INTRODUCTION TO PROGRAMMIG USING ALICE
This course is designed to give students an exciting hands-on approach to computer
science prior to AP Computer Science. The Alice programming language, developed
at Carnegie Mellon, is being used in high schools and colleges across the country.
Students in this class will learn to design their own storyboards, animations,
and games through a powerful object-based language.
Alice is an easy-to-use program that uses objects in a 3D world. These video game like worlds are enticing and challenging for the student. Alice uses a drag and drop interface allowing students to program without the syntax issues common to most programming languages. Everyone should understand how software and programming works and Alice is a world that we all can understand.
Meeting two days a week, this project based course will be a balance of lectures,
hands-on tutorials, learning exercises, and programming. Students should expect
to work an average of one to two hours a week on written assignments and programs
outside of class.
AP COMPUTER SCIENCE A: Introduction to Computer Science
Introduction to Computer Science is designed to serve both as an appropriate
introductory course for students with serious interest in computer science,
and as a second-year course for students who have successfully completed the
Introduction to Programming Using Alice course. Prior knowledge of computer
programming is not required or recommended. The course emphasis is on programming
lan¬guage features (variables, if-statements, loops), algorithms, data structures,
and the basic concepts of object-oriented programming—all taught in the
Java programming language. Students are expected to take the A level AP Computer
Science test in May. Class meets four days a week for lecture, discussion, lab
work, and testing.
Prerequisite: 9th graders must be concurrently enrolled in
Geometry Honors or Honors Algebra II. 10th through 12th graders have no prerequisites.
ADVANCED COMPUTER SCIENCE: Data Structures and Java Applets
Advanced Computer Science is designed for students who have successfully completed
AP Computer Science A. It covers many of the same topics as a standard second-year
college computer science course. In particular, data structures will be covered
thoroughly, as students will study linked lists, stacks, queues, binary trees,
hash tables, sets, and maps. Additionally, students will learn how to write
Java Applets. Class meets four days a week for lecture, discussion, and lab
work. Students will be able to complete most of their assigned work in class,
but will be encouraged to install a Java compiler on their home computer, so
that their assignments can be completed at home if necessary.
Prerequisite: AP Computer Science A.
ADVANCED PROGRAM DESIGN: Seminar
Advanced Program Design is designed to provide students with a learning experience
beyond AP Computer Science and Advanced Computer Science. The course is structured
as a seminar, with lectures and discussion centered around one or more major
projects. The topics are chosen at the beginning of the year, and are based
on student interest. Previous topics include hardware design, networking theory,
explorations of security, practical linux experi¬ence, web development using
PHP and MySQL, compiler design, and the Scheme programming language. This is
a rigorous course for those students who want to use real-world technol¬ogy
and challenge themselves with college-level computer science theory.
Prerequisite: Advanced Computer Science
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Updated January 29, 2011