ADVANCED PLACEMENT COMPUTER SCIENCE (Period 7)

Instructor: Mrs. Susan Wilson
Number of Credits: 1
Grade Level: 11-12
Prerequisite: A strong background in math, logic, and problem solving with the ability to perform some numerical algorithms. It is strongly suggested that students possess an 85% or higher in Math A and B. Above all, students should be willing to work hard to earn college credit.

Contact Information: 744-1600 ext. 3067 or swilson@rockypoint.k12.ny.us

Course Description: Available in Adobe PDF
The goals of the AP Computer Science course are comparable to those in the introductory courses for computer science majors offered in college computer science departments. It is not expected, however, that all students in an AP Computer Science course will major in computer science when attending college.

AP Exam: Tuesday, May 8, 2007 (mandatory)

Course Overview: Upon the completion of the course, students should be able to:

• Design and implement computer-based solutions to problems in a variety of application areas
• Use and implement well-known algorithms and data structures
• Develop and select appropriate algorithms and data structures to solve problems
• Code fluently in an object-oriented paradigm using the programming language Java
• Students are expected to be familiar with and be able to use standard Java library classes from the AP Java subset
• Read and understand a large program consisting of several classes and interacting objects
• Students should be able to read and understand a description of the design and development process leading to such a program
• Identify the major hardware and software components of a computer system, their relationship to one another, and the roles of these components with in the system and recognize the ethical and social implications of computer use

Materials:

• AP Java Concepts by Cay Horstmann
• Advanced Placement Computer Science Study Guide by Fran Trees
• Notebook (your choice)
• 1 1/2" binder & loose-leaf paper
• Pens/pencils
• Thumb drive (256 MB minimum)

Students should have access to a computer at home and download the FREE programs that are used to program in JAVA to complete their assignments. These programs include, but are not limited to:

• Java SDK 1.5 downloaded at www.java.sun.com and read directions here.
• Eclipse downloaded from www.eclipse.org
• Alice downloaded at www.alice.org
• BlueJ downloaded at www.blueJ.org
• Application Programming Interface (API) at http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.5.0/docs/api/index.html
• Information on running programs cross platform... MAC and Windows
• Download the following files from the College Board website (e-mail if you have trouble accessing them and I'll send you a copy)

  http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/members/repository/ap06_compsci_GridWorld_Code.zip
  http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/members/repository/ap06_CS_GridWorld_installguide_101606.pdf
  http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/members/repository/ap06_CS_GridWorld_complete_101606.pdf

  The first link above is the code for the GridWorld Case Study. The second link is the installation guide. Follow the instructions in the guide that apply to BlueJ and in particular run the BugRunner sample code as described in Section 4. The third link is the GridWorld narrative that we will be using during the course (there may be a later version of this available later in the summer of 2007).

Composite Score Range	2004 Exam Score
63 - 80	5
49 - 62	4
39 - 48	3
32 - 38	2
0 - 31	1

CLASS LINKS

Instructor Wiley Plus

Site Name: AP Central
Site Address: http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/sub_compscia.html?compscia

Site Name: Compile Errors Defined
Site Address: http://mindprod.com/jgloss/compileerrormessages.html

Site Name: BlueJ Manual
Site Address: http://www.horstmann.com/bigj2/BlueJManual.pdf

Site Name: AP Exam Format, Grading, & Tips
Site Address: http://www.skylit.com/beprepared/chapter1.pdf

Site Name: Central Connecticut State University
Site Address: http://chortle.ccsu.edu/CS151/cs151java.html

Site Name: Parent Directory of Resources
Site Address: http://webclass.superquest.net/apjava/

Site Name: A College Computer Science Class
Site Address: http://comscigate.com/HW/cs201/cs201.htm

Site Name: Javadoc
Site Address: http://www2.open.ncsu.edu/se/tutorials/javadoc/

Site Name: Alice Resources
Site Address: http://coweb.cc.gatech.edu/ice-gt/172.

Site Name: BlueJ Crossword Puzzles
Site Address: http://www.css.taylor.edu/~sbrandle/bluej/

Site Name: Sun Tutorials