Session 7 was a continuation of session 6, once again looking at games based learning and computing. Having made our ‘Whack a Witch’ game using Scratch in session 6, we were introduced to another free download – Kodu. This is very similar to Scratch in that it uses visuals instead of code, but I found it SO much easier to use!It is as simple as instructing your character to ‘do’ something ‘when’ something happens using pictorial tiles.
We found a great youtube tutorial which showed us step by step how to create a simple apple collecting game. There are also tutorials available on the Kodu website which would allow the more able children in the class to develop themselves further. Once we’d become confident with the basics of Kudo and our basic game was created, we were able to customise it a little by changing colours and adding more features.
The aim of our game is to eat all the apples whilst avoiding the rocks. We also added gold coins to collect, which score extra points, for more variety. Our game uses the keyboard move the Kodu around the board, but all Kodu games can also be programmed to be played on an Xbox, which I’m sure children will love! Why don’t you try it? Just click on the image below…..
I really like Kodu as I feel it is far more user-friendly for the lesser computer-literate children in the class, while still providing options for the more able children to challenge themselves, thus lending itself very well to differentiation. There are also potential cross-curricular links that could be explored, for example our apple collecting game can be linked to healthy eating, as the apples are providing the Kodu with healthy snacks. The 3D appearance of the Kodu worlds (as opposed to the 2D appearance of Scratch) could also be linked to Literacy, encouraging creative writing linked to the fantasy worlds the children have created for their games.
The only negative thing I have to say about Kodu is the fact that the games cannot be embedded into a blog and have to be linked instead, whereas Scratch has this facility. A very small niggle compared to the great benefits this program has to offer!
While browsing in preparation for session 7 I came across the Computer Science Unplugged website, which offers free activities that teach Computer Science through games and puzzles, using cards, string, crayons and lots of running around – with not a computer in sight! One of the activities I looked at was called Colour by Numbers, which explores how images are displayed, based on the pixel as a building block. Another activity, called Ice Roads, explores techniques for finding efficient networks between points, and has the children running around outside. What a fabulous idea!These activities are multisensory and cater for many different learning styles, and the opportunities for cross-curricular links are endless. Who would have thought that Computer Science and PE could be incorporated into the one lesson!
