Download Lesson 1: Dance Party and more Study notes Dance in PDF only on Docsity!
Lesson 1: Dance Party
Overview
In this lesson, learners of all ages get an introductory experience with coding and computer science in a safe, supportive environment. This lesson has been designed for learners of all ages but does require reading. This activity requires sound as the tool was built to respond to music.
Purpose
This lesson introduces the core CS concepts of coding and event programming (using blocks).
Agenda
Getting Started (5 minutes) Setting the Stage Activity (30-45 minutes) Music Filtering General Support
Levels Level by Level Wrap Up (5 minutes) Debrief Celebrate Next Steps
Go Viral Assessment (2 minutes)
Objectives
Students will be able to: Create dance animations with code Develop programs that respond to timed events Develop programs that respond to user input
Preparation
One Week Before Your
Hour of Code
Review the Hour of Code Educator Guide and Best Practices from Successful Educators in order to begin to plan your Hour of Code event. Register your Hour of Code event if you’d like to get classroom support, discounted posters, or participate in the robotics give-away (US only). Review and complete the online tutorial yourself: Dance Party Be sure to test it first before asking your students to complete it. Check your technology and decide if you need to troubleshoot anything in advance of your Hour of Code. Review the supplementary lesson plan, "The Big Dance Party" to determine whether or not you'd like to lead this lesson in advance of your Hour of Code.
One Day Before Your Hour
of Code
Each student who completes the activity should receive a certificate. Print one for everyone in advance to make this easier at the end of your Hour of Code. (optional) Encourage students to bring in headphones to use during the activity.
Links
Heads Up! Please make a copy of any documents you plan to share with students.
For the teachers Spotify Playlist (all ages)
Vocabulary
Event - An action that causes something to happen. Program - An algorithm that has been coded into something that can be run by a machine. code - (v) to write code, or to write instructions for a computer.
Teaching Guide
Getting Started (5 minutes)
Setting the Stage
Welcome students to class and very briefly introduce the day’s activity.
Teaching Tip
If you have time and would like to prepare your students with an unplugged activity, consider delivering "Dance Party: Unplugged" before your Hour of Code event. This brief lesson introduces students to the idea of events triggering different dance moves.
Remarks
Today we're going to do something really creative. What's your favorite way to be creative?
Encourage students to share the ways they express creativity, such as with art, dance, music, writing.
Stuck? Look for hints: Each level includes a hint with further details about how to
pass the level. If students are trying to pass puzzles as quickly as possible, they might find they just need to wait a certain amount of time for all of the code to play out before moving on. Many levels contain a second hint with suggestions of ways to get even more creative by extending the task. Move On and Come Back: Sometimes students will benefit more from coming back to a tricky level. All levels are independent of one another, though they do rely to some degree on previously introduced concepts. Take your time and experiment. Even though the first couple levels tell students exactly what they need to do to pass, they should also feel free to try out their own ideas.
Levels
Level by Level
Level 1
Drag the red make a new block from the toolbox on the left to the workspace on the right. Connect it inside the setup block. You have now written your first program. Make sure to press Run to see what happens. You should hear music and see a character start to move in the display area.
Level 2
Levels 2-3 are about making the dance interactive. The green blocks are event blocks. These blocks start a new sequence of code and do not need to be connected inside the setup block. Connecting the purple block under the green event block allows you to make the character perform a dance by pressing the orange arrow buttons or keys on your keyboard. Make sure to press the arrow buttons after pressing Run or the dancer(s) won’t move.
Level 3
Make sure to bring out a second purple do once block. You should have a bears do once block and a cats do once block in your workspace. Both should be connected to a green when pressed event block. Make sure to press the arrow buttons after pressing Run or the dancers won’t move.
Level 4
Levels 4-5 are about synchronizing the dance to the music. The after measures event blocks also start a new sequence of code and should not be connected inside the setup block. Connecting the purple do forever block under the green after measures event block should make the character perform a dance move after the number of measures you indicate. The do forever block works differently from the do once blocks seen in the previous levels.
Level 5
Make sure to bring out a second green event block. You should have a after 4 measures block and a after 6 measures block in your workspace. Both should have purple block connected underneath.
Level 6
Level 6 is about creating groups of dancers quickly. Use the new block provided in the toolbox to create a set of smaller dancers. *You should also use the normal make a new block to create a larger “lead” dancer. Many students will be familiar with the idea that you can make something seem to be further away by drawing it in a smaller scale. In the next level you’ll be able to fine tune this effect.
Level 7
Levels 7-9 are about adjusting the properties (e.g. size, color) of the dancers. It is important to make sure that the teal set block is placed somewhere in the program after the dancers have been created. To solve this puzzle, place a set size block anywhere in your program and use it to change the size of some of your dancers. Dancers created as a group have a default size of 30. Other dancers have a default size of 100.
Teaching Tip
By this point in the lesson you may notice that the instructions are less prescriptive. Encourage students to be creative and explore the new blocks that are introduced. From this point on student code is not checked for correctness in order to encourage experimentation instead of solving a specific task.
Explain that you are spending one hour coding today, because this week is CS Education Week, and millions of other students across the globe have also been learning one Hour of Code this week. Congratulate students on being part of this world wide movement.
Give each student a certificate with his or her name on it.
Next Steps
Let students know that if they enjoyed today’s activity, they have many options for continuing to code. Encourage students to visit code.org/learn for a list of options, or, if you’re planning any of the extension activities that follow, tell students what’s coming next in your classroom.
Go Viral
The Hour of Code is about creativity, and we can’t wait to see what you create! Please share student creations, photos, and videos on social media! Teachers, record your classroom coding a dance, or dancing the dance. Make your video special by adding an ending clip.
Be sure to include #HourOfCode and tag us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Bonus points for tagging the artist whose music your students used. Code.org will re-share our favorite posts to our millions of followers.
Of course, make sure to respect your school's social media policy.
Assessment (2 minutes)
Ask students to add their “Whip Around” sticky notes or note cards to your "Computer Science" mind map on their way out the door. Try to populate the board with lots of great ideas about what CS is and why it matters.
