Beginning Computer Science

Academic Year Computer Science

Dive into the exhilarating world of programming with our first computer science academy course tailored for 6th through 8th graders eager to explore computer science! This immersive experience is designed to spark creativity and analytical thinking while learning to code, inviting students to weave their interests in various fields such as mathematics, art, science, and music. Although no previous programming experience is necessary, students are recommended to have taken a 5th grade math class or equivalent.

Through a cycle of exploration, discovery, and application, students will learn the foundational skills of computer science. Classes will include hands-on coding projects, unique challenges, and collaborative exercises. Students will harness their problem-solving skills and insights in innovative ways to craft solutions for these challenges, while allowing the opportunity to further extend projects with their own creativity.

Here is a sample of some exciting projects students will work on:

• Hot air balloons which students can control and maneuver,
• Drawing boards where students and their partners create, share, and collaborate,
• Cryptographic system to encode and decode secret messages,
• Machine learning agents that learn through evolution.

Our curriculum covers essential programming foundations including control structures, recursive thinking, linear data structures, and object-oriented programming in Java. Students will utilize a graphical theater, where actors can be manipulated with interactive controls and student implemented physics. It’s a hands-on coding journey!

To ensure a seamless experience, students are expected to bring the following to class daily:

• a fully charged Windows or Mac laptop,
• a charging cable as a backup
• headphones

Homework

Students should expect to spend about 60-120 minutes on homework every week. Homework will include: practicing coding skills learned in class through programming challenges and long-term projects. Students will receive immediate feedback on the programming challenges, with the ability to analyze and correct any submissions which produced incorrect results.