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Ms. Davis’ Computer Courses Syllabus
Jefferson Academy High
School
11251 Reed Way
Broomfield , CO 80020
(720) 887-1992
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Instructor and Contact Information
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Ms. Davis
Email: jdavis@jacomputers.org or jdavis@jajags.com
Web site: www.jacomputers.org
On Campus Times: Mondays-Thursdays: 7am - 4pm; Fridays: 7am -
3:15pm
As I am often working on technology in other areas of the building and not in
my room, please let me know if you need to see me.
Drop In Times: Tuesday-Thursday 3:00-3:20pm
Appointment Times: Daily 7:00-8:00am; Monday-Thursday-during
HS Lunch; Tuesday-Thursday 3:00-4:00pm
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Course Description:
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Intro to Computers - is an introductory computer science course that empowers students to create authentic artifacts and engage with computer science as a medium for creativity, communication, problem solving, and fun.
Office 1 - provides you with the proper knowledge, skills
and procedures to create documents, workbooks, and presentations using Office
2016 (Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft PowerPoint). Office 1 is
required for all other computer classes.
Office 2 - offers a deeper study of the Microsoft Office
2016 suite including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. The knowledge gained from
Office 1 will be expanded as you learn more functions available in each
application. (prerequisite Office 1)
HTML5 & CSS - master the HTML5 and CSS3 skills you need
to create exceptional web designs. This class covers basic to advanced
concepts and skills for developing web pages and websites using the most
current versions of HTML5 and CSS3. You will learn to create dynamic websites
that incorporate forms, videos, JavaScript, cutting-edge CSS3, and more.
(prerequisite Office 1)
Dreamweaver - allows you to quickly create Web pages without
writing the code in HTML. In this class you learn about the Dreamweaver
workspace, how to develop a Web Page, and work with text, graphics, links,
tables, and forms. If time permits, you will use style sheets, create layers,
and add multimedia elements. (prerequisite Office 1)
Adobe Animate - offers a fun learning experience because it
allows you to create animations, transformations, creative typography, and
Internet applications. You will learn the basics of Animate which include
learning the Animate environment, drawing objects, working with symbols and
interactivity, creating animations, and creating special effects. You will
prepare and publish movies and complex animations that run seamlessly across
desktops, smart phone and tablets (prerequisite Office 1)
Adobe InDesign - learn how to create engaging page layouts,
flow and edit text, create and use styles, incorporate graphics and tables,
and create PDF forms and ebooks. (prerequisite
Office 1)
Pre-Architecture - This course provides resources for an
introductory course in architectural design. Considerably easier to use than
other 3D software, SketchUp has found a niche in
architecture, landscape design, real estate development, furniture building,
and other design professions. This classes assumes no previous 3D modeling
experience and explains the basic concepts involved in 3D modeling. You will learn how to build a 3D
model, print it, share it, export it to another professional design package,
export it to Google Earth, and create a 3D animated tour. (Prerequisite
Office 1)
Pre-Civil Engineering - This course illustrates a holistic
approach to SketchUp: how it works and more
importantly, what to do with it. You will learn how to approach modeling site
plans, buildings and site elements: from modeling each of these exterior
environment elements to piecing them together to generate a singular and
expressive model. (Prerequisite Office 1)
App Development - Never coded but want to learn how to
build apps? Then you've come to the right place. This course targets
beginners of all ages and starts at the very beginning--setting
up App Inventor. With video and text-based lessons, this online
class will step you through building progressively more complex apps.
You'll learn how to build many types of apps and you'll learn
programming concepts and terminology.(prerequisite Office 1)
Python Programming - This course will provide a gentle, yet
intense, introduction to programming using Python for highly motivated
students with little or no prior experience in programming. The course will
focus on planning and organizing programs, as well as the grammar of the
Python programming language.(prerequisite Office 1)
Raspberry Pi - The Raspberry Pi is a small, affordable single-board computer that you will use to design and develop fun and practical IoT(Internet of Things) devices while learning programming and computer hardware. In addition, you will learn how to setup up the Raspberry Pi environment, get a Linux operating system running, and write and execute some basic Python code on the Raspberry Pi. You will also learn how to use Python-based IDE (integrated development environments) for the Raspberry Pi and how to trace and debug Python code on the device.(prerequisite Python Programming)
Python Game Programming - Once you have an understanding of
the basics of Python programming, you can now expand your abilities using the
Pygame library to make games with graphics,
animation, and sound. (prerequisite Python Programming)
Alice 3.0 – Alice is an innovative 3D programming
environment that makes it easy to create an animation for telling a story,
playing an interactive game, or a video to share on the web. Alice is a
teaching tool for introductory computer science. It allows students to learn
fundamental programming concepts in the context of creating animated movies
and simple video games. In Alice, 3-D objects (e.g., people, animals, and
vehicles) populate a virtual world and students create a program to animate
the objects. In Alice's interactive interface, students drag and drop graphic
tiles to create a program, where the instructions correspond to standard
statements in a production oriented programming language, such as Java, C++,
and C#. Alice allows students to immediately see how their animation programs
run, enabling them to easily understand the relationship between the programming
statements and the behavior of objects in their animation. (prerequisite
Office 1)
Beginning Java Programming– An introduction to Java using a
project-oriented approach to learning, presenting difficult Java programming
concepts in a straightforward and exciting way! The real-world examples
provided reinforce concepts and empower student to apply the knowledge
acquired. This course maps the Computer Science AP examination. (prerequisite
Alice 3.0 or permission of instructor)
Java Game Programming – This hands-on class for beginners
allows you to increase your skill level along the way as you create a game
full of cool artwork and intricate details. The class serves as an
introduction to the field of game programming using Java. From the basics of
creating simple Java programs and writing graphics code to utilizing Java's
advanced 2D library and adding sound effects and music, this class will help
you acquire all the skills you need to create a professional-quality,
sprite-based game.(prerequisite Beginning Java Programming)
AP Computer Science A - AP® Computer
Science A is both a college-prep course for potential computer science majors
and a foundation course for students planning to study in other technical
fields such as engineering, physics, chemistry, and geology. The course
emphasizes programming methodology, procedural abstraction, and in-depth
study of algorithms, data structures, and data abstractions, as well as a
detailed examination of a large case study program. Instruction includes
preparation for the AP Computer Science A Exam. Click here
for additional info on AP Computer Science (prerequisite Beginning
Java Programming and Permission of Instructor) Note: the
written AP Exam is May 15, 2018 in the afternoon.(same day as Calculus)
Exploring Computer Science - Exploring Computer Science
(ECS) is designed to introduce students to the breadth of the field of
computer science through an exploration of engaging and accessible topics.
Rather than focusing the entire course on learning particular software tools
or programming languages, the course is designed to focus on the conceptual
ideas of computing and help students understand why certain tools or
languages might be utilized to solve particular problems. The goal of ECS is
to develop in students the computational practices of algorithm development,
problem solving and programming within the context of problems that are
relevant to the lives of today’s students. Students will also be introduced
to topics such as interface design, limits of computers, and societal and
ethical issues. (prerequisite Office 1)
AP Computer Science Principles - This course is a rigorous,
entry-level computer science course that introduces high school students to
the foundations of modern computing. The course covers a broad range of
foundational topics such as programming, algorithms, the Internet, big data,
digital privacy and security, and the societal impacts of computing.
(prerequisite Exploring Computer Science and Permission of Instructor)
Note: the
written AP Exam is May 11, 2018 in the afternoon.
C# Programming - This course gives students who are new to programming an introduction to programming principles and concepts and hands-on coding skills by incorporating engaging new examples to introduce a variety of fundamental programming concepts, from data types and expressions to arrays and collections, all using the latest version of today’s popular C# language. (prerequisite Office 1)
Unity Game Development - This course teaches you how to
write and deploy games. You'll master the Unity toolset from the ground up,
adding the skills you need to go from application coder to game
developer. You will use the powerful C# language, Unity's intuitive
workflow tools, and a state-of-the-art rendering engine to build and deploy
mobile, desktop, and console games. Unity's single codebase approach
minimizes inefficient switching among development tools and concentrates your
attention on making great interactive experiences. (prerequisite C#
Programming)
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Homework:
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Homework will be assigned as
needed. If you do not complete your work in class, I expect the work to be
completed outside of class time. Time management is a big part of the class.
You are expected to complete all assignments either in class or outside of
class and manage your time and effort accordingly. If you complete
work on time in class, homework will not be assigned.
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Materials:
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Pen or Pencil
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Deadlines
Just as an employer expects efficiency out of an employee, so
do I. You are expected to complete the required assignments of the course. If
you fall behind, you are expected to make up assignments outside of class time
and by increasing your focus in class. You are expected to set intermediate
goals for completing your work and to keep track of your time. I do accept work after the first and second deadlines for up to full credit but the third deadline is a final deadline to allow for grading time. Plan accordingly to make sure you finish everything before the third and final deadline. You will be
graded on meeting the following deadlines:
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Common
Assignments |
First deadline |
Second deadline |
Third deadline
(Final deadline) |
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Due |
Due by
March 15
for all
Classes
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April 12
(Seniors-April 9) |
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May 18 (Seniors-May 14) |
| Intro to Computers |
Office, Web Design |
Animations and Game Desgin |
Programming and 3-D Design |
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Office 1 (PA each
Section) SEE BELOW FOR ADDITIONAL CHECKPOINTS |
Word 1-3, WPAs |
Excel 1-3, EPA |
Powerpoint 1-3, PPA |
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Office 2 (PA each Section) |
Word 4, 6,7, WPAs
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Excel 4-6, EPAs
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PowerPoint 4-6, PPA |
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Dreamweaver (PA each chapter) |
Chapters
1-5 |
Chapters
6-9 |
Chapters
10-13 |
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HTML5
& CSS3 (PA each chapter) |
Chapters 1-3 |
Chapters 4-6 |
Chapters 7-8 & PA finalized |
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Animate
(PA each chapter) |
Chapters 1-4, PA each
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Chapters 5-7
, PA each chapter |
Chapters 8-10 &
PA each Ch
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InDesign
(PA each chapter) |
Chapters 1-6 |
Chapters 7-11 |
Chapters 12-16 |
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Pre-Architecture(PA Final) |
Units
1-4 |
Units
5-7
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Units 8-10, PA
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Pre-Civil
Engineering (PA Final) |
Units
1-7 |
Units
8-12
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Units
13-15 & PA
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App
Development |
Modules
1-2 |
Modules
3-5 |
Modules
6-7 & PA |
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Python
Programming |
Level 1 - Chapters
1-5
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Level 2 - Chapters
1-5
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Level 3 - Chapters
1-6
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| Raspberry Pi |
Projects 1-10 |
Physical Computing Projects |
Physical Computing Projects |
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Python
Game Programming |
Chapters 1-4 |
Chapters 5-8
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Chapters 9-12 & PA
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Alice
3.0(PA final) |
Chapters 1-2 |
Chapters 3-4 |
Chapters 5-6 & PA |
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Java
Programming (PA Final) |
Chapters 1 -2 |
Chapters 3-4 |
Chapters 5-6 |
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Java Game Programming(End
Project) |
Chapters
1-4 |
Chapters
5-8 |
Chapters
9-10 and project |
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AP Computer Science A |
See notes |
See notes |
See notes |
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Exploring Computer Science |
Chapters
1-5 |
Chapters
6-12 |
Chapters
13-17 |
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AP Computer Science Principles |
Units 1-2
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Units 3-4
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Units 5-6
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C# Programming |
Chapter 1-2
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Chapters 3-4
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Chapters 5-6 |
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Unity Game Development(PA Final) |
Chapters 1-3
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Chapters 4-6
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Chapters 7-8 & PA
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Unreal Engine & Blender |
Chapter 1-3
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Chapters 4-6
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Chapter 7-9
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Learning Needs
· By
making the course self-paced, this allows you to progress at your own speed.
However, make your time count. This does not mean you slack off during class.
In fact, the amount of material is about what a student can do if 100% of the
time is spent on the assignments. If you are absent for any reason, spend a lot
of time talking or on breaks, or need extra time to finish assignments, you'll
probably have a lot of work to do outside of class hours or you may not pass
the class.
· This
will meet the needs of both fast and slow students. However, students are
expected to focus on their work for the entire period every day and do their
best job. The grade will be a direct reflection on how much a student is
on-task and completing assignments correctly.
Preparation for the Work World (minutes points)
· Employers
want a job done well. Therefore, credit will only be given for documents that
complete the objectives of the assignment, look professional, and have a
minimum of mistakes. Since the spell-check feature is a tool of the computer,
this includes correct spelling on all documents. Examples of completed
documents are in the book and/or on the Web site. You are expected to check
your work against these examples. If an assignment does not meet these
guidelines, I will give feedback and may give you the opportunity to make
corrections. Chapter assignments that are completed correctly the first time
with no errors will receive a 100.
· An
employer expects employees to use the resources available to them for solving
problems. If you run across problems when creating a document (with either the
software or hardware), you are expected to try trouble-shooting yourself, use
books and on-line help resources, and your co-workers. Use the instructor as a
last resort because she will not be available when you leave the class.
· All employers
want employees who arrive to work on-time and are productive throughout the
day. Therefore, a minutes grade(90 minutes or points per day) is given based on
the number of minutes worked out of the expected 3600 minutes in class (90
minutes points per day for 40 class days) based on the following:
· You
are allowed two 5 minute breaks without penalty per day to stretch, stand up,
look at something besides the screen, or use the restroom as long as
you do not disrupt other people in the classroom. If you fall behind
in assignments, this break privilege may be revoked until you have caught up on
your assignments. You may also lose this privilege if you disrupt anyone else's
work or break any school rules. You must sign out when you leave the classroom.
Only one student may be out of the room at a time. You may
only leave the room once per day. Break Procedure
· You
are expected to be working on your assignments every class period. If you are
going to Web sites, playing games, getting out of your chair, talking about
things not related to the class and not getting your work done, the teacher may
deduct time from your minutes grade and move you to a
different location away from distractions.
· Unexcused
absences, tardies, or suspensions
count for twice the actual amount of time missed. For example, if you are
absent one day without an excuse(skipping), you are docked 180 minutes (2 class
periods) toward your productivity grade. If you are late 5 minutes one day to
class without an excuse, you are docked 10 minutes on your minutes
grade. After the third tardy there are also office consequences.
· If a student
misses half a class or more (unexcused) it counts as an absence not a tardy.
Therefore, in this situation, you will have 180 minutes deducted from your
productivity grade. Every unexcused tardy after two will also count as 90
minutes deducted from your minutes grade.
· Suspended
students will lose all productivity minutes for any time missed and may make up
time at the teacher’s discretion.
· At
the discretion and convenience of the teacher, you may make up missed time
before or after school, at lunch, or during another class. The teacher may add
this time to your productivity grade. This only applies to unexcused
time out of class. If you are absent excused, you are not required to make up
time but may need to come in to get caught up on work.
Assignments
Assignments are listed on Ms. Davis’ Web site
(www.jacomputers.org). The student is responsible for checking this location
periodically to see if there are any changes to assignments or notes for their
completion.
Assignments are graded for completeness and for quality.
Generally, here is how the documents will be graded:
· 2-5
points off if files are saved incorrectly.
· 2-5
points off for an error in doing a procedure or a missing step.
· 1-2
points off for general typos in a document.
· 1-5
points off if words are spelled incorrectly. One point per word, up to five
points. Always do a spell check!
Quizzes and Tests
· Below is a schedule of all quizzes
and tests for this class.
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March 15 :
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Syllabus
and Procedures Quiz
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April 12 (Seniors-April 9) :
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Quiz
over material from Deadline 1 (see above)
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May 1 (Seniors-April 26) :
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Quiz
over material from Deadline 2 (see above)
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May 18 (Seniors-May 14) :
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Quiz
over material from Deadline 3 (see above)
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May 21-22 (Seniors-May 15-16) :
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Performance
Based Project Test
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May 23 or 24 (Seniors-May 17 or 18):
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Final
Written Exam
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Grading System Weights
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All Classes (Classes without a Personal Assignment will be 10% for whiteboards and 10% for common assignments)
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Whiteboards: 5%
Minutes Points: 20%
Common Assignments: 5%
Deadline 1 Assignments: 10%
Deadline 2 Assignments: 10%
Deadline 3 Assignments: 10%
Personal Assignments: 10%
Quizzes: 10%
Performance Based Test: 10%
Final Exam: 10%
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· The
Final Written Exam in all classes will account for 10% of
your score. At the discretion of the teacher, if you have not been disruptive
during class and have successfully completed all work with a 95% or above
grade, you do not have to complete the final written exam (everyone takes the
Performance Based Project Final).
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Grading
Scale
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What Each Grade Means:
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A: 90-100%
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If you earn an A in this course it means that you put
forth maximum effort on each and every task assigned, activity in class,
project given, and overall had a positive attitude in class. Very high level
of self advocacy.
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B: 80%-89%
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If you earn a B in this course it means that you put forth
good effort on each and every task assigned, activity in class, project
given, and had a good attitude the majority of the time in class. Self advocacy is a priority for the student.
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C: 70%-79%
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If you earn a C in this course it means that you put forth
average effort on each task assigned, activity, project, and had a mostly
positive attitude in class. Some attempt made to get extra help. Average
level of self advocacy.
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D: 60%-69%
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If you earn a D in this course it means that you put forth
very little effort on each task assigned, activity, project, and had a
somewhat negative attitude in class. Little effort put into getting extra
help.
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F: Below 59%
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If you earn an F in this course it means that you put
forth no effort on each task assigned, activity, project, and had a negative
attitude in class. No effort to receive extra help.
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Grades are available on-line through the school website by clicking on
the Infinite Campus link. Grades are updated at least weekly.
Discipline Policy
The discipline policy for this class is a simple process. The
objective is to change behavior, not punishment. If you violate the class
rules, you will be given verbal and written warnings. Further problems will
result in detention, notification of parents, and consequences which may
include removal from the classroom.
Discipline Consequences: Procedural Steps
- Verbal warning
- High School Lunch Detention
with Ms. Davis
- Friday School,
notification of parents
- Office Referral
Classroom Rules
- Respect all people by talking and listening
appropriately.
- Participate and behave appropriately in group
situations.
- Be at your desk and working when the bell rings.
See minutes points for tardy consequences.
- Each individual is responsible for maintaining the
equipment in the classroom and to pickup trash.
Avoid spills. In the computer lab, drinks must be in containers with lids.
Food is allowed but must be consumed during a break away from the
computers.
- Because of viruses, spyware, and other problems, no
downloads or changes in settings will be allowed unless approved by the
teacher. On your own login you may change desktop or screen saver settings.
However, if you are using a guest or group
login, you cannot make any changes to the settings.
- The default in this class is that ALL work will
be accomplished individually, UNLESS my permission is given in advance of
an assignment/quiz/exam/take-home exam/final. If you are in doubt, please
ask.
- Electronics
- In
general, students are not allowed to use any personal electronic device
in the classroom. However, since most of the work is independent and some
students’ productivity is enhanced with music, music players are allowed
during independent work and not during lectures as long as they do not
disrupt anyone's learning. Cell phones should be set to silent and only
used for music during class. Students must have headphones
in order to listen to music.
- If a
student chooses to inappropriately use an electronic device in class, the
following measures will be implemented:
- First
offense: The teacher will confiscate the device and take it to the
office. A student can retrieve the device between 3:00 and 3:30 that
day.
- Second
offense: The teacher will confiscate the device and take it to the
office. Only a parent can retrieve the device between 3:00 and 3:30 that
day or any day after. The office will not call the parent. It is the
responsibility of the student to let the parent know.
- Third
offense: The teacher will confiscate the device and take it to the
office. A parent conference with administration will be required before
the device will be returned. The student will not be allowed to use
their device for music in the classroom.
- We will also follow all rules outlined in the JA
student handbook and Jeffco Conduct Code.
Plagiarism Policy
Turning in any work that is not your own without citation is
considered plagiarism. The default in this class
is that ALL work will be accomplished individually, UNLESS my permission is
given in advance of an assignment/quiz/exam/take-home exam/final. If you are in
doubt, please ask. Your own words, ideas, and work are the constant
expectation. Students will receive no credit for work determined to be
plagiarized and will face appropriate consequences determined by the
administration.
Course Requirements
- Attendance: If you are absent, it is your
responsibility to determine and make up missed assignments. Since most of
the work is done in the lab or on the lab computers, or with textbooks
that are only available in the classroom, you may need to schedule a time
before or after school or at lunch to complete the work.
- You
are expected to make up time for unexcused tardies
or absences. Unexcused time requires twice the time to make up
the points.
- You are expected to be at every class, on time, and
working when the bell rings and ready for instruction whenever the
instructor starts.
- You will be expected to participate in class
activities: discussions, workshops, and small group opportunities.
- You will be responsible to create and store
assignments on the network, personal computer, flash drive, and may be
required to prepare some hard copies.
- You should support other students and not disrupt
their learning.
- If you need help, you are expected to consult the
tools you will always have first: the book, on-line help, and a peer. If
you still need help, ask the instructor.
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Official
Office Hours
(If you need other times,
make sure you ask in advance so I can try to be here)
Lunch
by appointment
Appointments
Available
Daily
7:00-7:55am
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A
Daily(Planning)
8:00 - 9:30
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B
Daily
9:35 -
11:05
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C
Daily
11:50 - 1:20
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D
Daily
1:25 - 2:55
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Official Office Hours
(If you need other times,
make sure you ask in advance so I can try to be here)
Tuesday-Thursday
3:00-3:20pm
Appointments
Available
Tuesday-Thursday
3:00-4:00pm
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