What's included
Homework
1 hour per week. The homework that will be assigned each week will be project-based. It is recommended that students keep up with the weekly work as each stage of the coding process builds upon the previous project.Assessment
Assessments will be given in a formative way through the submissions of each assignment/project each week.Class Experience
Have you ever been playing a video game and thought of something cool that would make the game 10X better, but never knew how it all worked? In this class, we will be using an online coding platform to create your very own video games with basic coding! You DO NOT have to know ANYTHING about coding OR video game creation to start this course! However, if you have some background in either, then your creativity can really run wild with this course! Week 1: Students will learn the basics of the video game coding platform MakeCodeArcade, and be able to test out playing some games on the platform while brainstorming some ideas for their own video game. Week 2: Students will explore the code and blocks for the first time by working on their very own Tutorial Video Game Project! There will be choices that walk the students through each step of the coding process. Week 3: Students will get a chance to explore their first customizable Skillmap Project! In this Skillmap Project, there are choices that students get to work through, that have bigger, more complicated steps to really get ideas for their own game. Week 4: Students will learn different examples of video game projects and plan out their own ideas for their video game. In this week, they will learn about making backgrounds and customizing their levels for their video games. Week 5: Students will work on and submit a link to their very own video game using all of the skills that they have learned and built upon over the course of this class! Look out for other student's video game links that you can play and give them some feedback on too! In order to sign up and participate in this course, there will be no physical materials required other than access to a Microsoft or Google Account. Access to one of these accounts is required for progress to be saved on the coding platform we will be using called MakeCodeArcade. If a student does not have access to a Google or Microsoft account, they will not be able to participate in this course.
Learning Goals
Students will learn coding, and will be able to create and code their own video game.
Other Details
Parental Guidance
The step-by-step video game tutorials and skillmaps are not violent by nature. Due to the customizable nature of the platform itself, students may create a video game that includes eliminating an enemy. There is no intended violence in any of the video games.
Supply List
-Access to a Microsoft or Google Account just to log into the coding platform. (This information will not be shared, used, or known by anyone in the class or the teacher. It is just needed to log into the MakeCodeArcade platform and insure that student progress is saved for the progression of the course). -Access to MakeCodeArcade (information and video tutorial about logging in to this website/platform will be given during the first week of class
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Teacher expertise and credentials
Minnesota Teaching Certificate in Elementary Education
3 Degrees
Master's Degree in Education from Concordia University St. Paul
Bachelor's Degree in English from University of Minnesota
Associate's Degree in Psychology from Inver Hills Community College
I am a licensed teacher with a Master of Arts degree in Teaching. I have been teaching virtual coding classes and video game creation classes to students of all ages for the past 3 years and ran a virtual Computer Science unit on video game creation at a virtual public school.
Reviews
Live Group Class
$20
weekly or $100 for 5 weeks5 weeks
Completed by 2 learners
No live video meetings
Ages: 10-15