AP Computer Science Principles

180 hours • BLENDED CLASS

Vidcode meets high school students where they are, encouraging them to connect computing to their daily life and the way they experience technology. The lessons are designed for a flipped classroom, where students are exposed to the material through self-paced homework tutorials. Practice and iteration takes place during class time, when learners can fully leverage the full range of instructional materials, references, peers, and teachers, as well as experiencing the authentic process of software development. 

Students learn through coursework that focuses on creativity and social impact. They collaborate to create digital artifacts including videos, apps, games, and interactive exhibits from day one, using programming as a tool to share their research and point of view.

This course conforms to the College Board’s requirements for Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles. It is divided into four sections, representing quarters of the school year. Every unit covers Creativity and Programming, and the other Big Ideas are introduced as appropriate throughout the curriculum.

Creative Coding 1: Programming and the Internet

Students learn the basics of JavaScript programming through the creation of memes, video projects and animations. Variables, arrays, loops, conditionals, and randomness are covered. They use what they learn to produce informative projects that communicate about the history and structure of the Internet. 

Creative Coding 2: Abstraction and Global Impact

Students build on the concepts covered in Creative Coding 1 with events, for and while loops, nested control structures, string methods, and object constructors. They learn about complex applications of JavaScript programming including interactivity, algorithms, and procedural art. Special focus is also given to the importance of collaboration and building a supportive programmer community, and the final projects reflect on the impact of computing on others.  

Creative Coding 3: Algorithms and Data

In the third quarter, your class is transformed into a software development team. The projects cover a wide range of visual, interactive and algorithmic elements that students can recombine into useful apps, including custom buttons and sliders, spawning multiple copies of objects, managing large numbers of variables in data structures, and writing readable and reusable code. Students work together to create meaningful computational artifacts that communicate information and solve problems. 
 

Year Plan

Interested in Vidcode courses - or still have questions about AP CSP? Schedule a consultation with the Vidcode team.