Basic Python
Learn Python from zero through everyday problems: money, scores, dates, text, data files. Read code, step through it, find bugs and write your own programs right in the browser. For learners from grade 6 and adult beginners.
- Beginner
- About 15 hours
- 14 sections
- 62 lessons
Sign in with Google or GitHub and the course opens in the Academy with the same account.
Course outline
Section 1
Getting started
What Python is, and how this course works
Lesson · 10 min
Section 2
Variables and numbers
Python does the maths
Lesson · 12 min
Variables: a box with a name
Lesson · 12 min
Practice: money maths
Practice · 40 min
Project: printing a receipt
Practice · 20 min
Section 3
Text and input
Strings: text in quotes
Lesson · 12 min
f-strings: mixing text and numbers
Lesson · 12 min
input(): the program reads data
Lesson · 10 min
Practice: text, numbers and input
Practice · 40 min
Project: a payslip
Practice · 20 min
Section 4
Conditions
True or false
Lesson · 8 min
if, elif, else: choosing a path
Lesson · 14 min
and, or, not: combining conditions
Lesson · 10 min
Practice: making decisions
Practice · 40 min
The electricity bill by tiers (Advanced)
Practice · 20 min
Project: a taxi fare calculator
Practice · 20 min
Section 5
Loops
for: doing it again and again
Lesson · 10 min
Adding up, counting and finding the biggest
Lesson · 12 min
while: looping until it's enough
Lesson · 12 min
Practice: let the computer repeat
Practice · 45 min
Interest and loans (Advanced)
Practice · 25 min
Project: a savings plan
Practice · 20 min
Section 6
Functions
Functions: giving a job a name
Lesson · 10 min
return is not print
Lesson · 12 min
Splitting a program into small functions
Lesson · 8 min
Practice: small jobs with names
Practice · 40 min
Advanced: electricity for three homes
Practice · 15 min
Project: an invoice from small functions
Practice · 20 min
Section 7
Lists
Lists and indexes
Lesson · 10 min
Add, remove, sort
Lesson · 12 min
Two names, one list
Lesson · 8 min
Practice: the lists around us
Practice · 40 min
Project: the class gradebook
Practice · 20 min
Section 8
Dictionaries
Dictionaries: look things up by name
Lesson · 10 min
Looping over a dictionary, and counting
Lesson · 12 min
Small tables and grouping
Lesson · 8 min
Practice: look up, count, group
Practice · 40 min
Project: the café
Practice · 20 min
Section 9
Working with text
String methods
Lesson · 12 min
Accented letters in a computer
Lesson · 12 min
Practice: cleaning up text
Practice · 45 min
Project: tidying a contact list
Practice · 20 min
Section 10
Dates and times
Dates with date
Lesson · 12 min
Reading and writing dates and times
Lesson · 10 min
Practice: calendars, deadlines and hours
Practice · 45 min
Daily deposit interest (Advanced)
Practice · 10 min
Project: a weekly timesheet
Practice · 20 min
Section 11
Files and data
Reading and writing files
Lesson · 12 min
Data tables: CSV and JSON
Lesson · 12 min
Practice: the coffee shop's data
Practice · 45 min
Project: the shop's sales report
Practice · 20 min
Section 12
Errors and testing
Reading an error message
Lesson · 12 min
try / except: catching an error
Lesson · 15 min
assert: testing your own code
Lesson · 12 min
Practice: programs that don't break
Practice · 40 min
Project: an order counter that doesn't break
Practice · 20 min
Section 13
Final project
Before the project
Lesson · 10 min
Project (parts 1–3): cleaning the data
Practice · 35 min
Project (parts 4–7): the spending report
Practice · 45 min
Extra project: the school library
Practice · 40 min
Section 14
Final exam
Final exam
Quiz · 30 min
After the exam
Lesson · 5 min