AP CSP Day 8 - Program Design Techniques
AP CSP Day 8 - Program Design Techniques
Course Information
- Course: AP Computer Science Principles
- Unit: Big Idea 1 - Creative Development (CRD)
- Lesson: Day 8 (50 minutes)
- Learning Objective: CRD-2.F - Design a program and its user interface
Learning Objectives
Primary Goals
Students will be able to:
- Explain different program design techniques
- Identify program design elements
- Apply design principles to a program
- Analyze the importance of user interface design
AP Exam Alignment
- Big Idea 1: Creative Development (10-13% of AP Exam)
- Essential Knowledge: CRD-2.F.1, CRD-2.F.2, CRD-2.F.3
- Computational Thinking Practice: 1.A - Investigate the situation, context, or task
Lesson Structure (50 minutes)
Opening Hook (10 minutes)
8.1 Welcome & Lesson Preview (5 minutes)
Teacher Activities:
- Welcome students to Day 8
- Review previous lesson's key concepts
- Introduce today's focus on program design techniques
Student Activities:
- Review previous lesson's materials
- Think about: "What makes a program user-friendly?"
8.2 Quick Design Challenge (5 minutes)
Activity: "Design a Simple Program"
Instructions:
- Groups of 4-6 students
- Each group designs a simple program
- Present the design to the class
Purpose: Activate thinking about program design
Core Content Instruction (20 minutes)
9.1 What are Program Design Techniques? (10 minutes)
Definition (CRD-2.F.1):
Program design techniques are methods used to create effective and user-friendly programs.
Key Concepts:
- **User-centered design
- **Modular design
- **Iterative design
- **Responsive design
Case Study: The development of a mobile app
- Design techniques: User-centered, modular, iterative, responsive
- Outcome: A successful mobile app
9.2 Types of Program Design Techniques (5 minutes)
Types:
- **User-centered design: Focus on user needs
- **Modular design: Break program into components
- **Iterative design: Continuous improvement
- **Responsive design: Adapt to different devices
Examples:
- E-commerce app: User-centered design
- Social media app: Modular design
- Mobile app: Iterative design
- Web app: Responsive design
9.3 Importance of User Interface Design (5 minutes)
Why is it important?:
- User experience: A good interface improves usability
- Accessibility: Design for all users
- Efficiency: Streamlines user interaction
- Innovation: Enables new forms of interaction
Discussion Questions:
- How does user-centered design improve program usability?
- What are the benefits of modular design?
- Why is iterative design important in development?
Hands-On Activity (15 minutes)
10.1 Group Project: Program Design Analysis (15 minutes)
Activity: "Design a Program Interface"
Instructions
- Groups of 3-4 students
- Each group designs a program interface
- Identify design techniques used
- Discuss the importance of interface design
- Present the design to the class
Materials
- **Design tools (Figma, Canva, paper and pens
- **Access to computers or devices
- **Design worksheet
Learning Goals
- **Understand program design techniques
- **Apply design principles
- **Practice interface design
- **Present ideas effectively
Assessment
- **Group participation
- **Design quality
- **Use of design tools
- **Presentation clarity
Closure & Preview (5 minutes)
11.1 Key Concepts Review (2 minutes)
Today's Learning Highlights
- ✅ Understanding program design techniques
- ✅ Identifying design elements
- ✅ Applying design principles
- ✅ Analyzing interface design importance
AP Exam Connection
- These concepts will appear in AP exam multiple choice questions
- Understanding design techniques is crucial for the Create Performance Task
11.2 Next Class Preview (3 minutes)
Day 9 Topic: "Program Evaluation and Testing"
- Learning Objective: CRD-2.E - Develop a program using a development process
- Activity: Practicing program evaluation techniques
- Homework: Think about a recent program you used. What design techniques did it use? What could be improved?