# How blocks work

> A lesson is a sequence of blocks. Type / in the lesson editor to insert one. Blocks fall into two families:

Source: https://www.curacourse.com/help/what-are-curacourse-blocks

## At a glance

A lesson is a sequence of **blocks**. Type `/` in the lesson editor to insert one. Blocks fall into two families:

- **Content blocks** — text, media, and interactive demos students see. They teach, illustrate, or let students explore. They do **not** award gradebook points.
- **Interactive Activity Blocks** — questions and exercises. Students participate or complete them, usually for **points**.

The editor is **WYSIWYM** (What You See Is What You Mean): you see what each block *means* (type, points, answers, settings). Students see the same lesson without that instructor chrome.

![CuraCourse screenshot: What are CuraCourse blocks?](https://www.curacourse.com/help/featurebase/8da48fdfa3f473ccf7de.png)

## Prerequisites

- Open a lesson from the course table of contents as an instructor or assistant.
- Click **Edit** on the lesson header.

## Insert a block

1. Place the cursor where the block should go.
2. Type `/` (or click the slash trigger) to open the insert menu.
3. Pick an item from **Style**, **Insert**, **Upload**, or **Interactive Activity Blocks**.
4. Configure the block in place. Duplicate or delete it from the block `⋯` menu.

You can keep typing after a content block. Activity blocks sit as their own units in the lesson (headers, points, and settings stay with the activity).

## WYSIWYM (What You See Is What You Mean)

CuraCourse’s lesson editor is **not** WYSIWYG (“what you see is what you get”). **Edit** mode is not a pixel-perfect student page.

**WYSIWYM** means you author the *meaning* of each block:

- Block type (for example **Multiple Choice Question** or **Image**)
- Points, answer keys, and which choices are correct
- Rubrics and model solutions
- Settings such as shuffle, blank types, or sandbox files

Students get the **same lesson content** with instructor-only data stripped: answer keys, rubrics, model solutions, AI system prompts, graph solutions, and similar authoring chrome.

To check the student experience, leave **Edit**, or preview a learner’s live work with [Learner List](https://www.curacourse.com/help/view-lesson-as-a-learner-use-learner-list).

![CuraCourse screenshot: What are CuraCourse blocks?](https://www.curacourse.com/help/featurebase/75186c1ec17c4b5d14da.png)

## Editor view vs student view

| In **Edit** (author) | For students (and when you leave Edit) |
| --- | --- |
| Type label, **Points** input, settings, `⋯` menu | Interaction surface; points display when grades are allowed |
| Answer keys, correct marks, FIB answers, graph solutions | Keys and solutions redacted |
| Rubrics and model solutions | Stripped — students never see them |
| Author order of choices and items | Shuffle / student order when you enabled it |
| AI Chat system prompt, simulated pairs, grading config | Cleared or defaulted |

## Common gotchas

- Setting **Points** to **0** does not turn an activity into a content block. It is still an Interactive Activity Block (useful for ungraded practice).
- **Interactive Graph** and **Python Tutor Embed** look interactive, but they are **content** — they do not award points. Use **Graphing Question**, **Code Editor**, or **Code Tracing Activity** when you want a scored exercise.
- **Instant Feedback** appears under Interactive Activity Blocks, but it awards **no points of its own**. It lets students check a *bound* activity without submitting the lesson.

## Next steps

- [Content blocks](https://www.curacourse.com/help/content-blocks)
- [Interactive Activity Blocks](https://www.curacourse.com/help/interactive-activity-blocks)
- [Rubrics & scoring modes](https://www.curacourse.com/help/rubrics)