Computer Science Principles

Offered as AP and non-AP

Computer Science Principles(CSP)

This Project Lead the Way Course uses Python® as a primary tool and incorporates multiple platforms and languages for computation. This course aims to develop computational thinking, generate excitement about career paths that utilize computing, and introduces professional tools that foster creativity and collaboration. While this course can be a student's first in computer science, students without prior computing experience are encouraged to start with Introduction to Computer Programming, Introduction to Computer Science, or Exploring Computer Science. CSP helps students develop programming expertise and explore the workings of the Internet. Projects and problems include app development, visualization of data, cybersecurity, and simulation. Students may say their favorite projects are building their own websites using HTML/CSS/Bootstap, programming a Discord Bot in Python, and creating a muti-player game or interactive webpage using Google's Firebase database.

This class is offered as Computer Science Principles and AP Computer Science Principles.

Please click the "Student Websites" image below to navigate to the student-built websites where you can see their projects. Each student has a "Projects" page that showcases their work.

Below that, find samples of CSP student-built apps created with MIT AppInventor, simulations built with NetLogo, Virtual Reality environments built with CoSpaces, and projects programmed with Python.

Click the large image below to visit Student Created Websites for AP Computer Science Principles

Multi-Player Snake hosted by a server: game and server programmed in Pygame by Ben Hatch

Students testing their Micro:Bit programs that control a Micro:Bot through a course

3D prints designed by students and printed in the classroom

FireflyCatcher programmed in Pygame by Christopher Horch

Seahorse Escape built by Derek Eijansantos, the image is a link to the game

Rocketron programmed in Pygame by Christopher Horch

Blackjack programmed in Pygame by Ashley Zhuang and Matthew Reddick

Canon Blast programmed in Pygame by Tida Ngov and Molly MacLaren

Cat Pong programmed in Pygame by Tida Ngov and Molly MacLaren

Above is an encryption program developed by Ashley Zhuang

Spell It Out! created with Thunkable by Laurie Liu and Saara Kriplani

ComputerScience&Software Engineering made by Kevin Salazar.mov

skyler.mp4

ben 3D.mp4

raymond ritik.mp4

sam aaron.mp4

laura ben.mp4

hayden.mp4

willis.mp4

alex.mp4

Hayden jack.mp4

thomas.mp4

natalie.mp4

hungryHippos.mp4

ritik.mp4

zach thomas.mp4

victor Ahmet good one.mp4

gabe.mp4

matt liam.mp4

Check out these student 3D prints by Eric Heinke with the Nintendo replica Raspberry Pi case and Jack Volponi with the 3D printed car. These were designed and printed in Computer Science Principles!

AP Test Results

*Note: there is a reason why some of the histogram graphs on the right are from the College Board and some are user-created. The College Board creates Instructional Reports for each year, and this includes the histogram of student score distributions for teachers. There is a caveat: the histogram provided by the College Board only includes students who took the AP Test on the first offering, but it does not include the students who could not take the first offering but did take the makeup test. Therefore, the College Board histogram does not always include every student, and to be accurate and include all students who took the AP Test, the user-created histograms were created.

2018 APCSP Test Scores for Granada Students

*Note: In 2018, Computer Science Principles was offered only as a non-AP course at Granada

Ten students from the non-AP course elected to take the AP Computer Science Principles Test

2019 APCSP Test Scores for Granada Students

2020 APCSP Test Scores for Granada Students

*Note: This was during the COVID-19 Pandemic, no multiple choice test was administered. The scores were based entirely upon the Digital Portfolio including the Create and Explore Performance Tasks. The College Board did not release Instructional Reports including bar charts, therefore the bar chart for this year was created manually. One student took the test on the makeup date, and therefore is included in the bar chart but not included in the stats below.

2021 APCSP Test Scores for Granada Students

2022 APCSP Test Scores for Granada Students

*Note: the data below includes one GHS student who took the test but was not enrolled in the course. The chart to the right includes only the students who were enrolled in the APCSP class. The average score for the students enrolled in the course was 3.67.

2023 APCSP Test Scores for Granada Students

**Over 163,000 students worldwide took the APCSP AP Exam in 2023 and 459 of those students earned all 100% points possible (70 mult choice and 6 rubric points on the programming project). That equates to approximately 1 student out of 355 test takers who earned all points possible. In 2023, there were 3 GHS students who earned all 100% points possible on the APCSP AP Exam!

2024 APCSP Test Scores for Granada Students

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