Tag Archives: workshops

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.

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!

First Bytes – The University of Texas at Austin

If you are looking for some great professional development this summer for Computer Science, check out First Bytes at UT Austin. You will enjoy the workshop.

The First Bytes outreach program at The University of Texas at Austin (UT-Austin) announces our 10th annual First Bytes Collaborative Workshop for Computer Science Teachers, June 24-26, 2015 at the UT-Austin campus. The goals of the workshop include:

Improve Computer Science education in Texas,
Learn about new technologies in Computer Science,
Exchange effective teaching methods and best practices among colleagues,
Build relationships between Computer Science high school teachers and UT-Austin faculty.

The First Bytes Teacher’s Workshop is an opportunity to meet with peers from across the state to explore the challenges and opportunities for Computer Science education in Texas high schools and to invent ways to improve collaboration that will impact student learning and achievement. Participants will earn AP CS Continuing Education credit for full participation.

Private dormitory room accommodations for up to 3 nights (June 23-25) on the UT-Austin campus, including breakfast and lunch, will be provided for free.

We appreciate all you do to teach Computer Science in your schools and to recommend your excellent students to attend our UIL competitions, our First Bytes Computer Science Summer Camp, and our Turing Scholars Program!

If you are interested in attending, please reply to this email by Friday, May 1. Our funding allows us to bring 40 teachers to our campus in 2015. We will open the registration process on Tuesday, May 5.

Mary Esther Middleton can be reached via email at mem@cs.utexas.edu if you have any questions.

http://www.cs.utexas.edu/outreach/first-bytes

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.

2014 AP CS A Exam Free Response Solutions

Well, my predictions for the 2014 AP CS A Free Response were close this year as usual.

There was a matrix of classes this year. It took me 2 years to get this one right.

There were 2 class questions this year and not just one. I was 1/2 right on that.
You had to extend a Rock which is cool. I have been having my students extend Actor every year since GridWorld was introduced which is basically the same thing as a Rock.

There was an ArrayList of classes, but the class was a String. I was kind right on that one.
The ArrayList<String> question was much like a codingbat problem so that was cool.

Circa 2006, there was an interface implementation question this year. I like the question, but would like it better if the constructor was 3 MenuItems rather than being so specific. Anyway.

There are review slides for the AP Computer Science A exam for years 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014. There are student java projects for 2013 and 2014.

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 my Denver workshop has been expanded and there are still a couple spots left. http://www.apluscompsci.com/workshops.htm