Interactive Coding Challenge

Overview

This 45-minute lesson introduces Year 9 students to computer programming using Scratch, focusing on the creation of interactive animations and games. The session is designed to align with the Key Stage 3 UK Computing curriculum, specifically the following objectives:

• Curriculum Area: Computing
• Level: Key Stage 3
  • Design, use, and evaluate computational abstractions that model the state and behaviour of real-world problems.
  • Use two or more programming languages, one of which is visual (e.g., Scratch), to solve computational problems.
  • Understand and apply the concepts of sequence, selection, iteration, and variables in programming.

The lesson incorporates creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration, giving students a hands-on and highly engaging introduction to coding that bridges play and learning.

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Lesson Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students should be able to:

1. Understand how sequence, selection, and iteration function in a visual programming language.
2. Design a simple interactive game or animation with logical flow and user interaction.
3. Use basic programming constructs (loops, conditional statements, and variables).
4. Work collaboratively to troubleshoot and refine code.

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Materials Needed

• Laptops or desktops, one per student (loaded with Scratch or access to Scratch’s online editor).
• Digital whiteboard/projector (to display teacher examples).
• Student Scratch accounts (or guest access enabled).
• A short handout at the end of the lesson summarising key concepts (ready for printing).

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Lesson Outline

1. Introduction & Starter Activity (10 minutes)

Objective: Spark curiosity and link programming to real-life examples.

1. Attention Grabber (5 minutes):

   • Open the lesson with a mood-setting question:
     “Who’s played a computer game today? What makes a good game fun to play?”
   • Share concrete examples of games (e.g., Angry Birds, or Fortnite), highlighting the coding concepts behind these games: animations, scoring systems, user input, etc.

2. Mini-Demo (5 minutes):

   • On the projector, open Scratch, drag a character (sprite) to the canvas, and make it move a small distance when a key is pressed.
   • Key question: “How do we make actions happen on the screen?
   • Challenge students to think about what rules or instructions are needed for the computer to follow.

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2. Main Activity (30 minutes)

a. Guided Creation (15 minutes)

Objective: Lead students through creating an interactive mini-project.

1. Brief: Create a mini-game where a sprite (e.g., a cat) moves around the screen to "collect" objects while avoiding obstacles for a score.

2. Follow these steps and demonstrate on the screen:

   • Step 1: Choose Sprites
     Load a cat sprite (player character) and an object sprite (food or treasure).
   • Step 2: Movement Controls
     Add movement controls to the cat using the "when key pressed" and "change x or y" blocks.
   • Step 3: Scoring System
     Create a variable called Score. Demonstrate how to increase the score when the cat touches the object using the "change variable" block.
   • Step 4: Introducing Obstacles
     Add a third sprite (e.g., a spinning enemy), which moves randomly and causes the game to "end" if it touches the cat.
   • Challenge: Use if-then conditional statements and loops to manage sprite interactions.

3. Highlight cross-curricular links to design and maths: deciding rules, positioning sprites using coordinates, and using trial-and-error logic.

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b. Independent Work (15 minutes)

Objective: Allow students to experiment and create their own variations of the game.

1. Instruct students to:
   • Add a background for their game to personalise it.
   • Refine the game by changing speeds, sound effects, or difficulty.
   • Test the game with a partner and troubleshoot any issues using debugging skills.
2. Circulate the room to provide targeted support, focusing on students who need extra help with programming constructs like loops or variables. Inspire confident students to stretch themselves by adding timers or more sprites.

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3. Plenary (5 minutes)

Objective: Summarise learning and celebrate achievements.

1. Class Share (3 minutes):

   • Invite 2-3 students to showcase their games on the projector.
   • Ask them to explain one decision they made while programming to optimise user experience.

2. Quick Quiz (2 minutes):
   Ask rapid-fire questions:

   • What is a variable?
   • How do we use loops?
   • What role does selection/if-then play in coding?

3. Provide students with a Simple Scratch "Cheat Sheet" covering key blocks and concepts for use in future sessions.

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Differentiation

• Support for struggling students: Preloaded Scratch templates with editable placeholder code to reduce cognitive load. Pair these students with a partner for collaborative work.
• Challenge for advanced students: Encourage them to add features such as new levels, timers, or "power-ups." Advanced students can also code custom behaviours for sprites using broadcast events.

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Homework/Extension Activities

• Option 1: Ask students to develop their game further at home, introducing at least one new concept they haven't used yet (e.g., sound effects, more sprites, or a functional timer).
• Option 2: Research and brainstorm how Scratch can be used for non-gaming projects, such as storytelling or simulations.

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Assessment Opportunities

• Observe student engagement and participation during independent work.
• Assess understanding through plenary Q&A and class presentations.
• Review final Scratch projects for evidence of sequencing, iteration, and conditional statements.

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Teacher Reflection

Post-lesson, reflect on:

• Were students able to engage with the coding concepts independently?
• What aspects of the lesson/support scaffolding were most effective?
• Identify areas for reinforcement in the next session (e.g., debugging skills).

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This lesson introduces programming in a playful yet structured format, empowering students with essential computational thinking skills.