Week 8: Interacting Sprites Part 2

About

In this session, we will work through the rest of the activities in Investigation 2 (Encountering Conditions), Investigation 3 (Broadcasting Messages) and Investigation 4 (Interactive Sprites), which are from Module 3: Interacting Sprites, from the ScratchMaths Curriculum Materials.

The focus of the ScratchMaths Module 3 is the use of interactions between multiple Sprites in Scratch. These interactions are achieved by using three computational concepts - Conditionals, Parallelism and Events - which will be introduced in this Module’s activities. As mentioned in the Module 3 Teacher Materials, the Interacting Sprites activities could also be linked to other key learning areas. For example, in Investigation 4 you will have the opportunity to create an interactive story in Scratch, which could be linked to lessons and concepts within the English syllabus.

The activities in this Module also build on computational and mathematical concepts from previous Modules, such as: Probability, Sequences, Loops, Operators and Geometry.

Metalanguage

algorithm, computational thinking, computational concept, coding, visual programming, sequences, loops, operators, debugging, custom block, random, conditionals, broadcasting, events, sensing

Materials

Presentations

Activities

Homework

Session Outcomes

Stage 3 NSW Syllabus Outcomes

Science and Technology

Digital Technologies
Outcome How the Outcome is addressed
ST3-3DP-T: defines problems, and designs, modifies and follows algorithms to develop solutions In this session’s activities, you will design, modify and follow algorithms (steps of instructions for a computer to follow) when creating the interactions between the different Sprites in the Scratch programs.

Mathematics

Working Mathematically
Outcome How the Outcome is addressed
MA3-1WM: describes and represents mathematical situations in a variety of ways using mathematical terminology and some conventions In this session’s activities, you will have the opportunity to describe and represent a variety of mathematical situations. For example, in the Unplugged Assessment: Reading Scripts 3 activity you will use mathematical conventions when answering questions about the use of blocks in Scratch to move the characters in the Scratch project.
MA3-2WM: selects and applies appropriate problem-solving strategies, including the use of digital technologies, in undertaking investigations In this session’s activities, you will have opportunity to select and apply problem-solving strategies, when investigating probability and geometry in Scratch.
MA3-3WM: gives a valid reason for supporting one possible solution over another In this session’s activities you will reason about different solutions to the exercises. For example, in the Unplugged Assessment: Reading Scripts 3 activity, you will be given examples of different approaches for solving a problem and asked to discuss the differences between these.
Numbers and Algebra
Outcome How the Outcome is addressed
MA3-4NA: orders, reads and represents integers of any size and describes properties of whole numbers In this session’s activities, you will use whole numbers when creating and reading scripts that move the characters in the Scratch project around the Stage. For example, in the Story of the Sprites activity you will use whole numbers to create a script that causes a Sprite to move to different positions on the Stage.
MA3-8NA: analyses and creates geometric and number patterns, constructs and completes number sentences, and locates points on the Cartesian plane In this session’s activities you will locate points on the Cartesian plane when you move characters in the Scratch project around the Stage. For example, in the Story of the Sprites activity you will change the Sprites’ positions on the Stage by using Scratch blocks that modify the Sprites’ x and y coordinates.
Statistics and Probability
Outcome How the Outcome is addressed
MA3-19SP: conducts chance experiments and assigns probabilities as values between 0 and 1 to describe their outcomes In this session’s activities, you will have the opportunity to explore the use of randomness in Scratch. For example, in the Come to Tera: One to Many activity you will move the Nano Sprite to a random position on the Stage, near another Sprite.
AITSL Professional Teacher Standards
Standard How the Standard is addressed
2.6.2: Use effective teaching strategies to integrate ICT into learning and teaching programs to make selected content relevant and meaningful. In this session, you will learn about different teaching strategies for the integration of ICT (specifically Coding) with Mathematics.
3.3.2: Select and use relevant teaching strategies to develop knowledge, skills, problem solving and critical and creative thinking. In this session, you will learn about different teaching strategies for developing knowledge, skills, problem solving and critical and creative thinking, in the context of Stage 3 Mathematics.
3.4.2: Select and/or create and use a range of resources, including ICT, to engage students in their learning. In this session, you will learn about different resources for teaching Coding, including ‘unplugged’ methods that can be used when you do not have access to a computer lab.
6.2.2: Participate in learning to update knowledge and practice, targeted to professional needs and school and/or system priorities. In this session, you will learn about how Coding and Computational Thinking can be incorporated into different areas within the Mathematics syllabus.
ACARA General Capabilities

Literacy

Literacy Element How this Element is addressed
Comprehending texts through listening, reading and writing In this session you will have the opportunity to view and understand multimodal texts (interactive stories) that members of the Scratch community have made and shared.
Composing texts In this session you will have the opportunity to compose multimodal texts through the creation of interactive stories in Scratch.
Text knowledge In this session you will have the opportunity to apply your knowledge of texts when creating interactive stories in Scratch.
Grammar knowledge In this session you will have the opportunity to apply your knowledge of grammar when creating interactive stories in Scratch.
Word knowledge In this session you will have the opportunity to apply your knowledge of vocabulary and spelling to compose multimodal texts (interactive stories).

Numeracy

Numeracy Element How this Element is addressed
Estimating and calculating with whole numbers In the session’s activities, you will calculate with whole numbers when moving Sprites around the Stage in Scratch. For example, in the Introductions: One to One activity you will use whole numbers when choosing a random position to move a character to.
Recognising and using patterns and relationships In the session’s activities, you will have the opportunity to recognise and use patterns when moving Sprites around the Canvas in Scratch. For example, in the Come to Tera: One to Many activity you will recognise the relationship between a negative change to the y position of a Sprite and the movement the Sprites makes on the Stage (downwards).
Using spatial reasoning In this session’s activities, you will use spatial reasoning when moving Sprites around the Stage in Scratch. For example, in the Introductions: One to One activity, you will move the Nano Sprite to random positions on the Stage.
   

Information and Communication Technology Capability

ICT Capability Element How this Element is addressed
Creating with ICT In this session, you will have the opportunity to create an interactive story in the Story of Sprites activity.
Communicating with ICT In this session, you will have the opportunity to share the interactive story you create in the Story of Sprites activity with other participants in the course.

Critical and Creative Thinking

Creative and Creative Thinking Capability Element How this Element is addressed
Inquiring – identifying, exploring and organising information and ideas In this session you will have the opportunity to explore a variety of interactive stories that have been shared in the Scratch community. In the Story of Sprites activity, you can construct a story that involves elements in those shared stories.
Generating ideas, possibilities and actions In this session you will be encouraged to be creative in the activities and to explore a variety of ideas, possibilities and actions when creating an interactive story in the Story of Sprites activity.
Reflecting on thinking and processes In this session you will be encouraged to reflect on your thinking and processes you undertook when completing the activities through the questions in the Class Discussion Points.
Analysing, synthesising and evaluating reasoning and procedures In this session you will have the opportunity to synthesise and evaluate the reasoning and procedures you used during the session, through the Class Discussion Points. For example, in the Introductions: One to One activity there are questions in these Class Discussion Points that prompt you to explain the processes and strategies used to make two Sprites react to another Sprite at the same time.
Stage 3 ACARA Digital Technologies Content Descriptors
Content Descriptor How the Descriptor is addressed
ACTDIP018: Design a user interface for a digital system In this session’s activities, you will create a Scratch project that responds to user input (for example, clicking on a Sprite will make that Sprite move around the Stage).
ACTDIP019: Design, modify and follow simple algorithms involving sequences of steps, branching, and iteration (repetition) In this session’s activities, you will design, modify and follow algorithms (steps of instructions for a computer to follow).
ACTDIP020: Implement digital solutions as simple visual programs involving branching, iteration (repetition), and user input In this session, you will implement a program in Scratch, a visual programming language, that includes loops (iteration), events and user input.