Skip to content

Aug 21: Welcome and Getting Started with Thonny

Learning Objectives

After today's class, you should be able to:

  • Open, edit, save, and run a program in Thonny.
  • Submit a homework exercise on using canvas.
  • Ask and answer questions (later) on Piazza.
  • Use your online textbook and complete activities

Lesson Outline

Welcome!

Textbook and first assignment in canvas

  • Runestone Python Textbook In canvas, complete the book registration assignment to gain access to our textbook. It is a free book.
  • Textbook reading with activities are due every Tuesday by 3pm

Mini Lab

  • Demonstration of Thonny Python IDE (see code below). Work on lab machines
  • Walk-through of how to submit "Lab 1" on canvas and the role of gradescope. The python code for lab 1 is below. The python file must be named hello_world.py
  • You will need to install Thonny on your laptop by next class. Installing Thonny, ruff. You need to setup a folder called 'CS149' and then subfolders for each assignment.
  • Demonstration of Runestone:
    • Log into canvas
    • Select our CS149 course
    • Select Assignments, then select register for book and follow the directions
    • After registering for the book, select the assignment Week 1 Reading

Always go through our canvas course for reading assignments

Activity

  • Introduction to Python – see Activity code below
    • If you are absent today, complete this activity at home
    • Bring your completed activity to class or office hours

Lecture

Getting Help

Wrap-Up

  • Explanation of "your to-do list" below (rest of the week)

Your To-Do List

Complete by tomorrow, Friday Aug 22nd

  • Pre-Survey: Please submit this "quiz" if you haven't already!
  • Submit Lab1 to canvas

Complete by Monday Aug 25th

Complete by Tuesday Aug 26th by 3pm

DUE Wednesday Aug 27th

Example Code

Here is the solution for today's mini-lab. Notice how lines 1–6 are formatted. When you submit to canvas, always include (1) a short description, (2) your name, and (3) the date. These lines must be formatted exactly as shown. See requirements

hello_world.py
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
"""Exercise 0.1 Hello World.

Author: Sharon Simmons
Version: 08/21/2025
"""

print("Hello, World!")

Here is a more interesting example that uses turtle graphics. If you have time during/after class, try extending the following code to draw a picture. Check out Trinket's Visual Introduction to Python for ideas.

hello_turtle.py
 1
 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7
 8
 9
10
11
import turtle
import time

turtle.shape("turtle")
turtle.speed(1)
time.sleep(0.5)

turtle.penup()
turtle.forward(25)
turtle.write("Hello there!")
turtle.backward(25)

Code for Activity

Model 1 – copy into the editor, save as hello.py 

# display a welcome message
print("Welcome to Python 3!")

# give the user a compliment
name = input("What's your name? ")
print(name, "is a great name!")

Model 2 – copy one line at a time into the shell 

input("enter the mass in grams: ")
mass = input("enter another mass in grams: ")
mass
unit = input("enter the units for mass: ")
print(mass, unit)
print(mass / 2)
ten = 10
print(ten / 2)
abs(-1)
abs(-1 * ten)