COURSE DESCRIPTION

AP Computer Science Principles introduces students to the central idea of computer science, instilling the ideas and practices of computational thinking and inviting students to understand how computing changes the world. The course promotes deep learning of computational content, develops computational thinking skills, and engages students in the creative aspects of the field.

Students spend a large portion of the class learning key programming elements through the language Python.

Learn about the course (and the AP Exam) on the College Board website linked here.

Currently, the course is available to 9th - 12th graders.

Overview of the Class

Students start with basic assignments and are eased into working more independently in environments like Trinket.io (using an Object Oriented language like Python or JavaScript). Students start at the basics and develop good, foundational programming knowledge and learn core concepts in programming including the following: loops, functions/methods, variables, if statements, and comments. We also cover topics like How Computers Work, Big Data, and How the Internet Works.

During the second semester, we put more time into preparing for the AP CSP Assessment which is two parts: a multiple choice exam, and the Create Performance Task (Create PT). Students are given several hours of class time to complete the Create PT.

Is This Class a Good Fit For Me?

Are you comfortable using a computer? Are you good at math/science? People who say yes to both questions usually enjoy the class.

Still not sure? The self-reflecting questions in the Google Form below could be helpful to see if this class would be a good fit for you.

Having said that, just because you're new to computers or programming does NOT mean you can't be successful in this class. If you enjoy computers, you want to learn programming and more about the world of computer science, go for it!

Want more information? Check out Mrs. Speers Terry's website (www.speersterry.com) or email candace_terry@lakesidesd.org.