Book excerpt: Spending time actively programming on a computer is the most important part of a programming class. Dale originally developed lab manuals as part of self-paced learning packages. This manual is an ideal companion to Dale/Weems/Headington, Introduction to Java and Software Design. It maps to the chapter order of this textbook. It focuses on teaching syntax rules for Java functions and contains three types of activities: Prelab, Inlab, and Postlab, all designed within a closed laboratory setting. Java was not designed with the beginning student in mind, therefore closed laboratory activities are essential for students to understand the syntax and semantics of each construct as they progress. A diskette with programs, program shells, and data files accompanies the manual.