This coding class is designed to introduce 9-year-olds (and up) to the fundamentals of coding using Java, Maven, Git, Eclipse, and macOS. Over the course of 12 sessions, each lasting 1 hour, students will learn the basics of programming, problem-solving, version control, software build automation, and using an IDE. The class will be hands-on, with practical exercises and projects to reinforce the concepts learned.
Here is the link to the Coding Exercise. We will go through how we set it up and make the best use of it on our first day.
- Basic computer literacy
- Familiarity with Mac operating system
- Introduction to coding and its applications
- Overview of Java programming language
- Setting up the development environment on Mac (Eclipse IDE)
- Writing and running the first Java program
- Understanding variables and their uses
- Data types in Java: int, double, boolean, and string
- Declaring and initializing variables
- Performing basic operations with variables
- Introduction to conditional statements (if, else if, else)
- Using comparison and logical operators
- Writing conditional statements in Java
- Practical exercises with conditional statements
- Understanding loops and their importance
- Using for and while loops in Java
- Loop control statements (break and continue)
- Applying loops to solve problems
- Introduction to arrays and lists
- Declaring and initializing arrays
- Accessing and modifying array elements
- Working with ArrayLists
- Creating and calling methods in Java
- Method parameters and return values
- Writing reusable code with methods
- Solving problems using methods
- Review what we have learned
- Discuss Term project
- Scope and Group Assignment
- Introduction to object-oriented programming
- Classes and objects in Java
- Creating and using objects
- Basic principles of encapsulation and inheritance
- Overview of Maven build automation tool
- Setting up a Maven project
- Managing dependencies with Maven
- Building and running a Maven project
- Understanding version control and its benefits
- Introduction to Git and its basic commands
- Initializing a Git repository
- Committing and pushing changes
- Inheritance and polymorphism
- Overriding methods and using the super keyword
- Abstract classes and interfaces
- Importance of debugging in coding
- Debugging tools and techniques
- Common coding errors and how to fix them
- Practical debugging exercises
- Applying the concepts learned throughout the course
- Working on a small coding project
- Reviewing key topics and addressing questions
- Celebrating the completion of the coding class
Note: The syllabus can still be adjusted based on the progress and needs of the students.