FREE DAY! and a survey! :-)

Since today is our last day of class before we go off on Winter Break; I am granting you all a free day in the computer lab! Before you all set off making a project on any of the programs we learned this semester or playing a game, I'd like to ask you for your thoughts about the class.

Please fill out the survey in the link below:

Media Technology Survey

Thank you for all your hard work and enthusiasm this semester! Have a happy and safe Winter Break!

Create a Project with Sketch-Up, Scratch, or Flash OR Stykz

Today you will have the freedom to create a project with any of the programs that we learned this past semester. Here are some project ideas:

Sketch-Up

• create a holiday village set in any place you like: the North Pole, Africa, Italy, New York
• build a robot
• create a replica of a monument or building: make it to scale

Scratch

• make an animated "talking" holiday card
• create a holiday-themed "Packman" game

Flash

• make your own holiday cartoon

Stykz

Stykz is a stick figure animation program that is really easy to use. You start with a pre-made stick figure and start creating a cartoon. Go to http://www.stykz.net/ to download the program.

Or any other appropriate project you dream up!

Animation with Flash 8

Adobe Flash or Flash is a program that we will use to create animation. You can also use flash to create games, movies, and even web applications but for the time we have we will just stick to animation.
Flash uses symbols, which is the name of an object created or used in Flash. There are 3 types of symbols:

• Graphics: images that stay in place
• Buttons: if you place a button symbol in your animation, people can click on it to start the movie, stop it, or other commands you give it
• Movie clips: Flash movie with its own timeline that you can place inside your movie

In order to create an animation, create a drawing on the stage. To move on to the next frame, go the timeline (which is located at the top) and right-click to insert a "keyframe."

Learning Computer Programming: Pacman Game!

Today is the last day that we will be working on SCRATCH so make it count! You will be creating your very own Pacman game. You will learn how to:

• design a maze background
• get "prizes" to disappear
• score with prizes
• get the prize to repeat again

Follow along with Ms. Hernandez as she goes through the following presentation:

*from Using Scratch for programming and control



The handout you receive today will give you instructions on how to begin creating your game. Use the Packman planning sheet to help you design your game!


If you have a Scratch account and would like to share your game on the blog so that others can play it, write a comment for this post and paste the your Scratch name in the comment.

Learning Computer Programming: Exploring and Connecting on the Scratch Website

Next week, you will create your own Pacman game and in the future you will be creating your very own games on Scratch. Kids your age all over the world are using Scratch to create games or even animated movies and share their projects on the Scratch website. For today you will explore the Scratch website to get ideas for games you would like to create. Take a look at the Featured Projects and to get inspired.

If you are ambitious, you could even download these projects and see the scripts that their authors used. In order to download projects, you must have a Scratch account. First, read the Terms of Use and then Sign Up for a free Scratch account.

The following gallery are projects that our very own Peter created: http://scratch.mit.edu/users/PW132 Take a moment to look at his projects and if you have any comments about Scratch or links to any of your favorite projects, write a comment to this post.

Learning Computer Programming: Countdowns, Hits, and Sound!

Today you will learn how to create more scripts that will help you create your own video game. If you are finished with the Clock Project and Ball Game, then move on to the Dog and Cat Game worksheet, which you can get from Ms. Hernandez.

SketchUp Gallery: Works by Adam and Ben!

Ben's House

Adam's White House