High School PLTW Computer Science A Curriculum

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Julianna Augusta Robinson
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1 Grade 9th - 12th, 1 Credit Elective Course Prerequisites: PLTW Computer Science and Software Engineering High School PLTW Computer Science A Curriculum Course Description: Computer Science A (CSA) builds on the basic skills learned in Computer Science Principles (CSP) to teach students authentic AndroidTM app development. Students in this course continue to hone their communication and collaboration skills while learning to use a variety of tools. The primary goal of the course is to create independent-thinking app developers; every unit in this course builds on students' prior knowledge and skills until they are able to complete an app development cycle independently from the ground up. This course will prepare students for AP Computer Science A Project Lead The Way Scope and Sequence: Timeframe Unit Instructional Topics 4 Weeks Introducing Java Topic 1: Objects in Java Topic 2: Manipulating Data 4 Weeks Vanilla AndroidTM Development 5 Weeks Advanced AndroidTM Features 5 Weeks The LibGDX Game Development Framework Topic 1: App Navigation Topic 2: Data Persistence Topic 3: College App: Camera Access and Independent Projects Topic 1: Using Backend Services Topic 2: Location Awareness Topic 3: Contacts in an App Topic 4: App Analysis Topic 1: Creating a New World Topic 2: Graphic Adventure Game Topic 3: Independent Projects

2 Unit 1: Introducing Java Subject: PLTW Computer Science A Grade: 9-12 Name of Unit: Introducing Java Length of Unit: 4 Weeks Overview of Unit: Unit one provides a primer in the basics of the Java programming language and object oriented programming (OOP). Students create classes, instantiate them, add instance data and access that data. They use conditionals, iteration, arithmetic and logical operators, arrays and iterators, first in BlueJ to ensure code correctness, and then in AndroidTM Studio to incorporate their own code into fully functional apps. The material provided also includes extra practice on all these Java topics and more. Topic 1: Objects in Java Activity Introduction to AndroidTM Development 2 Days Activity Your First Class 3 Days Activity Creating and Instantiating 3 Days Activity If It s a Rainy Day 5 Days Activity Your Sci-fi Name 1 Day Project MagPie 7 Days Topic 2: Manipulating Data Activity Parsing Text 4 Days Activity Today s Top 40 5 Days Activity Data Storage 5 Days Activity Synthesizer 3 Days Board Approved: June 9, 2016 Page 2

3 Unit 2: Vanilla Android TM Development Subject: PLTW Computer Science A Grade: 9-12 Name of Unit: Vanilla Android TM Development Length of Unit: 4 Weeks Overview of Unit: Students will spend most of this unit developing out a viewer for college applications, with college admissions officials as the target audience. Highlights of this unit include working with fragments, mastering encapsulation, and designing and implementing apps that utilize the most common and useful user interface elements. Students will use a Backend As A Service (BaaS) to implement persistent data within their app, allowing a user to access their data from any AndroidTM device. At the end of the unit, students design apps and perform usability testing on their designs using a prototyping tool. Topic 1: App Navigation Activity Usability Testin 1 Day Activity Prototyping with proto.io 2 Days Activity Classes 1 Day Activity User Input 2 Days Activity App Navigation 2 Day Board Approved: June 9, 2016 Page 3

4 Topic 2: Data Persistence Activity Exceptions and Scope 1 Day Activity Backend as a Service 5 Days Activity ListView 5 Days Activity One Method, Many Classes 4 Days Activity List and Detail 2 Day Project Integration Testing and Unit Testing 4 Days Topic 3: College App: Camera Access and Independent Projects Activity Let Me Take A Selfie 3 Days Problem The Development Process 13 Days Board Approved: June 9, 2016 Page 4

5 Unit 3: Advanced Android TM Features Subject: PLTW Computer Science A Grade: 9-12 Name of Unit: Advanced Android TM Features Length of Unit: 5 Weeks Overview of Unit: The goal of Unit Three is for students to reach a level of understanding of Google's AndroidTM libraries that allow them to create apps that use a broad range of mobile features such as Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and web access. The major project in this unit is a social networking app that utilizes the Google Cloud Platform to store data. Students begin by learning about the Google Cloud Datastore service and using client and server code to read and write to a cloud database. Students then learn to access the GPS features of their mobile devices and move on to reading Quick Response (QR) codes and accessing the web. The unit culminates in a problem in which students create a geo-cache style app using the techniques they developed in the social networking app projects. Topic 1: Using Backend Services Activity Activity Activity Activity Trip Tracker User Authentication Frontend Trip Tracker User Authentication Backend Trip Tracker Trip Management Frontend Trip Tracker Public Vs Private Trips 2 Days 2 Days 1 Day 1 Day Activity Sort Algorithms 3 Days Activity Search Algorithms 2 Days Project Social Networking App Design Project Social Networking App Development 2 Days 5 Days Board Approved: June 9, 2016 Page 5

6 Topic 2: Location Awareness Activity Location Detection 2 Days Activity Using Maps 2 Days Activity Location Awareness App Design Project Location Awareness App Development 1 Day 4 Days Topic 3: Contacts in an App Activity Cost and Rating of a Trip 3 Days Activity Polymorphed People 2 Days Activity Persistent People 2 Days Activity Polymorphed Behavior 3 Days Problem Geo-Quest 5 Days Topic 4: App Analysis Activity Investigating Sort 1 Day Activity Investigating Search 1 Day Activity Computations in Java 2 Days Board Approved: June 9, 2016 Page 6

7 Unit 4: The LibGDX Game Development Framework Subject: PLTW Computer Science A Grade: 9-12 Name of Unit: The LibGDX Game Development Framework Length of Unit: 5 Weeks Overview of Unit: The goal of Unit 4 is to give students an opportunity to practice and refine their understanding of Java techniques in the context of game development. LibGDX is a popular open source game development framework that is constantly growing due to the contributions of its active community members. An important part of this lesson is teaching students to access resources to help themselves utilize all the tools that are available to them. Students will learn to incorporate media assets, and work with graphics and touch events. Students access and manipulate data in 2D data structures, and interpret code created using the MVC pattern before making significant modifications of their own. Finally, students create a unique app that incorporates elements like geolocation, communication with a database, and utilization of the camera, speakers, and microphone. The choice of app theme and topic are left to the student, though they should target a specific audience, and benefit their community in some way. Students will need to find a "client," with whom they will communicate regularly about the progress of the project. This could be the manager of a GitHub repository, or a local business owner. Students might also choose to develop a full-fledged game at this point in the course with their fellow students as the clients. Topic 1: Creating a New World Activity LibGDX Setup 1 Day Activity Level Loading 3 Days Project Walls, Characters, and Doodads 5 Days Board Approved: June 9, 2016 Page 7

8 Topic 2: Graphic Adventure Game Activity Code Overview 2 Days Activity Erratic Movement 1 Day Activity Game Improvements 5 Days Topic 3: Independent Projects Problem Make an App 20 Days Board Approved: June 9, 2016 Page 8

AP Computer Science A (Java) Scope and Sequence

AP Computer Science A (Java) Scope and Sequence The CodeHS AP Java course is a year-long course designed to help students master the basics of Java and equip them to successfully pass the AP Computer Science