LAB 1

Today’s lab will focus on using the gradescope & Blackboard systems and simple programs in Python.

Software tools needed: web browser and Python IDLE programming environment.

Using Blackboard

This course will use the on-line Blackboard system for in-class quizzes and posting grades. Blackboard should be accessible through your CUNY First account (see Hunter ICIT Blackboard page for directions on using the system and how to get help).

Quizzes are done via the Content menu (left hand side of Home screen). I will provide the password for the quiz.

In-class Quiz

During lab, there is a quiz on the academic integrity policy of City University of New York. The password to access the quiz will be given during lab. To complete the quiz, log on to Blackboard.

Using Python on Your Computer

The Python programming language and IDLE environment are freely available for many platforms from python.org or Anaconda. For this class, we are using Python 3. Many features of the language (including the syntax of print statements) changed between the second and third version, so, you must use the Python 3 for submitting programs.

If you have a Mac or Windows computer, the easiest installation is Anaconda. When given the choice, choose to “Install for me only” (this avoids some odd permission problems that occur when choosing the install for everyone).

Almost all the packages we will use are automatically included in the Anaconda default installation. The two that are not, image and folium, can be installed later. We won’t need these immediately, so, you can wait on installing them.

Using Python

We will be using the IDLE programming environment for Python, since it is very simple and comes with all distributions of Python

To launch IDLE:

let’s use a text window, where we can save our program for later and submit it to Gradescope (this is the basis of the first program).

  1. First, open up a text window: on the menu bar, choose “File” and from that menu, choose “New File”.

  2. In that window, type:

    #Name:  ...your name here...
#Date: January 30, 2021
#This program prints: Hello, World!

print("Hello, World!")
  3. Save the program (using the “Save” under the “File” menu). When you save it, name it something that you will be remember for the future and end it in .py. For example, ps1.py.
  4. Run your program (using the “Run Module” from the “Run” menu).
  5. If it prints “Hello, World!” to the screen, then log into Gradescope (see notes below):

Using Gradescope

This course will use the on-line gradescope system for submitting work electronically. An email invitation to the course was sent to your email address (we used the one saved for you on CUNYFirst as of Friday, 29 January).

More Python: Turtles

Now that you have just submitted your first program, let’s try some other Python commands. Here’s a quick demo (click the triangle to run the program):


Now, let’s write the same program in IDLE:

  1. Open up a new file window in IDLE (“File > New File”).

  2. Type into your window:

    import turtle
thomasH = turtle.Turtle()
for i in range(4):
  thomasH.forward(100)
  thomasH.right(90)
  3. Save your program (“File > Save”).
    Note: Choose a name for your file that is not turtle.py. When executing the “import turtle” statement, the computer first looks in the folder where the file is saved for the turtle module and then in the libraries (and other places on the path). So, it thinks the module is itself, causing all kinds of errors. To avoid this, name your program something like “myTurtle.py” or “program2.py”.
  4. Run your program (using the “Run Module” from the “Run” menu).
  5. Change your program so that it draws a octagon (8-sided polygon).

  6. Test your program and modify until you have a octagon. When you do, add comments at the top of your program: 

    #Name:  ...your name here...
#Date: January 30, 2021
#This program draws a octagon.

    Run your program after editing to make sure you do not have any typos.

  7. Log into Gradescope (see notes above). On the left hand menu, choose “Assignments”. From the list, choose “2. Octagon”. In the file upload, drag the .py file you just created and ran, and click “Submit”.

A quick overview of the parts of your second program:

More Turtle Commands

To review, we introduced the turtle commands:

as well as importing the turtle package (import turtle) and creating (“instantiating”) a turtle (thomasH = turtle.Turtle()).

There are many more turtles commands. Over the next couple of classes, we will use those in the turtle chapter from the textbook. A complete list of turtle commands is part of the Python 3 documentation.

What’s Next?

If you finish the lab early, now is a great time to get a head start on the programming problems due next week. The Programming Problem List has problem descriptions, suggested reading, and due dates next to each problem.