Day 98: Trying to perfect projects

AP CSP

Day 98 - Oops I did it again - I got two of the same class on different tasks.  I noticed my first hour was really not sure how to do much of anything in app lab.  Even simple things like event handlers were a struggle for them.  In their defense, it had been a while.  Also, we have had bad weather all week making my first hour barely half there at the start of the hour.  SO partner work just fell apart.  For this reason I decided to do "ColorSleuth" as a class first to model the process of chipping away at a task.  ColorSlueth took 2 days for the class to do. 

My other hour I asked to rate on a scale from 0 to 5 how they were feeling about their projects.  I got a lot of 5s ("get out of my way, I have this") and a few 3s ("I am not sure about this, I need some help but I can do it") and nothing below a 3 really.  So, I decided to let them work.  That seemed to be a good decision.  I think we need to talk about the following:

• Refactoring code.  We should be looking for repetitive code and starting to put that into a function.  I don't see many students writing functions.
• Why "studentInput4" == 10 doesn't work.  Students see UI elements as variables.  I get that they see that a UI may contain information you want, but you need to GET that information from the element.  I also want to stress that variables may be a better way to get that information.
• Yes, you need to have some element of newness to your game.  Students are making games where they get asked the same 3 questions and are just making TONS of screens (one for each question, one for each answer, etc).  That isn't a game... that's not fun.

I still need to think about how to use/incorporate feedback for this project. 

AP CSA

I went over student quizzes.  This was a longer unit so I gave a quiz on polymorphism which was a good thing.  I caught a few student misconceptions especially around constructors.  We also did a lot of Kahoot to build vocabulary. 

Today they took a MC test on Polymorphism.  Tomorrow is FRQ.  Then we are done with the hardest unit of the year, IMO!

Geometry

Rough day for Geometry.  A lot of distracted behavior.  Not malicious behavior, just squirrely.

I did interactive notes for special right triangles.  It was like herding cats

A dark picture of the notes we took

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I wanted to do an interactive practice activity with students but many students were uncomfortable with their problems I gave them.  So, we did a mini version of that today.  Tomorrow we are going to finish up 45-45-90 and then I think I am going to give them some VERY structured practice.  It is not my favorite, but it was tough to get any momentum today.  The structure can build in momentum for the hour, I hope. 

One Good Thing

The drive home wasn't bad.