Reordering Units in AP CSP

CS Principles
1

Hi, this year I am doing things a bit differently, to hopefully allow my students a little more time to get feedback on their coding before we start the CPT. I did unit 1 first and then skipped to the coding portions. I am currently finishing up unit 5 and looking at starting unit 6 tomorrow. As I work through things… I am thinking I want to pare down the hackathon project and then do parameters and returns… then give them a practice cpt… while I grade that I would back to unit 2… this would give me more time to give some detailed feedback and make sure they understand the requirements for the cpt. I am looking to start it the 2nd to last week in Feb.

Has anyone done something like this? Is this a totally nutso thing to do? haha Does anyone have ideas for a smaller project at the end of unit 6? Maybe a discussion on how they made a practice CPT?

Thank you for all your feedback!

2

Hi Carla,

I have worked through the lists and the parameters and returns units with students, and then had them do the hackathon project, but with a parameter as an additional requirement. It works well as a practice Create PT, because then the requirements are the same. I had found that when I did the hackathon as written, that students struggled with parameters on the Create PT, and now they know what they need since I can give them feedback on the hackathon.

Best,

Lindsay