AP CSP Day 23 - Final Project - Planning and Design

Course Information

• Course: AP Computer Science Principles
• Unit: Big Idea 1 - Creative Development (CRD)
• Lesson: Day 23 (50 minutes)
• Learning Objective: CRD-1.W - Plan and design a final project

Learning Objectives

Primary Goals

Students will be able to:

1. Understand the process of planning and designing a final project
2. Create a detailed plan for their final project
3. Test and refine their project ideas
4. Analyze real-world scenarios that require project planning and design

AP Exam Alignment

• Big Idea 1: Creative Development (10-13% of AP Exam)
• Essential Knowledge: CRD-1.W.1, CRD-1.W.2, CRD-1.W.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 Big O notation
• Introduce today's topic on final project planning and design

Student Activities:

• Think about: "What are some examples where we plan and design projects in daily life?"

1.2 Project Planning Examples Challenge (5 minutes)

Activity: "Identify the Project Planning Steps"
Instructions:

• Groups of 4-6 students
• Identify project planning steps in given scenarios
• Discuss the importance of project planning and design

Purpose: Activate thinking about project planning and design

Core Content Instruction (20 minutes)

2.1 What is Project Planning and Design? (10 minutes)

Definition (CRD-1.W.1):

Project planning and design involves creating a detailed roadmap for developing a final project.

Key Concepts:

• Problem definition: Clearly define the problem
• Solution development: Outline potential solutions
• Testing plan: Describe how to test the solution
• Timeline: Set deadlines for milestones

Case Study: Planning and designing a simple program

• Program: Develop a student grade calculator
• Planning structure: Define requirements, outline features, set timeline

2.2 Common Project Planning Steps (5 minutes)

Examples:

• Define scope: What does the project aim to achieve?
• Identify resources: What tools and materials are needed?
• Set milestones: Break down the project into manageable parts

Discussion Questions:

1. What makes good project planning?
2. Can you think of an example where project planning is used in daily life?
3. Why is project planning important in programming?

2.3 Advanced Project Design Concepts (5 minutes)

Why is it important?:

• Scalability: Handling larger projects
• Collaboration: Facilitating teamwork

Discussion Questions:

1. How can we handle large projects with advanced planning techniques?
2. Why is collaboration important when designing projects?

Hands-On Activity (15 minutes)

3.1 Group Project: Plan and Design a Final Project (15 minutes)

Activity: "Design a Final Project"
Instructions:

• Groups of 3-4 students
• Plan and design a final project
• Test the feasibility of their project ideas
• Present the project plan to the class

Materials:

• **Project planning worksheet
• **Final project checklist

Learning Goals:

• **Understand project planning and design
• **Create a detailed plan for their final project
• **Test and refine their project ideas
• **Present ideas effectively

Assessment:

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

Closure & Preview (5 minutes)

4.1 Key Concepts Review (2 minutes)

Today's Learning Highlights:

1. ✅ Understanding the process of planning and designing a final project
2. ✅ Creating a detailed plan for their final project
3. ✅ Testing and refining their project ideas
4. ✅ Analyzing real-world scenarios that require project planning and design

AP Exam Connection:

• These concepts will appear in AP exam multiple choice questions
• Understanding project planning and design is crucial for the Create Performance Task

4.2 Next Class Preview (3 minutes)

Day 24 Topic: "Final Project - Implementation"

• Learning Objective: CRD-1.X - Implement a final project
• Activity: Practicing project implementation
• Homework: Think about a recent project you worked on. What planning and design steps did it employ?