Prep1 (due Mon 25-Aug)

Note: everything in this plan is required and due by 11:59pm on the date listed above.
  1. Prep1 Videos
    Note: your viewing of required prep videos is tracked by Panopto. Your homework, writing session, and participation grades depend on you watching these videos carefully and in full.

    With that, as the first step, carefully watch the required Course Overview video. It is the first of two required videos in this prep (most weeks there will only be one required video, but this week we need two to cover the course overview materials and then the first week's content).

    After that, you need to carefully watch the required Unit 1 Summary video. However, here you have a choice. The video is a fast-paced summary of the required content in unit1. You can watch this as a preview before you read the notes, or you can watch it as a review after you read the notes (or both). Your choice! Just be sure to watch it carefully!

  2. Student Contract
    By the prep1 deadline, carefully read the course syllabus and then complete the required 112 Student Contract (due Mon 25-Aug).

  3. Unit1 Content + Checkpoints
    By the prep1 deadline, be sure to carefully read all the notes in Unit1, and carefully complete all the checkpoints in those notes.
    • Do not rush this. Take your time. Explore the material, both in the notes and if you wish also in the Sandbox. Be sure to learn it well, so you are prepared to start applying the material when we meet on Tuesday.
    • To complete this step, you should have green checks next to all the Unit1 topics in the course outline.
    • If you want some additional lecture material on any topic, we recommend that you watch the videos at the top of each topic. While the prep video is required, these in-note videos are optional.
    • This only covers the unit topics. You do not have to complete any exercises (FR or CT) or tests as part of this prep.

  4. Running Python
    Notes:
    • We will run Python code mainly in two ways: online in CS Academy (using Brython), and on your own laptop using Standard Python and VS Code (a popular free IDE).
    • As part of prep1, be sure you can login to CS Academy, and run code in the Sandbox, and read a note and complete a checkpoint.
    • Also as part of prep1, be sure to complete the steps below and install VS Code and run Hello World on your laptop (not using CS Academy).
    With that, follow these steps to install Python and VS Code:
    1. Install Python 3.13.x from python.org's download page.
    2. Install VSCode (see the Getting Started with VSCode notes here)
    3. Run VSCode (the default Python text editor / IDE)
    4. Edit your Python file
    5. Run your code (command-B or control-B in VSCode once you followed our setup instructions)