AP Computer Science Principles

Mrs. Renfroe

AP Computer Science Principles
Performance Tasks Directions for Students (Fall 2018)
2018 Summer Assignments are here.
PLEASE read this as it is an integral part of the AP Exam.
Download "Blown to Bits" here.

The AP CSP course is organized around seven big ideas, which are essential to studying computer science.
Big Idea 1: Creativity Computing is a creative activity. In this course, you will use the tools and techniques of computer science to create interesting and relevant digital artifacts (e.g., a video, animation, infographic, audio recording or program) with characteristics that are enhanced by computation.
Big Idea 2: Abstraction Abstraction is a central problem-solving technique in computer science. In this course, you'll use abstraction to model the world and communicate with people and machines.
Big Idea 3: Data and Information Data and information facilitate the creation of knowledge. Managing and interpreting an overwhelming amount of raw data is part of the foundation of our information society and technology. In this course, you will work with data to better understand the many ways in which data is transformed into information and knowledge.
Big Idea 4: Algorithms Algorithms are used to develop and express solutions to computational problems. They are fundamental to even the most basic everyday task. In this course, you will work with algorithms in many ways: You will develop and express original algorithms, implement algorithms in a language, and analyze algorithms analytically and empirically.
Big Idea 5: Programming Programming enables problem solving, human expression, and creation of knowledge. It results in the creation of software, and it facilitates the creation of computational artifacts, including music, images, and visualizations. In this course, you'll learn the fundamental concepts of programming that can be applied across a variety of projects and languages. You will create programs, translating human intention into computational artifacts.
Big Idea 6: The Internet The Internet and systems built on it have a profound impact on society. It pervades modern computing. In this course, you will: gain insight into how the Internet operates; study characteristics of the Internet and systems built on it; and analyze important concerns, such as cybersecurity.
Big Idea 7: Global Impact Computation has changed the way people think, work, live, and play. In this course, you'll become familiar with many ways in which computing enables innovation. You will analyze the potential benefits and harmful effects of computing in a number of contexts.

AP Computer Science Principles
The AP Computer Science Principles course is designed to be equivalent to a first-semester introductory college computing course. In this course, students will develop computational thinking skills vital for success across all disciplines, such as using computational tools to analyze and study data and working with large data sets to analyze, visualize, and draw conclusions from trends. The course engages students in the creative aspects of the field by allowing them to develop computational artifacts based on their interests. Students will also develop effective communication and collaboration skills by working individually and collaboratively to solve problems, and will discuss and write about the impacts these solutions could have on their community, society, and the world.
How is AP CSP different from other CS courses?
The goals of computer science as it relates to STEAM education is to help students discover where computer science could fit in their lives and prepare for success in computer science and other related STEAM fields. AP Computer Science Principles introduces you to the foundations of computer science with a focus on how computing powers the world. Along with the fundamentals of computing, you will learn to analyze data, create technology that has a practical impact, and gain a broader understanding of how computer science impacts people and society.
Required Summer Assignments - Summer 2018
There are many assignments that must be completed and some are required to be turned in prior to the first day of school. Please visit the AP Computer Science Principles Summer Assignments document on the top of this page for all of the assignments.
Many of the items are due on August 3, 2018 before 3:00 p.m.