What’s New in My Updated AP CSA Curriculum for the 2025–2026 School Year
If you’ve been using my AP Computer Science A curriculum in the past, you’ve probably heard by now that the College Board released a new Course and Exam Description (CED), starting in the 2025-26 school year. There are some pretty big structural changes this year, and I’ve been hard at work updating my full curriculum to match the new format.
If you’re a returning teacher, don’t worry: you’ll get the updated version automatically, for free. (More on that at the end!)
But whether you’re a returning teacher or just looking for a complete AP CSA curriculum, I want to walk you through the key updates, how I’ve adapted, and what’s new in my materials.
📚 From 10 Units to 4: Understanding the New AP CSA Course Structure
Yes, the most obvious change is that the course now has only 4 units instead of 10, BUT the content you know and love is still there. Here’s an approximate breakdown of how the old units map onto the new ones:
- New Unit 1: Combines former Units 1 and 2
- New Unit 2: Covers what used to be Units 3 and 4
- New Unit 3: Basically the old Unit 5
- New Unit 4: Combines Units 6, 7, 8, and 10
The only topic that was officially removed from the course is inheritance, which used to be Unit 9. Everything else has just been reorganized for clarity and flow.
💻 Changes to the AP Exam
The AP CSA exam is now 100% digital, but I believe that writing full Java programs is still one of the best ways to reinforce your students’ understanding. Even though the exam won’t require students to hand write code, this will still be an integral part of my curriculum (and thankfully, the research on handwriting for better learning is clear – you can’t beat paper and pencil!) Here’s another source on that, too.
Some small, but important, updates to the multiple-choice section:
- The number of answer choices is now 4 instead of 5
- The total number of questions increased from 40 to 42
We still have 4 FRQs on the AP exam, but the descriptions have shifted slightly:
- Methods and Control Structures
- Class Design
- Data Analysis with ArrayLists (Previously arrays and ArrayLists)
- 2D Arrays
🧪 Challenge: Fewer Summative Assessments?
One challenge of going from 10 units to 4 is that there are naturally fewer built-in summative assessments during the school year. As teachers, we usually have the end-of-the-unit summative assessment (and in this course, I also had end-of-unit coding projects as well that were summative). Since summatives make up the majority of my students’ grades, moving to fewer formatives puts a lot of stake into a couple of points in the semester!
Here’s how I’m structuring it:
- Semester 1: Units 1, 2, and part of 3
- Semester 2: Rest of Unit 3 and all of Unit 4
That gives me about 2 formal tests and 2 projects per semester, for a total of 4 summative grades. I also plan on breaking Unit 4 up into two parts: Part 1 will cover Arrays and ArrayLists, and Part 2 will cover 2D arrays and recursion.
If your school requires more summatives, don’t worry, my curriculum includes plenty of flexible resources. You can:
- Convert quizzes into full summative tests
- Use programming assignments as summative project grades
- Mix and match based on what works best for your grading policies
Everything is designed to support reassessment, feedback, and student growth, including alternate test versions and project rubrics.
✨ New Additions to the Curriculum
I didn’t just update the content, I took the opportunity to make the curriculum even more supportive, flexible, and engaging.
Checkpoint Practices
Now, before every quiz, there’s a dedicated Checkpoint Practice day. These are a mix of multiple choice, short answer, and code-based questions to give students one more structured chance to review. I also use this day to go over homework and answer questions before the formal assessment.
Lesson Plans and Check for Understanding
Each lesson now comes with:
- Detailed bullet-style lesson plans (including common misconceptions and teacher tips)
- Exit ticket-style Check for Understandings, usually 3 to 4 multiple-choice questions to wrap up the lesson. These can also be used as bell ringers or compiled into a larger practice set
These tools help you get a quick pulse on student understanding without adding grading overload.
🎲 More Hands-On Activities and Variety
One of my biggest goals this year was to mix up the learning experience. Instead of sticking to the pattern of notes → unplugged homework → coding, I’ve added all kinds of interactive, hands-on activities to break up the routine.
Here are just a few examples:
- Stations activities
- Cut-and-paste sequencing exercises
- Circuits for algorithm practice
- Java games and review puzzles
It’s all about engaging students in different ways and giving them more chances to interact with the material from different angles.
🔄 Updates Are Free for All Past Purchasers
If you’ve already purchased the full AP CSA curriculum, you’ll receive the updated version automatically, at no extra cost. As of now:
- Units 1 and 2 are complete and available
- Units 3 and 4 will be released this summer, 2025
I’ll send out update notifications as new units are published, and everything will be added to your existing download links or accounts. If you purchased on TPT, go to “My Purchases”, find the resource, and click “Get bundle” and “Download All”.
Ready for the 2025–26 School Year?
Whether you’ve been using my AP CSA curriculum for years or you’re exploring a new option for your classroom, I’ve designed this curriculum to be:
- Aligned with the new CED
- Flexible to fit different grading systems
- Full of student-centered, hands-on learning
- Supported with lesson plans, exit tickets, and plenty of practice
If you have questions, I’m always happy to chat. Reach out to me any time either through social media or by email at goldiesmathemporium[at]gmail.com to ask questions or request a sample of the new material.
Thanks for being part of the journey!! I’m excited to help you make this year the best one yet in AP CSA!!
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