High AP Computer Science Principles

Module 1:

• Digital communication 
• Computer science defined 
• High-level vs. low-level programming languages 
• What is AP Computer Science Principles 
• Computing innovations 
• Good innovators 
• Application uses 
• Positives and negatives of computing innovations 
• Unintended consequences of computing innovations 
• Collaboration 
• Removing bias 
• Interpersonal skills 
• Personally identifiable information 
• Data collection 
• Cookies 
• Cyber attacks 
• Protecting yourself online 
• Encryption 

Module 2:

• Number systems 
• Binary, bits, and bytes 
• Converting binary to decimal and decimal to binary 
• Lossy vs. lossless data compression 
• Purpose and function 
• Avoiding bias 
• Pseudocode 
• Inputs and outputs 
• Programming comments 
• Strings and substrings 
• Concatenation 
• Computing errors 
• AP Blocks 
• Data types and variables 

Module 3:

• Mathematical expressions 
• Programming constructs 
• Sequencing
• Modulus 
• Calling functions 
• Return values 
• Functional abstraction 
• Managing complexity 
• Creating functions 
• Using programming libraries 

Module 4:

• Types of data 
• Correlation vs. causation 
• Metadata 
• Processing data 
• Machine learning 
• Presenting data 
• Data abstraction 
• Working with arrays 

Module 5:

• Boolean expressions 
• Logical operators 
• Programming constructs 
• Condition statements 
• Functions with conditions 
• Finding min/max in arrays 
• Iterations 
• Functions with loops 
• Searching algorithms 

Module 6:

• Reusing algorithms 
• Writing algorithms 
• Robots 
• Boolean and conditional algorithms 
• Testing algorithms 
• Random values 
• Simulations 
• Algorithmic efficiency 
• Reasonable algorithms 
• Heuristics 
• Decidable vs. undecidable problems 

Module 7:

• Create Performance Task overview 
• Planning 
• Programming 
• Getting help 
• Plagiarism policy 
• Programming requirements 
• Understanding the scoring rubric 
• Scoring rubric row-by-row 
• Creating the video 

Module 8:

• Computer systems and networks 
• The internet and World Wide Web 
• Protocols 
• Fault tolerance 
• Redundancy 
• Sequential, parallel, and distributed computing 
• Execution time and efficiency 
• Citizen science 
• Crowdsourcing 
• Legal and ethical concerns 
• Digital divide 

 

Besides engaging students in challenging curriculum, the course guides students to reflect on their learning and evaluate their progress through a variety of assessments. Assessments can be in the form of practice lessons, multiple choice questions, writing assignments, projects, research papers, oral assessments, and discussions. This course will use the state-approved grading scale. Each course contains a mandatory final exam or culminating project that will be weighted at 20% of the student’s overall grade.***

***Proctored exams can be requested by FLVS at any time and for any reason in an effort to ensure academic integrity. When a proctored exam is administered to assess a student’s integrity, the student must pass the exam with at least a 59.5% to earn credit for the course.

Advanced Placement Policy:

Students entering high school grades 9-12 have access to Advanced Placement courses that may result in earning college credit for high school coursework. These courses are used to calculate overall Grade Point Average (GPA) and typically count extra in the calculation. These courses are also available at no charge to Florida public school students, whereas they may have a tuition cost if taken in college. (S. 1003.02, F.S.)

A passing grade in the course will be accepted for high school credit. Postsecondary institutions determine college credit awarded, based on the AP Exam score earned. FLVS strongly encourages students who take AP courses to sit for the course AP Exam in May. Florida students shall be exempt from payment of any fees associated with AP Exam participation, with the exception of late test registration fees incurred by the student. 

To achieve success, students are expected to submit work in each course weekly. Students can learn at their own pace; however, “any pace” still means that students must make progress in the course every week. To measure learning, students complete self-checks, practice lessons, multiple choice questions, projects, discussion-based assessments, and discussions. Students are expected to maintain regular contact with teachers; the minimum requirement is monthly. When teachers, students, and parents work together, students are successful.