Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Week of January 5th - 9th, 2015

Monday:
Introduce JES and Jython
Students work on Intro to Jython Programming: Using JES

 Tuesday:
Continue with Jython, begin Guessing Game challenges
Note that the URL for the second extra credit problem is incorrect.   The correct one is here.
Wednesday:
(Group 2 can turn in a current event:
p1: Kusal, Alicia, Lamissa, Melina, Brandon, Serena, Katie, Nikki, Alona
p2: Meera, Donovan, Aliya, Anita, Sakik, Nicole, Olivia, Konrad, Ben)
continue to work on Guessing Game challenges

Thursday:
Class time to work on Guessing Game challenges.  (Due at beginning of class on Tuesday.)

Friday:
AI/Robotics paper due at beginning of class, on paper and via turnitin.  You can also turn it in on Monday, Jan 12th with a 3 point penalty.
~ 30 minutes to complete Guessing Game challenges and code review.
Introduce lists, nested loops, range()

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Sunday, December 21, 2014

Week of December 22nd-26th

Monday:
review for RUR-PLE test
last chance to work on RUR-PLE problems and extra credit
work on your AI/Robotics paper if time allows

 Tuesday:
(alumni day, shortened periods)
RUR-PLE test 

 . . . and that's it for 2014!  Enjoy your break, see you next year!
Note that the due date for the AI/Robotics paper is now Friday, January 9th at the beginning of class - on paper and TurnitIn.  You can also turn the paper in on Monday, January 12th and take a 3 point late penalty, rather than the usual 8 point penalty.
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Monday, December 15, 2014

Week of December 15th - 19th

This article might give you some ideas for part 3 of your AI/Robotics paper

 Monday:
Test on computer hardware, history, operating systems
Continue to work on RUR-PLE when done.
Remember, you can download RUR-PLE from here. Get the .exe for Windows, or the .dmg for OS X.

 Tuesday:
Introduce Python conditionals: if, if/else, if/elif, if/elif/else
Everyone working on RUR-PLE exercises
Part 2 available for those who have finish part 1.
(Possibly introduce while loop, depending on class progress)

 Wednesday:
(Group 1 current events:
p1: Anuj, Owen, Chris, Steph, Zonera, John, Brie, Jack, Keleb
p2: Mahmoud, Rachel, Sanjana, Lily, Keri, Lauren, Jackie, Grace, Mike, Katrina)
Introduce python while loop
Everyone should be into part 2 of RUR-PLE exercises today.

 Thursday:
Everyone continuing to work on part 2 of exercises

 Friday:
Last class time to work on part 2 of exercises
When you finish part 2, you can work on your AI/Robotics paper or take the Bebras Challenge to test your creative problem solving ability.  See Mr. Judkis for a login and password that you can use. (The test will be available until Dec 21st -- I don't know what time.)
Hand out test review sheet - there will be a test on RUR-PLE next Tuesday.

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Friday, December 5, 2014

Week of Dec 8th-12th

Monday:
(turn in computer dissection worksheets)
Introduce computer bus and bus services
Discuss computer chips, Moore's Law
video: How do they make computer chips?
Fetch/execute cycle
Experiment with the Visible Computer
Discuss modern computer history: 1960s to today

 Tuesday:
Complete computer hardware discussion
Discuss how a disk drive works
Read "How Do Operating Systems Work?" for today
Introduce operating systems: two roles, five jobs of an operating system

Wednesday:
(OS vocabulary sheet due)
(Group 2 can turn in a current event:
p1: Kusal, Alicia, Lamissa, Melina, Brandon, Serena, Katie, Nikki, Alona
p2: Meera, Donovan, Aliya, Anita, Sakik, Nicole, Olivia, Konrad, Ben)
wrap up operating systems discussion
hands-on OS with terminal window

Thursday:
Give out review sheet for test on Monday
File names and paths
User interface videos

 Friday:
review for Monday's test
we dive into programming: video
introduce RUR-PLE
You can download RUR-PLE here.
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Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Week of Dec 1st - 5th

Monday:
Robotics/AI presentation topic signup opens at 7:30AM
(read "Cartoon Guide" through page 65 for today)
Introduce Soldering: How To Solder video, in-class worksheet
Hand out "Soldering is Easy" - read for Wednesday
Hand out computer hardware vocabulary worksheet - due Friday
Hardware basics - input, output, storage, processing worksheet in class
Begin discussing history of computers - Jacquard, Babbage
Video: Babbage's Difference Engine

Tuesday:
No class, Grand Rounds at JSUMC
(part 2 of Medical Informatics due - turn in before or after JSUMC)
Here are links to the presentations, to use as reference:

Wednesday:
(Group 1 current events:
p1: Anuj, Owen, Chris, Steph, Zonera, John, Brie, Jack, Keleb
p2: Mahmoud, Rachel, Sanjana, Lily, Keri, Lauren, Jackie, Grace, Mike, Katrina)

 Soldering lab - build a blinky thing.
Discuss basic electronics - circuits, resistors, capacitors, LEDs, transistors

Thursday:
Finish Cartoon Guide packet for today
Continue with computer history
Videos: ENIAC SAGE
Introduce computer bus and bus services

Friday:
(computer hardware vocab due)
give out OS vocab, reading for next week
dissect old PCs
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Sunday, November 23, 2014

Week of November 24th - 28th

Monday:
30 minutes to get organized
Begin Medical Informatics presentations:

Tuesday:
Continue Medical Informatics presentations.

 Wednesday:
Group 2 can turn in a current event:
p1: Kusal, Alicia, Lamissa, Melina, Brandon, Serena, Katie, Nikki, Alona
p2: Meera, Donovan, Aliya, Anita, Sakik, Nicole, Olivia, Konrad, Ben

Complete presentations (if necessary)

Introduce Artificial Intelligence paper and presentation assignment.
Robotics/AI videos, as time allows:
"Smartest Machine on Earth" (NOVA episode)
"The Future of Robotics and Artificial Intelligence" (Andrew Ng, a machine learning expert from Stanford)

 Thursday, Friday:
No school, happy Thanksgiving!

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Friday, November 14, 2014

Week of November 17th - 21st

Monday:
(shortened periods, knee replacement distance learning)
Video (in class): FBI Ransom Computer Virus, Business Casual G-Men
Readings for today: (these were previously listed for last Friday.)
Tuesday:
(Query students on medical informatics topic preferences.)
Give out review sheet for quiz on dynamic web pages, computer security
Video (in class): Sabotaging the System (2009) (backup links: part1 part2) (use Firefox)
Optional video: Stuxnet (2012)
Readings for today:
Wednesday:
Group 1 can turn in a current event:
p1: Anuj, Owen, Chris, Steph, Zonera, John, Brie, Jack, Keleb
p2: Mahmoud, Rachel, Sanjana, Lily, Keri, Lauren, Jackie, Grace, Mike, Katrina
Review for quiz on dynamic web pages & computer security


Begin medical informatics topic:
In class, watch CBS News video: Charting A New Course
All groups working on informatics project. Each group must create a google docs presentation and share it with Mr. J. by the end of the period

 Thursday:
Quiz on dynamic web pages, computer security
All students working in groups on medical informatics presentations
I will look over what you have accomplished and get comments back to your group via school email before Friday morning.

Friday:
All students working in groups on medical informatics presentations


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Saturday, November 8, 2014

Week of November 10th-14th

Monday:
Some time reserved at beginning of class to look at one another's web sites.
Give out midterm review sheet. Or you can see it here.
Begin discussion of Google, cloud computing, dynamic web pages.
Videos:

Tuesday:
Go over any questions for the midterm.
Read Cookie Monsters.
Continue with discussion of dynamic web pages.

Wednesday:
(Last opportunity for current events for this marking period)
Midterm exam - both sections will take the test today, period 1 at 7:35, period 2 at 9:00.

 Thursday:
Computer Pioneer presentations - 60 - 120 seconds, no notes or slides.  

 In remaining time, begin unit on computer security, privacy, and cyberwar.
Video (in class): FBI Ransom Computer Virus

Readings for today:

 Friday:
Video (in class): Business Casual G-Men
Readings for today:

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Saturday, November 1, 2014

Week of November 3rd - 7th

I just ran into this little Halloween tutorial showing you some tricks with javascript and CSS.  Check it out if you're curious, it's very cool.

 Monday:
Hand out HTML readability guidelines
All students working on 3 page website

 Tuesday:
All students working on 3 page website

Wednesday:
Last in-class time to work on 3 page website
Web sites due, copied to server and turn-in sheet handed in by 11:15.
Why not do a current event?

Thursday, Friday:
No school, NJEA convention
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Thursday, October 23, 2014

Week of October 27th - 31st

Some useful links: 

Monday:
Introduce CSS styles
Give out "Ducks in a Row" worksheet, demonstrate access to web server

Tuesday
Demonstrate HTML validator
Everyone working on "Ducks in a Row"
3 page website assignment available when finished



 Wednesday:
(Current events accepted)
Ducks in a Row due by the end of lunchtime
Hand out "Design Principles" reading for Friday
Work on 3 page website assignment when finished with Ducks in a Row.

Thursday:
1. Please complete this survey for the Verizon App Challenge
2. Look over csszengarden.com.  What is going on here?
Introduce HTML table tags, rowspan and colspan
Everyone working on 3 page website assignment


Friday:
Discuss "Design Principles" reading
Give out readability guidelines.
Everyone working on 3 page website assignment

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Friday, October 17, 2014

Week of October 20th - 24th

Monday:
(App Challenge Reflection due)
(Read Secret Geek A-Team Hacks Back, Defends Worldwide Web and turn in this worksheet.)
Continue with discussion of Internet technology

 Tuesday:
(Periods slightly shortened: P1 ends at 8:52, P2 ends at 10:11.)
(TCP/IP try-at-home due. Here are worksheets for Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Mac OS X. If you run into problems with any of the commands, take your answer from these screen shots -- what you would have seen if it had worked.)
(Hand out review sheet for test on Thursday.)
Wrap up internet technology discussion
Begin HTML unit

Wednesday:
(Computer Pioneers paper due, on paper and via turnitin.)
(Why not do a current event?)
Go over test review sheet, answer any questions.
Continue with HTML unit.

 Thursday:
Here are the answers to the binary/hex worksheet, for your review.
test on binary numbers, digital representation of information, internet technology
Work on HTML when done with test.

 Friday:
JSUMC rotation.
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Monday, October 13, 2014

Week of Oct 13th - 17th

Please take this quick survey at the beginning of class on Thursday.

 Mon:
Staff day, no school.

Tuesday:
App Challenge presentations, videos, and posters due.
Groups give presentations, watch videos.

 1st period:
CPR Buddy: presentation video
RemMedi: presentation video
The Ultimate School Survival App: presentation video

2nd period:
BusyBus: presentation video
AllergEasy: presentation video
Hidden Strength: presentation video

Wednesday:
(Why not do a current event?)
PSATs, no regular class.

Thursday:
(Internet vocabulary due either today or Friday - your choice.)
Continue discussion of Internet history, technology
Friday;
JSUMC


For next Monday, Oct 20th:
For next Tuesday, Oct 21st:
For next Wednesday, Oct 22nd: 
  • Computer Pioneers paper due, on paper and via turnitin.
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Friday, October 3, 2014

Week of October 6th-10th

Monday:
Last day of in-class time to work on App Challenge.  

Tuesday:
(shortened periods, afternoon presentation)
Introduce binary/hex numbers

Wednesday:
(Why not do a current event?)
Complete binary/hex numbers
Begin discussing digital representation of sounds and images, digital cameras, CAT scans
Thursday:
(Binary numbers worksheet due)
(Give out internet vocab sheet)
(App challenge: written responses and Balsamiq mockup are due)
Complete digital representation discussion, begin internet discussion of internet history and technology
Stuff due next Tuesday, Oct 14th:
- App challenge poster, video, and presentation. Make sure that your presentation is shared with Mr. J, and that you've sent him a link
- We will also give the presentations in class on Tuesday.

 Stuff due next Thursday, Oct 16th
- Internet vocab sheet

 Stuff due the following Monday, Oct 20th:
- App Challenge Reflection
- Read Secret Geek A-Team Hacks Back, Defends Worldwide Web and turn in this worksheet.
- TCP/IP try-at-home due. Here are the worksheets:
if you run into problems with any of the commands, take your answer from these screen shots -- what you would have seen if it had worked.

 Friday:
JSUMC rotation
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Friday, September 26, 2014

Week of Sept 29th - Oct 3rd

Monday:
(Each person's App Concept Overview due - 500 words maximum:
  • App Name
  • Clearly identify the need or problem in the school or community
  • Describe how the key features of the app offer an appropriate solution to the identified need or problem - most important!
  • Explain how the app concept aligns with one of the 3 Verizon Foundation Focus Areas of Education, Healthcare, or Sustainability.)
(Each student makes at least one screen with Balsamiq.  Please download your image (using the download image link under the mockup) and print it out to turn in.  If you can't get to Balsamiq for some reason, you can use this template to draw your screen on paper.)

 In class, plan on meeting with your group for the first 40 minutes to share ideas and agree on the features you want to include in your app.  Avoid the "kitchen sink" approach, and try to identify a Minimal Viable Product - the bare minimum set of features that would still make a distinctive and useful app.

 Each group will present their ideas to the class and get feedback.

Tuesday:
Each group will allocate subtasks so that they can deliver the items required for this project:
  • Final Concept Overview (500 words, reflects the final group consensus on the product's key features)
  • Essay responses to Verizon prompts (each 200 words):
    • Team Research: Describe the team's research to locate existing/similar app solutions to the identified need or problem.
    •  Identified Need or Problem: How does the mobile app concept offer an innovative approach to solving the identified need or problem? 
    • Unique Form and Functionality: Explain how the app concept leverages the unique form and functionality of a mobile app. 
    • STEM Principles and Practices: How were STEM principles and practices applied during the design process?
  • 3 - 5 minute video
  • Wireframe mockup of user interface, using Balsamiq.
  • Poster - maximum 24" tall, 40" wide (so that 6 will fit on our bulletin board).
  • Class presentation
by Tuesday, Oct 7th.  There will probably not be any class time to work on this on Monday. Presentations (including the videos) will take place on Tuesday, October 7th.  Each group will have a maximum of 15 minutes, including the time to show the video.

 Groups reconvene at the end of class (stand-up meeting) and share progress, identify plans for Wednesday.  Every student fills out an exit ticket.

 Wednesday:
(why not do a current event?)
Groups convene at the beginning of class (stand-up meeting) and share concerns, verify that everyone is on the same page.
Groups continue to work on project deliverables.
Groups reconvene at the end of class (stand-up meeting) and share progress, identify plans for Thursday.  Every student fills out an exit ticket.

 Thursday:
(Probably the last in-class day)
Groups convene at the beginning of class (stand-up meeting) and share concerns, verify that everyone is on the same page.
Groups continue to work on project deliverables.
Groups reconvene at the end of class (stand-up meeting) and share progress, identify plans for completing tasks by next Tuesday.  Every student fills out an exit ticket.

 Friday:
JSUMC
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Sunday, September 21, 2014

Week of Sep 22nd - 26th

Monday:
(App Evaluation Project due - on paper and via turnitin)
Review AppInventor quiz
Review Verizon App Challenge  - creativity, smartphone resources
Groups review and evaluate problems from brainstorming session, prepare 5Ws and elevator pitches for apps. Here is the link for your elevator pitch.
Pass out Verizon consent forms and letter.  You can get the consent form online here.


 Tuesday:
Turn in Verizon consent forms!  Please!
Make sure you have submitted the elevator pitch (link is above)
Continue with problem/project evaluation exercise
Students present elevator pitches, vote on most promising - reduce to 6 candidates per class
Here's an inspiring example of what's possible.  (These were middle school kids, by the way.)
Here's the BTHS entry that was best in state last year.

 Wednesday:
(Why not do a current event?)
If you didn't submit an elevator pitch yesterday, your homework assignment for today is to submit TWO, in writing, by the beginning of class.
Last chance for Verizon consent forms
Break into teams, start working!

 Thursday:
No school

 Friday:
JSUMC rotation

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Sunday, September 14, 2014

Week of Sept 15th-19th

Monday:
JSUMC orientation
MoleMash writeup due

Tuesday:
for Tuesday, read about sprite animation in App Inventor 2
In class, we will work through the Pong tutorial and then do some extensions

Wednesday:
(Why not do a current event?)
for Wednesday, read about making a slideshow app that can step through a list of images.  You may find this confusing - try to follow along, we will clear up any questions in class.
We won't actually be making a slideshow, we'll be making a quiz app.  Here are the directions.
When you finish the basic app, extend it:
  • make it speak - have it say "You answered " + your answer (use the Join block) and have it say "Correct" or "Nope" or something school-appropriate
  • make it count correct and incorrect answers
  • make the background change colors for correct and incorrect answers, and go back to white when you move on to the next question.
  • think about how to make it be multiple choice.  Tricky!  You might want to look into how to work with lists of lists. . . 
Thursday:
Review for quiz on AppInventor
 Introduce group App project based on the Verizon App Challenge.  In particular, here are the guidelines for Education, Healthcare, and Sustainability that they offer.

Hand out "App Investigation" project - due Monday.
Here are some links to help you get started with this:
Friday:
quiz on AppInventor
continue with group App project

 Here is the link for your elevator pitch.
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Saturday, September 6, 2014

Week of Sept. 8 -12

Please remember that AppInventor is new material for me, and I don't know how long these lessons will really take. This plan will be adjusted as necessary.


Monday:
("Good Questions" homework due)
I think everyone will be able to finish "I Have A Dream" parts 1 and 2 by the end of class
If you do finish, see what you can do with http://www.appinventor.org/soundboard

Tuesday:
(For today, read App Inventor Architecture and be prepared to both ask and answer questions.)
(Also for today, look at: http://www.appinventor.org/Events  (event handlers) and http://www.appinventor.org/Conditionals (conditionals))
Start working on PaintPot part 1 and part 2

Wednesday:
(Current events can be handed in)
(For today, look at http://www.appinventor.org/Drawing (using the Canvas component for drawing), http://www.appinventor.org/properties (properties of AI components), and http://www.appinventor.org/Variables  (using variables to remember values that have to be used in a program))

Continue to work on PaintPot part 1 and part 2.  Parts 1 and 2 are to be done individually.
When you finish, work on extensions (with another person, if you wish):
  • The user interface in the PaintPot tutorial app does not display the current chosen color-- the user can only tell what color will be drawn by actually drawing. Add immediate feedback for the user so that when he clicks to change color, the UI changes to make it clear which color is chosen(e.g., when a color button is chosen, change the background color of the button to its color, and gray others)
  • The dot size used for circle drawing can only be 2 or 8 in the text version of the tutorial. Change this so that the user can enter the dot size with a Slider component, and can change it to any reasonable size (you decide what is reasonable).
  • Provide a way for the user to control the thickness of the lines that are drawn, similarly to how the dot size can be changed. Hint: Check out the properties of the Canvas component for one concerning line width.
Thursday:
(For today, look at http://www.appinventor.org/incrementing (incrementing and decrementing values) and http://www.appinventor.org/TimedActivity (using the Clock component to do some action at a regular interval))

Students work on MoleMash http://www.appinventor.org/MoleMash2

 Friday
Students wrap up MoleMash. Spend the remaining class time customizing it. Here are some possibilities:
  • Customize the app with a different image (not a mole), a canvas background image, and custom sound effects. 
  • Add a label to keep track of and display the number of times the mole has appeared (moved). 
  • Add a second ImageSprite with a picture of something that the user should not hit, such as a flower. If the user touches it, penalize him by reducing his score or ending the game. 
  • Allow the user select a picture for the “mole” using the ImagePicker component. 
  • Allow the user to specify how fast the mole should move either with faster/slower buttons or by entering a number in a textbox. The number should be in "jumps per second" and this should be clear to user. If a textbox is used, constrain the app so that the user can only enter a number that is reasonable for the speed of the mole. If the user enters an invalid number, display an error message using the Notifier component and keep the speed as it was. 
  • Show the user's score using a colored bar that changes in size instead of a label. 
  • Add "levels": when the user hits the "mole" x number of times, make the mole go faster automatically and show the user that the level has changed. 
  • Keep a high-score for the user and display it in the app. 
  • Remember the high-score the next time the user plays, using TinyDB. 
The last 15 minutes of class are to write up what you did as an MS Word document. Submit an image of your app's blocks, one or more screen shots of the emulator as your app is running, and a description of the features you added. If you worked with a partner, you can submit one writeup for both of you -- be sure to include both names!  This can be turned in at the end of class on Friday, or the beginning of class on Monday.

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