Visual Programming 101

Description

This is a beginner programming course. It is perfect for teaching computer programming logic without the detail of actually writing code. Skills acquired in this course will be used in advanced Visual Programming courses and are career skills utilized in the growing field of Software Engineering.

This lesson plan introduces students to visual programming. Students create their own programs to write stories, animate characters and create interactive programs. Topics covered include sequencing, repetition, vector drawing, events, simple motion, pointing, turning and more.
Students are introduced to concepts in an interactive framework with narration, videos, guided tutorials, and projects. They are encouraged to innovate and build their own projects, and are assessed with quizzes.
Projects are displayed in the class’s online bulletin board.

This course includes 15 lessons with over 80 activities

Introduction
Students are introduced to Tynker Workshop and visual programming using graphical blocks. Build projects with Actors, Costumes and sounds.

Vector Drawing
Students learn to use Tynker drawing tools to create their own vector based drawings for Actors and Scenes.

Animation
Students learn about loops, animation and simple motion. They create animations by switching multiple Costumes in a loop and control animation speed using delays.

Storytelling
Students learn to make interactive stories and jokes using code blocks. They add speech bubbles to Actors and use wait blocks to time dialogue delivery.

Pointing and Turning
Students learn to move Actors, point them toward other objects, or rotate them. They use the keyboard and mouse to control an Actor.

Make a Slideshow
Students use code blocks to create presentations and slideshows, switch scenes, add captions and use timing to automate a slideshow.

Design an Animated Avatar
Students learn to use Tynker’s Character Animation Studio to create their own animated avatars. They learn to make the avatar walk, talk, jump, and dance.

Make a Birthday Card
Students program their own interactive greeting in this lesson. They learn to hide and show Actors, apply visual effects and handle events when the background changes.

Exercise: Write a Joke
Additional Programming Exercises: Change background music for a scene. Write a joke.

Exercise: Train a Dragon
Additional Programming Exercises: Review the basics of animation. Extend the running man animation to make your own. Train a dragon to follow the mouse pointer.

Exercise: Keyboard Interactivity
Additional Programming Exercises: Control Actors using the keyboard and mouse. Animate a spaceman and move him around using arrow keys.

Exercise: The Ant Eater
Additional Programming Exercises: Sense two Actors touching. Build a simple ant eater game with a lizard, black and red ants.

Exercise: Visual Effects
Additional Programming Exercises: Experiment with visual special effects to add cool effects and power ups.

Exercise: A Rocketship that Shoots
Additional Programming Exercises: Make an actor shoot a projectile. Create a project with a rocket ship that shoots and moves.

Exercise: Build your own game
Additional Programming Exercise: Put all the concepts that you’ve learned to the test by creating your very first game!