Activity 01
Peer Teaching: The Difficulty Designer
Students create a simple game with a timer variable. They then swap with a partner who must try to win. Based on the partner's feedback, the 'developer' must adjust the starting value of the timer variable to make the game 'fair' but challenging.
Analyze how a countdown timer affects the way a user plays a game.
Facilitation TipDuring The Difficulty Designer, circulate and ask each pair to explain how their timer variable connects to the game ending, not just how they coded it.
What to look forProvide students with a short code snippet that includes a timer variable. Ask them to write one sentence explaining what will happen when the timer reaches zero and one suggestion to make the game harder or easier using the timer.
UnderstandApplyAnalyzeCreateSelf-ManagementRelationship Skills
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Activity 02
Inquiry Circle: Logic Flowcharts
Groups are given a 'Game Over' scenario. They must draw a flowchart that shows the logic: 'If timer < 1 then show Game Over screen'. They then compare their flowcharts to see if they have accounted for all possibilities, such as what happens if the player wins exactly as the timer hits zero.
Explain the logic needed to stop a game when a variable reaches zero.
Facilitation TipFor Logic Flowcharts, model how to trace an 'if' statement with a highlighter to show which path the program takes when a variable changes.
What to look forAsk students: 'Imagine you are designing a game where players must collect items before a timer runs out. How would you set up the timer variable and what comparison would you use to check if the player has lost?'
AnalyzeEvaluateCreateSelf-ManagementSelf-Awareness
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Activity 03
Simulation Game: The Human Timer
One student acts as a 'countdown timer' shouting out numbers. Other students must complete a physical task (like sorting blocks) before the timer hits zero. This helps students visualize how a variable acts as a 'constraint' on their actions.
Assess how variables can make a game easier or harder for different players.
Facilitation TipDuring The Human Timer, pause the activity after the first round to discuss how students counted time and how that relates to a computer’s timer variable.
What to look forStudents play each other's games and use a checklist. The checklist asks: 'Did the timer work as expected?', 'Was the win/loss condition clear?', 'Was the game too easy, too hard, or just right because of the timer?' Students provide one specific comment on how to adjust the timer.
ApplyAnalyzeEvaluateCreateSocial AwarenessDecision-Making
Generate Complete Lesson→A few notes on teaching this unit
Focus first on the relationship between variables and game outcomes before introducing syntax. Research shows students grasp conditionals better when they see the computer react to data changes rather than memorizing block names. Avoid starting with abstract examples—anchor every concept in a playable scenario. Use consistent language like 'constraint' and 'condition' to build clarity across activities.
Successful learning looks like students designing clear game rules using variables, explaining how constraints interact, and adjusting difficulty based on peer feedback. They should confidently use conditionals to create win or loss states and justify their design choices with logic.
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
During Peer Teaching: The Difficulty Designer, watch for students who assume the game will stop automatically when a timer reaches zero.
Ask students to trace the code aloud with their partner, focusing on the 'if' block that checks the timer variable. Have them add a second 'else' condition to explicitly show what happens when time runs out.
During Collaborative Investigation: Logic Flowcharts, watch for students who believe a game can only have one constraint.
Use two physical meters (like cups of water) to model parallel constraints. Ask students to draw two separate flowcharts for a timer and a health bar, then combine them with 'AND/OR' logic to show how multiple rules interact.
Methods used in this brief