Labs and Assignments
Appropriate for
CS 1 / AP CS A

Aquarium Lab Series

• Aquarium Lab Series: series of labs that deal with constructing objects, invoking methods, basic flow control constructs, and implementing classes.

Other Introductory Labs and Programming Assignments

• TalkingRobot: lab and follow-up assignment that allow students to practice if statements and using the Random class
• Histogram: lab on loops using the Random class, with a follow-up exercise using an array of integers (this project uses a BoundedEnv object for plotting the histogram, although students don't have to be aware of that)
• Environment Plotter: students write methods that navigate a two-dimensional grid data structure (a BoundedEnv object), plotting pictures by placing colored blocks in the grid (graphics is all behind the scenes)

AP^® Marine Biology Simulation Case Study: Assignments

• Mini-Lab on Chapter 1
• Minnow: introduces students to a simplified version of the MBS Fish class.  In this project students enhance the way minnows move in their environment, going from simple forward movement to the random movement exhibited by fish in the MBS Fish class.  You may find it useful to have students read up to page 31 of the MBS case study and answer the questions in Analysis Question Sets 2 and 3 on pp. 26 and 31 before they do the Minnow assignment.
• Programming Assignment from Chapters 2 and 3
• Lab on Chapter 4: Experimenting with, and Extending, the DarterFish Class
• Programming Assignment from Chapter 4
• FastFish: a problem specification for another Fish subclass, along with two data files (4species.dat and Unbounded4species.dat) that define initial configurations for environments containing fish, darters, and slow and fast fish.
• ForwardFish: a problem specification for a Fish subclass that always moves forward, either straight ahead or angling slightly to either side.  These fish assume they have eight adjacent locations (north, northeast, east, southeast, etc.) rather than four (north, east, south, and west).

Follow-Up Assignments to the MBS Case Study

• Object-Oriented Design: a small set of problem specifications for which students develop object-oriented designs.  Since novice programmers have little experience from which to draw, the problems are all similar to the MBS case study (or the Aquarium Lab Series) in their overall design. 
• If you decide to cover applets in your course, the BalloonRace program provides a follow-up to the Object-Oriented Design assignment. 
• If you decide to cover some basic GUI design in your course using Java Swing, the MouseInAMaze and ObstacleCourse assignments provide follow-ups to the MBS case study and/or the Object-Oriented Design assignment.

*AP and Advanced Placement are registered trademarks of the College Entrance Examination Board, which has not endorsed this workshop or web site.
Last modified on 7/6/03 by Alyce Brady.