Computer Science
The Computer Science course will take a look at some "Big Ideas" in computing such as: creativity, abstraction, data,algorithms, programming, Internet, and social impact are the topics we will explore and develop. The Beauty and Joy of Computing curriculium will be used in this course accessing software such as Snap. As part of a national effort in developing knowledge as well as skill sets in this subject, students will be developing a performance portfoloio which can be used for the AP Computer Science testing as well as college admissions.
Resources
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"Every day, billions of photographs, news stories, songs, X-rays, TV shows, phone calls, and emails are being scattered around the world as sequences of zeroes and ones: bits. We can’t escape this explosion of digital information and few of us want to–the benefits are too seductive. The technology has enabled unprecedented innovation, collaboration, entertainment, and democratic participation." Abelson, Harold, Ken Ledeen, and Harry R. Lewis, 2008)
Abelson, H., Ledeen, K., & Lewis, H. R. (2008). Blown to bits: your life, liberty, and happiness after the digital explosion. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Addison-Wesley.
Blown to Bits. Your Life, Liberty and Happiness
After the DigitalExplosion.
Hal Ableson, Ken Ledeen, Harry Lewis.
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Graphic Design by Nate Williams
The Beauty and Joy of Computing
Curriculum from University of California Berkeley
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"This course is far more than just learning to program. We focus on some of the "Big Ideas" of computing, such as abstraction, design, recursion, concurrency, simulations, and the limits of computation. We show some beautiful applications of computing that have changed the world, talk about the history of computing, and where it will go in the future. Throughout the course, relevance is emphasized: relevance to the student and to society. As an example, the final project is completely of the students' choosing, on a topic most interesting to them" (BJC, Berkley)
