwareprograms a computer runsdevelopment cyclethe stages of building softwareplandecide what to builddesignsketch how it workscodewrite the programtestfind and fix bugsdeployrelease it to usersmaintainkeep improving it
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What is a good FIRST stage in the development cycle?
Plan — decide what the software should do.
QUESTION 2
What happens in the testing stage?
You try it out, find bugs, and fix them.
QUESTION 3
What does it mean to deploy software?
To release it to users (then keep improving it).

Create: run the cycle.

Have students pick an app idea and describe what would happen in each stage of the development cycle. A printable dev-cycle sheet is in the Computer Science library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Software Development CycleFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Software Development CycleQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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Nice work!

Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Software Development CyclePrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: code, deploy, design, development cycle, maintain, plan, software, test
  1. find and fix bugs
  2. keep improving it
  3. decide what to build
  4. programs a computer runs
  5. write the program
  6. the stages of building software
  7. release it to users
  8. sketch how it works

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is a good FIRST stage in the development cycle?
  2. What happens in the testing stage?
  3. What does it mean to deploy software?
Answer key — Part A: 1) test · 2) maintain · 3) plan · 4) software · 5) code · 6) development cycle · 7) deploy · 8) design
Part B: 1) Plan — decide what the software should do. 2) You try it out, find bugs, and fix them. 3) To release it to users (then keep improving it).