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T 4/21/15
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HW due (both
blocks): AP review problems. Detailed instructions have been given before,
but they are restated below for clarity. These
requirements apply to all students, even those who are not planning to take
the AP exam on May 7.
1. Divide your review time between multiple-choice and free-response
problems, approximately 50% for each. If you wish, you can alternate them by
day (multiple-choice on one day, free-response the next) or within the same
day (a mixture of problems of each type).
2. Keep all work and evidence of daily effort together in one place. A 3-ring
binder with removable pages is recommended, but if you prefer to use a
spiral-bound notebook, that is also acceptable for AP review.
3. It is permitted to do your multiple-choice problems directly in the
Barron’s review book, but if you do that, you still need to keep a summary in
your AP review notebook. Here is an example of how to make a summary entry:
Apr. 21: MC #3-15 on pp. 718-722. 10
correct out of 13. 10:15-10:39 (24 minutes). Lesson: Michael, remember to
check all of the answers, since the best choice may be slightly different
from one that “mostly” works.
Observe the features of this entry:
- It includes the date on which you did the
work.
- It clearly indicates the location and the
multiple-choice (MC) problem numbers you worked on.
- It summarizes your progress (10/13 correct).
- It includes a time log.
- It includes a “lessons learned” statement
phrased in a positive, nonjudgmental way.
- In the “lessons learned” statement, you
address yourself by name. You don’t have to do this every time if you think
it’s stupid, but believe it or not, there is educational research that strongly
suggests that addressing yourself by name, especially in a kind and
nonjudgmental way, is a powerful learning tool. The reason seems to have
something to do with taking the time to reflect in a personal way on the
learning process. So, please address yourself by name in at least some of
your “lessons learned” sentences.
4. For free-response problems, enter the date, problem source, time log, and
the full, complete text of your
written response in your AP review notebook, NOT in the pages of the Barron’s
review book. Do not leave anything out. For example, if the problem
requires class definitions or constructors, write them out just as if you
were taking the AP exam. Don’t leave things out, thinking, “Yeah, I know what
I would have written there.” To practice the skill, you actually have to
write it all out. The more you practice doing this, the better. You will
naturally develop efficiencies and will find things that you can think about
while you are writing (assuming, of course, that your writing skill is fluent
enough that you can think and write at the same time).
5. For free-response problems, use the grading rubric provided either in the
Barron’s book or in the AP scoring guidelines to correct your work, using a
different color. (For example, if your original work is in pencil, as
recommended, your corrections can be in blue or red ink.) Then, write a
personal “lessons learned” statement for each problem.
6. Try to observe the AP timing rules: 26 minutes for each free-response
problem, slightly under 2 minutes for each multiple-choice problem. Since
some multiple-choice problems take longer than others, you will probably want
to do them in groups of 5 or 10 at a time.
7. There are dozens of free-response problems with solutions available
online. For example, use Google searches similar to these, all of which pull
up what you want in the first 2 or 3 hits:
AP computer science a 2008 free response
AP computer science a 2008 free response scoring guidelines
AP computer science a 2013 free response
AP computer science a 2013 free response scoring guidelines
Omit online problems that refer to the case studies (GridWorld,
etc.), since those are no longer tested.
8. In a 25- or 30-minute study session, you may have only enough time to
complete one free-response question and perform the scoring and “lessons
learned” statement. That is OK.
9. Your minimum requirement is 25 minutes per night, every night. You may
take one day off per week. That means a minimum of 150 minutes per week. Note: If you are one of those
“Philadelphia lawyers” who says that Mr. Hansen is not permitted to assign
homework on days that the class does not meet the next day (because of the
new 7-day rotating schedule, Phi Beta Kappa day, college trips, or whatever),
then you can group your study sessions, e.g., 3 blocks of 50 minutes each.
That’s your choice. Be aware, however, that the best educational benefit
occurs when you do the review problems every
night.
10. More is better. Don’t overdo it, but a daily goal above the minimum requirement
of 25 minutes is recommended. If you intend to do well on the AP exam, a
daily goal of 35-45 minutes would be a good idea. The time you spend on AP
review is like money in the bank.
Every minute spent is useful.
11. Your review notebook will be checked frequently. Bring your notebook to
class each day. Some rechecking may also occur, meaning that if you fall
behind, you need to get caught up right away to avoid the risk of getting
another 0 on a rescan.
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Th
5/7/15
B
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AP Exam, 8:00 a.m., Steuart
Building 201-202. Please arrive by 7:30 a.m.
Format of the exam will be as follows:
Part I, 40 multiple-choice questions
in 75 minutes.
Part II, 4 free-response questions in 105 minutes.
There will be a short bathroom break between the two parts. No
discussion, texting, e-mailing, or phone use of any kind are permitted during
the bathroom break. Violations of this rule are punishable by having your
score canceled. If violations are widespread, or if the AP administrators
have any reason to believe that anyone has had access to a cellphone for any
purpose during the exam or during the break, then all the AP scores for STA
and NCS, in all subjects, could be canceled for the year.
What to bring: Several sharpened
pencils with erasers. Pen is permitted on free-response questions but is not
recommended. Instead of erasing large blocks, you are encouraged to mark
deletions with a single large “X” and continue. Anything marked with an “X”
will be ignored during grading.
Leave in your locker or car: Cellphone,
calculator, scratch paper, notes.
The most important thing to leave behind is your phone. Any phones brought
into the exam room, or even into the area outside the exam room, are subject
to confiscation. Maybe you didn’t hear me, so I’ll say it again: Any phones brought into the exam room, or
even into the area outside the exam room, are subject to confiscation.
The AP people want to have high confidence that nobody is using a phone
during the bathroom break to send information about the exam to someone in a
different time zone. For this reason, the AP administrators reserve the right
to cancel all scores (not just the computer science scores, but all STA and
NCS AP scores for the entire year) if they believe that anyone has had access to a phone during the exam or during the
bathroom break.
DO EVERYONE A FAVOR AND LEAVE YOUR
PHONE IN YOUR LOCKER OR CAR. Thank you.
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W 5/20/15
D
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Field Trip to NSA’s National Cryptologic
Museum, Fort Meade, MD.
Bus will leave at 8:00 a.m. from the service road beside the Martin Gym. We
will be back on campus by 1:15 p.m. People going on the field trip will be
excused from Blocks 2, 3, 4, and 5, and we’ll be back in time for lunch and
Block 6.
Normal school dress (jacket and
tie) will be required. However, if the weather is warm, you may leave your
jacket on the bus during the museum tour and lecture if you wish. NCS
students should plan on wearing closed-toe footwear (i.e., real shoes, no
sandals or flip-flops) for safety when entering and exiting the bus.
Schedule:
0800: Depart STA, service road behind Martin Gym
0900: Arrive at National Cryptologic Museum
0900-1015: STAtistics class takes tour of museum
while CS class has cybersecurity lecture
1015-1030 (approx.): Break and time for shopping at the museum shop
1030-1145: CS class takes tour of museum while STAtistics
class has cryptanalysis lecture
1145-1200: Break and preparation for boarding bus
1205: Board bus for STA
1300 (approx..): Arrive at STA
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M 6/1/15
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Last possible
day for submitting project components (with permission).
Submission status as of 20150529 1612 EDT:
Block 2
Zack and Natalie (draw poker): illness, made contact 20150529, hard
copies of all but conclusions rcd. 20150601
Daniel and Trevor (rock, paper, scissors, Spock, lizard): almost complete; requirements
in hard copy rcd. 20150601
Clayton and Nat and Jordan (golf): source code received 20150527, other 3
components rcd. 20150529 1430 EDT
Ryan H. and Andrew (2048): source code received 20150525, all other
components rcd. 20150529 1335 EDT
Ryan F. and Mark (floaters): made contact 20150529, source code rcd. 20150529, final hard copies rcd.
20150601
William and Erin (Buffon’s needle): all components except design/milestones rcd. 20150529 1335 EDT, remaining items rcd. 20150601
Block 5
Henry and William (simplified Monopoly): source code 20150528, all other
components rcd. 20150529 1335 EDT
Becky and Chris (super tic-tac-toe): complete as of 20150526
Nick and Kelsey (tennis): complete as of 20150529 1210 EDT
Annabel and Thomas (mancala): complete as of 20150526
Jennifer and George (Battleship): requirements markup submitted 20150528,
source code received 20150529, remaining 3 components delivered by George at
20150529 1345 EDT
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