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Using Google's CS First Game Design to raise awareness about the SDGs

Samuel Landete

SDGs Virtual Playground, December 17th 2020

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Samuel Landete

Fairgreen International School

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@slandete

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samuellandete.com

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Contents

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Objectives

  1. How ISTE students’ and teachers’ standards are covered with CS First.
  2. How SDGs can be used with CS First Game Design.
  3. What does the unit look like in the classroom: phases, differentiation, assessment, caveats.

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What?

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Followed the CS First Game Design course,

then students created a game to raise awareness about one UN SDG

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MW, G6 2019-2020

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MR, G6 2019-2020

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MR, G6 2019-2020

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JV, G6 2019-2020

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EV, G6 2019-2020

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ST, G6 2018-2019

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CC, G6 2018-2019

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MB, G6 2019-2020

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Why?

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Google’s CS First is aligned with ISTE Standards for Students

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CR, G6 2018-2019

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CR, G6 2018-2019

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MW, G6 2019-2020

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MC, G6 2018-2019

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ISTE standards for educators

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ISTE standards for educators

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ISTE standards for educators

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ISTE standards for educators

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ISTE standards in this unit

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“Our job is not to prepare students for something. Our job is to help students prepare themselves for anything.”

A.J. Juliani

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When?

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6th grade students, but CS First works from 4th grade to 9th grade.

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How?

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2 phases

Phase 1: Understand (8 lessons)

  1. Set up CS First.
  2. Students work their way through the different lessons.

Phase 2: Create (8 lessons)

Students follow the design cycle to create their own game to raise awareness about a UN Sustainable Development Goal.

  1. Inquiring & analysing
  2. Developing ideas
  3. Creating the solution
  4. Evaluating

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Phase 1, Step 1: Create a class in CS First [ https://csfirst.withgoogle.com/ ]

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Phase 1, Step 2: Add activities

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Phase 1, Step 3: Review the materials

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Phase 1, Step 3: Review the examples

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Phase 1, Step 4: Help your students join the class

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Phase 1, Step 5: Students join the class

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Phase 1, Step 6: Students follow the activities

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Each step has a video explanation

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Students practice the content in Scratch [ https://scratch.mit.edu/ ]

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Coding lesson: 1. Mise en place, present the objectives...

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Coding lesson: 1. ... and the final outcome.

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Coding lesson: 2. Students remix the starter project

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Coding lesson: 3. Students work through the steps

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Coding lesson: 3. Students work through the steps

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Coding lesson: 3. Students work through the steps

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Coding lesson: 3. Students work through the steps

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Coding lesson: 3. Students work through the steps

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Coding lesson: 4. (Optional) Add-Ons.

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Coding lesson: 5. Reflection

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Coding lesson: 6. Peer assessment

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Coding lesson: 7. Wrap-up

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Structure of a coding lesson

  1. Present the objectives and final outcome (4 min).
  2. Students remix the starter project (1 min).
  3. Students work through the steps, on their own or following the teacher (30-40 min).
  4. Optional: if students finish before time, they work on the Add-Ons.
  5. Students complete the reflection (5 min).
  6. Students share their project for peer assessment (8 min).
  7. Wrap-up (4 min).

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Phase 2: Design a game centered on a UN SDG

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Student Journal to guide and reflect the process

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Phase 2 (Criterion A): Inquiring and Analysing, explain and justify the need for a solution to a problem.

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Phase 2 (Criterion A): Inquiring and Analysing, Analyse existing products

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Phase 2 (Criterion B): Developing ideas, Design specification

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Phase 2 (Criterion B): Developing ideas, Drawing diagrams

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ST, G6 2018-2019

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CR, G6 2018-2019

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Phase 2 (Criterion C): Creating, Demonstrate technical skills

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Phase 2 (Criterion D): Evaluating, Testing methods

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Phase 2 (Criterion D): Evaluating, Assess the success

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Phase 2 (Criterion D): Evaluating, Improvements

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Differentiation

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Differentiation: 1. Students work at their own pace, and can pause and rewind

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Differentiation: 2. Instructions are dual coded

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3. Transcript and playback speed

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Differentiation: 4. Extensions (Add-ons)

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Differentiation: 5. Peer review

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Differentiation: 6. Step by step solution sheets

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Differentiation: 7. Choice

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Differentiation: 8. Step by step I do/We do/You do slides

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Differentiation summary

  1. Videos: Students work at their own pace, and can pause and rewind.
  2. Instructions are dual coded.
  3. Transcript and playback speed .
  4. Extensions (Add-ons).
  5. Peer review.
  6. Step by step solution sheets.
  7. Choice (backgrounds, sprites, costumes, etc.)
  8. Step by step I do/We do/You do slides.

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Gamification

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The platform provides visual progress and badges

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Optional: print the passport and badges

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Optional: print the passport and badges

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Optional: print the passport and badges

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Optional: print the passport and badges

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Optional: print the passport and badges

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The passport idea can be used for other programming languages

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Student Assessment

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Formative: Platform data

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Formative: Game result

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Formative: Lesson reflection

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Formative: Peer review

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Summative: Student Journal

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Summative: Student Journal

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3

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A1 Explain and justify the need

The student does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors below.

States the need for a solution to a problem

Outlines the need for a solution to a problem

Explains the need for a solution to a problem

Explains and justifies the need for a solution to a problem

A3 Analyse existing products

The student does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors below.

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States the main features of an existing product that inspires a solution to

Outlines the main features of an existing product that inspires a solution to the problem

Describes the main features of an existing product that inspires a solution to the problem

B1 List success criteria

The student does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors below.

States one basic success criterion for a solution

States a few success criteria for the solution

Develops a few success criteria for the solution

Develops a list of success criteria for the solution

B4 Develop planning/ drawing diagrams

The student does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors below.

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Creates a planning drawing/diagram or lists requirements for the creation of the chosen solution.

Creates a planning drawing/diagram and lists the main details for the creation of the chosen solution.

Creates a planning drawing/diagram, which outlines the main details for making the chosen solution.

C2 Technical Skills

The student does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors below.

Demonstrates minimal technical skills when making the solution

Demonstrates satisfactory technical skills when making the solution

Demonstrates competent technical skills when making the solution

Demonstrates excellent technical skills when making the solution

D1 Testing methods

The student does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors below.

Defines a testing method, which is used to measure the success of the solution

Defines a relevant testing method, which generates data, to measure the success of the solution

Defines relevant testing methods, which generate data, to measure the success of the solution

Outlines simple, relevant testing methods, which generate data, to measure the success of the solution

D2 Evaluation

The student does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors below.

States the success of the solution.

States the success of the solution against the design specification based on the results of one relevant test

States the success of the solution against the design specification based on relevant product testing

Outlines the success of the solution against the design specification based on authentic product testing

D3 Improvements

The student does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors below.

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States one way in which the solution could be improved

Outlines one way in which the solution could be improved

Outlines how the solution could be improved

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Assessment Summary

  1. Formative
    1. Platform data
    2. Game result
    3. Reflection (quiz)
    4. Peer review
  2. Summative
    • Student journal

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Caveats

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1. Students names are anonymized -> build a roster

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2. Students need to navigate between 2 tabs.

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3. Be prepared to guide the students in the first lessons

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4. Some lessons rely on keyboards -> have a workaround for iPads

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4. Some lessons rely on keyboards -> have a workaround for iPads

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5. Introduce targets within each SDG to focus the inquiry

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5. Introduce targets within each SDG

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Caveats summary

  1. Keep a roster of your students and their usernames.
  2. Remind students to keep 2 tabs opened: one for CS First, one for Scratch
  3. Do the lessons yourself and be prepared to help the students in the first lessons.
  4. Be prepared to workaround with iPads.
  5. Introduce the targets within each SDG to focus research.

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Your kit

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Teaching kit

This presentation +

unit planner +

slide deck +

student journal

https://qrsh.at/2kf

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Summary

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Main points

  1. Google’s CS First covers 5 ISTE students’ standards, 9-14 years old.
  2. Working this unit covers 4 ISTE teachers’ standards, and it is easy to facilitate regardless of coding experience.
  3. Google’s CS First Game Design can be used to work with UN SDGs.
  4. There are good opportunities for differentiation.
  5. There are various ways of assessment, formative & summative.
  6. A complete unit ready to implement was shared [https://qrsh.at/2kf].
  7. Expand on the idea: use the badge gamification, use the SDGs.
  8. The recording of the session is available at belouga.org/r/9ddt9

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Q & A

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The presentation

“Using Google's CS First Game Design to raise awareness about the SDGs” [ qrsh.at/2kc ]

by Samuel Landete Benavente

is licensed under a Creative Commons

Attribution ShareAlike 4.0 International License

[ goo.gl/quNllT ]