This course provides students with a solid understanding of algorithms, symbolic reasoning, logic, and object-oriented programming that will allow them to be the innovators and future leaders of their chosen fields. Students will master the skills necessary to thoroughly analyze problems, systematically construct full and correct solutions, and express these solutions with clarity and precision. This course prepares students for the AP Computer Science A exam. 

Key Topics:

• Problem Solving

• High-Level Programming (Java)

• Sequencing

• Selection Statements

• Iteration

• Recursion

• Object Orientation

• Abstraction

• Encapsulation

• Inheritance

• Polymorphism

Fall Semester

Unit 1: Problem Solving

• • Top-Down Design

  • Bottom-Up Design

  • Sequential Algorithms

  • Conditional Selection

  • Iteration

  • Quadratic Sorting Algorithms (Bubble Sort, Selection Sort, Insertion Sort)

Unit 2: Java Programming

• • Classes, Abstract Classes, and Interfaces

  • Methods and Operations

  • Variables and Constants

  • Data types

  • Search Algorithms (Sequential Search, Binary Search)

Unit 3: Arrays and Lists

• • One-dimensional Arrays

  • Multidimensional Arrays

  • Dynamic Arrays

  • Accessing Array Elements

  • Adding and Removing Array Elements

  • Shifting and Rotating Array Elements

Unit 4: Recursion

• • Base Case vs. Recursive Case

  • Logarithmic Sorting Algorithms (Merge Sort, Quicksort)

Spring Semester

Unit 5: Classes

• • Abstraction

  • Encapsulation

  • Class Definitions

  • Instance Members and Class Members

  • Constructors

Unit 6: Class Hierarchies

• • Inheritance

  • Polymorphism

  • Superclasses and Subclasses

  • Method Overriding

Unit 7: AP Exam Preparation

• • Course Review

Unit 8: Capstone Project

• • Software Development

Room E1309 is usually open every morning (except Thursdays) before school (8:30-9:00). Students who need additional assistance, who need to make-up an exam/quiz, or who wish to work on their projects are encouraged to come in to work or get assistance as needed.

Due to federal, minimum class time requirements for CTE classes, Computer Science students may not "flex out of" select flex periods (usually Mondays – Thursdays) as they are considered a continuation of regular class time. While some coursework may be assigned during these periods, students may use the remaining time to make up any missing work in Computer Science, work on projects, or work on homework for another class. See the Westwood Flex Calendar for a schedule of "Academic" vs. "Club and Interest Group" Flex days.

Unit Assessments

• Each unit will contain periodic, short-answer quizzes and AP-styled exams that allow students to demonstrate their mastery of course topics.

Computational Thinking Practices

• These are short, one-day exercises in which students will be challenged with demonstrating their ability to apply computational thinking practices to well-specified, everyday problems.

• Each exercise will focus on one of five computational thinking practices:

  • • CTP #1: Program Design and Algorithm Development

    • CTP #2: Code Logic

    • CTP #3: Code Implementation

    • CTP #4: Code Testing

    • CTP #5: Documentation

• Students will be evaluated on their ability to solve these problems and communicate their solutions in a clear, precise, unambiguous, and accurate manner.

AP Benchmark Exams

• At four points throughout the year, students will take a full-length, AP-style, multiple-choice "benchmark" exam that they can use to gauge their progress in learning the course material and preparing for the AP Computer Science A exam in May.

• Each exam will include questions that cover the full spectrum of course topics, including those topics that will not be studied until later units.

• As students learn more topics throughout the year, their performance can be expected to improve with each successive benchmark exam.

• For each AP Benchmark Exam, students who manage to meet or exceed the stated goal for each exam (see chart below) can feel confident that they are making sufficient progress throughout the course to score well on the official AP exam in May. 

• Grading for the AP Benchmark Exams will be generously curved to account for expected student performance. Students who meet or exceed the stated goal for an exam (see chart below) will receive full credit.

• Students are permitted to retake 2 failed assessments per semester.

• Missing work may be submitted for a grade until the end of the marking period in which it was assigned.  

Exemptions

• One Semester Exam may be exempted according to the standard, school policies and restrictions regarding exam exemptions (i.e., requires a semester average of 85, no more than 2 absences for the semester, etc.).

Exam Options

• If eligible, exempt the final exam, take no test, and receive no semester exam grade.

• Accept a pre-calculated exam grade based on the semester's 2 AP Benchmark Exams and take no test during the final exam period.

• Take an additional 40-question multiple-choice AP Benchmark Exam on the date of the final exam to serve as a semester exam grade.