One of the bigger issues in getting ready for the APCs exam in May is transitioning from coding on a computer, with full support of a compiler with error checking, to writing code down on paper.

To get the kids used to doing this I use the 60-80-100 Quiz.These are short problems where they wrote out the code. If they get it right, they get a 100. Make a few mistakes they get an 80, and if the code doesnt resemble anything we are working on it is a 60.

The rationale is an 80 is not likely to tank your grade for a marking period. they get immediate feedback and start to build confidence in their ability to write out code.

Early in the year we do simple things like:

write an if statement to test of both x and y are equal to 67;

When I grade these I am checking for three main things:

• did they set up the if correctly
• did they use &&
• did they use ==

Super quick and easy to grade. I grade them in class while they do some practice on the computers and I hand them back immediately. They get instant feedback while they are still thinking about it.

As the year moves on I up the difficulty, trying to mimic the style and complexity of the Ap Free Response questions.

So later we might try something like:

Write a method that accepts an ArrayList <Integer> parameter and removes all even numbers.

again I am looking for specific things here...but this also lets me reinforce things like:

• How do you get an int from an Integer
• Should you use a for-each loop if you are removing items form the ArrayList

Notice also that it is set up as a method. Since many of the Free Response questions are in the context of a method the more practice they have with using methods, the better.

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Today we will review at the beginning of the hour for vocab quiz #3.

After the quiz, if you did not finish yesterdays assignment you need to complete it and send it to me.

If you are done with both please open Microsoft Word and turn to page 17.  Youll need to type lines 1-3 on 8B using the Caps Lock key (L4) once; after you complete those lines you need to complete lines 4-6 once on 8B - here you will learn the question mark key (Left Shift + R4).

Once you have completed the above lines go to 8C and complete each of those lines once.  In this section you will learn to use the TAB key (L4) - a TAB allows you to move your cursor to a preset position on the line of writing.  For you, as you will see when you type these lines, the preset position is 1/2" from the left margin.

After completing all of these lines raise your hand and I will come and check your work.  Then you may go to any of the practice sites listed on the Website Resources page of the blog.  Make sure to work with your speed skin on your keyboard for the entire hour!

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Today we will be taking vocab quiz #5.

After taking the quiz everyone will be creating a blog at Blogger.  This is the same host site that I have used to create the class blog.  The sign up process will be simple because Blogger is a "sister" site to Google - you can use your Google account to log into your Blogger blog.

We will take some time today to create your blog - if we have time available we will be embedding your videos onto your blog.  At some point (either today or Monday) you will be sending me an email with a link to your blog so I can view your video(s) and grade them.

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Today we have our second vocab quiz.  Just like last week we will take the first few minutes to review and then we will be heading to Classmarker to complete the quiz.  DO NOT GO TO CLASSMARKER UNTIL I GIVE YOU THE OK!

After completing the quiz we will be learning the M (R1) and the X (L3).

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We will take the first few minutes to review for the vocab quiz.  After looking over the words on your wikispaces page we will go to Classmarker to take the quiz.  You shouldnt be on Classmarker until I tell you to go there!

Once you are completed with the quiz you will need to open Microsoft Word and turn to page 11.  You need to type lines 1-10 in section 5C.

Once we get done with section 5C we will move to page 12 and learn the B (L1) and the Y (R1).

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You will have a few minutes at the beginning of the hour to review; Ill let you know when its time to go to Classmarker to take the quiz.

When you get done with the quiz you need to finish FA6 and hand it in.

If you are done with FA6 and the person you are to compete against is done with FA6 you will have a race on the Typeracer website.  It is not a guarantee that all people will be competing in Typeracer today.

If you have completed everything you can bring something to work on from another class, read, or play on the practice websites.

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We have vocab quiz #7 that we will be taking after using the first few minutes of class to review.  

Once you are done with the quiz you need to start working on Formatting Activity #5.  This actually comes in the form of a handout - it will not be embedded on the blog.  FA5 will be due by the end of the hour on Monday, so you will have time today and Monday to work on this assignment.

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You will have a short amount of time at the beginning of class to review for the vocab quiz - youll need to go to the Wikispaces page to review.  If you dont know your password I dont have it - youll have to create a new password on the website.

After completing the quiz you will need to turn to page 18 in your book and learn three new keys.  The apostrophe is keyed with your right little finger (R4) and is the key between the semicolon and the return key; the hyphen is keyed with your right little finger (R4) and is the key to the right of the zero; and the quotation marks are keyed with your left shift key and right little finger (Left Shift + R4) and is located on the apostrophe key between the semicolon and the return key.  On page 18, Lesson 8D, type lines 1-9 twice each.

Once you get done with these lines raise your hand and I will come look at what you have done.  Once I have seen that you have completed these lines you can go to any of the practice websites and play the keying games.

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Youll be given a few minutes at the beginning of class to review for the quiz - youll want to go to your Wikispaces page to do that.  Do NOT go to Classmarker until asked to do so.  As a reminder, make sure to submit your quiz answers - failure to do so will mean that you will have to come back and retake the quiz.

When you are done you will need to complete Formatting Activity 1, which is embedded below.  The instructions are given here - follow the instructions in order.  However, instead of completing steps 7 and 8 what you need to do is save your file to a flash drive. We will cover how to complete step 8 on Monday.  IF YOU DO NOT SAVE YOUR DOCUMENT TO YOUR FLASH DRIVE IT WILL BE ERASED AND YOU WILL HAVE TO START OVER NEXT WEEK!!!


FA1.pdf







If you get done you are welcome to go to the website resources page on the blog, go to the practice websites and play typing games.

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Today is the last of the vocab quizzes!  As usual you will be given time at the beginning of class to study - do not go to Classmarker until I tell you to do so.

As soon as you complete the quiz you may continue your work on the pizza menu.

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You will be given several minutes at the beginning of class to review for the vocab quiz.  Please do not go to Classmarker until I tell you do so.

After the quiz you will have the rest of the hour to complete, print out, and hand in FA12.  Please make sure to staple all of the pages together before you hand them in.  When you do finish you should have 4 pages total...if you have less or more it is likely that you didnt do something correct.  In other words, if you dont have 4 pages you may want to take a close look at what you might have done wrong.

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We will take a few minutes at the beginning of the hour to review the vocab words for this week.  You will want to go to the Wikispaces page for your class to do that (remember that to get to your Wikispaces page you need to go to the vocabulary page on the blog and click on the class hour link). DO NOT GO TO CLASSMARKER UNTIL YOU ARE TOLD TO DO SO!

Once you are done with the quiz you need to open Microsoft Word and type lines 1-10 on 4C at the bottom of page 9 in the book.

When you complete those 10 lines you may go to the following websites and practice:

Typing Lessons (you can work on lessons 1, 2 or 3)

Sense-Lang (work on lessons 1-5)

Free Typing Games (you can type lessons 1-4, 6, 10, and 15)

HAVE A GREAT 3-DAY WEEKEND!

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Today we will review for a few minutes at the beginning of the class, just as we normally do, before we take vocab quiz #9.

After completing the quiz you need to finish FA10 - the assignment we started yesterday on inserting clipart into Word.  Once you are done with this formatting activity you will need to submit any missing assignments that you have - that list seems to be growing fast!

Some of you also need to check your email regarding FA8 - I sent an email regarding FA8 to quite a few students as I was grading that assignment because many people only submitted half of the assignment in their email to me (you needed to attach your Word document with the movie summary and then you also needed to send me a link to your URL).

If you are all caught up you need to go to the practice websites - speed skin on your keyboard!

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We will take a few minutes at the beginning of the hour to review, using our class wikispaces page, for Vocab Quiz 6.  Do not go to Classmarker until I tell you to.

Once you have completed the Quiz you can complete FA2.

If you are done with FA2 you can go to any of the practice websites on the blog - make sure your Speedskin is on your keyboard.

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Today we are going to review for the vocab quiz (as normal) at the beginning of the hour.  I do have 2 more things I want to cover regarding the vocab list so Ill talk about those at the beginning of the hour.  When I am done youll then have time to look over the definitions.

Once you are done with the quiz you should complete any missing assignments that you have not yet turned in.  This is the second day in a row that you have had class time to complete missing assignments, which is really more than I should be giving you.  Please use this time appropriately.

If you are all caught up with assignments I have a handout of Word-it puzzles that you can work on (nothing for a grade - just for fun).

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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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As is the normal procedure on vocab quiz day you will be given several minutes to review for the vocab quiz.  You will not go to Classmarker until told to do so.

Once you complete the quiz you will have the rest of the hour to work on the pizza menu.  A couple of things to keep in mind:

1. The set of sheets you were given yesterday is the same set you should be using today (you were told that yesterday).  Use it to keep notes, write on, mark off steps youve completed, etc.  Bring it to class and take it with you when you leave.
2. Go through the instructions in order.  You will be much better off if you do!  Step #6 on page 2 is where you will start entering your information (the pizza menu item and prices).
3. Save to your Google Drive or to a flash drive frequently!  
4. Read all of the instruction before you work on doing what it tells you.  Many of you read the first sentence, or just the first part of a sentence, and then start doing something.  This causes you to leave something out at the end of an instruction or sentence that may be important for a future step.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

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Youll be given a few minutes to review before we take the vocab quiz...use it wisely!

Once you complete the vocab quiz you have several options:

1. complete FA11 and send it to me via email
2. complete any missing work - if you need to go to Skyward to check to see whats missing thats fine, but do so quickly; I will be reading off everyone who has submitted old assignments (FA 9, 10 and 11) so you know if those have been received
3. if you dont have any missing work I have some Word It puzzles that you can do for fun; you may work on these with a partner if you wish, but there will only be groups of 2; Ill give you the answers after youve had time to work on them for a while
4. if youd rather go to the practice websites that is perfectly ok...but you must have your speed skin on your keyboard!

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As per our usual procedures on days when we have vocab quizzes we will take a few minutes to review at the beginning of the hour.  Please do not go to Classmarker until I tell you to do so.

Once you finish the quiz you will be learning new symbols on the keyboard.  Follow the below directions to complete these symbols for today:

P. 40 17B, lines 1-3 twice (this is the diagonal - use your R4 finger)
P. 40 17B, lines 4-6 twice (this is the dollar sign - use the right shift key and L1 finger on the 4)
P. 40 17B, lines 7-9 twice (this is the exclamation point - use the right shift key and the L4 finger on the 1)

Once you get done typing these lines, raise your hand and I will come over to check to see that you are done.  When you get done you may go to any of the typing games websites for practice.

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