AP Computer Science A Syllabus

Transcription

1 AP Computer Science A Syllabus Course Overview The focus of this class is structured logic with an emphasis on developing simple, elegant algorithms and thinking in an object-oriented manner. The Java programming language serves as an excellent platform because of its relatively simple syntax and accessibility as a programming environment. Students should leave the course prepared to pass the AP Computer Science A Exam, but also prepared to extend their programming skills to other programming languages they may study in college. While the class is geared to be a college-prep course equivalent to a first semester college introductory programming class, its structured problem-solving approach develops skills applicable to almost any domain. The AP Computer Science A classroom also functions as a lab. Consequently, the lab component of the class is strongly emphasized. The most important element of the class is an open sharing of ideas, and approaches to problems. Course Resources Major texts: Java Software Solutions for AP Computer Science A.J. Lewis, W. Loftus, and C. Cocking, Prentice Hall Addison Wesley s Review for the AP Computer Science Exam Susan Horwitz, Addison Wesley Web sites: teacher s blog Other resources: AP GridWorld Case Study

2 Units of Study Unit 1: A. Overview of basic hardware, software, and introduction to the Java programming environment B. The Computer and Society Students experiment with scenarios in the Greenfoot program and explore how objects interact and the impact that changes to the code have on the objects. They experiment in a similar manner with part one of the GridWorld Case Study. Students discuss and research the history and development of modern computing and programming. Students also discuss ethical and social implications of mass communication and privacy issues brought on by the internet. Sample Student Activities for Unit 1: 1) Use the Turtle scenario from Greenfoot to draw various shapes by creating Turtle objects and modifying the underlying Java code. 2) Create a PowerPoint presentation detailing the evolution of computer hardware and/or user interfaces. Greenfoot AP GridWorld Case Study Lewis, Loftus, Cocking: Chapter One Unit 2: Introduction to Predefined Objects and Primitive Data Students are led through their first Java programs using simple input/output. Primitive types, operators, and expressions are also explored as well as the String class, arithmetic operators, and random number generation. Emphasis is placed on proper formatting of Java code. Students should be able to read and understand a problem description, purpose, and goals. Students are taught how to plan their work by learning about pseudocode and flowcharts and designing solutions using top-down development. Students are also taught at this point to identify logic, syntax, and runtime errors and debugging techniques are covered.

3 Further exploration of the concept of objects and how they can be used. Many predefined classes from the Java standard library are used, as well as the Scanner class for terminal based keyboard input. Sample Student Activity for Unit 2: Lewis, Loftus, Cocking: Ch. 2, p. 117 programming project 2.4 Create a revised version of the TempConverter application to convert Fahrenheit to Celsius. Read the Fahrenheit temperature from the user. Lewis, Loftus, Cocking: Chapter Two Unit 3: Conditional statements and Repetition This unit covers most of the fundamental statements including conditionals and loops. Some additional operators are introduced at this point as well. Establishing key statements at this point allows the classes of the next chapter to be fully functional and realistic. Students are taught to choose from appropriate algorithms as well as how to develop their own algorithms in order to solve problems. Sample Student Activity for Unit 3: 1) Lewis, Loftus, Cocking: Ch. 3, p. 185 programming project 3.15 Design and implement an application that plays the rockpaper-scissors game agains the computer. When played between two people, each person picks one of three options (usually shown by a hand gesture) at the same time, and a winner is determined. In the game, rock beats scissors, scissors beats paper, and paper beats rock. The program should randomly choose of the three choices (without revealing it), then ask for the user s selection. Implement the user interface as discussed in class. 2) Complete the logic section of javabat.com. Lewis, Loftus, Cocking: Chapter Three Javabat.com Unit 4: Methods and Classes This unit explores issues related to writing classes and methods. Students should be able to read and understand class specifications and relationships classes ( is a and has a relationships). Students are taught to use the Standard Java library classes from the AP Java subset delineated in Appendices A and B of the AP Computer Science Course Description.

4 Topics include instance data abstraction, encapsulation, visibility, scope, method parameters and return types. Method overloading is covered as well. Many fully implemented, realistic classes are presented as examples of class design. Program descriptions explicity state pre- and post-conditions. Sample Student Activity for Unit 4: Lewis, Loftus, Cocking: Ch. 4, p. 243 programming projects (1)Write an application that rolls dice and displays the result. Use the Dice class to represent the dice in your program. (2) Implement a class called PairOfDice with two six-sided Dice. Create a driver class that rolls a PairOfDice object 1000 times. Count the occurrences of box cars (two sixes). (3) Using the PairOfDice class from the previous assignment, implement a class to play a game such as Pig or Craps. Lewis, Loftus, Cocking: Chapter Four Unit 5: Introduction to Arrays Covers the differences between arrays and arraylists. Students understand the simple use of arrays: traversal, sequential searching, insertions and deletions, and passing arrays as parameters in methods. Though this unit teaches students to use and implement commonly used algorithms and data structures, a more in-depth discussion comparing the most common searching and sorting algorithms and their relative efficiency takes place in Unit 7. Sample Student Activity for Unit 5: 1) Lewis, Loftus, Cocking: Ch. 6, p. 377 programming project 6.4 Design and implement an application that reads a set of values in the range 1 to 100 from a text file and then creates a chart showing how often the values appeared. The charts shows how many values fell in the range 1 to 10, 11 to 20, and so on. Print one asterisk for each value. 2) Complete the Array1 methods from the javabat.com website. Lewis, Loftus, Cocking: Chapter Six Javabat.com Unit 6: Advanced topics in classes This unit covers additional issues related to class design and revisits topics that need further exploration. Object references are revisited and carefully explored, and their impact on parameter passing is discussed. Interfaces and their effect on design are also covered.

5 Sample Student Activity for Unit 6: Lewis, Loftus, Cocking: Ch. 5, p. 295 programming project 5.6 Design a Java interface called Lockable that includes the following methods: setkey, lock, unlock, and locked. The setkey, lock, and unlock methods take an integer parameter that represents the key. The setkey method establishes the key. The lock and unlock methods lock and unlock the the object, but only if the key is correct. The locked method returns a boolean for locked and false for unlocked. Lewis, Loftus, Cocking: Chapter Five Unit 7: Advanced array topics At this point, students are already familiar with the fundamentals of one dimensional arrays (Unit 5), they are now prepared to examine all of the operations on A-level data structures and their relative merits: traversals, insertions, deletions, sequential and binary searching, as well as sorting algorithms such as selection, insertion, and mergesort. Sample Student Activity for Unit 7: 1) Lewis, Loftus, Cocking: Ch. 6, p. 377 programming project 6.3 Rewrite the Sorts class so that both sorting algorithms put the values in descending order. Create a driver class with a main method that calls the new versions of the methods. 2) Complete the Array2 methods from javabat.com Lewis, Loftus, Cocking: Chapter Six Javabat.com Unit 8: Inheritance This unit covers class derivations and associated concepts such as class hierarchies, overriding, and polymorphism. Emphasis is put on the proper use of inheritance and its role in software design. Sample Student Activity for Unit 8: Lewis, Loftus, Cocking: Ch. 7, p. 449 programming project 7.2 Design and implement a set of classes that define the employees of a hospital: doctor, nurse, administrator, surgeon, receptionist, janitor, and so on. Include methods in each class that are named according to the services provided by that person and that print an appropriate message. Create a main driver class to instantiate several objects of the classes. Lewis, Loftus, Cocking: Chapter Seven

6 Unit 9: AP GridWorld Experiment with using and modifying classes implemented in the AP GridWorld. Understand creation of objects, arrays and arraylists of objects, calling methods, and inheritance concepts. Sample Student Activity for Unit 9: Exercises from parts 1 3 of the case study. GridWorld Case Study Unit 10: Recursion This unit covers the concept, implementation, and proper use of recursion. Several examples from various domains are used to demonstrate how recursive techniques make certain types of processing elegant. Recursive sorting algorithms are also covered. Sample Student Activity for Unit 10: Lewis, Loftus, Cocking: Ch. 8, p. 509 programming project 8.1 Design and implement a recursive version of the PalindromeTester program. Complete all of the recursive methods from the Recur1 section of javabat.com. Lewis, Loftus, Cocking: Chapter Eight Javabat.com website Unit 11: Preparing for the AP Exam Students make extensive use of the JavaBat website to review writing Java methods including practice methods from previous AP exams. Students also work through practice multiple choice and free-response questions. Complete the AP methods of javabat.com. Complete practice object and free response questions from the case study. GridWorld Case Study and supplemental handouts Horwitz: Chapters One through Five and Practice Exams One and Two Javabat.com Unit 12: Group and Independent Projects At this point, students have a chance to explore other aspects of Java such as Swing library objects. Typically, we will implement a few simple graphical applications and then work on a card game such as BlackJack.

7 As a closing or summative project, students design and implement their own Java application from the ground up: come up with the original conception, write a program proposal, plan the program using pseudocode/flowcharts, layout the framework for the design of the classes, design the user interface, and then write and debug the code, as well as create a user s manual. Students are graded on all of the aspects and phases of the project. Although originality is encouraged, a clean and concise approach to a functioning application is essential. Correlation to AP Topic Outline I. Object-Oriented Program Design A. Program Design 1. Read and understand a problem Unit 1, 3 description, purpose, and goals. 2. Apply data abstraction and Units 2, 4, 6, 8 encapsulation 3. Read and understand class Units 4, 6, 8 specifications and relationships among the classes ( is-a, has-a relationships). 4. Understand and implement a given class Units 4, 6, 8 hierarchy. 5. Identify reusable components from Units 4, 6, 8 existing code using classes and class libraries. B. Class design 1. Design and implement a class. Units 4, 6, 8 2. Choose appropriate data representation Units 3, 4, 6, 8 and algorithms. 3. Apply functional decomposition. Units 4, 6, 8 4. Extend a given class using inheritance. Unit 8 II. Program Implementation A. Implementation Techniques 1. Methodology a. Object-oriented development Units 2, 4, 6, 8 b. Top-down development Unit 3 c. Encapsulation and information hiding Units 2, 4, 6, 8 d. Procedural abstraction Unit 4 B. Programming constructions 1. Primitive types vs. objects 2. Declaration

8 a. Constant declarations Unit 2 b. Variable declarations Unit 2 c. Class declarations Units 2, 4, 6, 8 d. Interface declarations Units 4, 6, 8 e. Method declarations Unit 4 f. Parameter declarations Unit 4 3. Console output Unit 2 4. Control a. Methods Unit 4 b. Sequential Unit 3 c. Conditional Unit 3 d. Iteration Unit 3 e. Recursion Unit 10 C. Java library clases (included in the A- Units 2, 4 level (AP Java Subset) III. Program Analysis A. Testing 1. Test classes and libraries in isolation. Units 4, 6 2. Identify boundary cases and generate Unit 4 appropriate test data. B. Debugging 1. Categorize errors: compile-time, runtime, logic Unit 2 2. Identify and correct errors Units Employ techniques such as using a Units 2-12 debugger, adding extra output statements, or hand-tracing code. C. Understand and modify existing code. Units 2-12 D. Extend existing code using inheritance. Unit 8 E. Understand error handling. 1. Understand runtime exceptions Unit 4 F. Reason about programs. 1. Pre- and post-conditions Unit 4 2. Assertions Unit 4 G. Analysis of algorithms 1. Informal comparison of running times Unit 7 2. Exact calculation of statement Unit 7 execution counts. H. Numerical representations and limits 1. Representations of numbers in different Unit 2 bases. 2. Limitations of finite representations Units 2, 3

9 IV. Standard Data Structures A. Simple data types Unit 2 B. Classes Units 4, 8 C. One-dimensional arrays Unit 5 V. Standard Algorithms A. Operations on A-level data structures previously listed 1. Traversals Units 5, 7 2. Insertions Units 5, 7 3. Deletions Units 5, 7 B. Searching 1. Sequential Unit 7 2. Binary Unit 7 C. Sorting 1. Selection Unit 7 2. Insertion Unit 7 3. Mergesort Unit 7 VI. Computing in Context A. Major hardware components 1. Primary and secondary memory Unit 1 2. Processors Unit 1 3. Peripherals Unit 1 B. System software 1. Language translators/compilers Unit 1 2. Virtual machines Unit 1 3. Operating systems Unit 1 C. Types of systems 1. Single-user systems Unit 1 2. Networks Unit 1 D. Responsible use of computer systems 1. System reliability Unit 1 2. Privacy Unit 1 3. Legal issues and intellectual property Unit 1 4. Social and ethical ramifications of Unit 1 computer use.