Introduction to Computer Science

There is no textbook for this course, although there will be reference books available in the classroom. Most of the teaching materials (handouts, presentation slides, resource lists, assignments, etc.) will be found online, either on a website that I have developed specifically for this course (see below), or other public website resources.

Please be sure to have a composition book for the class (as well as writing instruments, of course), as you will need it for notes and keeping a journal. If you intend to work on your projects outside of school, you will need a flash drive to transport digital files back and forth.

We will be using many different software tools in the course. All of them are installed on the computers in the lab. Most of the software is “open source,” which means it is free and available for anyone to download and use on their own computers. So you can also work at home or anywhere else you have access to another computer.

You can find complete information about this course online, at the website I have developed for all of my classes. You will find useful information on other parts of the website as well.

Assignments will be posted on Google Classroom. Students may sign in using their district Google account from home or any internet-connected computer.

Parents & Guardians: If you would like to follow your student's progress in Google Classroom, please email me at testteacher@ecs.k12.ny.us

This course is based primarily on the philosophy of project-based learning. This means that students will learn by designing and implementing programming projects.

There will be regular assignments to complete, typically one per week or every other week, depending on the topic. These assignments will involve applying the principles and techniques of computation, programming, and computer science in increasingly complicated exercises and small projects.

The final project is an investigation of how to design and implement a software application and will also afford the opportunity to experiment with basic digital electronics. This project will require students to design, plan and implement a software project of their own choosing. Students will be encouraged to work in small teams on this project, to gain experience in working collaboratively, much as software projects are developed in real companies.

There will also be a number of short quizzes during the semester to reinforce understanding of the concepts and technical details of programming.

Finally, a component of all Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses is a demonstration of professionalism. Students are expected to actively participate in class, show leadership, and exhibit responsible behavior in preparation for life beyond high school. There will be activities and tasks in the classroom that emphasize these skills.

Grades will be based on the components as shown below.

• Assignments: 60%
• Final Project: 20%
• Quizzes: 10%
• Professionalism: 10%

Grades for assignments in Google Classroom will be posted within two weeks of the due date of the assignment.

This course is structured so that you can accomplish all of the required work during class sessions, because much of it requires software and supplies that are in our lab and not generally available on other school computers.

But things always come up, from absences to illness to just needing extra time. Late work will be accepted, without regard to cause, because I would rather have you do the work and learn the material we cover than not.

However, to be fair and to encourage you to keep up with the work, late assignments will be marked down 10%. You can submit late work not more than two weeks past the due date, without extenuating circumstances.

Ellenville Central School District - Student Code of Conduct

I will be available most days during lunch periods and after school for extra lab time or individual help. After school help will be offered from 2:35 - 2:50 on Tuesdays, unless otherwise announced.

Email (testteacher@ecs.k12.ny.us) is also a great way to get in touch with me for questions or problems. Students may contact me from within Google Classroom.