3.8. Map Tour Tutorial

This lesson introduces Lists as a data abstraction using the new Map component in App Inventor to build a tour of destinations.

CSP Framework
Big Idea 3: Algorithms and Programming (AAP)
Enduring Understanding AAP-1: To find specific solutions to generalizable problems, programmers represent and organize data in multiple ways.
Learning Objective AAP-1.A: Represent a value with a variable.
Skill 3.A AAP-1.A.3 AAP-1.A.4 Essential Knowledge AAP-1.A.3: Some programming languages provide types to represent data, which are referenced using variables. These types include numbers, Booleans, lists, and strings. Essential Knowledge AAP-1.A.4: Some values are better suited to representation using one type of data rather than another.
Learning Objective AAP-1.C: Represent a list or string using a variable.
Skill 3.A AAP-1.C.1 AAP-1.C.2 AAP-1.C.3 AAP-1.C.4 Essential Knowledge AAP-1.C.1: A list is an ordered sequence of elements. For example, [value1, value2, value3, …] describes a list where value1 is the first element, value 2 is the second element, value 3 is the third element, and so on. Essential Knowledge AAP-1.C.2: An element is an individual value in a list that is assigned a unique index. Essential Knowledge AAP-1.C.3: An index is a common method for referencing the elements in a list or string using natural numbers. Essential Knowledge AAP-1.C.4: A string is an ordered sequence of characters.
Learning Objective AAP-1.D.a: For data abstraction: a. Develop data abstraction using lists to store multiple elements. Learning Objective AAP-1.D.b: For data abstraction: b. Explain how the use of data abstraction manages complexity in program code.
Skill 3.B AAP-1.D.1 AAP-1.D.2 AAP-1.D.3 AAP-1.D.4 AAP-1.D.5 AAP-1.D.6 AAP-1.D.7 AAP-1.D.8 Essential Knowledge AAP-1.D.1: Data abstraction provides a separation between the abstract properties of a data type and the concrete details of its representation. Essential Knowledge AAP-1.D.2: Data abstractions manage complexity in programs by giving a collection of data a name without referencing the specific details of the representation. Essential Knowledge AAP-1.D.3: Data abstractions can be created using lists. Essential Knowledge AAP-1.D.4: Developing a data abstraction to implement in a program can result in a program that is easier to develop and maintain. Essential Knowledge AAP-1.D.5: Data abstractions often contain different types of elements. Essential Knowledge AAP-1.D.6: The use of lists allows multiple related items to be treated as a single value. Lists are referred to by different names, such as array, depending on the programming language. EXCLUSION STATEMENT(EK APP-1.D.6): The use of linked lists is outside the scope of this course and the AP Exam. Essential Knowledge AAP-1.D.7: The exam reference sheet provides the notation [value1, value2, value3…] to create a list with those values as the first, second, third, and so on items. For example, - aList ← [value1, value2, value3,...] creates a new list that contains the values value1, value2, value3, and … at indices 1, 2, 3, and … respectively and assigns it to aList. - aList ß [] creates a new empty list and assigns it to aList. - aList ß bList assigns a copy of the list bList to the list aList. For example, if bList contains [20, 40, 60], then aList will also contain [20, 40, 60] after the assignment. Essential Knowledge AAP-1.D.8: The exam reference sheet describes a list structure whose index values are 1 through the number of elements in the list, inclusive. For all list operations, if a list index is less than 1 or greater than the length of the list, an error message is produced and the program will terminate.
Enduring Understanding AAP-2: The way statements are sequenced and combined in a program determines the computed result. Programs incorporate iteration and selection constructs to represent repetition and make decisions to handle varied input values.
Learning Objective AAP-2.D: Evaluate expressions that manipulate strings.
Skill 4.B AAP-2.D.1 AAP-2.D.2 Essential Knowledge AAP-2.D.1: String concatenation joins together two or more strings end-to-end to make a new string. Essential Knowledge AAP-2.D.2: A substring is part of an existing string.
Learning Objective AAP-2.N.a: For list operations: a. Write expressions that use list indexing and list procedures. Learning Objective AAP-2.N.b: For list operations: b. Evaluate expressions that use list indexing and list procedures.
Skill 4.B AAP-2.N.1 Essential Knowledge AAP-2.N.1: The exam reference sheet provides basic operations on lists, including: - accessing an element by index o   aList[i] accesses the element of aList at index i. The first element of aList is at index 1 and accessed using the notation aList[1]. - assigning a value of an element of a list to a variable o   x ← aList [i] assigns the value of aList[i] to the variable x. - assigning a value to an element of a list o   aList[i] ← x assigns the value of x to aList[i]. o   aList[i] ← aList[j] assigns the value of aList[j] to aList[i]. - inserting elements at a given index o   INSERT(aList, i, value) shifts to the right any values in aList at indices greater than or equal to i. The length of the list is increased by 1, and value is placed at index i in aList. -adding elements to the end of the list o   APPEND(aList, value) increases the length of aList by 1, and value is placed at the end of aList. - removing elements o   REMOVE(aList, i) removes the item at index i in aList and shifts to the left any values at indices greater than i. The length of aList is decreased by 1. - determining the length of a list o   LENGTH(aList) evaluates to the number of elements currently in aList.
Enduring Understanding AAP-3: Programmers break down problems into smaller and more manageable pieces. By creating procedures and leveraging parameters, programmers generalize processes that can be reused. Procedures allow programmers to draw upon existing code that has already been tested, allowing them to write programs more quickly and with more confidence.
Learning Objective AAP-3.D: Select appropriate libraries or existing code segments to use in creating new programs.
Skill 2.B AAP-3.D.4 AAP-3.D.5 Essential Knowledge AAP-3.D.4: Application program interfaces (APIs) are specifications for how the procedures in a library behave and can be used. Essential Knowledge AAP-3.D.5: Documentation for an API/library is necessary in understanding the behavior(s) provided by the API/library and how to use them.

Professional Development

The Student Lesson: Complete the activities for Mobile CSP Unit 3, Lesson 3.8: Map Tour Tutorial.

Materials

• Presentation system (LCD projector/Interactive whiteboard)
• Access to computer, laptop, or Chromebook (install the Companion app on Chromebooks)
• Access to mobile device with the Companion app installed or access to the emulator installed on the computer or laptop. 
• Map Tour Tutorial (video or handout)

3.8.1. Learning Activities

Estimated Length: 45 minutes

• Hook/Motivation (5 minutes): Variables are simple data abstractions. What if we could save more than one item under one variable? For example a list of destinations. How would you know which destination to pull out of memory? (students should be led to numbering items on the list).
  For APIs, go to Wikipedia and search for something. How did the URL change? Can you switch to a different page by just changing the URL? How might Can the app use these URLs?
• Experiences and Explorations (30 minutes):
  • Walk-through (15 minutes): Lead the students through the Map Tour Tutorial using the video or the text tutorial or the short handout.
  • Lists Go through the lesson write up about lists introducing the new vocabulary, the new blocks, and the corresponding AP pseudocode.
• Rethink, Reflect and/or Revise (10 minutes): Ask the students do some or all of the enhancements. Students should write a reflection in their portfolio (this may be assigned for homework) and try the interactive exercises. There are also other possible enrichment activities, including a tutorial called Map A Run, in the Enrichment section below.

AP Classroom

The College Board's AP Classroom provides a question bank and Topic Questions. You may create a formative assessment quiz in AP Classroom, assign the quiz (a set of questions), and then review the results in class to identify and address any student misunderstandings. The following are suggested topic questions that you could assign once students have completed this lesson.

Suggested Topic Questions:

• Topic 3.2 Data Abstraction
  
• Topic 3.4 Strings
  

Assessment Opportunities and Solutions

Solutions Note: Solutions are only available to verified educators who have joined the Teaching Mobile CSP Google group/forum in Unit 1.

• Map Tour Enhancements Solutions
• Map Tour Enhancements .aia file
• Quizly Solutions
• Portfolio Reflection Questions Solutions

Assessment Opportunities

You can examine students’ work on the interactive exercise and their reflection portfolio entries to assess their progress on the following learning objectives. If students are able to do what is listed there, they are ready to move on to the next lesson.

• Interactive Exercises:
• Portfolio Reflections:
  LO X.X.X - Students should be able to ...
• In the XXX App, look for:

Differentiation: More Practice

Students can read more about the ActivityStarter and the ListPicker in the App Inventor documentation.
Are your students needing more practice with Lists? Have them try the Magic 8-Ball app.

Differentiation: Enrichment

Students can explore GPS and location features by trying to create a map tour for local landmarks or landmarks in a different location than given in the tutorial.

Here is a fun tutorial called the Map A Run App which keeps track of where you have gone on a map. Student will probably need to use this app outside with GPS and WiFi or a cellular connection.

Background Knowledge: Activity Starter

This page from App Inventor gives more detailed information on how to use the ActivityStarter, including for opening web pages, email applications, YouTube, etc.

3.8.2. Professional Development Reflection

Discuss the following questions with other teachers in your professional development program.

• How does this lesson help students toward the enduring understanding that programmers represent and organize data in multiple ways.
  [AAP-1]
  ?

I am confident I can teach this lesson to my students.
• 1. Strongly Agree
• 2. Agree
• 3. Neutral
• 4. Disagree
• 5. Strongly Disagree