The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the basic concepts of object-oriented programming (OOP) using the Java programming language while preparing the students for success on the Advanced Placement Computer Science level A exam. Topics include primitive variable types and classes; basic assignments, operations, and input/output; conditional and looping structures; several data structures; advanced object-oriented concepts, including inheritance; exploring and re-using code from other sources; and standard algorithms for searching and sorting. Class time is divided appropriately between lecture, individual and group activities, and programming projects, with an aim toward developing better abstract reasoning and problem solving skills.

 

While no text is used a substantial number of handouts are provided, including descriptions and examples. While the main Java environment is BlueJ, other programming environments may be included. Programming assignments are taken from  a collection of projects developed over the years. Because various students arrive at the course with different levels of experience, and some grasp the process of coding and problem solving more quickly than others, some more advanced problems are assigned to some students in the class, as appropriate—this serves to challenge the top students without overwhelming the others.

The co-requisite for this course is Precalculus.  Permission of the instructor is required.

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. In addition, students will develop a solid foundation in programming using Swift as the language, while highlighting key computing concepts to help students get practical experience with the tools, techniques, and concepts needed to build a basic iOS app. App Design lessons guide students to brainstorm, plan, prototype, and evaluate their own app ideas. This course will be open to students from both campuses.

Prerequisite: Intro Programming; Concurrent enrollment in Precalculus

Prerequisite: Completion of Imagine Code Create, AP Computer Science, or instructor permission 

While it may sound futuristic, we interact with Artificial Intelligence every day in our lives. From social media algorithms to voice assistance to autonomous vehicles, AI is everywhere. Explore the principles, risks, and benefits of AI. What is it, exactly, and how is it being used in the world?  With a stronger foundational understanding, we will learn to create machine learning algorithms with the Python programming language and identify problems that could be solved with AI.

MAKE, an Upper School semester elective, is part of St. Christopher’s School’s JK-12 BUILD (Boys Using Innovation to Learn and Design) initiative. BUILD combines science, technology, engineering, art, and math with boys’ innate desire to tinker, create, compete, work in teams, and disassemble just about anything they can get their hands on.

 

Housed in our new state of the art BUILD Lab, students will have access to the latest cutting edge tools to design and create.These projects focus on process, not product and students learn as they  design and redesign their projects. This learning environment teaches students that there is no one right answer and instills a desire to constantly refine and improve on their ideas. Students will be assessed on the documentation and presentation of their product as well as the product itself.

 

This course is available to all levels of previous experience with making. Students can choose project topics based on interest, while learning the skills necessary to be successful in the course. 

 

This course counts towards the Arts requirement for graduation.