Programming for GCSE 1.0 Beginning with Python T eaching L ondon C omputing Margaret Derrington KCL Easter 2014

PYTHON Just one of a heap of different programming languages Widely used (particularly currently in schools), general purpose, high level language Particularly useful and versatile; supports multiple paradigms; object oriented, imperative, functional and procedural.. Even has its own Python Turtle Graphics like LOGO Used both for scripting and for standalone executable programs Free, Open Source, comprehensive library…

Open Python If you have python installed on a computer and you OPEN or RUN or EXECUTE a python program, It will run in the Command window, on a windows machine, so fast you’ll hardly see it. To write programs and see them run we need to open the python IDLE and SHELL windows Find Python IDLE from the start menu, ( or desktop shortcut)  and open it NB the IDLE/GUI NOT the command line You will get a python SHELL opening in a window And if you go to FILE / NEW WINDOW a second python window will open This is the IDLE window where you can write programs… QUICK… let’s write our first program Print (“Hello World”) Use File and SAVE AS in the usual way to save your program into your named folder in my documents programName.py

“Hello World” program print (“Hello World!!”) It will run here in the SHELL window Run RUN MODULE F5 print (‘Hello World’) will also work Must be matched pairs of “ ” or ‘ ’

Try stuff out….. You can add to your program Get python to print other things print (“other things”) Tell it to print the answer to a sum print ( 2*7465) You will have to save the program again each time you change it and press RUN

Before we go any further…. Look at what we have done Look at the code we have written And what has happened. What have you noticed????? What have you learnt??? What’s important? What errors/misconceptions are likely? STRINGS, “ ” BRACKETS, FUNCTION, SYNTAX, COLOURS, GUI, IDLE, SHELL, namingFiles, file extension.py what else?……………………….. Open your Reflective Log off KEATS and save it into your folder in MY Documents and make some notes… check with someone else.