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Minecraft: Block-Based Coding to Javascript and Python
Minecraft: Block-Based Coding to Javascript and Python
Minecraft can be used with many age levels to help relate various topics such as biodiversity and communities into curriculum content of various subjects. Recently, Minecraft was also updated to include code builder software which can allow students to go through, and code in either block or script format (script uses both javascript and python) to code things into their world without having to build it block by block.
Students could use this activity in relation to almost anything, but one of the prime examples was biodiversity with Minecraft being their “world”. They could build a lake with different species and show how removing species might affect their ecosystem through gamification, or they could display farm lives on land.
Activities:
Resources:
How to teach coding with Minecraft
How to teach coding with Minecraft
A resource for teachers created by Microsoft themselves that will help teachers be able to engage their students by using Minecreaft for learning.
Micro:bit and Python
Micro:bit and Python
Coding can be integrated into various subject topics such as electricity in grade 9. In the previous code, a battery tester (electricity lesson off micro:bit website) can be used to test the voltage remaining in the battery to determine whether the battery is considered charged or dead.
Students can work through being able to use their knowledge of electricity and circuits to pseudocode and code out different circuits regarding voltage, amps and electrical currents.
micro:bit and EduBlocks allow for a combination of block-based coding that resembles the Python text inputs. This can help ease students into text-based coding by first looking for the block that most similarly resembles their pseudocode, and then relating that to its text-based format.
Even if students are starting with block-based coding - they are able to convert that easily to its text-based counterpart to ease them into the text-based coding process. Students can use EduBlocks and download the .hex files to upload to their micro:bit and collect data.
While using both micro:bit and an easy text-based introduction tool like EduBlocks, students can relate their knowledge of science to real-life data by collecting it in real-time, while adjusting and editing their code as needed. They can work to whatever level they can obtain with their coding background, which allows for a wide range of student participation without the range in knowledge interfering with their learning process.
Repl.It is an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) that has the sharing and remixing capabilities of Scratch, which allows coding in a wide variety of professional coding environments.
The example on the left is in Python and is similar to draw square activities that teacher candidates have already done in Scratch. This activity started as a code walk-through where groups were asked to examine the code to the left in groups and identify the role of each line then compare it with Scratch.
Hint: discuss and compare the import turtle to opening the pen tool, and emily= turtle.Turtle( ) to adding a sprite. Starter code - https://repl.it/@Tepylo/Square-sequential
Next students are asked to fork (Repl.It for remix) and edit it to draw a complete square. Asking students to predict what other numbers in the range will make a square in the code below
https://repl.it/@Tepylo/Square-For-Loop
Other challenges ask your students how would they change the code to create other regular polygons. The code below also draws a square. https://replit.com/@Tepylo/Square-Input#main.py
What is the method drawSquare() comparable to in Scratch?
You may also want to explore Code.org's text based coding courses
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