Lesson Plan

Lesson: Detecting Motion

Time: 40+ mins

Introduction

New Code Blocks

Vocabulary

• Loop: An action that repeats over and over
• Infinite loop: A loop that repeats a command over and over
• Costume: Any pose or picture of the Actor
• Sensitivity: The extent to which an Actor responds to real-world motion

Objectives

• Use new code blocks to repair a virtual machine
• Create a virtual soundboard by programming an Actor to respond to motion and play a sound
• Use physics blocks to program Actors to move and bounce around the Stage
• Create an augmented reality Alien Invaders game

Materials

• Computers or iPads (1 per student) with a working camera and student account access to Tynker.com

Warm-Up (5 minutes)

• How would you describe “augmented reality” to someone who does not know what it means? Give an example.

Getting Started (5 minutes)

Activities (30 minutes)

• This short video introduces the Detecting Motion lesson.

• This video introduces two coding concepts: “Motion Value” and “Detecting Motion.”
• The “video motion on actor” block is introduced.
• Explain that the camera can pick up different intensities of motion.

• This short video introduces the broken machine puzzle module.

• In this puzzle module, students need to code the broken panel, joystick, lever, and scanner to repair themselves when there’s motion behind them—all before time runs out!
• Tell students to adjust the number in the given “when occurs” block to change the Actor’s sensitivity to motion. A smaller number increases an Actor’s sensitivity, and a larger number decreases an Actor’s sensitivity.
• Tell students to use the drop-down menu on the “video motion on actor” block and the drop-down menu on the “repair” block to change the parameter.

• This short video introduces the Sci Fi Symphony DIY (do it yourself) activity.

• In this DIY, students will create a virtual soundboard by programming Actors to play sounds when they detect motion!
• Tell students that multiple Actors can test for movement at the same time.
• How to play: Tell students to wave their hand behind the button Actors to make noise.
• As students work on the Bonus Challenge, remind them how to add sound…
  Step 1: Click the drop-down menu on the “play sound” block.
  Step 2: Click “Add Sound.”
  Step 3: Search the different categories (e.g., Sci Fi, Fantasy, Adventure) and browse the Sound options.
  Step 4: Click “play” to sample it.
  Step 5: Click the sound icon (above the words “play”) to select it.
  

• This short video introduces the Alien Invaders DIY activity.

• In this DIY, students will build an augmented reality Alien Invaders game!
• This module introduces “physics blocks” to move and bounce Actors.
• How to play: Tell students to use their hand to bounce the virtual meteor into the enemies on the Stage.

• Students will be tested on Detecting Motion concepts.

Optional Activities (20 minutes x 2)

• Divide your class into four groups and assign each group a different category from the Tynker Media Library—for example: Group 1 = Performance, Group 2 = Nature, Group 3 = Adventure, Group 4 = Sports.
• Tell students to repeat “Module 6: Sci Fi Symphony,” but clarify that they can only use Sound options from the category they were assigned to (e.g., Students assigned to “Group 4” can only select Sound options from the “Sports” category).
• As students finish, place them in teams of four and encourage them to compose musical melodies in their quartet.

• What does the "video motion on Actor" block do in your code? (tracks the amount of motion in the video behind an Actor)
• What is sensitivity? How would you make an Actor more or less sensitive to motion? (Sensitivity is the extent to which an Actor responds to real-world motion. Use a smaller number in a “when video motion occurs” block to make an Actor more sensitive, and use a larger number to make an Actor less sensitive.)
• If you moved one hand slowly but waved the other hand quickly, which would make the "video motion on Actor" block return a bigger number? (the hand that waved quickly because it caused more motion)

Standards