The tech team updated the Parents Association on how the middle school library will shift in the new year. We talked about how the tools mirrored a pedagogical shift well underway – the move towards student centered instruction and learning.
In an effort to model what we want to see, we then handed out MakeyMakeys with very few instructions and allowed the parents in attendance to wrestle with connecting the strange tools that had been put in front of them to the computer in an effort to play the bongos and piano. The real magic happened however when a set of fourth grade students arrived and introduced the games which they had designed on scratch – while working through the CS First Curriculum. The girls beamed to see their games on display and then took a moment to reflect on how their design would change based on the controller that was being used.
It was great to have so many parents in attendance and the excitement in the room was tangible.
Launcher Game = Alison created a game that launches a sprite towards a finish line. For each point a player scores, a new enemy appears.
Instructions: Click the green flag to begin the game. Use the space bar, right arrow, and left arrow to move the octopus across the stage. Don’t let the crabs get you!
https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/62903736/
Cave Surfing Game = Sophia S created a game with a scrolling background.
Instructions: Click the green flag to begin the game. Use the spacebar to move the dove up and down. Try to avoid the rocks.
https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/57287984/
Platform Game = Helena created a game in which a player makes a sprite jump from platform to platform using the arrow keys.
Instructions: Click the green flag to begin the game. Use the up and right arrows to get the knight to the princess.
https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/64414806/
Racing Game = Allie created a game that lets two players race against each other using keyboard commands.
Instructions: One player uses the up, down, right, and left arrow keys and the other player uses the w, s, a, and d keys to move the monkeys around the track. The first one back to the starting line wins!
https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/54383308/
Falling Objects GameJasminecreated a game with objects falling from the top of the screen.
Instructions: Click the green flag to begin the game. Use the right and left arrows to move the snowman and catch as many snowflakes as you can. Try to avoid the sunshine!
https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/62494276/