<p>With the amount of preparation you're describing, the only thing your students will likely need is a course that teaches them Java syntax and object oriented programming, as the AP CSA exam assumes knowledge of Java:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>SHOW ALL YOUR WORK. REMEMBER THAT PROGRAM SEGMENTS ARE TO BE WRITTEN IN JAVA.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>(from <a href="https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/pdf/ap-2020exam-sample-questions-computer-science.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/pdf/ap-2020exam-sample-questions-computer-science.pdf</a>)</p>

<p>Code.org has <a href="https://code.org/educate/curriculum/apcsa" rel="nofollow noreferrer">a nice list of Java curricula</a> that specifically target the AP CSA outcomes, but really any "Fundamentals of Java" course or online tutorial would likely be just fine.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-11T15:26:00.417Z
Sorry, no. There is more to APCS than Java syntax, and it is weak in OO principles in any case. But you will need something of data structures as well.
Buffy
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-11T17:43:37.953Z
@Buffy there certainly is. But given the background the OP says their students already have, ( 3-7 years combination of working in Scratch, HTML/CSS, AppLab, and JavaScript, plus the AP CSP course), I would imagine most of the rest of the AP CSA topics have been covered. Though without knowing exactly what was taught there, it would be hard to tell for sure.
lfalin
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-11T17:57:43.733Z
Unlikely to be much of anything about data structures.
Buffy
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-11T18:01:41.310Z
It may have changed since I last looked, but I didn't think AP CS A covered any data structures besides arrays. I didn't see anything else listed under the Course Content here: https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-computer-science-a
lfalin
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-11-19T20:02:21.017Z
In my AP CS A course we went over linked lists and array lists - don't remember if it was on the AP test though
Carson Graham
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-11T14:59:51.010Z
2020-06-11T14:59:51.010Z
lfalin
<p>We are currently researching what curriculum to use/adapt for the 2019-2020 school year. It will be our first year offering <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AP_Computer_Science_A" rel="nofollow noreferrer">AP CSA</a>. The students taking the class will have had 3-7 years of computers science classes and plan to go into a computer science program.</p>
<p><strong>Anyone have strong feelings on what AP CSA curriculum to use?</strong></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-31T01:34:57.933Z
Hi Allison, welcome to [cseducators.se]!  Could you add in a bit of detail about what sorts of things were covered in those 3-7 years?  That sounds like enough time to cover AP CS A and then some.  Also, what are the ages of the students?  Sophomores?  Seniors?  Freshmen?
Ben I.
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-31T18:53:05.897Z
Are there some books/curricula you’re considering? Have you done some research already? More context will help yield some better answers.
Peter
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-11T17:36:29.427Z
Hi Ben, thank you for your response. The 3-7 years is a combination of working in Scratch, HTML/CSS, AppLab, and JavaScript. When they are Sophomores they take the AP CSP class. Depending on when students join our network, most students would enter the AP CSA class with the above content covered. Students would take the AP CSA class as juniors and seniors.
Allison
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-11T17:37:53.470Z
Hi Peter, I am in the middle of researching curricula and currently not excited about any free options.
Allison
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-11T15:28:22.607Z
Sorry I missed this earlier. Do you know about the APCS mailing lists run by the College Board? These sorts of things are widely discussed there.
Buffy
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-04-15T19:46:22.930Z
I am not a fan of this exam. I have seen students who nickeled it but who can't write and debug a complete application.  No programmer in his right mind writes out code longhand.  Smart programmers use top-down design which requires repeated instertions into code outlines.
ncmathsadist
<secondary-education><java><ap-computer-science-a><curriculum-review>
Curriculum choice for AP Computer Science A
# Curriculum choice for AP Computer Science A

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-01-30)

We are currently researching what curriculum to use/adapt for the 2019-2020 school year. It will be our first year offering [AP CSA](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AP_Computer_Science_A). The students taking the class will have had 3-7 years of computers science classes and plan to go into a computer science program.

**Anyone have strong feelings on what AP CSA curriculum to use?**

**Tags:** secondary-education, java, ap-computer-science-a, curriculum-review

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Hi username_0, welcome to [cseducators.se]!  Could you add in a bit of detail about what sorts of things were covered in those 3-7 years?  That sounds like enough time to cover AP CS A and then some.  Also, what are the ages of the students?  Sophomores?  Seniors?  Freshmen?  
> **username_2**: Are there some books/curricula you’re considering? Have you done some research already? More context will help yield some better answers.  
> **username_0**: Hi Ben, thank you for your response. The 3-7 years is a combination of working in Scratch, HTML/CSS, AppLab, and JavaScript. When they are Sophomores they take the AP CSP class. Depending on when students join our network, most students would enter the AP CSA class with the above content covered. Students would take the AP CSA class as juniors and seniors.  
> **username_0**: Hi username_2, I am in the middle of researching curricula and currently not excited about any free options.  
> **username_3**: Sorry I missed this earlier. Do you know about the APCS mailing lists run by the College Board? These sorts of things are widely discussed there.  
> **username_4**: I am not a fan of this exam. I have seen students who nickeled it but who can't write and debug a complete application.  No programmer in his right mind writes out code longhand.  Smart programmers use top-down design which requires repeated instertions into code outlines.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2020-06-11. Score: 0

With the amount of preparation you're describing, the only thing your students will likely need is a course that teaches them Java syntax and object oriented programming, as the AP CSA exam assumes knowledge of Java:

> SHOW ALL YOUR WORK. REMEMBER THAT PROGRAM SEGMENTS ARE TO BE WRITTEN IN JAVA.

(from <https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/pdf/ap-2020exam-sample-questions-computer-science.pdf>)

Code.org has [a nice list of Java curricula](https://code.org/educate/curriculum/apcsa) that specifically target the AP CSA outcomes, but really any "Fundamentals of Java" course or online tutorial would likely be just fine.

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Sorry, no. There is more to APCS than Java syntax, and it is weak in OO principles in any case. But you will need something of data structures as well.  
> **username_5**: @username_3 there certainly is. But given the background the OP says their students already have, ( 3-7 years combination of working in Scratch, HTML/CSS, AppLab, and JavaScript, plus the AP CSP course), I would imagine most of the rest of the AP CSA topics have been covered. Though without knowing exactly what was taught there, it would be hard to tell for sure.  
> **username_3**: Unlikely to be much of anything about data structures.  
> **username_5**: It may have changed since I last looked, but I didn't think AP CS A covered any data structures besides arrays. I didn't see anything else listed under the Course Content here: https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-computer-science-a  
> **username_6**: In my AP CS A course we went over linked lists and array lists - don't remember if it was on the AP test though  

---

