Semester-Long Elective

This course will start with the basics of Python 3 programming via the Raspberry Pi hardware and the Thonny IDE. During this quarter, the student will develop games leading to programming by intention. Students will use the skills acquired to continue Python programming via hardware projects in the second quarter. These projects build on the Raspberry Pi hardware and engage students to use logic, math, and creativity to solve various hardware/software problems. The students will fabricate a series of projects to practice breaking more significant issues down into smaller tasks as it is an essential skill in the CS world. This course assumes no prior knowledge of computers. As mentioned, the course will start with an introduction to Python and then continue using Python to control simple circuits to gain a firmer foundation with variables, operations, style, abstraction, functions, loops, and conditionals. By using the Raspberry Pi general-purpose IO pins and the available Python Libraries, students will transition to designing and testing more complex circuits, allowing them to be involved in algorithms, information processing, data types, control structures, modules, arrays, strings, packages, classes, objects, and graphics. Students will have many opportunities to be involved in collaborative assignments in addition to many opportunities to work individually. This is the same course as Coding for Makers offered in the MS.