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Lesson 1: The AP CSA Exam
Lesson 1: The AP CSA Exam
How can you use computer science to solve problems?
I can use computer science to solve problems by creating software products that address those problems directly. Through these solutions, I can help to solve a variety of problems, including problems not directly associated with computer science.
What topics do you feel the most confident about as you prepare for the AP Exam?
Overall, I feel very confident in my abilities as I prepare for the AP Exam, particularly the method and class structure.
What topics do you feel the most comfortable?
Primitive Types
Using Objects
Boolean Expressions and if Statements
Writing Classes
Array
ArrayList
2D Array
Inheritance
What topics do you think you need to review?
Iteration
Recursion
What exam expectations surprised you the most?
How much weight is given to iteration on the test.
Do you feel adequately prepared to pass the AP CSA Exam? Why or why not?
Because of the ample time we spent covering each unit of the test, I feel prepared for the exam.
What test-taking and study strategies were the most effective for the end-of-unit multiple-choice assessments we took in this course?
One of the most helpful test-taking strategies was drawing out the inputs and outputs for different iterations of iterative and recursive problems while taking MCQs.
Summary
In this lesson, I learned about the general structure of the AP CSA exam, along with its general breakdown and course expectations. Additionally, we learned a variety of study strategies and test-taking strategies that I can use while practicing, and in preparation for the AP CSA test overall.
Lesson 2: MCQ Pre-Assessment
Lesson 2: MCQ Pre-Assessment
Summary
In this lesson, I took a 30-question practice MCQ test that covers the full breadth of content covered in AP CSA. After taking the test, I spent time analyzing the questions I got incorrect, noting what I could do better in the future.
Lesson 4: MCQ Practice—Day 1
Lesson 4: MCQ Practice—Day 1
NOTE: I was absent for 9.4, so I was unable to participate in the stations for this activity. As a replacement, I completed the Unit 9 MCQ Progress Check.
Summary
In this lesson, in order to further practice my MCQ skills for the AP CSA Exam, I completed the Unit 9 MCQ Progress Check. Overall, I significantly increased my performance in Unit 9.
Lesson 5: MCQ Practice—Day 2
Lesson 5: MCQ Practice—Day 2
Activity: Watched both 9.7 AP Daily Videos and took notes to further build knowledge of Unit 9.
Summary
In this lesson, I watched AP Daily Videos that covered the content area I missed in the Day 1 practice activity. This helped fill any gaps in my content mastery related to unit 9.
Lesson 6: FRQ Pre-Assessment
Lesson 6: FRQ Pre-Assessment
Summary
In this lesson, I took 3/4 of the FRQ section for the AP CSA exam. I did well overall, missing 5 points between each of the sections overall. Interestingly, 4 of these points were missed on the first question, not because of the difficulty of the question, but because I had misread what the question intended. In the future, I will pay extra attention to these questions, especially on longer, point-heavy sections.
Lesson 7: FRQ Study Plan
Lesson 7: FRQ Study Plan
Which parts of the exam did you earn points?
I earned points on all of the sections, earning a 5/9 on FRQ 1, a 9/9 on FRQ 2, and an 8/9 on FRQ 3.
Which parts of the exam did you deduct penalties?
I did not have penalties deducted throughout any part of the exam.
Were there any places on the exam where you made an error, but did not lose points?
Every mistake I made resulted in a loss of points.
Summary
In this lesson, I built on my knowledge of sorting and searching algorithms by implementing them in more complex use cases. In this way, I am able to analyze numerous data sets of different types, at varying levels of efficiency depending on the algorithms utilized.
Lesson 8: FRQ Practice—Day 1
Lesson 8: FRQ Practice—Day 1
NOTE: I was absent for 9.8, so I was unable to participate in the stations for this activity. As a replacement, I completed the Unit 7 FRQ Progress Check.
Summary
In this lesson, in order to further practice my FRQ skills for the upcoming exam, I completed the Unit 7 FRQ Progress Check. This progress check involved the use of both Arrays and ArrayLists to manage data within a class, helping to build my skills in those areas.
Lesson 9: FRQ Practice—Day 2
Lesson 9: FRQ Practice—Day 2
NOTE: I was absent for 9.9, so I was unable to participate in the stations for this activity. As a replacement, I completed the Unit 8 FRQ Progress Check.
Summary
In this lesson, to gain more confidence around the use of 2D array as I prepare for the AP exam, I completed the Unit 8 FRQ progress check. This progress check involved the use of 2D arrays, notably the ability to perform row-major and column-major traversal through these arrays to change and access different information and incorporate that information into different algorithms.
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