Overview

In 2009, the College Board, in

partnership with the National
Science Foundation, received
a grant to prototype the
development of this new
course, titled AP Computer
Science: Principles. The course
will introduce students to
programming but will also
give them an understanding
of the fundamental concepts
of computing, its breadth of
application and its potential
for transforming the world we
live in. It is rigorous, engaging
and accessible. Computer
Science Principles is a
proposed AP course under
development that seeks to
broaden participation in
computing and computer
science and will be a n AP
course by 2016. This course
covers/explores many
important concepts in
computing such as, data,
cryptography, privacy and
ownership of digital
information, storyboarding
(flowcharts), abstraction,
object oriented and event
driven programming, how to
create and use world/object
methods, use of parameters,
functions and If/Else
statements, binary system in
relationship to computing,
Boolean functions,
randomness, loops and
conditional loops, recursion,
list search and list processing,
variables, debugging, and
array visualization using an
index variable.

CS Principles
AP Pilot Course

AP Pilot Course

Goals
This course is designed to be

Reading and Instructional

Materials:
Course Equivalent of UCSDs
Learning to Program with
Course CSE3:
Fluency in
Alice (3rd Edition) Publication
Technology Course
Date: March 7, 2011Publisher:
Prentice Hall Authors: Wanda
Instructor: Barbara Adams
P. Dann, Stephen Cooper,
E-Mail: Error! Bookmark not
Randy Pausch ISBN 978-0-13defined.Error! Bookmark not
208516-8
[email protected]
Phone:
619-262-0763
4654
Computer
Scienceext.
Unplugged
Room:
654 Additional
help by
Publication
Date: September
30, 2011Publisher: Computer
appointment
Science Unplugged Authors:
Mike Fellows, Time Bell, Ian
Bell
Expeditions through Alice
(UCSDs online course text)
https://sites.google.com/a/eng
.ucsd.edu/expeditionsthrough-alice/
Requirements
Advanced math is not required
for this course. The only
prerequisites is that the
student be qualified for any
AP course in any field and
have completed Algebra I with
a B or higher.
Evaluation
Students will use UCSDs
course materials (online text
and PowerPoints) as well as
assessments (midterm/final).
If a student scores seventy
percent or higher, college
credit will be awarded by
UCSD (a $25 certification fee
will be applied) and SDSU (a
$450 certification fee). In
addition, students will be
assigned a series of writing
and programming
assignments which will be the
basis of a portfolio
demonstrating mastery.

QUALITY PRODUCER
ADVANCED Learner Grade Level 100-90(A+A-) Did research, designed, planned, and completed
projects on time; applied academic skills; evaluated work and made adjustments; did quality work;
needed little help from the teacher; sought and found resources independently; demonstrated
knowledge with a grade of 93% or higher; produced a quality portfolio.
PROFICIENT Learner Grade Level 89-80(B+B-)Did research, designed and planned; needed
some help from the teacher; did quality work with a few flaws; needed feedback from the teacher
to realize work did not meet standards; redid work to meet standards; demonstrated knowledge
with a grade of 85% or higher; produced a better-than average portfolio.
BASIC LearnerGrade Level 79-70(C+C-) Needed help to research, design and plan or had to be
given a plan; relied a great deal on the teacher; had to be given procedures for performing tasks;
required significant help to produce a quality product; needed help to evaluate a product; final
product stall did not meet standards; demonstrated knowledge with a grade of 74% or higher;
produced an average portfolio.
BELOW BASIC LearnerGrade Level 69-60(D+D-)Required a great deal of help in completing
research, designing, planning and completing projects was unable to evaluate projects; required
step-by-step instruction; competencies not mastered; demonstrated knowledge with a grade of
66% or higher; produced a poor or partial portfolio.
FAR BELOW BASICGrade Level 59-0(F)Did not complete projects; if projects were completed,
they were of such low quality that they did not pass; failed to document procedures; did not show
criteria for determining quality; scored 65% or lower; produced a poor portfolio or none at all.
Resources: Materials needed for this Class: USB flash drive 2 GB
Grade Weights:
Projects: 50% of students grades are hands on everything will be done on the computer.
Participation: 25% of students grades are, Quizzes, Clean up after self, on task during class and
keeping up a flash drive of projects.
Final Portfolio: 25% of students grades are their final Portfolio and other related projects
Makeup Work (late, missing, or incomplete assignments):
Many assignments in this class will be graded at the students computer or will be printed out and
placed in a folder. If a student is absent, it is the students responsibility to talk to the teacher what
he/she had missed. Also, if the student is not able to make up assignments during class time, the
student needs to be prepared to spend time after school to make up any missing assignments.
All projects are due on the due date. Each day the project is late, 10 points will be taken off and
after 3 days a 0 will have to be given. Being on time with projects is the students responsibility.

AP Pilot Course

Expected Classroom Behavior

1.

Always go straight to the classroom and log into your computer.

2.

Wait for attendance call before asking for any passes.

3.
Class ends at the bell, it takes two sec. to log out of the computer. Remain by your computer
until you are dismissed.
4.
If you have a question about the assignments, please ask 2 students before me, this will help
in getting to know your fellow classmates.
5.
Try to go to the bathroom before class. Obviously emergencies will occasionally happen, but it
is important that everyone be here to participate in the work of the group.
6.
NEVER, EVER intentionally hurt someone else. This means no hitting, pushing, etc., but it also
means no name-calling, teasing or bullying.
7.
Someone elses point of view-whether or not you agree with it, is important and must be
respected.
8.

When someone is speaking, listen respectfully.

10.
Use your common sense. There are many ways in which we know what is expected of us. We
have classroom rules, we have the Morse High School handbook and school-wide expectations, and
we have the accepted norms of our society. Most of the time, we know whether our behavior is
appropriate or not.
11.
No electronic devices of any kind in my classroom. If I see your electronic device or hear it
you will not get it back until the end of the day in the front office.
12.
Only go to Internet Web sites that have something to do with the assignments. You are in this
class to learn how to use computers to be productive in the work world. If you are on non-assigned
Web sites, games, music, or videos; the following special discipline plan applies:
a. 1st Infraction Loss of Internet Time
b. 2nd Infraction Referral to Office and Phone Call to Parent/Guardian
c. 3rd Infraction Referral to Office Note: Steps 1-3 may be skipped if the infraction is
severe enough (at teachers or office discretion).
13.
There is ABSOLUTELY NO EATING OR DRINKING IN THE COMPUTER LAB DURING
CLASS TIME (only bottled water with solid lids) No passes will be given to eat somewhere else.
Whenever possible, I will provide rubrics for each design project that tell you what I expect for
Exemplary, Proficient, Partially Proficient, and Incomplete work. I consider three main things in
evaluating students work:

Effort (visible in the work and/or demonstrated in class; spend quality time on your work!)

AP Pilot Course

Creativity (how original your work is)

Following Directions (did you explore the assignment as given?)

How Will My Behavior in Class Affect My Grade?

Professional Conduct is worth ten percent of your grade! Each student starts with 50 points per
week. If your behavior in class is a problem, it will reduce your Professional Conduct grade for the
week.
How Do I Make Up Missing or Incomplete Work?
You are expected to keep up with lessons and projects in class. You will be given a generous amount
of time to finish them. Late or incomplete work can be turned in during the same quarter for a
lower score. If the work is late due to an excused absence, you will have one extra school day per
day of excused absence to complete it without a reduction in grade. On occasion I will have an open
lab after school to allow for the completion of class work.
What Are My Responsibilities?
Since everyone learns about design here, everyone is considered a designer. Get used to thinking of
yourself that way! My job is to teach you professionalism in addition to programming skills.

QUALITY PRODUCER
ADVANCED Learner Grade Level 100-90(A+A-) Did research, designed, planned, and completed
projects on time; applied academic skills; evaluated work and made adjustments; did quality work;
needed little help from the teacher; sought and found resources independently; demonstrated
knowledge with a grade of 93% or higher; produced a quality portfolio.
PROFICIENT Learner Grade Level 89-80(B+B-)Did research, designed and planned; needed
some help from the teacher; did quality work with a few flaws; needed feedback from the teacher
to realize work did not meet standards; redid work to meet standards; demonstrated knowledge
with a grade of 85% or higher; produced a better-than average portfolio.
BASIC LearnerGrade Level 79-70(C+C-) Needed help to research, design and plan or had to be
given a plan; relied a great deal on the teacher; had to be given procedures for performing tasks;
required significant help to produce a quality product; needed help to evaluate a product; final
product stall did not meet standards; demonstrated knowledge with a grade of 74% or higher;
produced an average portfolio.
BELOW BASIC LearnerGrade Level 69-60(D+D-)Required a great deal of help in completing
research, designing, planning and completing projects was unable to evaluate projects; required
step-by-step instruction; competencies not mastered; demonstrated knowledge with a grade of
66% or higher; produced a poor or partial portfolio.

AP Pilot Course

FAR BELOW BASICGrade Level 59-0(F)Did not complete projects; if projects were completed,
they were of such low quality that they did not pass; failed to document procedures; did not show
criteria for determining quality; scored 65% or lower; produced a poor portfolio or none at all.
Resources: Materials needed for this Class: USB flash drive 2 GB
Grade Weights:
Projects: 50% of students grades are hands on everything will be done on the computer.
Participation: 25% of students grades are, Quizzes, Clean up after self, on task during class and
keeping up a flash drive of projects.
Final Portfolio: 25% of students grades are their final Portfolio and other related projects
Makeup Work (late, missing, or incomplete assignments):
Many assignments in this class will be graded at the students computer or will be printed out and
placed in a folder. If a student is absent, it is the students responsibility to talk to the teacher what
he/she had missed. Also, if the student is not able to make up assignments during class time, the
student needs to be prepared to spend time after school to make up any missing assignments.
All projects are due on the due date. Each day the project is late, 10 points will be taken off and
after 3 days a 0 will have to be given. Being on time with projects is the students responsibility.

For Parents/Guardians
Please, sign and have your student return this portion of the syllabus the next day to let me know
that you have read and understand the Course Syllabus.

I have read and I understand the requirements for the Computer Science Principles course.

Student Name:
Parent Name:

AP Pilot Course

Date:

AP Pilot Course