[Edu-sig] HS Example problems

[John Zelle]

Mike,

mhanna at pvcsd.org wrote:

>Hello all,
>I am new to the list and Python in general. I want to start using Python in my
>Into to CS Class in High School. I have previewed a number of books but am
>having difficulties finding a decent source for: 
>1) a detailed curriculum (basic class for 100% new programming students)
>2) Good examples and problems for projects
>
If you've not already checked it out, my CS1 textbook might be 
appropriate for you. See http://mcsp.wartburg.edu/zelle/python if you're 
interested.

>On another note:
>I am using OSX 10.2 and am having problem setting up the computers to run a
>decent IDE. I have tried MacPython and Pyoxide. Any help would be deeply
>appreciated.
>
We use IDLE for our intro classes, and it works well. Unfortunately IDLE 
uses the Tkinter package, which is not included in the default OSX 
python. I have a colleague who is using IDLE and Python on his Mac by 
running XDarwin and the Python available from the fink project 
(http://fink.sourceforge.net). It works great for him, but I can't vouch 
for how it would work in a lab setting.

I believe it is also possible to do a native install of Python and 
tcl/tk from source under OSX, but I have not had a chance to try that 
out yet.

--John

>-- 
>    John M. Zelle, Ph.D.   |     Wartburg College    
>   Associate Prof. of CS   |  Dept. Math/CS/Physics  
>  john.zelle at wartburg.edu  |     Waverly, Iowa       
>  
>