Chase Game

Link to Scratch help

Create a Chase Game with Scratch

Objective: By the end of the lesson, students will be able to design, code, and share a simple chase game using Scratch.

Duration: Two 45-minute sessions.

Session 1: Designing & Starting Our Game

• Introduction (10 minutes)

  • Quick discussion: "Who has played a chase game before?" (e.g., Pac-Man, tag)

  • Introduce Scratch as a tool to create our own games.

• Design Phase (10 minutes)

  • Discuss game mechanics: player, chaser, objective, environment.

  • Sketch game designs on paper.

• Setup on Scratch (10 minutes)

  • Open Scratch and create a new project.

  • Introduce the Scratch interface: stage, sprites, blocks, etc.

  • Add a backdrop and a player sprite.

• Basic Player Movement (10 minutes)

  • Drag the “when green flag clicked” event block.

  • Use “forever” block to constantly check for arrow keys.

  • Use “if” and “key pressed” blocks to move the sprite with arrow keys.

• Reflection & Homework (5 minutes)

  • Save and share the beginnings of their game.

  • Homework: Play 3 Scratch chase games. Write down what you like and what you'd do differently.

Session 2: Adding the Chaser and Completing the Game

• Recap and Discussion (10 minutes)

  • Discuss the Scratch chase games students explored for homework.

  • Discuss ideas and inspirations they want to include in their game.

• Add a Chaser Sprite (5 minutes)

  • Choose a sprite to be the chaser.

  • Discuss how the chaser should move (randomly, directly following the player, etc.)

• Coding Chaser Movement (15 minutes)

  • For random movement: Use the “pick random” block to decide the chaser's next move.

  • For direct chase: Use “point towards” and “move steps” blocks to make the chaser follow the player.

• Winning and Losing (10 minutes)

  • Introduce the concept of game-over conditions.

  • Use “if touching” block to determine if the player and chaser touch.

  • Decide on win/lose scenarios: Reaching a certain point, evading the chaser for a set time, etc.

• Testing and Debugging (3 minutes)

  • Allow students to play their games.

  • Encourage peer testing: switch seats and play a classmate's game.

• Reflection & Share (2 minutes)

  • How did the game creation process feel?

  • Share games with the class or on the Scratch online community (with teacher/parental guidance).

Materials & Resources:

• Computers with internet access (one per student or pair).

• Scratch website or offline editor.

• Projector (for teacher demonstrations).

Assessment:

• Active participation in discussions and game design.

• Properly coded player and chaser movements.

• Demonstration of a working game with clear win/lose conditions.

Extension: For advanced students or those who finish early, challenge them to:

• Add power-ups or obstacles.

• Add sound effects or background music.

• Incorporate different levels or increased difficulty over time.

Always remember, the objective is not only to teach them coding but also problem-solving, creativity, and iterative design!