This is our catalog of courses. We will occasionally adjust the course listing to reflect the addition of new courses and the retirement of others.
In this approved AP course, students work with data and learn the skills of computing, problem-solving, programming, cybersecurity, and more. Prepare your student for the AP test, to earn college credit — or simply give your student AP credit on his or her transcript!
Note: This course prepares students for the AP Computer Science Principles test. In order to list this course as AP on a transcript, it must be taken as a live, interactive course. However, students taking the recorded version may still take the AP test.
Total classes: 14 recorded live class sessions plus pre-recorded lessons.
Duration: 60 minutes per recorded live, interactive class. Pre-recorded lessons are 20-30 minutes.
Prerequisite: AP Computer Science Principles, Part One
Suggested grade level: 10th to 12th grade.
Suggested high school credit: One full semester AP Computer Science
Description
The course is designed to give students foundational computer science practice and experience at a college level. Students will have two software options for the course: option one – the Mobile CSP curriculum which was developed collaboratively by both Trinity College and the College of St. Scholastica, and option 2 – the Beauty and Joy of Computing which was developed at University of California’s Berkeley Campus. Option 1 requires having a mobile device (android or apple) to test out apps; option 2 requires a browser.
During the course, students complete several programming projects (they will create Android-based apps). At the end of the second semester, students can take the AP Computer Science Principles exam to earn college credit.
AP Computer Science Principles Exam Overview:
AP Computer Science Principles (AP CSP) is unique from other AP courses and exams in a number of ways. The assessment consists of two parts: (1) 30% of the grade consists of a through-course assessment composed of a performance task that students complete in class, with 20 hours of in-class instruction time, and (2) 70% of the exam grade is a Two-hour end-of-course paper and pencil exam with 74 multiple-choice questions that is administered in May (this part of the exam will need to be completed in a local school that proctors AP exams).
Outline
Unit 6 – Using and Analyzing Data & Information
Week 1: Parallel lists and Big Data
Week 2: Data Visualizations and Fusion Tables
Unit 7 – Communication Through the Internet
Week 3: The internet
Week 4: Hubs
Unit 8 – Programming Performance Task #1
Weeks 5-12
Unit 9 – Impact of Computing Innovations Performance Task #1
Weeks 9-12
Unit 10 – AP CS Principles Exam Prep and Exam
Week 13 – Exam Prep and Exam
Week 14 – Exam Analysis
Materials and Homework
Course materials:
Required Textbooks:
2. Blown to Bits Book – available online for free – http://www.bitsbook.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/B2B_3.pdf
Software:
6. MIT’s App Inventor Developers: Google/MIT/College Board http://ai2.appinventor.mit.edu
7. Mobile CSP https://course.mobilecsp.org/mobilecsp/course
8. Beauty and Joy of Computing
9. or Offline Version
10. Chrome or other browser
Hardware:
3. Windows-based laptop or desktop for completing programming tasks (this is difficult from a phone or tablet device)
4. Optionally, for Mobile CSP Curriculum – An Inexpensive android device to run their apps on (phone or tablet) or android emulator software that they can run on their PC. As a side note, my husband purchased a $5.00 no-contract Trac-phone (he did not purchase minutes), and it works great. It does not have an accelerometer (a sensor that allows the phone to detect that it is turned or shaken), but it does have the features needed to complete the coding assignments.
Other:
1. A Google Account
Homework: Assignments will include hands-on app development, reading, and writing. Students can expect 2 to 5 hours of time per week (outside of class time) dedicated to homework. Regular feedback will be provided to the students and their parents to ensure that all are aware of the progress being made throughout the course.
