CED Coverage Matrix
Every required topic family of the AP Computer Science Principles Course and Exam Description (Fall 2023 CED, current), mapped to when we teach it and with what. 10 of 10 topic families covered. The Unity build (Units 1-8) carries Algorithms & Programming and the program-development half of Creative Development; Unit 9 exists because a year in Unity alone cannot teach you binary, networks, or impact — and the exam asks about all three.
| Topic | Title | Big idea | First taught | Lessons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AAP-1 | Algorithms & Programming - Variables, Expressions & Data Abstraction | Big Idea 3: Algorithms & Programming | Sep 16 | 1.5, 1.6 |
| AAP-2 | Algorithms & Programming - Algorithms, Selection & Iteration | Big Idea 3: Algorithms & Programming | Sep 16 | 1.5, 1.6 |
| AAP-3 | Algorithms & Programming - Procedures & Abstraction | Big Idea 3: Algorithms & Programming | Sep 18 | 2.1 |
| CRD-1 | Creative Development - Collaboration & Legal/Ethical Concerns | Big Idea 1: Creative Development | Sep 1 | — |
| CRD-2 | Creative Development - Program Purpose, Design & Testing | Big Idea 1: Creative Development | Sep 1 | — |
| CSN-1 | Computer Systems & Networks - Devices, Bandwidth, Fault Tolerance | Big Idea 4: Computer Systems & Networks | Feb 16 | 9.7 |
| CSN-2 | Computer Systems & Networks - The Internet & Encryption | Big Idea 4: Computer Systems & Networks | Feb 18 | 9.8 |
| DAT-1 | Data - Binary, Representation & Compression | Big Idea 2: Data | Jan 28 | 9.1 |
| DAT-2 | Data - Programs, Metadata, Insights & Bias | Big Idea 2: Data | Feb 5 | 9.4 |
| IOC-1 | Impact of Computing - Effects, Equity, Privacy & Law | Big Idea 5: Impact of Computing | Feb 11 | 9.6 |
Weighting Check
Where the AP score comes from: the multiple-choice section (70%) — 70 questions in 120 minutes in Bluebook — and Section II (30%), which is the Create performance task you submit by April 30together with the two written-response questions you answer in 60 minutes on exam day. The MC section weights the five big ideas like this, and here is how our calendar spends its days:
| Big idea | Exam weight (MC) | Where we teach it | B-days |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1: Creative Development | 10-13% | All year ( jams, Create PT) + 9.10 | woven |
| 2: Data | 17-22% | Unit 9 (9.1-9.6) | 6 |
| 3: Algorithms & Programming | 30-35% | Units 1-8 + card jam (10.2a-d) | 41 |
| 4: Computer Systems & Networks | 11-15% | Unit 9 (9.7-9.9) | 3 |
| 5: Impact of Computing | 21-26% | Unit 9 (9.6, 9.10) + jam retros | 2 + woven |
Algorithms & Programming is the heaviest exam weight and it gets the most calendar by design: every single class of first semester is a lab that programs something real. Data and Systems get a dedicated, concentrated January-February unit so they are fresh (but not too fresh) in May, and the exam sprint re-touches everything in weight order.