Tag Archives: Java

Local Java IDEs for High School

There are lots of local IDEs you can choose for your school and computer science classes.

Here are a few bits about local Java IDEs.

The 3 Java IDEs that I prefer in no particular order are :

Intellij   –  FREE

The community version is what you want :

https://www.jetbrains.com/idea/download/?section=windows

https://www.jetbrains.com/help/idea/getting-started.html

Eclipse  –  FREE

https://www.eclipse.org/downloads/packages/installer

VS Code  –  FREE

https://code.visualstudio.com/Download

https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/java/java-tutorial

I would say that my high school students seem to prefer Intellij to Eclipse.

I have used both for many years for in-class and contest use.

College students / industry professionals that I know seem to prefer VS Code as VS Code makes it very easy to switch between different languages.

I will not recommend an online IDE as I feel strongly that students should use a local IDE.

If you need amazing Java Curriculum Materials, check out the A+ Computer Science materials. The BEST JAVA MATERIALS on the PLANET!

AP CS A Exam Tips and Strategies

Here are some of my last minute tips for the AP CS A Exam.

Multiple Choice – 90 minutes

There are 40 MC questions worth 1 point each

Cycle through the test more than once

Answer the easy questions first

Skip long trace through questions to start – answer these last

Bubble your answers as you go

Know your sorts and searches really well – https://visualgo.net/en

Practice tracing recursion if that is tough for you

90 minutes will go fast so manage your time

Free Response – 90 minutes

There are 4 FR Questions worth 9 points each

Know the pre-defined topics for each FRQ
Question 1 – Methods and Control Structures
Question 2 – Classes
Question 3 – Array \ ArrayList
Question 4 – 2-D arrays / matrices
NOTE – Strings always make an appearance somewhere

Read all 4 FR questions before writing any code

Write the code for the easiest question first
Get points on the board early

If you are writing a return method, make sure to return

Check carefully to see if part B must call A and such – not optional

Check for static methods vs methods in a class with instance variables

If extending a class, make sure you have super calls and method overrides where needed

Final Bits

Know how to chop up a number digit by digit using % 10 and / 10

Know how to chop up a string using substring and indexOf

Know how to remove multiple instances of the same item from an ArrayList

Lastly, have fun!

Computer Science is fun!

Need extra FRQ practice?

AP Computer Science A Review

Well, it is getting close to time to start reviewing for the AP Computer Science A exam.

What main topics are heavy hitters to review?
For sure, review classes, arrays, arraylist, and matrices.
Probably not a bad idea to do a nice review over recursion and sorting and searching.
Obviously, there is more to review, but these are main topics that are musts.

How to review?
Multiple choice review is critical. A randomized multiple choice system like Moodle or Canvas really helps. Load in lots of questions and randomly pull a few out at a time. The main thing with multiple choice is that students need to work through lots of MC questions.
For Free Response Review, have students write out old FRQs on paper and then type them up and run them. This process works great and will enable students to see where they are off on their code on paper. Plus, some of the FRQ topics are fairly interesting. The main thing is to crank out lots of code during your review.

Check out A+ Computer Science for great review materials.

Best of Luck

2016 AP Computer Science A Free Response Solutions

Well, I was tardy in getting my predictions up on the blog.  Too many irons in the fire.

Here is a quick summary of my predictions.
1 – Class Creation with Inheritance  [ I was close, but I figured Abstract class ]
2 – ArrayList of Some Class [ This one is easy as its on the exam every year ]
Just happened there were several parts this year with ArrayList of Some Class.
By Some Class, I mean Some Class that is new to the testers like CookieOrder or ClimbInfo.
3 –  Matrix of Some Class [  2014 had the Matrix of Student  –   Crossword was fun this year ]
4 –  I said String or 1D Array [  Good lord I had no idea there would be 3  YES 3 String Questions ]

I was pretty close on several of my predictions.
I was not even close on the number of STRING questions.
Do not get me wrong – I love me some STRINGS, but good lord – Really?  3 Questions with Strings?  Enough about that.

Check out my A+ curriculum materials if you need awesome support for any of the concepts tested on the multiple choice or Free Response.

I have posted slides with my solutions and a java student project that has shells and no solutions.  This project will allow students to punch in their code and see if works.
http://www.apluscompsci.com/ap_computer_science_free_response.html

There are review slides for the AP Computer Science A exam for years 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015.  There are student java projects in place now for many of the AP Computer Science Free Response sections.

Have a great summer and check out my workshop offerings if you are free this summer.    http://www.apluscompsci.com/workshops.htm

I also do local workshops for schools and school districts.  If you need specialized local training, email me and we can discuss specifics.

2015 AP Computer Science Free Response Question Solutions

Well, my predictions for the 2015 AP CS A Free Response were close this year as usual.

There was a matrix question again this year.  It was pretty simple and was not a matrix of references this year.  This question had part a, b, and c with b and calling a and c calling b.

There were 2 class creation questions  again this year.   I guess you can say that is a trend.
One was a string question just involving simple class creation.  The other was writing and implementing an interface.

There was an ArrayList of classes again.  The sparse array was a cool way of creating a matrix.  It seemed much like an old AB question as we used maps to to make grids back in the day.

Check out my A+ curriculum materials if you need awesome support for lists, arrays, matrices, interfaces, and all of the rest.

I have posted slides with my solutions and a java student project that has shells and no solutions.  This project will allow students to punch in their code and see if works.
http://www.apluscompsci.com/ap_computer_science_free_response.html

There are review slides for the AP Computer Science A exam for years 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015.  There are student java projects in place now for many of the AP Computer Science Free Response sections.

Have a great summer and check out my workshop offerings if you are free this summer.  My workshop is full in Houston with a ton on the waiting list, but you never know if some spots may open up.    http://www.apluscompsci.com/workshops.htm

I also do local workshops for schools and school districts.  If you need specialized local training, email me and we can discuss specifics.  My system works great and gets students ready to ROCK the ap exam!

Good luck to all on the 2015 AP Computer Science A Exam!

Good luck to all on the AP CS A Exam and on the alternate exam in a few weeks!

I will run my last review at 6am Texas time this Thursday the 7th.  My 6 am review is a tradition I started a few hundred years ago.  My students look forward to it every year.  Well, they look forward to the donuts more than anything.

What will I review at 6am you say?  Here are my predictions this year’s 4 Free Response Questions.  Obviously, I have no idea what the questions will be, but I am pretty good at predicting as I do spend considerable time looking at the past questions trying to find trends.

1.  ArrayList of Classes / References –  You gots to know how to write code to manipulate an ArrayList<NeverSeenThisClassBefore> as it is on the exam every single year going all of the way back to 2006.  This question type involves lots of drilling down to get to the various pieces.  You must be comfortable with abstraction to handle this type of question.  2010 had the CookieOrder question and 2012 had ClimbInfo if you need a few somewhat recent examples.

2.  Make a Class from scratch – Every student should know how to make a class, implement an interface, and extend an abstract class.  Last year’s Trio question marked the return of the interface FR which means an abstract class Free Response can’t be too far behind.   Be prepared to override some methods and make something new from something old.  You know you will have to create a complete class or create something really similar and it will be super!   Look at the 2005, 2006, and 2007 AP FR questions if you want some past FR examples.

3.  Processing an Array –  I reviewed the Horse[] question last year at 6am and it turned out that there wasn’t a standard array question on the test, but the Matrix question from 2014 was basically the HorseBarn in matrix form.  I was sooooooooo close.  I think there will be an array question in 2015, but it most likely will not be an array of references.  I am thinking the array question will just involve some algorithmic stuff with numbers like finding smallest, largest, difference between smallest and largest, etc.  We shall see.

4.  Matrices – I told my troops in 2013 and 2014 to be ready for a matrix of classes as I thought that would be a really cool question.  I was wrong in 2013, but in 2014 I was spot on as the there was a Student[ ][ ] question on the exam.  Finally!  There will certainly be a matrix question again this year and with PictureLab being one of the new AP CS A Labs, I am thinking a matrix of references is again a distinct possibility.

I will post follow-up comments after I see the 2015 Free Response questions.  Hopefully, my predictions will be right on this year.  I have been pretty close in the past, but this year is a new year.

If you want to see what I review with my students for the AP Computer Science A Exam,  I have quite a few of my  AP Exam review slides   posted with Java code projects ready for students to complete.  The Java code projects have runner files and everything students need to test their hand-written free response code.  Feel free to use them to help your students.  My students turn the old free response questions in working programs as part of their review.

Do you need great AP Computer Science Curriculum that covers all of the topics I have listed above?  Do you need labs, slides, tests, quizzes, and worksheets that cover arrays, arrays of references, ArrayList, ArrayList of References, Matrices, Matrices of References, Interfaces, and Abstract Classes? Take a look at the A+ Computer Science Curriculum.

The A+ Computer Science Curriculum was designed to provide students with multiple opportunities to master the core concepts covered on the AP Computer Science A Exam.

If you like my humor and want to spend a few days hearing more about how I prep students to ROCK the AP exam, check out my workshops going on over the summer or email me about setting up a custom training at your school or for several schools.  I will show you how to get any student ready to make a 5!  My system works like a champ and it is super simple to follow!

AP Computer Science Summer Institutes 2015

Well, it is almost summer time so get ready to rock and roll with some summer fun learning more about Computer Science.

http://www.apluscompsci.com/workshops.htm
Check out my workshops page to see what I have going this summer.

Check out Glen Martin’s page to find some other AP SIs for the summer of 2015.
http://www.martin.apluscomputerscience.com/workshops.html

Have a great summer and good luck to all on upcoming contests and the 2015 AP CS A Exam.

A+ 2015 Curriculum Materials Information Posted

2015-2016 Curriculum Material Information is now posted.
http://www.apluscompsci.com/aplus_curr_mat_orderform_2015.pdf

The 2015 A+ Computer Science Curriculum will include many new updates.

Intro CS Curriculum Materials

More Python materials
Multiple Python versions will be supported.

AP CS Principles

Expanded CS Principles materials
Python and Scratch materials for CS Principles

AP Computer Science A

New Java Labs, Slides, and Tests
Current exam trends are always included in updates.
Expanded support for the New AP CS A Labs – Magpie, Picture Lab, and Elevens

Advanced Computer Science

Dynamic Programming Assignments and Materials

 

New AP CS A Labs – Magpie, Elevens, and PictureLab Part 2

The 2014-2015 A+ Computer Science Materials are ready for download.

New Scratch materials are included!  More game projects.

Python materials are now included – slides, examples, worksheets, quizzes, and tests!

Materials for multiple Computer Science courses are fully supported!

Materials for the New AP CS A Labs – Magpie, Elevens, and PictureLab are included!

 

The following provides more information on the new AP CS A Labs and the A+ support provided for these new Labs.

Starting with the 2014-2015 school year, the GridWorld case study has been eliminated as a requirement for the AP Computer Science A curriculum. To ensure that students spend enough time on hands-on labs, the College Board has added a 20-hour lab requirement for students. To support the implementation of the 20-hour lab requirement, College Board has provided three exemplar labs for teachers to use. These labs will not be directly tested on the AP Computer Science A exam.

To read the official College Board announcement about this lab requirement, follow this link: http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/courses/teachers_corner/221994.html

To access resources for the new labs including student lab guides, follow this link :  http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/courses/teachers_corner/222163.html

To access source code and teacher guides for the new labs, go the AP CS A Course Audit link : http://www.collegeboard.com/html/apcourseaudit/courses/computer_science.html

It is important that you read this information and visit the AP Audit site to attest to your understanding of this requirement to use these labs in your course or submit a new syllabus that clearly indicates that you are allowing at least 20 hours of lab time for your students. You may submit one of the four approved syllabi provided by the College Board, the A+ Computer Science approved syllabus, or your create a syllabus of your own.

The goal of the A+ Computer Science materials for the New Labs is to provide support materials for Magpie, Elevens, and Picture labs and to integrate these materials with the existing A+ Computer Science materials. These new AP CS A labs are not intended to be new teaching units that must be added to your curriculum. Instead they are intended to be labs that you can use to reinforce concepts that you have already taught, much like the extensive set of labs that you find throughout the A+ Computer Science curriculum.

In the new 2014-2015 A+ Computer Science Curriculum, you will find teacher notes for each of the exemplar labs that describe what testable concepts the labs cover and when in the curriculum you might use the lab exercises. You will also find Powerpoint slides and worksheets to support each of the new exemplar labs.

 

Main topics covered by each of the new AP CS A Labs :

Magpie – Classes, randomness, and Strings – specifically indexOf(), substring(), and lots of Math.random()

Elevens – List of references – specifically using an ArrayList < SomeClass > / List < SomeClass >

Picture Lab – Matrices / Matrices of references – specifically using SomeClass[ ][ ] and focusing on array of arrays

 

A+ Computer Science Labs that cover the same concepts as the new AP CS A Labs :

Strings and randomness – HexChecker, MorseCode, Rock-Paper-Scissors, and Etch-A-Sketch

Lists of references – WordList, Numbers, Toys, Winter Scene, and BlackJack – 21

Matrices / Matrices of references – Forest, Tic-Tac-Toe, and Code and Ciphers

 

Free Response Questions that cover similar concepts to the new AP CS A Labs :

Strings and randomness – 14.Q1, 11.Q4, 08.Q2, 08.Q4

Lists of references – 13.Q1, 12.Q1, 11.Q3, 10.Q1, 09.Q4, 08.Q1

Matrices / Matrices of references – 14.Q3, 13.Q4, 12.Q4, 11.Q4

 

AP CS A Summer Institutes 2014

My Houston AP SI is in the books.  I had a very large and lively crowd.  The winner of the furthest travel was Daily who came all of the way from Nigeria.

We spent lots of time on arrays, arrays of references, lists, lists of references, matrices, matrices of references, interfaces, abstract classes, recursion, and the new AP CS A Labs.

Magpie, Elevens, and PictureLab are new and need to be examined before the 2014-2015 school year kicks off.  The updated A+ Computer Science Curriculum supports the new AP CS A Lab and it is ready for download.

We also did an extensive study of free response questions and went through many past year’s questions.  This is a good practice at workshops and in class.

Denver is up next in just over a week.  Hope to see you there.