Hey there! I’m Miral Kotb, and I’m a dancer, software developer, and the creator of something cool called iLuminate. Did you know that computer science and creativity go hand in hand? When you learn to write software, you can turn your amazing ideas into reality. I do this by creating light-up suits for dancers. With the right tools, you can do so much!
In the next hour, you’re going to dive into computer science by programming your very own dance party. We’ve got some awesome music and a team of talented dancers ready for you to work with. You’ll use blocks of code to pick different dancers, change their dance moves, make them groove to the music, and even add some fun interactions.
Your screen is split into three main sections:
At the top of the screen, you’ll see instructions for each level. If you ever need a hint, just click the light bulb icon. To start, let’s create a new dancer using the red block. Drag it from the toolbox and snap it under the orange Setup block. This dancer is a Cat, and you can even change where it stands in the play space.
Above the play space, there’s a menu where you can pick your favorite music. There are lots of songs to choose from, so have fun exploring!
Below the play space is the Run button. When you press it, your dancers will appear and start moving to the music you selected. Try it out! If you ever feel stuck, don’t worry—just get up and dance around. Before you know it, you’ll have created your own fantastic dance party. So, what will you create?
Imagine you’re a choreographer! Use the blocks of code to create a unique dance routine for your dancers. Experiment with different dance moves and sequences. Share your routine with a classmate and see if they can replicate it using the same blocks of code.
Choose a song from the music menu and think about the mood it creates. Then, select dance moves that match the mood of the music. Discuss with your classmates why you chose those moves and how they fit the music’s mood.
Challenge yourself to design a dance party with a specific theme, like a beach party or a space adventure. Use the coding blocks to create dance moves and interactions that fit your theme. Present your themed dance party to the class.
Work in pairs to create a dance routine with intentional “bugs” or mistakes in the code. Swap routines with another pair and race to find and fix the errors. The first team to have a perfectly running dance routine wins!
Write a short story that involves your dancers. Use the coding blocks to bring your story to life, making the dancers act out different parts of the story. Share your interactive dance story with the class and see if they can guess the plot.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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Hi! My name is Miral Kotb, and I’m a dancer, software developer, and creator of iLuminate. Computer science relates to creativity in numerous ways. Once you have the ability to write software, you can bring your ideas to life. I do this with light suits. There are so many possibilities once you have the tools to write software.
Over the next hour, you’re going to get started with computer science by programming your own dance party. We’ve assembled some great music and a team of talented dancers for you to work with. You’ll be using blocks of code to select different dancers, change their dance moves, make them respond to the music, and create interactivity.
Your screen is divided into three main parts. On the left is the play space, where your dancers will appear. The middle area is the toolbox, where new blocks of code will be available as you progress through the lessons. The space on the right is the workspace, where you can drag blocks from the toolbox to build your program.
The instructions for each level will be displayed at the top of the screen. If you need a hint, just click the light bulb. To start off, let’s create a new dancer with this red block. First, drag it out of the toolbox and snap it under the orange Setup block. This dancer is a Cat. You can also change the dancer’s position in the play space.
Above the play space is a menu for selecting music. There are many songs to choose from, so have fun finding your favorite. Below the play space is the Run button. When you press Run, you’ll see the dancers from your program appear in the play space, and the music will play.
Try it yourself! And if you’re feeling stuck, it’s okay—just get up and move around. Before you know it, you’ll have created your own dance party. So, what will you create?
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Let me know if you need any further modifications!
Computer – An electronic device that can store and process information to help us do tasks. – Example sentence: “I used the computer to finish my homework and play games.”
Code – A set of instructions written in a language that a computer can understand to perform a specific task. – Example sentence: “We learned how to write code to make a simple game in class today.”
Dance – A sequence of movements that can be programmed into a computer to make characters move in a fun way. – Example sentence: “In our coding project, we made the robot dance to the beat of the music.”
Music – Sounds that can be played by a computer to accompany animations or games. – Example sentence: “We added music to our game to make it more exciting.”
Blocks – Visual pieces used in programming to build code by snapping them together like puzzle pieces. – Example sentence: “Using blocks in Scratch makes it easy to create animations.”
Toolbox – A collection of coding blocks or tools that you can use to build your program. – Example sentence: “I found the loop block in the toolbox to repeat the actions in my code.”
Program – A complete set of coded instructions that tells a computer how to perform a task. – Example sentence: “We wrote a program to make the character jump over obstacles.”
Screen – The part of a computer where you can see images, videos, or the results of your code. – Example sentence: “The game appeared on the screen after we ran the code.”
Create – To make something new using your ideas and coding skills. – Example sentence: “I used Scratch to create my own interactive story.”
Dancer – A character in a program that can be coded to move in rhythm to music. – Example sentence: “We programmed the dancer to spin and jump to the music in our animation.”
