This course serves as an introduction to databases. Through both hands-on assignments and conceptual learning, students will become comfortable designing, manipulating, implementing, and coding for relational databases.
This website is subject to change as more content is added. Check it often!
Zybook Activities - ZyBook "participation" activities and readings are should be read before the class they are assigned. Each section usually takes on average 10 minutes complete (although some might take a little more time and some might take a little less time). "Challenge" activities are more like regular homework and should be tried as you read the material so that you have time to ask questions about them in class. Both zybook participation and challenge activities for the week are due each Friday at midnight (11:59:59pm).
In-Class Lab Work - At different points in the class, we will pause from regular lectures to implement a learned concept during an in-class lab. These in-class labs are meant to give you experience outside of your textbook environment with a real database. In-class labs are typically meant to be finished within the regular class period, but if they are not completed in class, they must be completed by 11:59pm on the day they are assigned.
Date | Readings before class | Topics/Notes | Due Dates (all due by 11:59pm unless otherwise stated) |
Week #1 8/22 |
Get the online textbook: Instructions here |
Class Notes - Course Introductions | |
8/24 | zybook 1.1 - 1.3 | Introduction to Databases | |
8/26 | zybook 1.4 - 1.5 | Introduction to Databases Demonstration of Lab 1.6 |
zybook participation and challenges: week #1 |
Week #2 8/29 |
zybook 2.1 | Relational Databases Lab 1.6 - Finish |
Lab 1.6 due |
8/31 | zybook 2.2- 2.3 | Relational Databases Class Notes - NULL Logic |
|
9/2 | zybook 2.4-2.5 | Relational Databases (Note: 2.5 activities due the following week.) |
zybook participation and challenges: week #2 |
Week #3 9/5 |
Holiday, no class | ||
9/7 | zybook 2.5 - 2.6 | Relational Databases Practice Exercise - JOIN Practice |
|
9/9 | zybook 2.7 | Relational Databases and Questions Exam 1 Study Guide |
zybook participation and challenges: week #3 |
Week #4 9/12 |
Exam #1 - zybook chapters 1 and 2 | ||
9/14 | zybook 2.8 | Normal Forms Practice Exercise - Normal Forms (Part 1) Class Notes - Normal Forms (Part 1) |
|
9/16 | zybook 2.8 | Normal Forms Class Notes - Normal Forms (Part 2) |
zybook participation and challenges: week #4 |
Week #5 9/19 |
zybook 3.1 - 3.3 | Structured Query Language (SQL) | |
9/21 | zybook3.4 - 3.5 | ||
9/23 | No Class | Work on labs 3.12, 3.13, 3.14 | zybook participation and challenges: week #5 |
Week #6 9/26 |
zybook 3.6 |
Structured Query Language (SQL) | Labs 3.12, 3.13, 3.14 due |
8/28 | In-Class Lab | Work on labs 3.15, 3.16, 3.17, 3.18 | |
9/30 | Exam 2 review Exam 2 Study Guide |
zybook participation and challenges: week #6 Labs 3.15, 3.16, 3.17, 3.18 due |
|
Week #7 10/3 |
Exam #2 - zybook chapter 2.8-3.6 | ||
10/5 | zybook 3.7 - 3.8 start 3.9 (not graded yet) |
Structured Query Language (SQL) | |
10/7 | In-Class Labs | Work on labs 3.19, 3.20, 3.21, 3.22, 3.23 | zybook participation and challenges: week #7 |
Week #8 10/10 |
zybook 3.9 | Class Notes - Local Variables Structured Query Language (SQL) |
Labs 3.19-3.23 due |
10/12 | zybook 3.10 | Structured Query Language (SQL) | |
10/14 | No Class | Work on lab 3.24 | zybook participation and challenges: week #8 |
Week #9 10/17 |
zyBook 3.11 | Structured Query Language (SQL) Work on Lab 3.25 |
Lab 3.24 due |
10/19 | Finish zyBook 3.11 | Structured Query Language (SQL) | Lab 3.25 due |
10/21 | zybook 4.1-4.2 | Database Design | zybook participation and challenges: week #9 |
Week #10 10/24 |
In-class Review | Exam #3 Review Study Guide for Exam #3 |
|
10/26 | Exam in WRT 112 | Exam #3 - zybook chapters 3.7-3.11 and 4.1-4.2 | |
10/28 | zybook 4.3 | Database Design Example Schema - 4.3 |
zybook participation and challenges: week #10 |
Week #11 10/31 |
zybook 4.4-4.5 | Database Design Example Schema - 4.4 Example Schema - 4.5 |
|
11/2 | zybook 4.6 - 4.8 | Database Design Example Schema - 4.6 through 4.8 |
|
11/4 | zybook 4.9 (this section due next week) |
Database Design and Creation Final Schema Database creation script |
zybook participation and challenges: week #11 |
Week #12 11/7 |
No Class | No Class, get caught up | |
11/9 | zybook 9.5 | Database Programming Python code |
|
11/11 | In-class Lab | Bring your laptop! Lab 9.5 directions: Install the mysql python connector and use pip to install the python connector library. Show me that you can run main() on Wednesday's sakila_starter.py program. |
zybook participation and challenges: week #12 |
Week #13 11/14 |
Review | Review for Exam #4 Study Guide for Exam #4 |
Lab 9.5 due |
11/16 | Exam in WRT 112 | Exam #4 | |
11/18 | No class | Introduction to Hands-On Project Video What if grade spreadsheet and Grade Sheet Explanation Video |
Final Project Specification (Due Thurs 12/8 at 11:59pm) |
Week #14 11/28 |
Project Work Day | Quick Topics: (1) Creating a discovery statement for your new database (2) Thinking about data importing |
|
11/30 | Project Work Day | Quick Topics: (1) Defining keys, relationships, and attributes |
|
12/2 | Project Work Day | Quick Topics: (1) Forward-engineering the EER diagram to a database (2) Creating sql file for your queries with comments |
|
Week #15 12/5 |
Project Work Day | Quick Topics: (1) Python Questions |
|
12/7 | Project Work Day | Quick Topics: (1) Turning everything in |
Final Project Due 12/9 at 11:59pm |
12/9 | Optional Final Review | Optional Final Review Study Guide | |
12/13 (Tues) | Final in SAB 102 1-2:50pm |
Optional Final |