CS150 Schedule

Note: Instructors can now make notes to themselves that can be made visible on your laptop but invisible on kcs01.kzoo.edu if you put them in tag with class 'instNotes' and if you set the display for instNotes to none on kcs01 and to something like initial on your laptop. Just be sure not to add/commit instructorNotes.css in either place, otherwise they won't be different.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The following schedule represents a current best guess concerning actual due dates (and everything else), to give you a general idea of the pace and timing of the class. Specific details are likely to change as the quarter progresses.
Last modified on .

The template files used frequently in this course are: the main method class template, the normal class template.

Reading assignments are from the Second Edition of Think Java: How to Think Like a Computer Scientist by Downey & Mayfield, unless specified otherwise.

Getting Ready (Before Quarter Begins)

DAY	PREPARATION	IN-CLASS TOPICS/ACTIVITIES	FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES
Week 1 Monday (M1)	Get the book, join the CS Collaboration Center in Microsoft Teams, and download BlueJ. (See Getting Ready above.)	Introduction / Syllabus Format of this course Programming & Computer Science (Video for review. — 3.5 min) Introduction to Programming and Java (Video for review. — 9.5 min)	Study the Syllabus, especially the sections on Attendance, Assignments, and Collaboration and the Honor System.
LAB 1	Videos: - Getting Started with BlueJ and Java (7:46 min) - JavaDoc Documentation Comments (3:40 min) - Getting Started with Lab 1 (4 min) Reading: Read Chapter 1 from Think Java. You may skim the section on Compiling Java Programs (pp. 4-5) if you like.	Answer Questions about videos: Getting Started with BlueJ and Java Lab 1: Getting Started (Exercises 1 - 3) Start Programming Project 1a	Study Syllabus for quiz on Wednesday. Programming Project 1a
Wednesday (W1)	Videos: - Numbers & Strings (7 min) • [slides] - Variables & Assignment (9 min) • [slides] - Primitive Types in Memory (6.5 min) Reading: Read Chapter 2 from Think Java and the Remainder Operator section on p. 37 of Chapter 3 (just the one page). (You may skim the sections on "The Scanner Class" (pp. 30-31) and "The Scanner Bug" (pp. 39-40).	Answer Questions about videos: Numbers, Strings, Variables, Assignment Do Exercises 4 - 6 in Lab 1: Getting Started Work on Programming Project 1a	Start with Aquarium Lab Series: Mini-Lab Entrance Assignment
Friday (F1)	Videos: - Classes as Blueprints for New Types (8.5 min) • [slides] - Object Types (15 min) - Preview of today's Mini-Lab Results (1.5 min) Due on Kit: - Lab 1: Getting Started (Exercises 1 - 3) - Programming Project 1a - Aquarium Lab Series: Mini-Lab Entrance Assignment	Answer Questions about videos: Constructing Objects, Reading Documentation, Invoking Methods Aquarium Lab Series: Mini-Lab #1 Creating Fish in an Aquarium
DAY	PREPARATION	IN-CLASS TOPICS/ACTIVITIES	FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES
Week 2 Monday M2	Videos: - Basic `for` Loops (10.3 min) • [slides on loops] [slides on Boolean Operations] - Preview of today's Mini-Lab Results (1.5 min) Reading: Read the first section of Chapter 5 (p. 63 and the first 2 lines of p. 64) in Think Java. Read the sections on "The for Statement" and "Nested Loops" on pp. 81-83 of Chapter 6 in Think Java.	Turn on notifications for the Collaboration Center General channel in Teams, if you haven't done so already. Aquarium Lab Series: Mini-Lab #2 Keep on Moving	Remind students to Download at least one book from Project Gutenberg and watch videos before Lab. Complete the Before Getting Started section of tomorrow's Lab, by selecting and downloading a plain text eBook.
LAB 2	Video: - Functions/Methods, Parameters, & Return Values (13.5 min) • [slides] Pre-Lab Preparation: Complete the Before Getting Started section of today's Lab Optional: Watch this video about creating a file reader object. (2.25 min) [A follow-up video will show how to use the reader object.]	Textual Analysis Lab Series: Reading and Printing Lines from a File	Review Conditions and Random Behavior: Review & Think-Pair-Share Practice Quiz on If Statements
W2	Videos: - Boolean Expressions and If Statements (12 min) • [slides] - Random Behavior (5 min) • [slides] - Preview of today's Mini-Lab Results (1.5 min) Reading: Read Chapter 5 in Think Java. Read Concept Sections from Aquarium Lab Series: Mini-Lab #3 A Whirl of Color and answer the Stop and Think questions.	Quiz #1 Conditional (`if else`) Statements Aquarium Lab Series: Mini-Lab #3 A Whirl of Color	Mini-Lab: More Colors, More Freedom, More Interesting!
F2	Due on Kit: LAB 2: Textual Analysis Lab Series: Reading and Printing Lines from a File Videos: - ArrayLists and the For-Each Loop (10:43 min) • [slides] - Preview of today's Mini-Lab Results (1.5 min) Reading: Quick Reference List of ArrayList methods (useful subset)	ArrayLists Aquarium Lab Series: Mini-Lab #5 More Fish!	Complete the Aquarium Lab Series which will be due W3 (Wednesday Week 3). Here's a copy of the rubric.)
DAY	PREPARATION	IN-CLASS TOPICS/ACTIVITIES	FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES
Week 3 M3		Winter: MLK Day - No Class Spring: Complete the Aquarium Lab Series which will be due W3 (Wednesday Week 3). Here's a copy of the rubric.
LAB 3	Video: First 14 min of Variations on a Theme: Looping through an ArrayList Sub-Topics for Later Reference: Intro of video and MenuItem class used in this demo (0:00 - 2:30) Review of reading class documentation (2:30 - 3:20) (Digression: The `.toString` method (2:54 - 3:16) Creating an ArrayList (3:42 - 4:14) Reading in whole file and filling the ArrayList (4:17 - 6:59) Stepping through a list using the 2 types of for loops (7:00 - 9:40) Summing items in a list (10:09 - 12:18) Computing the average (12:19 - 14:20) (Digression: Alyce's First Law of Programming — 12:27 - 12:38) Reference: clean copy of all the loops in this video, including Process All, Sum All, and Average (and more)	Think-Pair-Share: Practice Quiz on Reading and Understanding Code (arithmetic operations, operation precedence, and loops; quiz is due by Friday) Instructions: Think about the questions and talk them through with each other before submitting the "quiz" to see the answers. Textual Analysis Lab Series Lab: Counting Words (Loops, ArrayLists, and Strings) If you have time, get started on the first exercises in Further Textual Analysis (ArrayList Traversal Patterns)	Complete Lab Two useful quick references on ArrayLists: The Intro to ArrayLists slide lists a few of the most common `ArrayList` methods. The ArrayList Details slide gives a good summary of key ArrayList characteristics and methods.
W3	Due on Kit: Make a copy of your Aquarium Lab Series folder named `YourName_Aqua_MLs`, zip it, and submit to Kit. (Here's a copy of the rubric.) Video: ArrayList Loop Patterns 2nd half (roughly) of Variations on a Theme: Looping through an ArrayList - 15 min, starting at 14:20 Sub-Topics for Later Reference: Finding and printing a subset of items in a list (14:20 - 18:23) (Digression: Using `.equals` instead of `==` with Strings — 15:45 - 17:12) Formatting with tabs and newlines (8:13 - 8:17, 18:23 - 19:05, 20:21 - 20:30, 24:56 - 25:05) Printing an element that matches two criteria (20:32 - 23:58) (Digression: Advantage of using `.contains` instead of `.equals` with Strings — 22:47 - 23:58) Printing all elements that match one criterion (23:58 - 25:19) Using the `.toString` method (24:24 - 25:48) Find how many elements are less than some value (25:48 - 27:43) (Digression: Don't need `else` in these "finding" loops — and it would break the code — 27:17 - 28:24) Wrap-up (talks about methods that return ArrayLists of results rather than printing them — 28:24 - 29:29) Reference: clean copy of all the loops in this video, including Searches and Subsets (and more)	Further Textual Analysis (ArrayList Traversal Patterns)	Complete Mini-Lab Here's a 2020 article about actual word analysis at work: We Analyzed the Comments on the Atrocious "Dr. Jill Biden" Op-Ed: Men and Women Saw Something Different
F3	Due on Kit: Lab 3: Counting Words (part of the Textual Analysis series) Due before Class: W3 Mini-Lab: Further Textual Analysis (ArrayList Traversal Patterns) Video: Watch More Variations on the ArrayList Looping Theme: Finding a Minimum or Maximum Value in an ArrayList - 7 min Reference: clean copy of all the loops so far, including Find Min/Max, and Find Top N at the end	Quiz #2 Reading and Understanding Code Think-Pair-Share: Practice Quiz on Constructing and Looping through an ArrayList (quiz is due by Tuesday) Begin Project: Word Frequency Project: Finding Maximum Values	Continue working on Project (due Tuesday)
DAY	PREPARATION	IN-CLASS TOPICS/ACTIVITIES	FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES
Week 4 M4		Review: Practice Quiz on Constructing and Looping through an ArrayList (quiz is due by Tuesday) Continue Project: Word Frequency Project: Finding Maximum Values
LAB 4	Due before Lab: Word Frequency Project: Finding Maximum Values Optional Review: From Week 1: Classes as Blueprints for New Types - 8.5 min (slides) From Lab 2: Functions/Methods, Parameters, & Return Values - 13.5 min (slides) Video: Refactoring — 6.5 min (slide) Our first refactoring exercise will be refactoring the Aquarium Lab Series in Lab 4 and then we will refactor the Textual Analysis program in Lab 5.	Think-Pair-Share: Practice Quiz on Writing Code — 6 short-answer code-writing questions representing the first third of the course. Topics include declaring variables, constructing objects, calling methods, Boolean (true/false) expressions, if statements, and simple loops. An expression is a part of a statement that evaluates to a value, such as `2 + 3`, `i < j`, or `aFish.atWall()`. (Answer Key; quiz due by Friday) Fish With Class	Follow-Up Video: Watch Alyce Refactor Aquarium Program - 20.5 min (Whiteboard notes from a previous quarter about introduction of Simulation class)
W4	Video: Looking Inside the MenuItem Class - 19 min (MenuItem.java; text version for viewing) Introduces instance variables (aka state or attributes), constructors, simple methods Reading: Read Chapter 11 of Think Java up through the section on "The toString Method", stopping on p. 168 at the beginning of the section on "The equals Method".	Quiz #3 Constructing and Looping through an `ArrayList` Review: Objects (Instances) are Data + Operations Objects as Black Boxes / Data Hiding 3 types of Methods: Constructors, Observers, Modifiers Pros and Cons of "Getter" & "Setter" Methods Activity: Create Menu class, with addMenuItem, printAll, and getPriceOf(itemName) methods Companion Classes: MenuItem.java, MenuItemReader.java, MainForMenuDemo.java, MenuItems.txt (You can put these classes in a new folder, then choose Project -> Open Non BlueJ..., which will create a project for these.) Students should be creating this! Menu.java This uses an ArrayList in main: LoopPatterns2020.java If students seem mostly on track, could do Friday's Think-Pair-Share here and cancel class on Friday
F4	Due on Kit: Lab 4: Fish With Class	Think-Pair-Share: Practice Quiz on Identifying Errors -- Match 6 incorrect code snippets with the appropriate error description. (quiz due by Monday of 5th Week) Catch-Up Work Day (or Rest Day)
DAY	PREPARATION	IN-CLASS TOPICS/ACTIVITIES	FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES
Week 5 M5	Video: Instance Variables, Local Variables, and Parameters — 17 min (slides)	Quiz #4 Writing Code Think-Pair-Share: Practice Quiz on Writing ArrayList Loops in Methods (quiz due by Wednesday) (Sample solution -- you can also use a traditional style `for`loop in Question 2) Start Refactoring the Textual Analysis Project
LAB 5	Optional "Watch Alyce Code" videos: (only watch if you find them useful) Refactoring Initial "Word Counter" Textual Analysis Lab - 36 min (The video refactors the code from the original version of the program. It covers many related sub-topics such as what to put in a constructor vs. a method; when to use instance variables, local variables or parameters; reducing duplicated code; and regression testing. The video description includes a "table of contents" showing when various topics are covered.)	Continue with Refactoring the Textual Analysis Project	Refactoring the Rest of the Textual Analysis Program - 46 min (This video refactors the rest of the project. Again, it covers other topics as well, such as for loops vs. while loops; style guidelines; and using this program for simple digital humanities analysis. The video description includes a "table of contents" showing when various topics are covered.)
W5	Pre-Class Preparation: GridPlotter Project, Exercises 1-3 (here's a Markdown template for Exercise 3) Recommended: Start Exercise 4 also. (Don't know Markdown? Intro to Markdown in plain text or Markdown format; you can edit a Markdown file in any tool that can handle plain text files, e.g., VS Code, Atom, Brackets, Spyder, SublimeText, vi/emacs, etc.)	Topic to be covered in class: showMessageDialog vs throwing an exception (e.g., for method not implemented yet) GridPlotter Project, Exercise 4 GridPlotter Project, Exercise 5, items 1 - 6, any 2 of items 7 - 11, and item 12 (You may also do any of the other exercises that you want.)	Complete the GridPlotter Project
F5	Due before Class: Refactoring the Textual Analysis Project	Complete the GridPlotter Project
DAY	PREPARATION	IN-CLASS TOPICS/ACTIVITIES	FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES
Week 6 M6	Videos: Introduction to the Marine Biology Simulation (MBS) Case Study - 8.5 min Watch first 12 min of Running the MBS Case Study and a Quick Peek at Some Code (and a quick introduction to arrays) First 7 min: Intro to Graphical User Interface, how to choose different starting files, etc. (And why have different files?) 7:25: MBSDemo1 (and comparison to Aquarium Lab Series) 8:50: MBSDemo2 and Simulation class 10:10: Arrays (similar to ArrayLists, but different!) 12:15: Stop when it starts to talk about the Run button. 14:15: Definitely stop when it starts to talk about MBSApp, if you haven't already! Prepare for the Marine Biology Simulation case study: Read Why a Case Study? Read Pat's Introduction (including "Experimenting with the Program") through Exercise 1 Complete Exercise 1 in Pat's Introduction Due on Kit: GridPlotter: Answers to questions from Exercise Set 3 and finished project	Marine Biology Simulation case study: Introduction (Exercises 2 and 3) Demo 1 and Demo 2 You will be handing in the Analysis Questions from Pat's Introduction (Markdown template) and Demos 1 and 2 (Markdown template)	Read MBS: Conceptual Understanding Read MBS: Understanding Code (through MBSApp) Optional: Watch 2 min about MBSApp in Running the MBS Case Study and a Quick Peek at Some Code (around 14:30 - 16:20) Not Optional: Do Exercise on MBSApp Read Understanding Code (`BoundedGrid, Location, Direction`)
LAB 6	Videos: Intro to Inheritance - 15 min (slides) Supplement: Inheritance Diagrams (Starter Set) (pdf document) Reading Class Documentation for Inheritance Information, the Object class, and the .equals() and .toString() methods - 10 min Due on Kit: - Completed GridPlotter Project - MBS Analysis Questions from Pat's Introduction (Markdown template) and Demos 1 and 2 (Markdown template)	Work on `Location` and `Direction` Analysis Questions (Markdown template); Submit to Kit when done Helpful Resources: Quick Reference on GridPkg methods (also ArrayList and some common Color constants) Full Class Documentation for all classes in the GridPackage (Click on the `edu.kzoo.grid` package to focus on relevant classes.) Read about Fish constructors and fields in MBS: Understanding Code Work on the Analysis Questions about Client Code, Instance and Class Variables, and Fish Constructors (Markdown template)	Complete `Location` and `Direction` Analysis Questions; Submit to Kit when done Complete the Analysis Questions about Client Code, Instance and Class Variables, and Fish Constructors Optional Resource: Grid Package Inheritance Diagrams
W6	Reading: Read Chapter 14 of Think Java. The chapter refers to three classes from previous chapters: `Card`, `Deck`, and `Pile`, but you don't need to know their details to understand the extended example in this chapter. [Note: Pg. 207 refers to an "overloaded" method: this means two (or more) methods with the same name but different parameters and different behavior. Which one gets executed depends on the number and type of parameters you pass.] Reference: Quick Reference List of ArrayList methods Read the section about Inheriting and Redefining Methods in MBS: Understanding Code Read the section about Fish Movement in MBS: Understanding Code Video: Static Keyword - 9 min (Classes used in this video: StaticIllustrationDriver.java, Student.java) Due on Kit: MBS Location and Direction Analysis Questions from Understanding Code (Markdown template)	Quiz #5 Identifying Errors Work on the Analysis Questions about Inheriting and Redefining Methods, the `move` method, the `nextLocation` and `emptyNeighbors` methods. (Markdown template) Read the Overall Notes on the Fish Class in MBS: Understanding Code Work on the Exploring Inheritance Analysis Questions (Markdown template); Submit to Kit when done.	Complete the Fish and Exploring Inheritance Analysis Questions; Submit to Kit when done.
F6		Break Day - No Class
DAY	PREPARATION	IN-CLASS TOPICS/ACTIVITIES	FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES
Week 7 M7	Videos: Subclasses are NOT Subsets! - 12 min Optional Videos: Watch Alyce Program SimpleFish - 7 min Watch Alyce Program WhiteFish - 8 min Due on Kit: All MBS Analysis Questions about the Fish class from Understanding Code (Markdown template)	First and Second Simple Subclasses (SimpleFish and WhiteFish) DarterFish Markdown template for expected & actual results, analysis questions	Complete First and Second Simple Subclasses Continue with DarterFish - due Tues along with SlowFish Optional: Watch Alyce Program DarterFish (Unedited - 18 min)
LAB 7	Video: The `this` and `super` Keywords (context: Fish and SlowFish classes) - 17 min 0:30: What is client code? 1:30: `this` to refer to instance variables or call local methods (in `Fish` class) 3:22: Review of `toString` method 5:40: Introduction to `SlowFish` 7:00: Review of `static` for class variables 7:54: `this` to call an alternative constructor 10:06: `super` to call a superclass constructor 12:35: Review of `RandNumGenerator.getInstance()` 13:30: `super.method` to call an overridden method 14:43: Summary of `SlowFish` class 16:18: summary of uses for `this` and `super` Reading: Read the first half of Chapter 17 in Think Java (up to Blinking Polygons on p. 250). This section reviews extending classes and multiple constructors, and introduces polymorphism on p. 250. Since we won't be implementing Polygons, you may skim the section on Regular Polygons.	Polymorphism & Dynamic Binding (slides) MBS: SlowFish Based on how the class is doing, decide whether to make Breeding and Dying optional or required. If optional, tell students ahead of time so they can make decisions about what they want to do. They might even want to do the New Classes PP first, and only do Breeding and Dying if they have the time.	Video: Code Reuse, with Fish Subclasses as Examples - 3 min
W7	Due on Kit: DarterFish expected & actual results, analysis questions DarterFish and SlowFish Video: Review of MBS Class Hierarchy - 4 min	Optional Make Fish class more interesting with a Dynamic Population (Breeding and Dying) OR Catch up on everything we've been doing to this point. GridPkg Documentation Collection of fish images	Culminating MBS Programming Assignment: New Fish Subclasses Programming Project (may be done in groups)
F7	Could create a video on testing and debugging!	Quiz #6 Writing Methods Topics to be covered in class: Slide: Tips on Testing and Debugging Object-oriented Design Note: Classes are objects too! Marine Biology Simulation case study: Continue with works in progress — Breeding and Dying Fish (optional) Fish Subclasses Programming Project (required)	Optional Resource: If you want to look at the code (not just the class documentation) for GridObject, TextCell, ColorBlock, or PictureBlock, it is available for download: Grid Package on GitHub
DAY	PREPARATION	IN-CLASS TOPICS/ACTIVITIES	FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES
Week 8 M8	Why is Inheritance So Important? Code Reuse — This was subject of the M7 follow-up video and is briefly revisited in the next video. Polymorphism and Dynamic Binding; Review of the Big Ideas of Inheritance - 12 min	Where are we now? What's next? Overview of Percolation and Final Project Ideas, so people can decide what to work on next. Have covered OO Ideas and Other Paradigms here in the past	Brief intro to Final Programming Project Options with videos.
LAB 8	Due on Kit: MBS: Programming Project Lab Preparation: Read the Getting Started section of the Percolation Lab and do Exercises 1 - 3.	Percolation Lab (Note: the heart of this lab is in Exercises 6 - 9)	Finish the Percolation Lab (Vertical Percolator) and submit it to Kit. Get started on the Gravitational Percolation mini-lab (Exercise 1).
W8	Due on Kit: Lab 8: Percolation Mini-Lab Preparation: Do Exercise 1 in the Gravitational Percolation mini-lab. Review: Tips on Testing and Debugging (Don't forget Regression Testing!)	Mini-Lab: Gravitational Percolation	Finish the Gravitational Percolation mini-lab. You may also wish to get started on Friday's All Direction Percolation mini-lab.
F8	Video: Abstract Superclasses - 9.5 min (This is relevant to both Percolation and the Final Projects.)	Quiz #7 Inheritance Concepts Review: Scope and public/private/protected Mini-Lab: All Direction Percolation	The Percolation Programming Project has usually been assigned here.
DAY	PREPARATION	IN-CLASS TOPICS/ACTIVITIES	FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES
Week 9 M9	Videos: Arrays & ArrayLists - 9 min (slides) While Loops - 7 min (WhileLoopIllustration.java, Student.java)	Winter: Work on MBS, Percolation, or Final Programming Project Spring: Memorial Day - No Class Misc. topics for Weeks 9 & 10: Scope, Review & public/private/protected Casting Packages Review of Regression Testing Exception Handling	Brief intro to Final Programming Project Options with videos.
LAB 9	Due on Kit: Percolation Mini-labs (Gravitational and AllDirections) Videos: Linear Search Animation, with Best/Worst Case Analysis - 5 min; analysis starts at 3:17 Binary Search Animation - 10 min Binary Search Analysis - 2+ min The Percolation Programming Project has usually been due here.	Think-Pair-Share: Practice Quiz on Types Work on Final Programming Project
W9		Quiz #8 Variable and Method Return Types Work on Final Programming Project
F9		Work on Final Programming Project
DAY	PREPARATION	IN-CLASS TOPICS/ACTIVITIES	FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES
Week 10 M10		Continue working on Final Project
LAB 10		Sorting Algorithms Note that this is slightly different from the one in 107 (is that also used in 105?), so that students don't do exactly the same thing in both -- but are they still too similar?
W10	Quiz — Terminology (Matching quiz) (There is no practice quiz for this quiz) Terminology Quiz: You should be familiar with the following terms: class, abstract class, class documentation, instance variable, class variable, local variable, constructor, method, parameter, parameter type, return type, inheritance, subclass, superclass.	Quiz #9 OOP Terminology. (There is no practice quiz for this quiz) More on Quiz #9 You should be familiar with the following terms: class, abstract class, class documentation, instance variable, class variable, local variable, constructor, method, parameter, parameter type, return type, inheritance, subclass, superclass. Work on Final Projects
F10	Due on Kit: Final PP (submit zip file of your code). You have until Sunday, March 16th by 11:59PM	OO: Big Ideas and How does OO fit with other paradigms? (including Event-Driven) (slides) Wrap-up Course Evals
Exam Week	There will be no final exam in this class this quarter.