AP Computer Science 2016-2017:
HelloWorld & Objects
(September)
We are moving right along with our Java Boot Camp! We are covering Chapters 1-7 very quickly, highlighting the most important topics only. Once we cover the basics, we will go back and cover everything in more detail. During Java Boot Camp we are using javac, java, javadoc and an ASCII editor in a Linux shell aka a CLI environment.
When we are done with Java Boot Camp, we will switch to more graphical projects using Processing, which is based on Java, in a GUI environment.
We are also trying out TeamViewer for the first time this year. Now students can login from home and see their classroom desktop on their home PC and finish any LabWork they need to without going to extra help. Students can have access to our Linux SFTP server all day, any day, any where. I think this is great for practicing our coding skills. Students should be reading and writing code a little bit every single day!
When we are done with Java Boot Camp, we will switch to more graphical projects using Processing, which is based on Java, in a GUI environment.
We are also trying out TeamViewer for the first time this year. Now students can login from home and see their classroom desktop on their home PC and finish any LabWork they need to without going to extra help. Students can have access to our Linux SFTP server all day, any day, any where. I think this is great for practicing our coding skills. Students should be reading and writing code a little bit every single day!
This year I'm trying something new:
MCQ Mondays,
TakeHome Tuesdays,
YouTube Wednesdays,
UPDATE: TeamViewer Thursdays,
FRQ Fridays.
MCQ Mondays will start in October. Even months we will do practice MCQ Exams using Formative Assessments via Socrative. On odd months we will have actual Mock MCQ Exams as Summative Assessments.
TakeHome Tuesday is when I collect TakeHome Exams. Most tests will be TakeHomes given on Friday and collected on Tuesday.
YouTube Wednesday is infamous for STEAM related Filks as well as month long Documentaries from National Geographic or Nova on PBS.
ThinkPairShare Thursday is when the students get into groups of 2 or 3 with a WhiteBoard to review HomeWork questions they had trouble with.
UPDATE: ThinkPairShare works great in Math class as we have a lot of HomeWork exercises to go over. I'm changing to TeamViewer Thursdays in AP CompSci instead. I will check the server logs every Thirsday for the last week and give a HomeWork grade based on how many minutes a week each student is working from home! 60 minutes or more will will earn 100 points!
UPDATE: ThinkPairShare works great in Math class as we have a lot of HomeWork exercises to go over. I'm changing to TeamViewer Thursdays in AP CompSci instead. I will check the server logs every Thirsday for the last week and give a HomeWork grade based on how many minutes a week each student is working from home! 60 minutes or more will will earn 100 points!
FRQ Fridays occur at the end of every 1-2 week unit. On Friday I give a preTEST review sheet. We go over it ThinkPairShare style. The real TEST, similar to the preTEST, is then given at the end of the period as a TakeHome Exam due the following Tuesday.
Chapter 1 ScreenCasts
Chapter 1 is all about getting used to our setup and writing several variations of Hello World.
Chapter 2 ScreenCasts
Now we practice writing main() methods using preexisting Java classes such as Random, Rectangle, Color and String. I call this OBP: Object Based Programming.
Chapter 3 ScreenCasts
We started OOP in Chapter 3. Now we are writing and testing our own classes. We talked about writing our own Constructor, Accessor and Mutator methods. We also talked alot about Abstraction and Encapsulation. We even used javadoc to document our code!
Non YouTube Wednesday Discussions:
Tom Lehrer YouTube Wednesday 9/7/16
Tom Lehrer YouTube Wednesday 9/14/16
Tom Lehrer YouTube Wednesday 9/21/16
Tom Lehrer YouTube Wednesday 9/28/16
Teaching with Technology,
AJG
Well, that's all folks,
