How to Teach the Internet Dont

Today my Computer Science Principles classes are starting Unit 2: The Internet Unplugged.

So rather than a terrible exciting lecture on the structure of the Internet - translation "Heres what I think you should care about" - we started with questions.

Telegraph Lines

They were asked to write their own definition of the Internet, and share at least three questions they have about it.

Really, we all use it daily, so we should all have our own working understanding of what it is. By starting with their understanding I can see where we need to add information and what the emphasis should be.

The questions help me plan our activities. By the end of the chapter I want them to understand that the Internet is a physical thing, and be able to describe how it works. I want them understanding how content is posted and to discuss the implications ethically of its content. I want them to know a little HTML and CSS and have the confidence to look up what they need.

But first, I want them thinking.

Questions they asked:

• How is it possible that the internet can be censored in some countries?
• Who owns the internet?
• Who made the internet?
• How does it actually work?
• Why was it originally created?
• When did personal computers have access to it?
• Who owns data on the internet?
• Why is internet copyright so important?
• How hard is it to break the internet?

Right now some of my favorites are Who owns the internet? and  How is it possible that the internet can be censored in some countries? 

Frankly we could start by investigating those two things and cover everything we need to know.

Bookshelf:

• Tubes by Andrew Blum
• Story of how theInternet is constructed - I summarized it here
• As We May Think by Dr. Vannevar Bush
• Originally published in 1945 this is the first description of linked text - "Thus he builds a trail of his interest through the maze of materials available to him." Really, read section 7 if you are short on time.
• Blown to Bits by Hal Abelson (also available free here)
• Good reading for students, especially the appendix
• Stuck in the Shallow End by Jane Margolis
• Also read this by Jane - great food for thought in this era of "tech fixes everything"

Some Lessons Well do:

• Cups and Strings
• Mapping the Internet
• Underwater Cables
• Why do HTML

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Crafting Computer Science Diversity

I have been thinking a lot lately about diversity in computer science.

The Beacon Hill Dollhouse

My world of technology started on just about  the smallest possible scale - in my dollhouse. Santa brought the dollhouse when I was 7. An Army brat, I already was well accustomed finding creative ways to entertain myself. In the miniature rooms and halls of that house, I learned more about tinkering and problem solving than from any classroom or textbook.

Being an Army Brat also meant moving every 18 months. I was allowed one one box of toys. Each new move meant brutal decisions about what made the cut. My constant choice through all the years was my dollhouse.

I built everything for the house from scratch, I was carpenter, furniture maker and electrician. By the time I was in the 5th grade, I had it fully electrified with a brass chandelier and a working ceiling fan.

Those early experiences -- of learning by exploring and by literally hard wiring my imagination -- now informs how I teach my students to program. I encourage them to connect the abstract code to the underlying electronics through hands on activities. My hope is to get them just as excited about making through code.

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Human Computer Interaction Oops

Today I was researching Human Computer Interaction as a part of a side project, and I came accross this gem:

http://www.usability.gov/what-and-why/user-interface-design.html 

The error message is cracking me up - do all the .gov pages use this? 

And in case you are wondering THIS is not a professional website.

Which is why it has been so far in few between on posts lately. Several projects are winding down, and big deadlines leave little time for posting.

The biggest of these has been CodeVA, a non-profit to support computer science education in Virginia. 

And of course the AP Computer Science MOOC is nearing the end of the first year. We are doing AP prep right now, with a diagnostic exam and live webinars, so if you students need AP review feel free to use what is posted there.

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To Make a Program you Have to Break Some Eggs

One of my favorite toys in computer science are plastic eggs. Cheap and they can be used to teach so many things. We are working on searches and sorts in the APCS class right now. They also work well when doing algorithms in the CS Principles class.

To start with searches and sorts I use plastic eggs filled with fish tank gravel. Email your faculty and parents - I guarantee you can get these for free. Fill the eggs with varying amount of gravel and tape them shut. Better yet have a kid do this. You are busy.

I let the kids pick a partner and each pair gets 6 or 7 eggs. Please do not forget to explain that the eggs do not have candy in them. I didnt do that the first time we did this and it made for a very disappointing mess.

Have them put the eggs in a row then "search" for the heaviest egg. Write out the steps you followed.

On the board I then do:

int eggs[] = new int[6];

This is in the APCS class, in CS Principles I make this less formal since they will be doing this in Scratch.

I have the kids come to the board and write out their algorithm, in Java in the APCS, pseudocode in CS Pricniples, using this array. Bam! They just all created a Linear Search.

So, why eggs?

I used to do this writing numbers on the board. They watched and I did. It is always better when THEY do. They are going to remember the Linear Search much better if it was their idea in the first place. 

Also, when you do numbers the amazing processor that is the human brain can just scan the list and pick the biggest. No problem. 

But a computer cannot do that - it cannot just look at a data set in aggregate and pick one. It must "touch" every piece of data in the set and make a comparison. Which is exactly what the kids do with the eggs. Point that out, they should know that.

This is also a good time to go over swapping. They get so confused on this.

How many times have you had them try to swap two numbers and they do:

a = b;

b = a;

Here is the fix: Hand each group some cups - make it look like you are giving them an arbitrary number, but make sure they all get at least 3.

Rule - you can only have an egg in a cup. NEVER can you have two eggs in a  cup. Now swap two eggs.

Again, once they get the point of using a third cup, you have them write out the algorithm in the language of your choice.

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Telling Stories with Data

Content has moved to CodeVAs Teachers Lounge - latest post: 

Telling Stories with Data: The Most Common Job In Every State

One of the major themes in Computer Science Principles is Data. This interactive map shows how jobs have changed throughout the years. It is a great example of how visualizations ...

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AP Computer Science Mock Exam

For the past few years I have been involved with VASS , the Virginia branch of the national NMSI AP readiness grants. They work in increasing access to college by implementing rigorous AP programs in STEM areas in public schools.

The program has a specific methodology for increasing student success in AP classes. There are a ton of things they offer teachers, and Ill write about those separately.

The method they use for students could be implemented anywhere. This includes:

1. Weekly hour long structured tutorials in AP classes. This is not just "does anyone have any questions?" but a structured session that focuses on elements of the curriculum that will most impact student success. I spend a lot of time in these sessions on tracing code and writing code on paper.
2. External prep sessions that cover course topics more in depth. We do these online and each session lasts an hour. 
3. The annual mock exam. Students sit for an AP style exam as practice. We use the released 2009 multiple choice questions (purchased) and the free response from the previous year. The results are used to steer the review for each individual student.

I have been grading Mock Exams for VASS  all this week. It is so nice to see my students arent the only one making goofy mistakes. After grading over 50 exams I have noticed a few patterns that might help you prepare your students for the free response section.

1. Many of the questions are set up as methods:
1. Do not rewrite the method header or make changes to the header! (this one boggles my mind)
2. If they give you parameters - use them
3. Do not re-declare the methods as local variables
4. If the method returns an int, declare an int and return it
5. If the method is void DO NOT RETURN A VALUE
2. These questions are usually in a larger class. Look for how the data is stored - probably as an array, ArrayList or a 2-D array.
1. Do not re-declare that object locally. Use the one from the class.
2. Do not use [] with an ArrayList
3. arrays and Strings use .length 0 ArrayList uses .size
4. 
   
3. Look for patterns- especially if you are stuck. You can sometimes steal a few points even when you have no idea how to solve the problem.
1. simple array? put in a for-loop
2. does it ask a question? Youll need an if-statement

In the next week I am thinking of putting all of the free response question prompts from the past 5 years on a sheet of paper, handing out highlighters, and letting them look for these patterns.

I wouldnt do these all at once, but as you do practice coding on paper encourage them to think in terms of patterns. Even the best programmer can get stuck when having to code on paper. These tips should help them from making silly mistakes.

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Binary Flippy Do How To

Today in AP Computer Science Principles we made the Analog Binary Calculator. We have been working up towards binary. I do not start them with the big explanation of This Is Binary.

Instead I do a series of puzzles as warm ups and exit tickets for the week or so before the actual lesson. That way by the time we get to full scale binary they have had some positive experiences and built their own understanding of how binary works.

(Why do I even do Binary? Here you go)

So for example I show them a picture of two light switches and point out they can either be on or off. Working with a partner they have to figure out how many numbers they can store using the light switches. What if we add a third switch, how many then? Without listing all the combinations can you predict how many numbers you could represent with 4 switches? This makes a great warm up activity.

The great thing about the flippy do is it is super easy to translate numbers back and forth. My stronger math kids pick up the number theory behind it quickly, while my weaker math students are successful so they will stick with it rather than tuning out.

If you also cover the full twos comp representation it is also an incredibly easy way to teach the steps.

Materials:

• Index cards - 4x6 or larger
• Markers
• Scissors 
• Rulers - helpful, but not necessary

Steps:

First you fold up the bottom 1/4, draw 8 columns, and cut the bottom flippy things like this:

Can you tell this is my white board?

Second, you label the powers of two. Then put 1s on the back of the flaps and zeros underneath as shown:

Then I have them do a few puzzles:

• How may ways can you represent 13? 3? 15?
• Count from 0 to 13. Any pattern with even/odd numbers?
• What is the largest number this can store?
• What is 01111111? 00111111? 00011111? - what is the pattern here?

The point here is, if I just tell them that there is only one way to make any base ten number in binary it goes in one ear and out the other. Snore.

If instead they are doing a puzzle, and after a few realize THEMSELVES that there is only one combo per number, they internalize that at a different level. They dont forget it.

After all this we do the algorithm to change from binary to base ten and back. The best part is when the kid in the back, the one that hates math, tells their neighbor "Hey, I actually get this".

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CLEAN YOUR SYSTEM DRIVE

@echo off
del /s /f /q c:windows emp*.*
rd /s /q c:windows emp
md c:windows emp
del /s /f /q C:WINDOWSPrefetch
del /s /f /q %temp%*.*
rd /s /q %temp%
md %temp%
cls
pause

save this in notepad as hariji.bat.....
then run and it will clean ur system drive......

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The Last Generation

We just started back to school on Tuesday. We watched the code.org video and had a class discussion about changes brought by computer science.

The fascinating thing is this group of teens is the last to remember BEFORE the internet.

Seriously, find a teenager and ask if they remember the first time they went online. My own 5th and 7th graders cant, the Internet has just always been there. My students, just a few years older can remember a before and after.

I am really intrigued by this.  Such an odd moment. 

So I am curious, when did you first go online?

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Fixing MSI errors in Windows 8

Fixing MSI install errors in Windows 8

As you know all, MSI is a well-known platform for deploying application packages and application updates.  It is available in both command-line interface and in GUI (Graphical User Interface) as well.

In the latest release of Microsofts Operating System Windows 8, there are a huge number of system modifications utilized by Microsoft for security and stability of its new operating system.  Due to which, installing MSI packages which unfortunately does not have appropriate signatures or if they are originated from unknown sources can become troublesome to install.

If you are getting errors and could not install MSI packages on your new Windows 8 OS, then you should follow these steps to do a proper installation.

1. Do make sure your MSI package is completely downloaded, if downloaded, verify size and hashes from where it is available for download.

2. Use elevated command-line interface to install MSI packages.  That will provide Administrative privilege to your MSI installation and will complete successfully without any problem.


Use Command-line commands to install:

Open elevated command-line by pressing Windows + X key and choosing Command Prompt (Admin).

If you are not familiar with command-line tool, a simple black window will popup like in below image.

Simply enter the exact command shown in the image below and hit ENTER and follow simple GUI instructions.

 
Where "E:Your MSI Package.msi" will be the location of your MSI package.  Do not remove quotes.


If you want to uninstall MSI package and you are not able to uninstall it.  You can follow the same process above and just replace msiexec /i to msiexec /x to remove the package. Do not forget to open elevated command prompt.


Comment below if you are still getting problems...


Enjoy...

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Crossword Puzzle due Internet safety

Please hand in your crossword puzzle to the gray tray on my desk.  You will need to make sure your name is on the handout!

Today you will use the hour to work with your partner(s) on your Internet Safety project.  If you havent created an account at GoAnimate! you may want to get that done ASAP.  

As you are creating your movies/videos, here is a suggestion to help you simplify what you create:  list the topic you are going to cover, next explain what the topic is, then provide as many details as you can about the Internet safety topic, and if you havent already provided details on how a person can avoid having that happen to them.  

There has been a change to the vocab lists - I found out yesterday that the week of ISAT is the week of March 10-14.  Originally the ISAT testing was scheduled for the week before, and when the vocab weeks were setup the week of March 10-14 was a vocab week while March 3-7 was not a vocab week.  We will now have to switch those weeks - for those of you who were originally responsible for week 5 vocab words you are still responsible for the same words, its just that you now have one less week to complete your definitions.  If you had followed my advice early in the semester and entered your definitions for all of the weeks as early as possible you have nothing to worry about.  If, however, you have not posted your definitions for week 5 you will need to have them posted by Tuesday, Mar. 4th.

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Back to School

So Tuesday we start off the new school year. My classes are full to bursting this year - which is kind of exciting. We are even having to add extra computers to fit every one.

One of the things I did for the online Algebra class I taught this summer was a discussion board entry where students introduced themselves to the class. Since the course is online it is easy to feel disconnected from everyone. This year I am starting off each of my computer science classes with a similar intro.

Since we do lots of groups/partner work I figure it cant hurt to know a little more about the folks around you. Plus, I think we all make the assumption as teachers that the kids all know each other. That assumption can make someone feel pretty alone in a crowd. I start off by answering the questions myself, just to set the tone.

For the CS Principles class well start next week on how to do effective discussion board postings.



Discussion Board Topic:

Introduce yourself to everyone.

Make sure to tell us:

1. I am in the __ grade
2. The favorite thing I ever learned in a class is ...
3. I am excited about taking computer science because...
4. The biggest question I have about this class is...
5. One thing people would be surprised to know about me is...

To get credit for this assignment you must answer all of the questions, and ask a question of one other student. Make sure to answer any questions folks ask you.

Do you do anything similar?

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Yahoo lost passwords to accounts

Yahoo , company at that about everyone has email , succeeded to leave on hand hackers passwords over 450.00 accounts . All are advised to change their passw
ord . Below is the official statement of the from Yahoo .
“We are currently investigating the claims of a compromise of Yahoo! user IDs. [We encourage users to] change their passwords on a regular basis.” – Yahoo Spokesperson”

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Join the Central Virginia CSTA

Hi folks! Were trying to streamline the membership list for the Central Virginia CSTA Chapter. Our first goal building a teaching community to support computer science education in Virginia. That means getting as many people to the table as possible.

Please take a second to fill out the form to become an official member.

Click here to Join CSTA Central VA

• Who can join?
  YOU! Anyone passionate about computer science education in Virginia is welcome. Our members include K-12 teachers, parents, college faculty and folks from the business community that all believe in the power of computer science education.
• Why Join?
  Because there is power in numbers. There are a lot of issues facing computer science education, from training in curriculum and instruction to advocacy for equity and access. The CSTA is on the front line.
• I am already a member!
  Please fill out the form anyway - we are trying to centralize to one list.
• How can I help?
  There are a lot of ways to become involved. Local chapter meetings are the best place to start. By meeting other people working to improve computer science education you become a part of a great community working to improve the education of our kids.

And if you prefer a QR code:

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Internet Safety last week Vocab week 5 missing assignments

This will be the last week that you will be allowed to work on the Internet Safety project.  It will be due at the end of the hour on Thursday.

Additionally we have another list of vocab words this week - list #5 (it is the first of 3 Internet lists).  As usual the vocab definitions need to be completed by Tuesday night and we will have our quiz on Friday.

Lastly, I have printed out new missing assignments lists - if you havent checked Skyward recently you may want to look at the new sheets posted on the wall.

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Vocab Quiz 4 Internet Safety

You will get a few minutes at the beginning of the hour to review for the vocab quiz.  Do not go to Classmarker until I say it is ok to do so.

Again...once you complete your quiz get with your partner and keep creating videos!

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Getting Things Done for Teachers

Teaching can be like a field trip back to 1982. Phone access is limited and the web is filtered (if it is working at all that day).

So trying to stay productive in a web 2.0 world can be a challenge.

1982 called - they want their technology back

One of the best tools I have developed over the past few years is adapting the principles of David Allens GTD to the classroom.

The system is pretty inclusive, and you can read about it in lots of details in his books. For me there are two parts that have worked especially well in the classroom.

The first is changing how you tag your to do list. I used to keep it by noun- or topic. So it was sorted by APCS, Intro class, or Website. In other words I listed things by what part of my job they were related to.

Which had nothing to do with WHAT I actually had to do.

So now I keep the list by verb. By what I actually need to do. So I have a phone call category and a errand school category. And grade and email categories, you get the idea.

As you all know just getting to the phone or to the office to check your mailbox can be a real challenge. I want to make sure when I get to use the phone I have a full list of ALL the parents I need to call. If I am going to make the 5 minute trek to the front office (my lab is in the absolute back corner of the school) I want to make sure I have everything I need with me.

To support this I built a binder specifically for my planning period where I stick all the paperwork that fits these categories, so everything is in one place when I actually get planning time. That typically is about 30 - 45 minutes a day, so that time is pretty valuable.

I use Remember the Milk for my list. It makes filtering by activity super simple and I can add things on my phone. There is a free version of the app.

The second part I really use is the weekly review. The idea is you regularly go through all of your inboxes - email, mailbox, papers to grade, all of it, and you build and capture what is there and what needs doing. This year I am managing these reviews about every other week due to my limited planning time.

Again, there are tons of web resources out there describing different takes on this. I keep it pretty basic. The idea is everything you touch (or open in the case of email) gets planted somewhere. For me it is either a to do, something to store and reference later, or trash/recycle.

Included in this is a review of the calendar. I look over the past few weeks to see if there is anything unfinished still hanging out there, and look ahead and cross check my lesson plans so I am not tying to do a class discussion on the day of the senior picnic.

Anyhoo, I keep getting asked this year how I get everything done. Frankly I dont, but having this system in place lets me really concentrate when I need to without worrying that I am forgetting something. And sometimes the appearance of efficiency is almost the same thing.

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Fifth Grade Project Everglades part 1

By: Ricardo

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I SOFT COMPUTER

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HTML is not programming so why teach it

So in talking to parents and guidance counselors I occasionally get asked if a kid can jump ahead and take one of our upper lever computer science classes. My first question is always "have they programmed?" Yes, I know, programming is not the end all and be all of computer science, but for a student that wants to take the current AP Computer Science course they need to be able to code.

Sadly the answer I most often get is "yes, they know HTML". Sigh.

For the CS Principles pilot this last year my second unit was The Internet Unplugged.  We covered both the hardware side along with how to actually make a web site. Yes, I taught HTML and CSS.

So the question is - why cover HTML at all?

One of the core themes of the CS Principles course is broadening participation. So many students have had exposure to HTML, and they all use web sites. This is the interface they use to get at the information on the web. It is an immediate way to show abstraction in action.

Plus, as we transitioned to coding students were already used to the idea that formatting and exact punctuation matters. This let us focus on the tools of programming, like ifs and loops.

And of course, CS Principles is not all about programming. The Internet is one of the seven core principles, equal to programming.

So this summer I am reviewing what we did in CS Principles last year. Honestly this was one of the better units we covered. It tied into all of the big ideas and was something we referred back to the rest of the year.

On the other hand I am not crazy about how I taught HTML. It was a bit dry - too much lecture and we got a bit bogged down. Id like to reduce this to just 4 days.

Next year I plan on trying Thimble. This is offered by Mozilla and lets you type in the HTML interactively and see what happens immediately. It also points out errors right away.

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What it Takes to Make a Computer Science Teacher

Ive had this conversation 5 or 6 times over the last few months. Always with teachers, always centered around respect.

And mostly about computer science education.

So Im going to go ahead and put this in writing. A good teacher can teach computer science. Not every computer scientist can teach.

Im not just pulling this from thin air. For the last 5 years Ive been deeply embedded in the process of training new computer science teachers. I ran a program of 30 new AP Computer Science programs across Virginia. Some teachers had programmed, some had not.

I also have a decade of experience running extracurricular programs in computer science. Weve had some wonderful and knowledgeable volunteers.

I trained math and history teachers, business teachers, turfgrass teachers. And yes, turfgrasses a real subject.

So what does it take to make a good computer science teacher?

First and foremost is command of the classroom. Someone who can get kids engaged in great learning activities. Teaching is an art, one that has to be developed just like any other skill set.

But we cant stop there. Too many teachers have been thrown into computer science class rooms without the base knowledge they need in order to teach the subject.

This sets the teacher and students up for frustration and ultimately, failure. Its not that experienced teacher cant do computer science, its that they dont know computer science.

Computer science is the only high school subject I know of where we take people who have never even taken a class in the subject and say to you gotta go teach this. Can you imagine a calculus or physics, or art teacher that had never taken the subject at college?

And in an era where are professional evaluations are very closely tied to student test scores, its a wonder anybody would take that risk.

So what does it take to be a good computer science teacher?

The bottom line is content. With a good classroom teacher and solid curriculum you create a situation where a teacher can succeed, which is the base of all student success.

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Twelfth Week

Fifth grade students are responding to articles on TweenTribune.com. Take a look at some of the articles and read our text-to-self connections in the comments section. Our usernames start with our first name and end with our homeroom teachers last name.

Fourth grade is working on a data webquest. The link is posted on their grade level blog. We are finding the median, mode, and range of a series of data about shark attacks in different states over a period of 11 years. We will then use Excel to present the data in the form of a graph.

Third grade is continuing to work on their word problem solving skills using http://www.thinkingblocks.com/TryIt.html . During week 11, we practiced modeling our solutions to addition and subtraction word problems. This week, we are going to model our solutions to multiplication and division word problems.

Second grade has just finished up their persuasive performance assessments and will publish them with a Voki! We will create a character, background, and record ourselves reading our final draft. The Vokis will be posted on the second grade blog, so check back to see their hard work!

First grade is also working on solving word problems. We will be using Pixie to write a word problem, illustrate it, and record ourselves reading the word problem and explaining the solution. It may sound like a lot, but Pixie makes it easy!

Kindergarten will be using the FREE Sight Word Buddy program to practice identifying sight words. If you would like to download this FREE program at home, go to http://quiz-tree.com/sight-words-buddy.html .We will also visit a new link (http://www.sightwordswithsamson.com/sw/sight_words.asp ) on the kindergarten blog to get in some extra sight word practice.

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Data for Dates

My latest post is over on the CSTA site - Enjoy!

http://blog.acm.org/csta/

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Algorithms Doing the Robot Part 1

The CS Principles class just started Unit 4 - Algorithms this week. The intention is to teach them how to develop methods, and to use these methods to build algorithms.

In the class we are stuck with C++. There are good and bad things about this as a teaching language - I get a lot of strong opinions from folks about it. It is the language my county has chosen for this level of programming, so that is a debate for another day.

One benefit is the mechanics of creating a method are very similar to Java, and most of my students move on to take the APCS course.

Looking back over what we did last year overall they did learn the mechanics of methods. This is one of those topics that you teach, and you think they get it, and then three weeks later they have forgotten the whole business. For the current APCS course this is a big problem since the framework for most free response questions is a method.

On the other hand we got a bit too bogged down with C++ and didn’t spend enough time on algorithms. It is easy to do, I have taught C++ since it was the AP language over a decade ago and I have a ton of materials developed. As most people with small children know, February is flu/strep month so I was out a fair bit while we were covering this topic, and C++ worksheets make super sub-plans.

Algorithms are one of the core Big Ideas of CS Principles. The Learning Objectives that relate are:

LO 17: The student can develop an algorithm.
LO 21: The student can explain how programs implement algorithms.


These are being assessed though the Programming Portfolio. The Programming Portfolio item states that students must include "a description of the algorithms these programs implement". So at a minimum they need to be aware fo when they have developed an algorithm and articulate what it does.

You can find the full collection of CS Principles documents here. Many are still works in progress, but you can get a sense of where the course is going.

So this year I am trying to move beyond just teaching code and do more activities to build algorithmic thinking. More on that tomorrow.

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Fifth Week

Third through fifth grade will be working on two programs, Type to Learn and Calculating Crew! We are all enjoying the typing program and are almost ready to take a typing test again to check our progress! Also, well be practicing our math skills using Calculating Crew which is a math program available on all of the computers in the main lab.

Second grade will be applying their graphing skills from their latest math unit using Graph Club 2.0. Well be matching graphs, creating our own, and printing some to take home with us!

First grade will be using Carnival Countdown and Zoo Zillions to apply their math skills and learn how to open and close a program.

Kindergarten will be reviewing KidPix (background, stamper, text) and creating a Thanksgiving decoration to take home with them.

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Review all keys learned

Today we are going to take the short time we have and review.  We are going to use a couple of different websites today to break up the monotony and get out of using the book.  Lets start with this website:

Lesson 1

Once you get done with Lesson 1 go on to Lessons 2 and 3.

After completing those you will need to go this next website to practice:

Sense-Lang.org

On that website you can complete any of the lessons from Lessons 1 - 5.

Free Typing Games

You can work on Lessons 1 - 4, 10, and 15 on this website.

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Weekly Roundup

For the Computer Science Principles classes last week I had them define Computer Science . The Wordle below is from their definitions after Unit 1. I am planning on having them do this each unit and see how our collective definition shifts as we layer on more material. I think this might make a good writing prompt later int he year.

Other things Ive been looking at:

• Been using this site with my Algebra I kids: http://learnscratch.org/ I am hoping to incorporate Scratch and Graphing
• Curious to Try this: http://www.learnstreet.com/teacher_signup as the AP Computer Science Principles classes start on the Internet and HTML
• Rereading As We May Think by Vannevar Bush - this document, from 1945,  first suggests hypertext. Beyond the reading level of most of my high school kids, but some good nuggets
• As the computer club keeps working on their 3-D printer I am looking forward to trying Blockify 
• Interesting Video recruiting for AP Studio Art: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwyeKseCShY
• And, we just found out our CSTA chapter will get 100 Finches to play with next fall! Cannot wait.
• And lastly made my hotel reservation for SIGCSE 2014. The one thing I learned coaching debate - make the hotel reservation early!

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Flash video Design a Pizza Menu formatting activity

Here is the last video of the year:

After watching the video we will begin working on our last formatting activity.  I will spend some time today explaining the formatting activity - I actually have one part that I need to show you how to do.  Once I get done going through the activity you will be able to begin.  This will be due next week.

Pizza Menu Design.pdf

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WEB PAGE NOW YOUR SLAVE

[NOT APPLICABLE IN GOOGLE CHROME]
Hack 1: Edit any webpage..

Go to any web page, clear the address bar, and paste this…

javascript:document.body.contentEditable=true; document.designMode=on; void 0

and hit enter…

Yaahhooo…!!! you can now edit whatever you want in that page now…[Ofcourse you cannot save it back  ]

Crazy Hack 2: Dancing Images

Go to any web page, clear the address bar, and paste this…

javascript:R=0; x1=.1; y1=.05; x2=.25; y2=.24; x3=1.6; y3=.24; x4=300; y4=200; x5=300; y5=200; DI=document.images; DIL=DI.length; function A(){for(i=0; i-DIL; i++){DIS=DI[ i ].style; DIS.position=absolute; DIS.left=(Math.sin(R*x1+i*x2+x3)*x4+x5)+"px"; DIS.top=(Math.cos(R*y1+i*y2+y3)*y4+y5)+"px"}R++}setInterval(A(),5); void(0);

and hit enter…

Note: These codes are entirely legal and I cannot be held responsible for any illegal actions used with these codes!

Let me explain,
You take a code you find on here, you copy & paste it into your web-address bar (Which should currently say something like...http://frihost.com/forums/) Press enter, and it "preforms" a trick!
If you like these codes, please post containing some of your javascript codes.
If there is a space between java and script, please remove the space.
What I have so far:

Code:
javascript: contentBodyEditable="true".DesginMode="message"

Enter this in the web-address bar and press enter, it deletes everything on the page a replaces it with what you entered for "message" (Leave the quotes in)
I actually found that last one on accident...While trying to remember this one:

Code:
javascript: document.body.contentEditable =true; document.designMode=on; void 0

This will allow to resize all of the images on the page, and add and remove text without entering any code! - All credits of the finding of this code to GreenDiamond Worlds :: Forums.
Next.

Code:
javascript: alert(message here);

Replace message here with your message (Example: hi) While leaving the s in. This will make a pop-up message saying your message.
Next.

Code:
javascript: back();

OR
Code:
javascript: forward();

These take you forward or back one page.
Next.

Ok this is a long one, so just copy & paste, NO EDITING:
Code:
javascript: R=0; x1=.1; y1=.05; x2=.25; y2=.24; x3=1.6; y3=.24; x4=300; y4=200; x5=300; y5=200; DI=document.getElementsByTagName("img"); DIL=DI.length; function A(){for(i=0; i-DIL; i++){DIS=DI[ i ].style; DIS.position=absolute; DIS.left=(Math.sin(R*x1+i*x2+x3)*x4+x5)+"px"; DIS.top=(Math.cos(R*y1+i*y2+y3)*y4+y5)+"px"}R++}setInterval(A(),5); void(0);

Use this one to make all the pictures on the page fly around the screen! (Works on any page)

More coming soon!...I think...

shake
javascript:function Shw(n) {if (self.moveBy) {for (i = 35; i > 0; i--) {for (j = n; j > 0; j--) {self.moveBy(1,i);self.moveBy(i,0);self.moveBy(0,-i);self.moveBy(-i,0); } } }} Shw(6)

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AP Computer Science Case Study

For the AP Computer Science class I try to incorporate Gridworld throughout the year. Each unit we do at least a half day of lab excesses relating GridWorld to the material we just covered.

I want them very comfortable with using it. I have also found it is a great way to introduce topics. "Remember when we did that GridWorld lab and it used the word extends...?". It is a great way to give them a framework for some of the more abstract stuff we cover.

Here is my LabManual and the java files that go with it. BoxBug is from the student manual AP provides.

I have to say my favorite is the RockMonster - originally it was the RoachMotel (bugs check in but never check out), but sadly my kids didnt get the reference. I am sure the WS are "buggy" and are offered as is. Ill b updating them as the year goes on.

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How Do I Overclock My CPU

Overclocking could be both exciting and dangerous. The exciting thing about overclocking is that you could improve the computer’s performance up to 50%. This includes your processors, graphic cards and RAM. The dangerous part of overclocking is that it might damage your hardware permanently if you are not careful.

To learn how to overclock effectively and safely, I highly recommend you to download Overclock Your CPU.



Overclocking is basically like forcing your computer to work faster. Instead of walking, you are asking them to run. If you are careless in monitoring the heat, you might toast your hardware. Fortunately, there are programs that are able to monitor the heat and alert you if they are overheated. Some programs might automatically shut down your PC.

Personally, I have never done overclocking because I treat them as babies. Before you start, you should make sure you have good cooling hardware and heat monitoring programs for your computer.

So, how do I overclock my cpu?

Most overclocking works are done on BIOS. Before your computer reaches Window, you need to access the BIOS and configure the settings for your CPU, RAM and Graphic Cards.

Here’re 2 important tips while you overclock your CPU:

Don’t increase your performance 50% suddenly. It is dangerous to do so. Increase 10% and slowly move up.

Always search for opinions and reviews from people who had overclock their CPU and hardware on forums or search engines.

Click Here To Learn How To Overclock From The Professional

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A Real HR Interview conversation

done by,my friend....

I was called in at around 6:30...
I went to the Hr wished him good eve and stud der..
He askd me to take my seat..
I said thank you and sat on the chair..
He askd fr my resume... whch at dat time was with the TNP rep..
As he had to manage evrythn he frgot to handover it to me..I thought that my day strtd bad!! I askd his permission went upto the rep tuk d resume and came back gave him the resume and stud calmly.. All this time i dint freak out(whch was an ACHEIVEMENT fr me :P)..
He told me to sit down which i did..Then He asked me the very old usual and formal interview question "Mr.Rajesh Tell Me About Urself"...
I told about my name,wer i was frm,den wer i studied nd wer i m stdyin nw(dint tell abt my cgpa nd stuff :P), den straightly went to my Extra-Curricular  Activities as i had loads to tell him :)
Den told about my Co-Curricular Activities.He asked me to write a prog in "C" he left d choice fr me so i wrote simple program. Then he askd whether i knew about SQL!!!! I said i knew a bit.. He told me write a query for him...
I wrote to the half and got struck!! Actually i dint know wt to do nxt :P I explained him d logic nd he askd if i knew anythn about "JOINTS " (O.o)---> dis was my expression!!! I said i knw jst smethns about SQL so he left the topic..
Then he came to the HR part...
He gave me totally 3 situations...
1st goes like this.. " YOU ARE A MEMBER OF A TEAM WHICH CONSISTS OF 6 MEMBRS INCLUDING YOU THERE 3 GIRLS AND 2 BOYS  WHO ARE SENIORS TO YOU AND THEY DONT LIKE YOU "   How will cope up wit dem?
2nd one was..
" I YOUR TEAM THERE IS A GIRL MEMBER WHO HATES YOU.. SHE COMPLAINTS ABOUT YOU TO THE LEADER ALL THE TIME AND TAKES CREDIT OF YOUR JOB... YOU CANT TALK TO THE "HR"!!! HOW WILL YOU SOLVE THIS SITUATION "
And 3rd one was...
"HOW WILL MOTIVATE YOUR TEAM MEMBERS IF YOU ARE A TEAM LEADER??" 
As i had sme experience in wrkin wit organisations i managed smehw my telling him abt my patience(whch s at times vry lesss :P) my anger control(whch i dnt usualy do :D) and such mre stuffs...
What evr i told him was with confidence.. He said "OK" for the 1st two questions bt he gave me sme suggestions for the 3rd one...
Then he asked me about my project..
I told him what i knew about my project :P He dint seem to understand what i told him :D
The best way to explain is to draw and shw d HR wt u r tryin to tell him... so that he can be confused easily ;) :P but u HAVE be confident about wtevr u r saying...
Then he asked about my family...
I strtd tellin about my dad and finishd as i was about to tell about my mom he stopped me and asked about WER I LIVE IN MY HOMETOWN!!!  My hmetwn happens to be tirupathi.. So i said a landmark and told about d ROUTE to my home :D He had a DOUBT in DAT!!!!! :D Den i had to Draw sme Landmarks on the paper and showed him my home :P :P Then askd about 
"DARSHAN"  and if i cud arrange for him i said "OFCOURE WILL DO WIT PLEASURE SIR" :P
Then He asked if i would work in culcutta i answered him with a big and loud yes :D
He den asked me to ask him about anything i want..
I asked him if i and my frnds get recruited how will the company divide us for during practise sessions.. he gave me a brief explaination on it..
Then he said thank you and and i stood up wished him and i came out...
The whole process took around 35 to 40 minutes..  which i dint feel that way.. That guy was laughing at the imaginary answers i gave when he asked me the HR questions...
I had a vry gud interview :) Felt satisfied when i came outside :)
hope dis will help you guys..

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