1 – 7 Write

Non-computer session

In this session, you will design your story project as pseudocode to write out the story you want to tell, and add in the programming elements you want to use to make your story interactive.

Goals

· You and your group can use pseudocode to design a story program

· You and your group can apply scripting concepts to design an interactive story program

Objectives

· You and your group will design your story program by writing it out in pseudocode

Getting Started

Vocabulary

· Data – storing, retrieving, and updating values

· Data point – single piece of information

· Conditionals – making decisions based on conditions

· Operators – support for mathematical and logical expressions

· Pseudocode – written programming language in an easily readable format

Example

Story Challenge Pseudocode Example

Intro Slide

Ask user for ‘name’

Ask user for favorite ‘food’

Store variables

Scene

Show backdrop and sprite saying, “Hello, ‘name’!

Tell the short story, riddle or joke that has two possible outcomes (one better than the other)

Ask user to click the button to get a random number to see what happens next

Generate a random number between 1 and 10

If random number is less than 5

Display the best outcome text

Say, “Congratulations ‘name’! This is the best outcome. You get a table full of ‘food’.”

Goto outro slide

If the random number is more than 5

Display the next best outcome text

Say, “Sorry ‘name’, there is a better outcome. You only get a bowl of ‘food’”

Goto outro slide

Outro slide

Say goodbye ‘name’, and tell user to click the start flag if they want to try again

Instruction

1. Start to write out your short story, riddle or joke

a. Make sure it has two possible outcomes, one better than the other

2. Start to add in the program words that tell you how you are going to make it interactive

3. Share your pseudocode with your friend to make sure it is easily readable

4. Be sure to use the Story Challenge Rubric to make sure you earn all the possible points for this project

5. Answer the Wrap-up Questions in your design journal

Feeling stuck? Try this…

· Use the Story Challenge pseudocode example as a template to get started

Want to do more?

· Try using different ways to use simple language to communicate programming concepts; find the one that both works for you, and is easily readable by your friends

Wrap-up Questions

· How much do you think writing out your story, riddle or joke in pseudocode will help you when it comes time to create your project? Explain.

Measurement

· Your group wrote out your short story, riddle or joke in pseudocode, and included programming elements to make the project interactive