Let's Create a Snake Game on Your TI-Calculator, Together! - Trial Class
In this one-time session, students will play a decision-making role with the group to create a fully functioning game on their own ti calculator. Perfect for beginners.
What's included
1 live meeting
2 in-class hoursClass Experience
In this one-time session, students will play a decision-making role with the group to create a fully functioning game on their own ti calculator. Game: We create the classic arcade style 'snake game' which has been around on many consoles and platforms for decades. You simply move in the four cardinal directions, eating 'apples' and growing a bit longer after every bite. The challenge while playing is to get as long as you possibly can before you ram into yourself. Programming Language: We use the ti-BASIC programming language with variable assignment, loops, and input and output. Techniques: We use two different data structures, lists and matrices, which can be thought of mathematically as 1-dimensional and 2-dimensional arrays, respectively, in this context, to manage the memory associated with our game.
Learning Goals
After this experience, students will feel more confident in their ability to create their own calculator programs for fun on their own.
Other Details
Parental Guidance
Please ensure that your student has a ti-83 or ti-84 programmable calculator as described in the materials section.
Supply List
1. Bring 1 calculator of any of these 7 models: ti-83, ti-83+, ti-83+ SE, ti-84, ti-84+, ti-84+ SE, ti-84+ CE. You may use the rarer ti-82 which has less available performance, but other models such as ti-81 ti-89 either are not able to do these functions or too differently structured to be used with this class. 2. Charged and functioning batteries in your calculator. 3. (optional) A simple program in your calculator that does *anything* interesting, such as showing "HI" on the screen.
External Resources
In addition to the Outschool classroom, this class uses:
Joined April, 2020
Teacher expertise and credentials
I currently teach calculator programming tutorials. I studied math and computer science at the University of Illinois. I tutored top students who are currently working at Google, Amazon, and other software companies in C++ data structures and system courses. I created and taught a custom 'models of computation' class for high school students. I worked with children since my own high school years, including camp counseling. I created a mobile code editing tool that allows you to code using only menus. I have experience with software companies including a successful consulting LLC and a top research corporation with clients like NASA, NSA, and the Cardano cryptocurrency. I believe in my students and patiently communicate with them in a useful way to assist them in making learning steps. To me, education is useful and fun.
Fun fact: I learned how to unicycle and juggle at the same time when I was about 15 years old, and that's also when I was programming my own calculator a lot for fun.Reviews
Live One-Time Class
$1
per classMeets once
120 min
Completed by 1 learner
Live video meetings
Ages: 13-16
5-9 learners per class
