Lesson Summary

Summary

In the Explore Performance Task (EPT), students choose and explore a computing innovation.  The EPT requires students to select and investigate a computational innovation that:
●    Has or has had the potential to have significant beneficial and harmful effects on our society, economy, or culture.
●    Consumes, produces, and/or transforms data.
●    Raises at least one data storage concern, data privacy concern, or data security concern.

Students are expected to complete the EPT with minimal assistance from anyone.  Students will have 8 hours of class time to complete, and submit:
●    Computational Artifact
●    Written Responses

Computational Artifact

  • Submit a video, audio, or PDF file.
  • Acceptable multimedia file types include .mp3, .mp4, .wmv, .avi, .mov, .wav, .aif, or .pdf format.
  • PDFs must not exceed 3 pages in length.
  • Video or audio files must not exceed 1 minute in length and must not exceed 30MB in size.

Written Responses

  • Submit one PDF document responding to each of the prompts and clearly label your responses 2a – 2e in order.
  • Response to all prompts combined must not exceed 700 words. The references required in 2e are not included in the final word count.

Suggested Schedule October 2017


This schedule provides a schedule for 10 50-minute sessions, in order to meet the 8-hour in-class minimum required by the College Board.

 

Sessions 1 and 2  Using Development Processes and Tools

  1. Identify and select a computing innovation (CI).  Confirm the innovation is a CI
  2. Research and identify the CI purpose, function or effect.
  3. Design a Computational Artifact (CA) that represents or explains the purpose, function or effect.
  4. Construct the CA.
  5. Write written response 2A and 2B (include in-text citation)

 

Sessions 3 -5  Analyzing Impact of Computing

Research:

Find an additional fact about the purpose or function of the CI

Find at least one effect of the CI

Find a group that benefits from an effect.

Find a group that is harmed by the effect.

 

  1. Identify a fact about the intended purpose or function of the CI.
  2. Identify at least one effect of the intended use (not purpose or function) of the CI.
  3. Identify an effect as beneficial and as harmful or Identify one effect as beneficial and identify another as harmful. Effect must be a result of the intended use of the CI.
  4. Relates an effect to a group in society, economy or culture.
  5. Write written response 2C (include in text citation)

 

Sessions 6 - 8  Analyzing Data and Information

 

Research:

Find the concepts the CI manages and the data it uses to manage it

Find how the data is consumed, transformed or produced

Find a data security, data privacy or data storage concern of the data the CI uses

Find a group that is harmed by the effect.

  1. Identify the data the CI uses and how it is consumed, produced, or transformed.
  2. Identify one data security, data privacy or data security concern and relate it to the CI.
  3. Write written response 2D (include in text citation)

Finding and Evaluating Information - References and Submitting Documents

 

Sessions 9 and 10

  1. Write written response to 2E. Create a bibliography of all work used that was produced by others and verify in text citations.
  2. Submit Computational Artifact and Written Responses

 

 



Overview


Session 1: Identify performance task requirements and choose a computing innovation

Session 2: Review EPT Rubric and Research - Day 1

Session 3: Draft Written Responses part 2A, 2C, and 2E

Session 4: Research - Day 2

Session 5: Artifact Design

Session 6: Artifact Development

Session 7: Artifact Development

Session 8: Written Responses to parts 2B, 2D, and 2E

Session 9: Complete Artifact and Written Responses and Create PDF versions

Session 10: Submit Artifact and Written Responses

Learning Objectives

Key Concepts

Students will be able to identify beneficial and harmful effects of a computing innovation.

Students will be able to explain how the innovation uses, produces, and/or transforms data.

Students will be able to explain a privacy, security, or data storage concern related to the innovation.


Teacher Resources

Student computer usage for this lesson is: required

AP Computer Science Principles Explore Performance Task  -- Explore_Performance_Task_Nov2015.pdf in lesson resources folder

AP Computer Science Principles Performance Task Rubric -- Explore_Performance_Task_Rubric_Nov2015.pdf in lesson resources folder

Lesson Plan

Teacher Guidelines

Prior to Administration of the Performance Task

Teachers should have instructed students in each of the following before this lesson.

  • How to obtain reliable sources to support facts
  • Use of organizational and prewriting tools
  • Use of computational tools needed for creation of computational artifacts
  • Proper citations of references
  • How to distinguish between effective and ineffective artifacts
    • Samples may be used
    • Effective artifacts help the reader/viewer understand the beneficial and harmful impacts of the innovation
    • Ineffective artifacts repeat information in the written responses, are multi-slide presentation with paragraphs or bullets, are not original - copy and paste - or emphasize the functionality of the innovation rather than its impact
  • How to distinguish computing innovations from other innovations

Teachers and classmates may help students to understand the Explore Performance Task, help students manage the process, and help them to submit the required projects. Once the work on the project begins, however, students must work individually without assistance.

At the beginning this Explore Performance Task Lesson:

Teachers should influence student selection of a computing innovation (see Exploring Computing Technologies in the Explore_Performance_Task_Nov2015 in lesson folder).  However, teachers may not require selection of particular topics for students.

Direct students to find a computing innovation and its:

  • Beneficial and harmful impacts on society, economy, and culture
  • Use, production, and/or transformation of data
  • Relationship to a concern about data storage, privacy, or concern

Guide student understanding of the products that they must produce, including:

  • The nature of each product
  • The level of detail required
  • The time that students have to complete and submit the projects

During the Performance Task

Teachers should:

  • Resolve hardware/technical problems.
  • Manage student progress throughout the task. 

Teachers may:

  • Perform summative assessment; however, may not provide any feedback.
  • Clarify directions for the performance tasks.
  • Remind students of submission requirements.

Teachers may not:

  • Provide or distribute the topics that students have chosen to other students.
  • Write, revise, or amend student work.
  • Perform research for students.
  • Provide boilerplates.
  • Allow students to submit practice tasks as actual performance tasks.
  • Suggest or evaluate student products until after the computational artifact and written responses are submitted.

Overview

Session 1 develops student understanding of the EPT requirements and guides selection of a computing innovation to explore. If this was done in the practice task, then questions addressed in this session may be assigned as homework, with students using the first day to do preliminary research.

Session 2 develops student understanding of the rubric, so they know the level of expectations that readers will have when scoring them.  If this was done during the practice EPT, then the questions assigned in the section may be assigned as homework and the full day used for student research.

Session 1: Identify performance task requirements and choose a computing innovation.

Introduce the Explore Performance Task (EPT)

Tell students:

Today you will begin the Explore Performance Task.  It is an exploration of a computing innovation of your choice according to the guidelines established by the College Board.  The goal of this task is to deepen your understanding of computer science principles.

Exercise 1: 

Provide students with a copy of the Explore Performance Task (Explore_Performance_Task_Nov2015 in lesson folder) description from the College Board.  Students should read the Overview section on page 1 and answer the three questions below, sharing their answers with elbow partners. (2 min)

  1. Who chooses the computing innovation you will explore?
  2. What two products are you to produce?
  3. How much time will you have to complete and submit the required products?

After students share with elbow partners, address any questions students have to this point. (3 min)

Students should read the General Requirements section beginning on page 1 and answer the seven questions below sharing their results with elbow partners. (10 min)

  1. What three aspects of the computing innovation will you investigate?
  2. What are three types of references that you may use for the project?
  3. How many sources are you required to use?
  4. How many of the sources must either be in print or online?
  5. How many of the sources must have been created since the end of the previous academic year?
  6. What must the computing artifact that you produce represent or explain?
  7. What do your written responses need to address?

 After students share with elbow partners, address any questions that students have to this point. (5 min)

Students should read just the first two paragraphs of the Submission Requirements section on page 2 and answer the four questions below sharing their results with elbow partners. (3 min)

  1. What must your computational artifact explain or illustrate?
  2. What must the computational artifact not do?
  3. What is the computational artifact's maximum size?
  4. Your written response is a document with five sections to be labeled 2a - 2e in order.  What is the total number of words that your written response may contain?

After students share with elbow partners, address any questions students have to this point. (2 min)

Assign students to 5 groups and assign a section a - e to each group.  Have each group answer these two questions for each section (10 min)

  1. What topics are to be addressed in section 2a?
  2. What is the suggested length (number of words) for this section?
  3. What topics are to be addressed in section 2b?
  4. What is the suggested length (number of words) for this section and how detailed should it be?
  5. What topics are to be addressed in section 2c?
  6. What is the suggested length (number of words) for this section?
  7. What topics are to be addressed in section 2d?
  8. What is the suggested length (number of words) for this section?
  9. What is to be included in section 2e?
  10. How are the items in this section to be cited in the written response? 

After completing the four exercises, students are to choose a computing innovation to explore and share their choice with you. (15 min)

Before the next lesson, students must select and submit to you the name of the computing innovation.

Session 2: Research day 1

Tell students:

Today will be your first research day.  Before starting your research, we will examine the rubric that readers will use when scoring your computational artifact and written response.

Provide students with a copy of the Explore Performance Task Rubric (Explore_Performance_Task_Rubric_Nov2015.pdf in the lesson folder). Jigsaw the rubric. Assign students into five groups and assign one row of the rubric to each group.  Students are to prepare a 60-second response to these three questions about their row of the rubric. (2 min)

  1. What is the content area?
  2. How does a medium-quality response or artifact differ from a poor one?
  3. How does a top-rated response or artifact differ from a medium one?

Each student group shares their insights based on these three questions. (5 min)  Students put any questions that they have about the rubric on a post it note and put the question on the board.

Students must work individually from this point until the projects are ready to be submitted.

Students research their computing innovation, especially addressing the first two components of written response 2A and written response 2C, while collecting references to be included as a part of written response 2E.

At the end of class, students complete a daily progress report. Teachers will collect the progress report in order to monitor progress but may not provide any feedback to students on content.

Session 3: Draft Written Responses to part 2A, 2C and 2E

Tell students:

Today, students are to plan and draft responses to the first two parts of written response 2A and written response 2C, and begin creating reference section 2E. Students should include citations for information in parts 2A and 2C.

Respond to each of the student's questions posted on the board. You may clarify student understanding of project requirements and expectations.

After drafting these responses, students continue researching the computing innovation.

At the end of class, students complete a daily progress report. Teachers will collect the progress report in order to monitor progress but may not provide any feedback to students on content.

Session 4: Research Day 2

Tell students:

Students are to continue research into their computing innovation focusing on written response 2D while collecting references to be included as part of written response 2E.

At the end of class, students complete a daily progress report. Teachers will collect the progress report in order to monitor progress but may not provide any feedback to students on content.

Session 5: Artifact Design

Tell students:

Today, you will begin the second portion of the EPT by planning your Computational Artifact.

Students reread the Explore Task Submission Requirement item 1 and answer the following 2 questions.  ( 2 min )

  1. Which of the following will your computational artifact address about your selected computing innovation?
    1. intended purpose
    2. its function
    3. its effect
  2. What will your computational artifact illustrate or explain beyond what is in your written responses so far?

Plan to accomplish the goals you specified in your answers to question 1 and 2.

  • Describe the artifact that you will produce.
  • List the computing tools that you will use.
  • List the computing techniques that you will use.
  • Layout the artifact that you will create

At the end of class, students complete a daily progress report. Teachers will collect the progress report in order to monitor progress but may not provide any feedback to students on content.

Session 6: Artifact Development

Tell students:

This is the first of two days scheduled for students to create their computational artifacts.  Start today by planning what you need to get done each of the two days and how much will be done on this first day.

After planning the two days of artifact development, students complete today's portion.

At the end of class, students complete a daily progress report. Teachers will collect the progress report in order to monitor progress but may not provide any feedback to students on content.

Session 7: Artifact Development

Tell students:

This is the second of two days scheduled for students to create their computational artifacts.  After this session the next two sessions are intended for students to complete both written responses and the computational artifact.

At the end of class, students complete a daily progress report. Teachers will collect the progress report in order to monitor progress but may not provide any feedback to students on content.

Session 8: Complete Written Responses to parts 2B, 2D and 2E.

Tell students:

This is the first of two days scheduled for students to complete the EPT.  This session is scheduled to focus on the written response. As time permits students may work on their computational artifact.

Students complete their written response.

At the end of class, students complete a daily progress report. Teachers will collect the progress report in order to monitor progress but may not provide any feedback to students on content.

Session 9: Complete Artifact or Written Responses and Create PDF versions

Tell students:

This session is for students to complete constructing the two required documents of the EPT and save them in an appropriate format.  

Reread and revise each Written Response including an inspection of references, associated citations and total word limits. Save the written response in PDF format.

If students are submitting their computational artifact as a PDF, it may not exceed 3 pages.  The College Board also accepts multimedia files containing the computational artifact.  Acceptable formats are mp3, mp4, wmv, avi, mov, wav or aif.  If students elect to create multimedia files, the files may not be longer than 1 minute nor larger than 30MB in size.

At the end of class, students complete a daily progress report. Teachers will collect the progress report in order to monitor progress but may not provide any feedback to students on content.

Session 10: Submit Computational Artifact and Written Response

Tell students:

There are three goals for this session.

  • Submit all EPT documents by uploading them to the performance task submission web site.
  • Present all computational innovations to the class.
  • Complete a post task reflection.

Students upload both files. (15 min)

Computational Artifact Presentations

Post Task Reflection

What did you learn about the computing innovation you explored?

What advice would you give to students in next year's class?  


Options for Differentiated Instruction

  


Evidence of Learning

Formative Assessment

Daily planning and progress reports


Summative Assessment

Students may not recieve feedback on the content of the EPT until after it has been submitted.  Once they are submitted to the College Board EPT can be assesed using the EPT rubric.