All class lessons, materials and updates for Intro to Coding & Game Design (Jan. 9 - Feb. 15 2018)
| INTRO TO CODING | GAME DESIGN |
|---|---|
| Jan 9 - Feb 13 | Jan 11 - Feb 15 |
| Tuesdays | Thursdays |
| 4:00pm - 5:00pm | 4:00pm - 5:00pm |
| K - 3 | 3 - 5 |
10 min
- Tech Em Studios
- Any experience with coding
- What the class is: Coding/Game Design
- What we will learn
- How computers work - hardware/software
- Concepts of coding
5 min
What is a computer program? Simply instructions written by humans carried out by computers. Computers follow instructions writen by humans in the exact order they are given. Much like a recipe, we can follow steps for a recipe to make something. When we follow these steps in order (or a sequence of steps), we get the intended result. A sequence is an ordered collection of steps.
Discuss difference between Hardware and Software. Hardware makes up the physical parts of a computer i.e. keyboard, monitor, mouse printer, etc. Software is a collection of programs which can tell other software or hardware what to do; in other words, think of software as applications, games etc.
5 - 10 min
Pick four volunteers to form two groups. Each group has a designated programmer and robot. Have each group stand in same area of the classroom. Point out a place in the room to be a destination. Explain that the programmer needs to give their robot step-by-step to get to the destination by telling the robot to walk forward (x amount of steps) or turn (90 degrees, left or right). The robot can only follow the directions given by their programmer.
Go Forward 3 steps
Turn left 90 degrees
Go forward 5 steps
etc.
Ask the class, which group was more efficient (which one took the least amount of steps). Explain that engineers are concerned with building things more efficiently.
15 - 20 min
What is code? Discuss how spoken words, written words are code. We can say that code helps humans to communicate with other humans, and helps humans communicate with machines. Provide some other examples of code student smay have heard of or seen already i.e. morse code, braille.
Use the whiteboard to explain how computers can translate numbers we use on a daily basis (the decimal number system), into the binary number system. Explain the difference between the two systems by focusing on the place values of each. Usually student's bells will ring when you explain the place values of the decimal number system: ones, tens, hundreds, thousands and so on. Decimal numbers uses a base-10 system. In other words, it uses ten digits (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9). Why ten? How many fingers do you have? -ten. If we had eight fingers, we would probably use a base-8 number system.
The language computers speak is binary, using only the digits 0 and 1. Zero is "coded" to mean OFF, one is "coded" to mean ON. Relate to how a light switch works. Computers translate the instructions they recieve into a series of ones and zeroes. In contrast to the decimal system we are used to using, the binary number system is base-2 (only the digits 0 an 1).
Ask for five volunteers. Give each volunteer a big binary flashcard (dark side of cards facing the class). Arrange the students to be in correct place value order. Write the number one on the board, use the cards and input from the class to have each volunteer flip the correct cards (turn "ON") to collectively show the number, one in binary. Do this for the numbers, 2 - 10. The class should progressively get quicker.
20 min
Give a short explanation of Lightbot. The app will help figure out the experience level of the students and get everyone used to the idea of giving a sequence of instructions to a computer.