Animation & Java Programming with Alice Level 2 (Ages 9-14) - FLEX

This class covers the same content as the live format class, but you will access the lessons, complete the assignments, and contribute to classroom discussions on your own schedule during the week.

This will be a continuation of the first Alice 3.0 class in which students create digital stories using text-based dialog and animation.  We will be using Alice 3.0, which combines object-based coding with texted-based Java coding in Netbeans.  (Alice is a free program made available by Carnegie Mellon and is used widely in elementary through college-age computer, visual arts, and other core classes. Students taking this course should have completed the first Alice 3.0 course or have previous animation or programming experience.)

Each week, there will be a short video introducing concepts and giving an overall view of the unit.  Then there will be both a video tutorial and printed instructions to complete each lesson.  We will also have discussion prompts to discuss animation, elements of good storytelling, and other related content.  Students will be expected to answer the questions, interact with each other, and contribute to the discussion posts each week. 

The second class of Alice builds on what was learned in the first class, with more emphasis in editing and changing Java code in the Netbeans program and then incorporating it back into the Alice program.  We will work on creating methods and procedures and learn about classes and how to edit and apply characteristics of objects and their classes.  There will be lots of dogs, penguins, chickens and an elaborate Hokey Pokey routine, among other things!  Students can have fun and individualize their projects as well.

In Lesson 1, students will be introduced to the GetHour and GetMinute procedures as they use Alice and Netbeans to program a clock to ask for user input to calculate the correct time.  They will also be introduced to functional methods to get the distance to and the heigh of objects in Alice in an arctic scene.

In Lesson 2, students will learn how to create their own procedures for a class of objects as we write a method to make a dog’s tail wag and then learn to use that procedure with other objects within that class. We finish the project by importing the projects into Netbeans and editing the Java code directly.

In Lesson 3, students will learn how to create several HokeyPokey methods and apply them to other objects in different classes (Yetis and Aliens and Turtles, Oh My!)

In Lesson 4, we will extend the HokeyPokey method to apply to all bipeds and we will learn to use the Constructor to change the properties of specific objects within a class (color-changing chickens!)

In Lesson 5, we will add a “for loop” to our HokeyPokey project and learn how to use Conditionals to move objects to the closest object (penguins!).  

Lesson 6 will be time for students to showcase their own projects and students will be given direction on how to continue their studies in Alice and Java, about new versions of Alice that are available, etc.

Throughout the session, there will be discussion questions about animation and programming, and students will be encouraged to share their work and help troubleshoot each other’s projects.  (This is encouraged, but not required).  Grades are available to those who request it; otherwise feedback will be informal.

Parents or students will need to download and install Alice 3.0 on their computer prior to the first week (teacher will be available for any technical support needed!)  Download it from: http://www.alice.org/get-alice/alice-3/.  Alice 3.0 will run on Windows (32- or 64-bit systems), Mac OS, or Linux. There is a NetBeans add-on that works with Alice 3.0 which we will be using with this course. I can provide you with instructions and even meet with you online to help you install and setup the software, which is all free.