In this lesson students continue to explore ways to use conditional statements to take user input. In addition to the simple keyDown() command learned yesterday, students will learn about several other keyboard input commands as well as ways to take mouse input. Lesson 13 needs to be completed by 4/1Below is the solution to the second level! By combining the Draw Loop and the Counter Pattern, students write programs that move sprites across the screen, as well as animate other sprite properties. In this lesson students are introduced to the draw loop, one of the core programming paradigms in Game Lab. To begin the lesson students look at some physical flipbooks to see that having many frames with different images creates the impression of motion. Students then watch a video explaining how the draw loop in Game Lab helps to create this same impression in their programs. Students combine the draw loop with random numbers to manipulate some simple animations with dots and then with sprites. At the end of the lesson students use what they learned to update their sprite scene from the previous lesson. You will be graded on the animation you create for your scene.We will spend 2 weeks on this lesson to allow students to catch up with previous content.In order to create more interesting and detailed images, the class is introduced to the sprite object. Every sprite can be assigned an image to show, and sprites also keep track of multiple values about themselves, which will prove useful down the road when making animations. At the end of the lesson, everyone creates a scene using sprites. This lesson introduces variables as a way to label a number in a program or save a randomly generated value. The class begins the lesson with a very basic description of the purpose of a variable and practices using the new blocks. Afterwards, the class uses variables to save a random number, allowing the programs to use the same random number multiple times. This is key content!This lesson extends the drawing skills to include width and height and introduces the concept of random number generation. The class learns to draw with versions of ellipse() and rect() that include width and height parameters and to use the background() block to fill the screen with color. At the end of the progression the class is introduced to the randomNumber() block and uses the new blocks to draw a randomized rainbow snake.
This lesson focuses on learning and practicing how to draw using game lab. Follow the lesson and be sure to try the challenges at the end.
Students explore the challenges of communicating how to draw with shapes and use a tool that introduces how this problem is approached in Game Lab. The warm up activity quickly demonstrates the challenges of communicating position without some shared reference point. In the main activity students explore a Game Lab tool that allows students to interactively place shapes on Game Lab's 400 by 400 grid. They then take turns instructing a partner how to draw a hidden image using this tool, accounting for many challenges students will encounter when programming in Game Lab. Students optionally create their own image to communicate before a debrief discussion.
This lesson is all about research. Students need to follow the document linked to research how CS is used in entertainment. Students are then able to explore some of the content we will be able to develop over the coming weeks. Students also joined a new class section for 8th grade. Talk to me if you haven't done this yet.Students have spent a lot of time throughout the unit working on their Personal Website. In the final couple of days students finalize their websites. They work with peers to get feedback, put the finishing touches on the websites, review the rubric and reflect on their process. To cap off the unit, they will share their projects and also a overview of the process they took to get to that final design. Click below to pull up the rubric and project guide. |
TopicsI will be posting after most assignments so that students who are absent can follow along at home and students who want to extend their learning will have a chance. Archives
March 2019
|