If you've never done any Python before, first be assured that the assignment to "learn Python" isn't as bad as it sounds: for someone who knows how to program, picking up enough Python to get started is very easy. There exist plenty of Python tutorials out there. Here's a sampling (I don't know all of these, so I can't vouch for them or give unequivocal recommendations).
Note that we're using Python 2.7 in this course.
The official Python tutorial: https://docs.python.org/2/tutorial/.
A tutorial with videos (geared towards programming novices): http://www.pitt.edu/~naraehan/python2/
A short everything-by-example tutorial that is better for people who already know how to program (thanks to Blake Hensel for bringing this to my attention).: https://learnxinyminutes.com/docs/python/
A tutorial that advertises itself as specifically being for people who know Java: http://python4java.necaiseweb.org/Main/TableOfContents
Another thing you could do is simply read the first four chapters in the NLTK book. Since the book was written to be readable for people who don't know how to program, it includes an introduction to Python. The downside is that it assumes you've never programmed before, but the upside is that it puts Python in the context in which we'll be using it. http://www.nltk.org/book_1ed/.
If you know of a Python tutorial that you think your classmates would find useful, let me know and I can add it to this list.
(BTW, the projects in CSCI 365 Programming Language Concepts, scheduled for this spring, likely all will be in Python.)