4.12. ASSESSMENT: AP Create 1 (revised)

Time Estimate: 6 hours (8 45 minute classes) minimum

Follow these directions if you are taking CSP as an AP course. If you are in a non-AP CSP course, please go to the next lesson for Non-AP Create directions.

4.12.1. Introduction and Goals

In this Create Project #1, you will work with a partner to design a socially useful interactive app, that demonstrates algorithms such as selection and procedural abstractions. As you develop your project keep track of significant errors and bugs that you encountered and how you solved or debugged them in a journal.

Before beginning, please review the following:

In the official Create: Programming Performance Task #2 you will need to address ALL of the requirements and prompts as outlined in the performance task directions (i.e. a list, procedure with parameter, and algorithm with sequence, selection, and iteration). However, this is a PRACTICE Create programming performance task therefore not all aspects are required to be completed. You are not expected to include a procedure with a parameter for this practice task, but you should at least include your own procedure. It is recommended that you try to include a loop. In this Create 1 practice app, you need to include the following.

  • Variables
  • If/else block
  • Procedure (no parameters)
  • Not required but could be included: lists, loops, procedures with parameters

Iterative Design Thinking Process

Use an Iterative Design Thinking Process to develop your app:

Iterations
  • Iteration 1: Paper Prototype (~2 hours)
  • Iteration 2: Minimal App (~2 hours)
  • Iteration 3: Enhanced App (~2 hours)
 Design Thinking Graphic

4.12.2. Learning Activities

Warm Up Activity: Design a Chair

Your teacher may have you do the following Design Thinking Process: Design a Chair Activity in pairs or groups to practice the Design Thinking Process.

Create #1 Directions

Working in pairs, follow the Design Thinking iterative development process for the Create Performance Tasks.

Iteration 1: Paper Prototype

Before you start creating the app in App Inventor, you will brainstorm ideas on paper with a partner and present an elevator pitch to your class. Turn in the following:

  • Description of Problem [Empathize, Define, and Ideate]: Working in pairs, think about problems in your community and how an app might help to solve those problems or to help people in your community. Who is the target audience or users who will be using the app? What problem does the app address? How does the app address the problem?
  • Paper Prototypes [Prototype]: Create paper prototypes of three different brainstorm ideas. Describe what each UI element will do.
  • Elevator Pitch: Present a short (2-3 minute) elevator pitch of your project idea to the class. The pitch could follow this template:
    [name of app] is a [kind of thing] for [the people who would use it or problem it would solve] that, unlike [similar apps] is able to [the major distinguishing feature of your app].
  • Feedback [Test]: Other students should provide feedback by completing this feedback form or by answering the following questions. Is the app presented socially useful why or why not? What is a strength of the proposed app? What suggestions do you have to improve the app?

Iteration 2: Minimal Working App

Working in pairs, create a minimal working app. Turn in the following:

  • Minimal App [Prototype and Test]: Build an initial prototype with minimal functions for your app with your partner.
  • Journal [Define and Ideate]: As you work, keep a journal of your development process and problems encountered and how you solved them. Complete a journal entry using this journal entry template.

Iteration 3 and On:

  • Enhanced App [Prototype and Test]: Iteratively add and test new features for your app, meeting the grading guidelines. For the Create 1 project, your project should have at least 1 variable, 1 procedure that you have defined, and use an if/else block.
    1. Documentation of Code: For this assignment, a well documented app means having well named components, variables, and procedures.
    2. Data: For this assignment, your app should make appropriate use of variables.
    3. Algorithms: For this assignment, your app should include math and/or logic operations (math and if/ese blocks) and procedures.
    4. Abstraction: For this assignment, your app should include a programmer defined procedure.
  • Journal [Define and Ideate]: Keep a journal of your development process and problems encountered and how you solved them. Complete a journal entry using this journal entry template.

Submission and Practice Written Response Questions (revised)

Create a video demonstration of your app and answer the prompts outlined in the Create 1 Practice Performance Task template (new for 2024-2025). Submit your video and answers to the prompts on your portfolio as a portfolio write-up.

NEW as of 2024, you no longer need to turn in a Create written response to the AP Digital Portfolio submission site. The Create performance task still consists of three components—program code, video, and instead of the written response, a student-authored Personalized Project Reference containing screen captures of code that will be submitted to the AP Digital Portfolio site. You will use your Personalized Project Reference to answer new written response questions during the AP exam.

In this practice Create 1 task, you will answer the following practice written response questions in your copy of the Create 1 Practice Performance Task template (new for 2024-2025). Note that the written response questions during the AP exam are unknown before the exam, but they will be similar to these:

Practice Written Response Questions

  1. Written Response 1: Program Design, Function, and Purpose
    1. Describe the overall purpose of the program
    2. Describe the functionality of the program demonstrated in the video
    3. Describe the input(s) and output(s) of the program demonstrated in the video
    4. Identify the users of your app and how they would use it.
  2. Written Response 2(a) Algorithm Development: (From 2024 exam) Consider the first conditional statement included in the Procedure section of your Personalized Project Reference. Describe your conditional statement, including its Boolean expression. Describe what the procedure does in general when the Boolean expression of this conditional statement evaluates to false.
  3. Written Response 2(b): Errors and Testing:
    1. (From 2024 exam) Consider the procedure and procedure call identified in parts (i) and (ii) of the Procedure section of your Personalized Project Reference. Describe the outcome that your procedure call is intended to produce.
    2. Describe how you tested this procedure and any errors that occurred or could have occurred and how you fixed them.
  4. Written Response 2(c): Data and Procedural Abstraction:
    1. Consider the procedure identified in part (i) of the Procedure section of your Personalized Project Reference. Explain what the identified procedure does and how it contributes to the overall functionality of the program.
    2. Explain how the use of data abstraction in your variables and the use of procedural abstraction in your procedure manages complexity in program code.

4.12.3. Resources

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