Classes and Objects -- the Basics

Students will...

1. understand what it means to create a new type (i.e., a new class).
2. understand that a new type includes the values to be stored (the data) and the operations defined on that data.
3. be able to use the terminology state and methods of an object.
4. be able to write code to define a new class, including the constructor method __init__.
5. be able to converse using the terms instantiation, instance, attribute, constructor, and accessor.
6. be able to write code to create a new instance (object) of a class.
7. be able to explain the use of the parameter self.
8. understand the utility of creating a constructor that takes (optional) initial values for the state of the object.