AP* Computer Science
Summer Institutes 2008

(updated 03 July 2008)

Here are the upcoming summer workshops that I will presenting at this coming summer...

1. The Silver State APSI - Las Vegas, NV Jun 23rd - 26th
Silver State APSI Website
Silver State APSI Flyer

2. Cal State San Marcos APSI - San Marcos, CA Jul 21st - 24th
Cal State San Marcos AP Website


FAQ's
1. Who are you?
My name is Michael Lew and I am an AP Computer Science teacher at Loyola High School in Los Angeles, CA (home of the Loyola Cubs, hence the name thecubscientist.com, in case you were wondering). I have been teaching this APCS since 1997, offering both the "A" and "AB" versions of the course . I have been an AP Computer Science reader and have been presenting at one-day and weeklong institutes for AP Computer Science for the last 5 years. My syllabus is published in the current AP Computer Science Teacher's Guide and I have soon to be published GridWorld project coming soon.

2. What should I know before I take one of these summer workshops?
You should have a basic knowledge of programming whether it be in Java that you learned this year or Fortran that you learned 20 years ago. In the workshop, I will go over teaching strategies/tools/methods and focus on the specifics of the Java 5 language that your students will need for the AP Exam.

3. Are there any books/tutorials that I can read/complete before taking the summer course if I need to brush up (or learn!) the basics of Java?
Yes, I recommend two books based on the type of reading you want to do...technical or conversational. For technical, I recommend "Java: How to Program" 7th Edition by Deitel. This is a pretty comprehensive coverage of Java. If you have little or no experience with Java, I would recommend "Head First Java", 2nd Edition by Sierra and Bates. It is a very light read, but very detailed and funny (in my opinion). It actually provides a coverage of Java consistent with the AP Exam. You can find both of these on Amazon.com or your local Barnes and Noble or Borders. You don't have to know every little detail of the language when you arrive for the summer institute, but you'll be better prepared if you do a little "homework" before the actual institute. I'll walk you through the intricacies of the language and the AP course language requirements at the institute.

4. What should I bring to the workshop?
Your laptop computer if possible (it is recommended) and an inquisitive mind! I have a general agenda of items to cover, but I will tailor the course to meet YOUR needs. Please bring all of your questions and I'll try my best to answer them all. You'll be taking home lots of printed resources (including books) so pack an extra bag for all of the stuff you'll take home.

5. How do I get Java up and running on my system?
There are two things you need to do...

1. First, go to the jcreator website and download the Sun J2SDK (second choice from bottom). The latest version as of 1/3/07 is JDK 6 Update 3. Save it to your computer (the desktop is fine), then run the installation program. Installing the SDK will give you the Java "compiler" and other useful tools


2. Secondly, go back to jcreator and download the "classic" version of the JCreator development environment (third choice from bottom). Download to your system and run the installation program. The first time you run Jcreator, it will run you through a wizard...just click OK along the way and you will be ready to create your first program.

Maria and Gary Litvin's have detailed instructions for this installation process.
Here's the link... Getting started with Java at skylit.com

6. Now what?
If you have JCreator up and running, then try some of the sample programs in either of the above recommended books (or any book that you may have). Here's how:

1. Click File | New File. Type the name of the file (jcreator will add the required .java extension automatically).
2. Click OK to save the file. Now we can start typing in our Java program!
3. Type in the source code for you Java program.
4. Click Build | Compile File (to compile your file).
5. Click Build | Execute File (to run your program!).

If all went well, then your program should run! If not, well, back to JCreator for the wonderful world of debugging!

7. Okay, that worked, but what about GridWorld?
Here is a document that shows you how to setup Gridworld on a variety of platforms. We'll explore this in detail this summer.

8. There was a role play for the Marine Biology Simulation. Is there one for GridWorld?
Yes, the authors of the MBS role play, David Levine and Steve Andrionoff, have written a role play for GridWorld.

I also have a modified version that has been field tested and modified by APCS students and Summer APSI participants. We will cover this in depth during the summer workshops (updated 25 Jun 2008).

9. And finally, how do I add my own creatures to the GridWorld Simulation?
Here are the steps that you need to follow to create your own "creature" and insert it into a working GridWorld Project. Have fun!!

10. Do you have a copy of you daily planner (2007-2008 version)?
Yes, here is a copy of my planner here as an Excel file.