Table of Contents

Introduction 2


About This Book 2


About You 3


About the Icons 4


The First Step 5


Project 1: Get Started 6


Understanding What Coding Is 6


Learning to Code with MicroWorlds EX 7


Examining why MicroWorlds EX is a good language to start with 7


Taking a look at what projects you can make 8


Getting Started with MicroWorlds EX 8


Downloading and installing the software 9


Starting a project 9


Getting to know the interface 10


Coming Up with Your Ideas and Your Projects 14


Project 2: Quick Draw 15


Brainstorm 15


Game Plan 15


Start a New Project 17


Add a Turtle 17


Code in the Command Center 18


Set Background Color 18


Change Pen Color 19


Send an Object Home 19


Draw Lines 20


Turn 20


Change Pen Features 21


Add a Title 21


Put Commands Together 22


Create Buttons 23


Clean  24


Write Procedures 25


Design Your GUI 27


Save, Test, and Debug 29


Last Look ... Big Ideas in Coding 29


Project 3: Coin Flipper 31


Brainstorm 31


Game Plan 32


Start a New Project 33


Apply a Background 33


Add a Turtle 34


Resize the Turtle 34


Create Coin Shapes 36


Create Counters 38


Write a Reset Procedure 40


Create a Reset Button 40


Write a Flip Procedure 42


Create a Flip Button 43


Create Many Flips Procedures and Buttons 43


Save, Test, and Debug 46


Last Look ... Big Ideas in Coding 46


Project 4: Space Race 48


Brainstorm 48


Game Plan 49


Start a New Project 50


Apply a Background 50


Add an Astronaut 51


Name the Astronaut 52


Put Astronaut at Start Position 53


Create Space Junk Characters 53


Animate the Space Junk 55


Resize the Turtles 55


Control the Astronaut 56


Write a Go Procedure 58


Make a Go Button 58


Watch Out for Hits! 59


Win the Game! 60


Save, Test, and Debug 61


Last Look ... Big Ideas in Coding 62


Project 5: Ha Ha Headlines 64


Brainstorm 64


Game Plan 65


Start a New Project 66


Apply a Background 66


Make a Headline Box 67


Write a Writenews Procedure 68


Make a Write the News! Button 70


Let's Make Some News! 70


Save, Test, and Debug 73


Last Look ... Big Ideas in Coding 74


Project 6: Find Friendly 75


Brainstorm 75


Game Plan 75


Start a New Project 77


Add Friendly 77


Know When Friendly Is Found 79


Add Family Members 80


Add a Timer 80


Write a Reset Procedure 82


Write a Findfriendly Procedure 83


Make a Play Button 84


Final Touches 85


Save, Test, and Debug 87


Last Look ... Big Ideas in Coding 88


Project 7: Hungry Bobo 89


Brainstorm 89


Game Plan 90


Start a New Project 92


Apply a Background 92


Add Bobo 93


Name Bobo 96


Add a Sound 97


Add a Banana 99


Name the Banana 100


Create a Hunger Variable 101


Write a Reset Procedure 102


Make a Reset Button 103


Write a Live Procedure 103


Add Live to Bobo's Backpack 104


Write an Eatfood Procedure 105


Add Eatfood to Bobo's Backpack 106


Write and Add a Geteaten Procedure 106


Save, Test, and Debug 108


Last Look ... Big Ideas in Coding 109


Author Notes 110


How to Create a Game Plan When Writing a MicroWorlds EX Computer Program 110


Plan your design and graphics 110


Create character actions 110


Code the actions 111


How to Publish Your MicroWorlds EX Apps on the Web 112


Output your project in HTML 112


Upload your project to the web 113


Help your website visitors install the MicroWorlds EX plug-in 113


Glossary 115

About the Author

Camille McCue, PhD, is a veteran STEM educator who has taught math, computer coding, science, and engineering to young learners in the classroom, online, and on television. She lives in Las Vegas, NV.

Reviews

Definitely worth exploring. (ICT and Computing in Education, March 2016)