Show the class different ways nations choose their next monarch to illustrate pre-order and level order traversals as students visualize tree traversal methods. Share Show the class different ways nations choose their next monarch to illustrate pre-order and level order traversals as students visualize tree traversal methods. with FacebookShare Show the class different ways nations choose their next monarch to illustrate pre-order and level order traversals as students visualize tree traversal methods. with Twitter
Have students instantiate personal hall pass objects when they wish to leave the classroom to help them learn that the values passed to a constructor have to match the number, type, and order of the arguments in the method signature. Share Have students instantiate personal hall pass objects when they wish to leave the classroom to help them learn that the values passed to a constructor have to match the number, type, and order of the arguments in the method signature. with FacebookShare Have students instantiate personal hall pass objects when they wish to leave the classroom to help them learn that the values passed to a constructor have to match the number, type, and order of the arguments in the method signature. with Twitter
Use Potato Head Toys to teach classes, objects, methods, and properties so that students develop hands on experience with abstract topics. Share Use Potato Head Toys to teach classes, objects, methods, and properties so that students develop hands on experience with abstract topics. with FacebookShare Use Potato Head Toys to teach classes, objects, methods, and properties so that students develop hands on experience with abstract topics. with Twitter
Use some of the following real world constructs to help beginning students form better understandings of abstract object-oriented principles. Share Use some of the following real world constructs to help beginning students form better understandings of abstract object-oriented principles. with FacebookShare Use some of the following real world constructs to help beginning students form better understandings of abstract object-oriented principles. with Twitter
Misconception: students sometimes struggle to identify where in a loop variable values get changed. Share Misconception: students sometimes struggle to identify where in a loop variable values get changed. with FacebookShare Misconception: students sometimes struggle to identify where in a loop variable values get changed. with Twitter
Start by having students transpose code from one loop type to the other when teaching all the different conditionals for the AP CS A exam. Share Start by having students transpose code from one loop type to the other when teaching all the different conditionals for the AP CS A exam. with FacebookShare Start by having students transpose code from one loop type to the other when teaching all the different conditionals for the AP CS A exam. with Twitter
Misconception: The update in the index in a for loop (i.e., the third part of the for loop control statement) happens after the all the steps inside of the loop have happened. Share Misconception: The update in the index in a for loop (i.e., the third part of the for loop control statement) happens after the all the steps inside of the loop have happened. with FacebookShare Misconception: The update in the index in a for loop (i.e., the third part of the for loop control statement) happens after the all the steps inside of the loop have happened. with Twitter
Explain nested for loops using a car odometer, the innermost loop controlling the ones digit must cycle fully before the outer loops steps forward, to help students better understand nested loops through a real world example. Share Explain nested for loops using a car odometer, the innermost loop controlling the ones digit must cycle fully before the outer loops steps forward, to help students better understand nested loops through a real world example. with FacebookShare Explain nested for loops using a car odometer, the innermost loop controlling the ones digit must cycle fully before the outer loops steps forward, to help students better understand nested loops through a real world example. with Twitter
Use note passing for explaining the difference between methods with no return (void methods) and methods with return to provide students with a relatable example. Share Use note passing for explaining the difference between methods with no return (void methods) and methods with return to provide students with a relatable example. with FacebookShare Use note passing for explaining the difference between methods with no return (void methods) and methods with return to provide students with a relatable example. with Twitter
Track the variable values of a recursive function using multiple pieces of paper to form a “stack” so that students can visualize what happens when a method calls itself and how each method call has its own unique variable values. Share Track the variable values of a recursive function using multiple pieces of paper to form a “stack” so that students can visualize what happens when a method calls itself and how each method call has its own unique variable values. with FacebookShare Track the variable values of a recursive function using multiple pieces of paper to form a “stack” so that students can visualize what happens when a method calls itself and how each method call has its own unique variable values. with Twitter
Use an Arduino and three LEDs to make an electronic, binary die to teach students about data representation, programming basics, and Arduino in an engaging introductory activity. Share Use an Arduino and three LEDs to make an electronic, binary die to teach students about data representation, programming basics, and Arduino in an engaging introductory activity. with FacebookShare Use an Arduino and three LEDs to make an electronic, binary die to teach students about data representation, programming basics, and Arduino in an engaging introductory activity. with Twitter
Misconceptions: Loops can be difficult for students in Scratch Jr. Share Misconceptions: Loops can be difficult for students in Scratch Jr. with FacebookShare Misconceptions: Loops can be difficult for students in Scratch Jr. with Twitter
Use scoreboards to motivate the use of variables because young students have developed strong mental models for scoreboards through previous exposure allowing them to quickly understand what variables are. Share Use scoreboards to motivate the use of variables because young students have developed strong mental models for scoreboards through previous exposure allowing them to quickly understand what variables are. with FacebookShare Use scoreboards to motivate the use of variables because young students have developed strong mental models for scoreboards through previous exposure allowing them to quickly understand what variables are. with Twitter
Foreshadow arrays right after teaching for loops by showing students how to create a 1x6 grid using the rectangle object in the Java objectdraw library because visualizations built off of recently introduced material provide a useful transition. Share Foreshadow arrays right after teaching for loops by showing students how to create a 1x6 grid using the rectangle object in the Java objectdraw library because visualizations built off of recently introduced material provide a useful transition. with FacebookShare Foreshadow arrays right after teaching for loops by showing students how to create a 1x6 grid using the rectangle object in the Java objectdraw library because visualizations built off of recently introduced material provide a useful transition. with Twitter
Play musical chairs to explain while loops so students develop physical experience navigating through the structure of a loop to better understand while loops. Share Play musical chairs to explain while loops so students develop physical experience navigating through the structure of a loop to better understand while loops. with FacebookShare Play musical chairs to explain while loops so students develop physical experience navigating through the structure of a loop to better understand while loops. with Twitter
Step through an accumulator pattern on board to make clear how variables change within a while loop to help students understand this confusing topic. Share Step through an accumulator pattern on board to make clear how variables change within a while loop to help students understand this confusing topic. with FacebookShare Step through an accumulator pattern on board to make clear how variables change within a while loop to help students understand this confusing topic. with Twitter
Have students code boundary condition test to handle removing adjacent duplicates to help them better understand data structures and become familiar with common bugs through practice. Share Have students code boundary condition test to handle removing adjacent duplicates to help them better understand data structures and become familiar with common bugs through practice. with FacebookShare Have students code boundary condition test to handle removing adjacent duplicates to help them better understand data structures and become familiar with common bugs through practice. with Twitter
Create boolean variables to use as the condition when introducing if statement to highlight for students that the condition is any expression that evaluates to true or false. Share Create boolean variables to use as the condition when introducing if statement to highlight for students that the condition is any expression that evaluates to true or false. with FacebookShare Create boolean variables to use as the condition when introducing if statement to highlight for students that the condition is any expression that evaluates to true or false. with Twitter
Use group discussion to help students figure out boundary cases for removing duplicate adjacent elements on their own so that they get to discuss a variety of test cases in depth before focusing on the code. Share Use group discussion to help students figure out boundary cases for removing duplicate adjacent elements on their own so that they get to discuss a variety of test cases in depth before focusing on the code. with FacebookShare Use group discussion to help students figure out boundary cases for removing duplicate adjacent elements on their own so that they get to discuss a variety of test cases in depth before focusing on the code. with Twitter
Explain the “discards qualifiers” error in C++ using the metaphor of a contractor who has signed a contract not to change instance variables, but then attempts to use subcontractor who hasn’t agreed to the same terms or signed the appropriate forms. Share Explain the “discards qualifiers” error in C++ using the metaphor of a contractor who has signed a contract not to change instance variables, but then attempts to use subcontractor who hasn’t agreed to the same terms or signed the appropriate forms. with FacebookShare Explain the “discards qualifiers” error in C++ using the metaphor of a contractor who has signed a contract not to change instance variables, but then attempts to use subcontractor who hasn’t agreed to the same terms or signed the appropriate forms. with Twitter