# February AP CSA Insider: Course Pacing, PD Resources, and More!
Published: 2026-02-27
Category: Newsletter
Category URL: https://codehs.com/blog/category/newsletter
Tags: AP CSA
Tag URLs: AP CSA (https://codehs.com/blog/tag/ap-csa)
URL: https://codehs.com/blog/february-ap-csa-insider-course-pacing-pd-resources-and-more

![image.png](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm264m3an0084qegvyd7aetst/images/image-1772467732212-compressed.png)

## **🗓️ Course Pacing: Where Students Should Be**

![image.png](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm264m3an0084qegvyd7aetst/images/image-1772467725242-compressed.png)

As we wrap up February, classes following the College Board's recommended pacing should be wrapping up Unit 3 (Class Creation) and beginning the substantial Unit 4 (Data Collections) — the largest unit at 50+ class periods and up to 40% of the exam.

If you're a bit behind, don't panic, but do prioritize strategically: Unit 4's 1D Arrays and ArrayLists are essential for both FRQ 3 (Data Analysis) and FRQ 4 (2D Arrays), so ensure these concepts get adequate time. Remember that Unit 2 (Selection and Iteration) and Unit 4 together account for up to 75% of the exam, so if you need to make trade-offs, lean into these heavily-weighted areas. A good goal is to complete Unit 4 by mid-March to early-April in order to leave enough time for cumulative review and practice exams before the May test.

View the AP CSA Syllabus

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## **💻 Digital Exam Prep**

The AP Computer Science A exam will use the Bluebook App. You can now [download the app](https://bluebook.collegeboard.org/students/download-bluebook) and preview the exam to see the tools that students will have available to them during the exam. The College Board also has a variety of resources available on their [Digital AP Exams page](https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/exam-administration-ordering-scores/digital-ap-exams). Spend some time exploring these resources to ensure that you are preparing students for success in May!

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## **📋 Teaching Tip: Arrays vs ArrayLists**

One of the most common stumbling blocks in Unit 4 is mixing up array and ArrayList syntax, like writing list.length instead of list.size(), or using bracket notation on an ArrayList. Consider including a focused compare/contrast activity where students implement the same algorithm (finding a maximum, counting matches, or removing duplicates) using both data structures side by side. Have them create a two-column reference sheet documenting the syntax differences.

Bonus: revisit this comparison when you reach 2D arrays, adding arr.length (rows) vs. arr\[0\].length (columns) to their reference sheet.

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## **📊 AP CSA Project of the Month**

![image.png](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm264m3an0084qegvyd7aetst/images/image-1772467805502-compressed.png)

The CodeHS Project catalog offers a multitude of projects to enhance your course. This month's featured project is Letter Histogram. In this project, students will use strings and arrays to create a histogram of the number of letters in a given text. The project reads in a file for students and they will then analyze each letter of the file to create and display a histogram of the letters.

Learn More

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## **🧑‍🏫 Upcoming AP CSA Webinar**

[**Preparing Students for the AP CSA FRQs**](https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_2f54AWPeQn6oLapeLb5tYg#/registration)

Join this interactive webinar to learn more about what to expect as it relates to FRQs and how to better prepare your students.

**Date:** March 4th, 2025

​ **Time:** 3:00pm CT

RSVP Today

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## **⚙️ PD Teaching Cohorts**

CodeHS is offering year-long professional learning cohorts for the 2026–27 school year, supporting educators with guided learning, practical strategies, and a collaborative community. One of our cohorts is a [Teaching AP Computer Science A (AP CSA)](https://help.codehs.com/en/articles/13369464-codehs-ap-csa-2026-27-teaching-cohort) cohort! This cohort will kickoff this July.

Request a Quote

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## **☕️ Java Autograder Updates**

We've made some Java Autograder updates!

**1️⃣ Console Input/Output Preset Autograder**

Allows teachers to verify that a program’s console output contains specific text, either generally or when given defined user input values—no custom grading code required.

**2️⃣ Method Call Return Value Preset Autograder**

Automatically instantiates a student-created class with specified constructor arguments, calls a designated method, and checks that the method returns the expected value.

You can see these updates in your preset configs for autograders.

![image.png](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm264m3an0084qegvyd7aetst/images/image-1772468010781-compressed.png)

Learn More About Preset Configs

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## **💬 Stay Connected**

1. Join our [CodeHS AP CSA Educators Facebook Group](https://www.facebook.com/groups/3068825753443675/)

2. Follow us on [X](https://twitter.com/CodeHS), [Instagram](http://instagram.com/codehs), & [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@codehsofficial)

3. Explore the [AP CSA Hub](https://codehs.com/curriculum/ap-csa)


_-The CodeHS Team_


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