Objective 1

Objectives for today’s class: Students will learn how to add scoring into their games and make it more exciting.

Outline:

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Activity 1: Design Thinking Intro

Duration: 15 minutes

Ask students why do we use use scoring/points in certain games? Think about a game of kickball, a game of mancala, or a game of charades?
- Score usually indicates how well a player is performing in a game
- Keeping score can motivate the player to try harder at the game
- Score makes the game more competitive
Ask students if they can name any games that have a point system (this can be traditional games or video games).

It’s so important it is for the leaders to make this a fun and engaging game. If the leaders look bored or do not participate, then the kids won’t think it is fun. Instead, the leaders should also join the teams and get them pumped up.
Explain to students that we will explore the concept of scoring by competing in a rock paper scissor tournament.
- Divide the class into 2 teams
- Have each team stand in a line
- Have one student from each team face off in a game of rock paper scissors with the player of the opposing team
- Depending on the match’s results, give the appropriate team 1 point
- Keep score on the board
- Continue until every student has played at least 1 round
Ask students how the game would be different if they did not keep track of points? Would they even care about trying to win?
Points serve as a way to track your performance and encourage you to try even harder

Activity 2: Creating a Scoring Game Hands-On Simulation

Duration: 15 minutes

Let students know to follow along closely as you work with them on a new simulation
We are going to create a game where a mouse sprite tries to collect as many coins as possible before the timer runs out.
Have them open up a new MakeCode Arcade file and name it ‘Collect the Coins’

First we need to create a backdrop for our game so that our characters will stand out.
Find set background color in Scene. Drag and drop it onto the on start. Click on the grey bubble, and select the purple color.

Next, we need to create our player sprite.
Find set mySprite in Sprites. Drag and drop it onto the on start. Click on the grey box and select the mouse sprite from the gallery of preset images.

Next we need to make our mouse sprite able to move using the arrow keys.
Find move mySprite with buttons in Controller. Drag and drop it onto the on start.

Next, we need to create our coin sprite.
Find set mySprite in Sprites. Drag and drop it onto the on start. Click on rename variable and change the variable name to “coin”. Change the Click on the grey box and select the coin sprite from the gallery of preset images. Click on the type and select Add a new kind. Rename the type as “Money”

What happens when the mouse touches the coin?
Find on sprite overlaps otherSprite in Sprites. Drag and drop it onto the canvas. Change othersprite of kind to “Money”. Find change score by 1 in Info. Drag and drop this block inside the on sprite overlaps otherSprite.

When the mouse collects a coin, we want another coin to appear in a different location on the screen.
Find set mySprite position in Sprites. Drag and drop it onto the on sprite overlaps otherSprite. Change the variable name mySprite to Coin. Find pick random 0 to 10 in Math. Drag and drop 2 of these blocks inside set coin position – 1 inside the value of x and 1 inside the value of y.
- The arcade screen is 160 pixels wide, and 120 pixels high.
For the position of x change the values of pick random from 0 to 160. For the position of y change the values of pick random from 0 to 120.

We want to add a timer element to our game. We want a 3 second timer to restart every time a coin is collected.
Find start countdown in Info. Drag and drop it onto the on sprite overlaps otherSprite. Change the time to 3 seconds.

Congratulations, your game is complete!
So let’s revisit what we just made in our simulation.
- NOTE FOR INSTRUCTOR – this is a time to recap variables and variable names to students so they can get a brief review of the concepts they just learned!
Share with students that a variable is a kind of data that allow storing, retrieving, and updating values.
- Think of a variable as an empty container with a label that you can give a name and put things inside.
- In the simulation we just completed, we used variable names. For example, we created a coin sprite with a new variable name “coin”. We also created a new type category variable called “Money”. We assigned the “coin” sprite to the category of type “Money.
- A sprites name can be a variable, and its type can also be a different variable
- Ask students why is your name important?
  - When someone calls your name, you know they are referring to you.
- Ask students why is a variable name important?
- Ask students what are some of the variables that we used in our simulation today?

Activity 3: Creating a Scoring Game Checkpoint

Duration: 15 minutes

This is a perfect time for students to test their knowledge of projectile events and create an example on their own!
Instructors should watch the video tutorial which demonstrates how to complete the checkpoint activity and create the program ahead of time. Show students the output for the checkpoint activity to help them visualize and get excited about what they will create.
During the class, instructors can project the code for the simulation on the board to help students with an example as they work on the checkpoiont.

Student Task:
- Create a new file and name it “Egg Hunt”
- Background set to green
- A Duck sprite with the variable name “ducky”
  - ducky set to kind player
  - Can move with buttons
- An egg sprite with the variable name “eggie”
  - Create a new kind variable called ”Eggs”
  - eggie set to kind “Eggs”
- Every time a sprite of kind Player overlaps otherSprite of kind Eggs:
  - Score +1
  - eggie moves to a new random location on screen
  - Countdown timer gets reset to 5 seconds

Activity 4: Creative Time

Duration: Remainder of Class Time

Once students are finished with the checkpoint activity and you review their work, give them time to pick their own themes, Sprites, and game objectives to design their own game. Encourage them to use the topic they learned in today’s class with variable names and scoring, finding ways to incorporate it into their game.
If students are stuck on idea help them brainstorm by asking them the following questions:
- What is the theme of your game?
- What is the game’s objective?
- What’s the main character sprite?
- What are some of the other sprites
- What do you have to do to earn points?
- Is there a timing element?