Create a story

Lesson 2 - Visual,level 3

Introduction

Show the example. Get the children to load the example and look at the code to understand how it works. (each character waiting for a certain number of seconds before speaking). Explain what is meant by random integer (see glossary).

Main Activities

Task 1. Using the template design and write a story for younger children. The children should make the program perform an action using the "When space key pressed" block. If you are working with tablets, try using "When this sprite clicked" as an alternative. More able children can choose their own background and characters. (The children may need time to plan their ideas, therefore further lesson time may be required).

Task 2. Get the children to add more characters and include them in their story.

Challenge

Children add a second background (see example) and get the background to change at an appropriate point in the story. Children may experiment by making different endings to a story depending on which character is clicked. Share the stories with younger children in the school. Those with access to the Just2easy Tool Suite may do that with blogging or sharing, other schools may use the "link" button.

Follow up lesson(s)

This project can easily be extended to allow the children time to write longer stories.

Children can be encouraged to continue to experiment by accessing J2Code at home.

Schools with access to the Just2easy ToolSuite may choose to blog some work, pupils can then leave comments on each other's work suggesting improvements or leaving feedback. Teachers may also save and share their own examples and templates.

Assessment

Self and peer assessment - pupils can work with a partner to review, and help correct their code (debug).

Learning Objectives

- To write a program for younger children that tells a simple story.

- To analyse and explain how an existing program works.

- To use input from the keyboard or mouse to control part of a program.

Learning Outcomes

All children: will make a simple story with one background and two characters using keyboard input.

Most children: will make a story with more than two characters.

Some children: will make a story with multiple backgrounds and characters.

Cross curricular links

Maths: number and place value - negative numbers.

Vocabulary

input, random, integer (see glossary).

Resources

Template: j2e.com/code/template/Y5template2

Example: j2e.com/code/examples/Visual/Y5example2

Video: j2e.com/vids/j2code/Y5video2