Bootstrap: Algebra

Programming Video Games with Algebra

Bootstrap:Algebra applies mathematical concepts and rigorous programming principles to creating a simple video game, and is aligned to National and State Standards for Mathematics, as well as the CSTA standards and K12CS frameworks. Students create a simple, 3-character game involving a player, a target and a danger. They design what each character looks like, and use algebraic concepts to detect collisions, handle keystrokes, and determine how they move and interact.

In Bootstrap:Algebra, students learn an algebraic programming language - so the code they write behaves exactly the same as the math in their textbook. Teachers who already know algebra will find this easy to pick up, since the language reinforces what they know, instead of underminding it.

Finally, Bootstrap:Algebra has been shown to significantly improve student performance on standard, pencil-and-paper algebra tasks. That means kids aren't just learning CS in their math class -- they're learning algebra, and applying it to a creative project they care about.