Looping Games

Overview

Students learn how loops create repetition and continuous action in a Micro:bit game. They will modify a simple game so it repeats key behaviors automatically, then extend the work to make a “harder level” challenge.

Learning intentions

• Students will explain what a loop does and why it helps programs repeat actions.
• Students will identify where repetition belongs in a game (movement, checking input, scoring, spawning events).
• Students will modify an existing Micro:bit game to use loops for continuous play.
• Students will create a more challenging level by changing loop behavior (timing, frequency, or conditions).

Success criteria

• I can describe the purpose of a loop in my own words as “repeat until a condition changes.”
• I can modify my game to use loops so it plays continuously without manually restarting.
• I can test and debug my code by checking that my loop runs correctly and stops/changes when intended.
• I can explain what change I made to create a challenging level and how it affects gameplay.

Curriculum links

• Number System: understand positive and negative numbers in real-world contexts and explain the meaning of 0 (useful for score/health changes in games).
• Opposite signs and opposite of opposite: interpret numbers on opposite sides of 0 when representing game states (e.g., score vs. “damage”).
• Coordinate graphing in all four quadrants: use (x, y) to place events or track positions if the game includes location/paths.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook and connect. Teacher shows two short “game” scenarios on the board: one where the code repeats manually and one where a loop repeats behavior automatically; students predict which will be easier to adjust and why.

2. 5–12 min · Direct teach: loops and repetition. Teacher introduces “loop = repeat” with a simple non-program example (e.g., clap-counting pattern) and then maps it to Micro:bit blocks or code, emphasizing “what repeats” and “when it stops/changes.”

3. 12–18 min · Guided practice: find the repetition in a game. Students examine a provided starter Micro:bit game (teacher projected too). In pairs, they circle where the game should repeat (e.g., repeatedly check button press, repeatedly update score, repeatedly move a character) and write 1–2 sentences predicting how the loop will help.

4. 18–30 min · Build: add loops for continuous play. Teacher models one targeted edit: wrapping the game’s core “game step” (input check → update → display/score) inside a loop so the game keeps running. Students implement the loop in their own project, then run it for at least two full cycles (e.g., “play until win/lose, then repeat” or “continue searching for targets”).

5. 30–38 min · Debug and test. Teacher prompts a quick debugging routine: “What did the loop do? What did you expect? What condition should change?” Students test and fix at least one issue (loop running too long, not running, or wrong update order).

6. 38–45 min · Create challenging level and share. Teacher gives a Level-Up challenge: adjust loop behavior to make the game harder (examples below). Students add one change and explain it to a partner in 30 seconds, then submit a quick class check.

Resources

• Micro:bit devices (one per student or shared pairs)
• Preloaded starter Micro:bit game project for Lesson 5
• Loop reference cards (printed): “repeat block,” “repeat until,” “forever,” and “if condition”
• Debug checklist card (Expect → Observe → Fix)
• Timer/stopwatch for quick testing cycles
• Projector/interactive display showing a sample loop modification
• Student worksheet: “Where is repetition in this game?” and “What change did I make?”

Assessment

• Formative checks during guided practice: students’ circled repetition locations and their 1–2 sentence predictions.
• During build/debug: teacher listens for correct loop purpose and appropriate stopping/condition logic.
• Exit ticket (2–3 minutes): “Circle one: My loop repeats ____. My game changes when ____.”

Differentiation

• Support:
• Provide a partially completed starter where the loop wrapper is the only missing piece.
• Include sentence starters on the worksheet: “The loop repeats because…”, “It stops when…”.
• Offer a “debug hint” bank: “If it never changes, the condition may be inside/outside the loop.”
• Extension:
• Challenge students to create two difficulty modes by using different loop conditions (e.g., tighter timing interval, fewer allowed hits, faster spawn checks).
• Ask for an additional rule that changes loop frequency after a score milestone.
• EAL/SEN:
• Use visuals: loop icon examples and a “repeat until” diagram.
• Keep directions in short steps; pair students strategically so one student leads code interpretation and the other leads testing notes.

Extension (optional)

• Students can design a “boss round” by nesting a second condition inside the main loop (e.g., if score ≥ threshold, loop updates happen faster and win condition changes).