Author: Brian Clark

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Activity 9 – Escape Rooms

Welcome to the Reindeer Games!

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Can you solve all the challenges in our Christmas Computational Thinking Quiz?

Lets find out!

ENTER THE REINDEER GAMES (GOOGLE FORM)

ENTER THE REINDEER GAMES (MICROSOFT FORM)

*Duplicate form links are available below as well as slideshow versions of the quiz 

EXTRA CHALLENGE!

  • Try to create your own festive quiz using Microsoft Forms or Google Forms and share it with us!
  • Or, why not use presentation software to make a quiz? Perhaps modify the advent calendar to reveal questions?

Remember to share with us @digilearnscot #12daysofcreativity

Alternative Resource – Quiz as slideshow

You might want to run this activity in class by presenting the questions as slides. You can download a powerpoint, google slides or keynote version of the questions here

Reindeer Games KEYNOTE slides

Reindeer Games POWERPOINT slides

Reindeer Games GOOGLE slides

Slides with answers at the end

Reindeer Games slides with answers at end KEYNOTE
Reindeer Games slides with answers at end POWERPOINT

Reindeer Games PDF answers

Duplicate Form Links

 

Text on left, HTML 5 icon on right

Activity 7 – Website Building

Ho Ho Ho! It’s the time of year where everyone has a joke to tell!

Today, we are challenging you to modify our Random Christmas Joke Generator!  

When you visit the site, simply click on the cracker to display a random joke.

 

It’s Your Turn!

Short Video Walkthrough

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Instructions

 

Can you modify the page to make it your own?  Click on the  View Source Code button at the top of the page of the joke generator – it should look like this

 

 

FIRST – Lets change the jokes and / or add more

 

Double click on the JS section (this is the javascript code that generates the jokes)

 

 

You can make the coding window bigger by pulling the divider to the right.
  • Can you see where the jokes are?  
  • Can you add another couple of jokes or replace the ones that are there?  

 

SECOND – double click on the HTML section
  • Can you edit the text that appears so that your name appears on the site?

 

THIRD – double click on the CSS section
  • Can you see where the colours are listed in the code?  Try and change the different colours of the different sections – try this one at a time
  • Can you see where the font-family is used?  Try to change the name of one of the fonts to one you know – what happens? This is a list of fonts you might want to try

Helpful hints with colours…
You can use the names of the colours eg black, blue, pink etc, however to get more specific colours you can use the HEX code of the colour.  To find the hex code ot a colour, visit the site HTML Color Codes 🎨 (html-color.codes).  From there you can pick any colour and it will give you the hex code. Eg this shade of pink has the hex code of #f462f4.

 

Simply use this hex code in the CSS rules to use the colour eg
background:#f462f4;

 


















	


		
	

			


		

		








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			Activity 3 – Build an interactive calendar	




	

	
	

				














Play the video to find out what’s behind door number 3!


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It’s Your Turn!


You can learn how to do this and add some customisation by watching the tutorials on this page!


There are few options for you and your learners which can all be found in the different sections below.  A brief overview of what’s available…


1. QUICK VERSION (Good for beginners)
Download a copy of the advent calendar template and ask your learners to work together, or individually, to complete it (Powerpoint, Google Slides and Keynote template included). 


2. BUILD IT YOURSELF… (Good for those who have used presentation software before)
Learners can create their own advent calendar using Google Slides, Powerpoint (desktop version) or Keynote


3. POWERPOINT ONLY – EXTRA FEATURE!… (Good for users who have used powerpoint desktop version – this one is a bit different! – Worth watching anyway :))


 If you are using PowerPoint desktop version then you may want to have look at the extended version that makes use of the Section and Zoom features available in the software


We’d love to hear and see how you get on – please tweet/X us @digilearnscot #12daysofcreativity

















        QUICK VERSION – Good for beginners (or short on time!)    










Editing our template (powerpoint example)


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Here are copies of the template you can use with learners


 Simple PowerPoint Advent Calendar Template


 Simple Google Slides Advent Calendar Template 


 Simple Keynote Advent Calendar Template















        BUILD IT YOURSELF – Good for those who have used presentation software before    










Build With Powerpoint


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You can also check out the advent calendar build using the zoom and section features! Check out the video at the bottom of the page!










Useful information if you are using PowerPoint desktop….


If you click on PowerPoint slides and not the home button, you will notice that the slide moves on to the net day! In order to fix this, you can set your presentation to Kiosk mode.  To do this, go to: Slide Show > Set Up Slide Show > select Browsed at kiosk (full screen)
















Build With Google Slides


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Useful information if you are using Google Slides….


Google Slides does not have a kiosk mode function like Powerpoint.  In order to stop the presentation moving forward to the next day when you click on the slide, you need to add a large transparent rectangle over each slide and link it back to itself.  This video demonstrates the technique


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Build with Keynote


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Useful information if you are using Keynote


If you click on Keynote slides and not the home button, you will notice that the slide moves on to the next day! In order to fix this, you can set your presentation to links only mode.  To do this, go to the three dot menu > Settings > Presentation Type > Links Only

















        POWERPOINT ONLY – An alternative build using Sections and Zoom (It’s pretty cool!)    










PowerPoint Zoom and Sections


If you are using PowerPoint on a laptop or desktop computer and feel comfortable with using it, this might be worth exploring! In this version we look as the Section and Zoom features in PowerPoint to create a slightly different advent calendar!


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Optional Starter Download


Here is an incomplete version of the Powerpoint Advent Calendar using Zoom and Sections you can use if you wish. It has 3 sections and a first page.


 Advent with PowerPoint zoom starter











	


		
	

			


		

		








			Text on left, scratch logo on right		




			Activity 1 – Animate a scene in Scratch	




	

	
	

				










Play the video to find out what’s behind door number 1!


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It’s Your Turn!


You can learn how to do this and add some customisation by watching the tutorials below!  


We’d love to hear and see how you get on – you can tweet/X us @digilesrnscot #12daysofcreativity















        Tutorial(s)    










1. Code along with us!  Open up Scratch and let’s go


We will build the snow storm first ….


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2. Now lets make it your own!


Then we’ll create the globe and your own decor!


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			#CSScotland23 ReLoaded! Explore the Resources	




	

	
	

				



        Computing Science Scotland 2023    










Many thanks to the learners, educators and presenters that made #CSScotland23 a success! Between 6th-10th November 2023, 9658 learners from 384 schools from 29 local authorities took part in our live create-along lessons, exploring different aspects of Computing Science.  This page will host the resources and materials used in the lessons for  you to explore and use with your learners.  Most activities have follow up suggestions and video.  


Some activities are yet to be uploaded, but will be asap.










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			Locked in the DATA base: A data science escape room – Follow Up #CSSscotland23		
	

		

					

																																	

						


		

				
					
			

			

		
			Build an AI Smart Classroom Workshop – Follow Up #CSScotland23		
	

		

					

																																	

						


		

				
					
			

			

		
			Microbit Hot Potato Game Workshop – Follow Up #CSScotland23		
	

		

					

											

																																		

										

						


		

				
					
			

			

		
			Makecode Arcade Workshop – Follow Up #CSScotland23		
	

		

					

																																	

						


		

				
					
			

			

		
			Your Data Selfie Workshop – Follow Up #CSScotland23		
	

		

					

																																	

						


		

				
					
			

			

		
			Games Design Workshop – Follow Up #CSScotland23		
	

		

					

											

																																		

										

						


		

				
					
			

			

		
			App Prototyping Workshop – Follow Up #CSScotland23		
	

		

					

											

																			
			

			
					

		
	



	


		
	

			


		

		








					




			Locked in the DATA base: A data science escape room – Follow Up #CSSscotland23	




	

	
	

				



        Recap    










Huge thanks to Data Education in Schools for running this session!


Agents K (Kate Farrell) and J (Jasmeen Kanwall) guided recruits through a series of taxing problems during this escape room event. 


Brief: You were working late on paperwork from your recent DATA mission and you’ve realised that you’ve been locked in the base. Solve the puzzles to get out without setting off the alarm.


Description of learners’ task: Learners use graphs and tables of data about theme park rides to answer questions. The answers to the questions provide them with the alarm code to be able to escape the base.


The recording of the activity is not yet available, but you can carry out the escape room task with your learners yourself by visiting https://dataschools.education/resource/locked-in-the-data-base/


Resources that learners will require


    

  • Access to a calculator or calculator app
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  • Rollercoaster data sheets (printed or electronic) – one copy between 2-3 learners
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  • Questions Worksheet (printed or electronic) – one copy between 2-3 learners
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  • The resources are on the data education website
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  • There is also an optional pre-activity logic puzzle, also available on the website.
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  • Access to an internet browser to check if you manage to escape!
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Further Activities


If you managed to escape and are looking for a new mission, why not try:


Agent Briefing Logic Puzzles


Find the Vikings Secret Lair


Stop the Time Heist!












 








 















											









	


		
	

			


		

		








					




			Build an AI Smart Classroom Workshop – Follow Up #CSScotland23	




	

	
	

				



        Recap on session and resources    










During this session, Brian explored machine learning using the website machinelearningforkids.co.uk. Learners were guided through one activity where learners trained a machine learning model to recognise different ways someone might ask for a light to be switched on/off or a fan to be switched on/off, tested this model and used the model to build a virtual smart classroom using Scratch.  


This activity is one of many available on the site.  The smart classroom activity can be found here The live lesson was based around the shorter version of the activity.


You may want to check out the Intro video first before following the lesson.






















Introduction


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Smart Classroom Walkthrough


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        Next Steps    










Once you have completed the smart classroom activity, you may want to 


    

  • add a new device (sprite) to the classroom like a television 
    – give it an on and off costume
    – add 2 new buckets to the machine learning model to turn it on and off
    – add appropriate phrases
    – update the model
    – add new code to the Scratch program to operate the television
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  • try the full version of the activity
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  • explore the other beginner activities looking at text, images and numbers – you can use the filters to make sure you find beginner Scratch projects
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			Microbit Hot Potato Game Workshop – Follow Up #CSScotland23	




	

	
	

				



        Recap    










Lorna Gibson from the Micro:Bit Education Foundation guided learners through a coding activity to turn you micro:bit into a (virtual!) hot potato!  This particular activity looks at using loops and variables to create a timer.  The recording of this session didn’t work very well, so here is an alternative instructional tutorial from Micro:bit.


Next steps and related activities can be found at the bottom of this post.










The Hot Potato Game Demo


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        Video Instruction from Micro:Bit    










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Acknowledgements: Videos on this page originally created and hosted at Hot potato game | micro:bit (microbit.org)














Next Steps


    

  • can you think of another use for the random timer? For example, you could try to code your micro:bit so that at some point during the school day it alerts you to get active – eg the message “Do 10 Star Jumps” could appear at random.  
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Related Micro:bit Activities













											









	


		
	

			


		

		








					




			Makecode Arcade Workshop – Follow Up #CSScotland23	




	

	
	

				










Callum Croughan, Mary Frances Stewart, Zoe Shanks and Alistair Mackay –  Digital School Digital Pedagogy Practitioners guided learners through building a maze game using Makecode Arcade


 Learners explored aspects of computing science such as variables, algorithms, parallel programming and loops.


Resources 



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 Maze Run Create-Along Teacher Support Pack















        Follow Up Activities    










Early


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 Early Level Alien Orbit










First


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 First Level – Star Hunt










Second


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 Second Level – Game Design











	


		
	

			


		

		








					




			Your Data Selfie Workshop – Follow Up #CSScotland23	




	

	
	

				










This live lesson saw Craig and Daniel from Cyber Skills Live guide participants through using data about themselves to create an abstract self portrait using code. (This is activity 5 on the website).  All of the coding is done in a web browser with no other software required.  Larger screen devices are preferable as learners are required to edit code.


Teacher support / next steps


    

  • You can follow the instructions online and carry out all the activities with your learners. Please visit Code Your Own Data Selfie (cyberskillslesson.com)
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  • Screen shots from one of the activities are shown below.  Learners can take a copy of the selfies they take after each activity.
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  • As a follow up for teachers, Craig and Daniel recommend checking out the Cyber Skills Live website, which has over 20 other activities.
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  • Pupils can learn about cyber security and learn “How To Rob A Bank“, or find out how artificial intelligence is used to protect animals in Africa in “Defend The Rhino with Data Science“
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        Screenshots for Cyber Skills Live Data Selfie (Activity 3)    










Example Code Activity












Example Instructions












Example Output