An interactive introductory course for students brand new to programming that teaches the foundations of computer science using the Python language. Not only will this year-long course prepare students for AP-level courses, it will also teach computational thinking and complex problem solving, skills that are important for any student whether they continue studying computer science or not.

Students will learn to design and implement computer programs that solve problems relevant to today’s society, including art, media, and engineering. AP Computer Science A teaches object-oriented programming using the Java language and is meant to be the equivalent of a first semester, college-level course in computer science. It will emphasize problem solving and algorithm development, and use hands-on experiences and examples so that students can apply programming tools and solve complex problems.

This course will prepare students for the end-of-course AP Exam.

Students will explore how data interpretation and statistical reasoning can solve complicated, real-world problems. By learning to collect, analyze, and draw conclusions from data, students will develop skills relevant to the digital age and current workforce. The interactive course will challenge students to evaluate existing research and design studies of their own, using numerical and graphical techniques.

This course will prepare students for the end-of-course AP exam and is comparable to a first-semester, non-calculus college statistics course.