AP CSP Day 16 - Introduction to Lists

Course Information

• Course: AP Computer Science Principles
• Unit: Big Idea 1 - Creative Development (CRD)
• Lesson: Day 16 (50 minutes)
• Learning Objective: CRD-1.P - Use lists appropriately

Learning Objectives

Primary Goals

Students will be able to:

1. Understand the concept of lists in programming
2. Create programs using lists effectively
3. Test and refine program logic involving lists
4. Analyze real-world scenarios that require lists

AP Exam Alignment

• Big Idea 1: Creative Development (10-13% of AP Exam)
• Essential Knowledge: CRD-1.P.1, CRD-1.P.2, CRD-1.P.3
• Computational Thinking Practice: 1.A - Investigate the situation, context, or task

Lesson Structure (50 minutes)

Opening Hook (10 minutes)

1.1 Welcome & Lesson Preview (5 minutes)

Teacher Activities:

• Recap previous day's content on program development with functions
• Introduce today's topic on lists

Student Activities:

• Think about: "What are some examples where we use lists in daily life?"

1.2 List Examples Challenge (5 minutes)

Activity: "Identify the List"
Instructions:

• Groups of 4-6 students
• Identify lists in given scenarios
• Discuss the importance of lists

Purpose: Activate thinking about lists

Core Content Instruction (20 minutes)

2.1 What are Lists? (10 minutes)

Definition (CRD-1.P.1):

A list is a collection of items stored in a specific order.

Key Concepts:

• Creation: my_list = [item1, item2]
• Accessing elements: my_list[0]
• Modifying elements: my_list.append(item)

Case Study: Using lists in a simple program

• Program: Store and manipulate student names
• List structure: students = ['Alice', 'Bob', 'Charlie']

2.2 Common List Operations (5 minutes)

Examples:

• Adding elements: append(), extend()
• Removing elements: remove(), pop()
• Accessing elements: indexing, slicing

Discussion Questions:

1. What makes good list usage?
2. Can you think of an example where lists are used in daily life?
3. Why are lists important in programming?

2.3 Advanced List Concepts (5 minutes)

Why is it important?:

• Efficiency: Handling large datasets
• Flexibility: Storing different types of data

Discussion Questions:

1. How can we handle large datasets with lists?
2. Why is flexibility important when using lists?

Hands-On Activity (15 minutes)

3.1 Group Project: Create a Program with Lists (15 minutes)

Activity: "Design a Program"
Instructions:

• Groups of 3-4 students
• Design a program that uses lists effectively
• Test the program for correctness
• Present the program to the class

Materials:

• **Program design worksheet
• **List usage checklist

Learning Goals:

• **Understand lists
• **Create programs using lists effectively
• **Test program logic involving lists
• **Present ideas effectively

Assessment:

• **Group participation
• **Program quality
• **Testing thoroughness
• **Presentation clarity

Closure & Preview (5 minutes)

4.1 Key Concepts Review (2 minutes)

Today's Learning Highlights:

1. ✅ Understanding the concept of lists in programming
2. ✅ Creating programs using lists effectively
3. ✅ Testing and refining program logic involving lists
4. ✅ Analyzing real-world scenarios that require lists

AP Exam Connection:

• These concepts will appear in AP exam multiple choice questions
• Understanding lists is crucial for the Create Performance Task

4.2 Next Class Preview (3 minutes)

Day 17 Topic: "List Operations and Algorithms"

• Learning Objective: CRD-1.Q - Use list operations and algorithms appropriately
• Activity: Practicing advanced list operations
• Homework: Think about a recent program you used. What lists did it employ?