Romeo & Juliet in the Mutiverse!
Assignment & Developer Notebook
Why are we doing this?
We are going to practice our creative writing skills. There isn’t much time for creative writing in ELA anymore despite the fact that creativity is a major factor in solving complex problems and engaging with topics in new and exciting ways.
Creative flights of fancy can lead to new ideas, innovation, and us forging new questions that lead to deeper understandings of the content we are studying.
Assignment Details/Requirements
Romeo and Juliet have stumbled into the Multiverse! What is the multiverse? A realm where all of your favorite characters exist, along with everything else. Want Romeo and Juliet to be dinosaurs? Done. Space aliens? Sure. Your options are limitless. The time period, characters, even plot points and major story moments can be altered. Have fun! Be creative!
You will be using two programming platforms to help you recreate a new version of Romeo and Juliet. Many of these random variables will be out of your control, and you have to use your creativity and imagination to tie it all together into a fun retelling.
Micro:Bit
A microbit is a neat little pocket computer that can use a variety of inputs to create words, sounds, even simple games. The device can detect movement, compass points, and various button presses. While simple, the creative options are limitless.
You are going to be asked to spend a day dabbling with the Microbit, before modifying some sample code to create a “book of events” that will help your classmates randomize their Romeo and Juliet in the Multiverse Story.
Scratch
Scratch is tool that is rooted in collaboration. The coolest feature is that you can see all of the creations and modify them. Scratch allows a variety of creative options, but works well for interactive storytelling, animations, and stage blocking.
Search for tutorials, ask questions, play around, and challenge yourself. Feel free to modify any of the examples you find on the Scratch Website, but provide an attribution and link to the original source.
How will I be graded for this?
The goal of this assignment is to have fun challenging ourselves with code. I want you to take risks, make mistakes, pivot, and hopefully, overcome some of those challenges. I do not expect perfection, so how will I be grading this whole thing?
Assuming all of these items are completed, you will receive all of the points. Everyone should do well. Don’t let the fear of a poor grade dissuade you from trying new things!
Day 1-2 - Create Your Book of Events
You will be using conductive tape to create a “Book of Events”. Use the models provided in class as a guide. For now, focus on placing the conductive tape and binding the book. This should take about 1 class period.
Day 2: Think of 6 major themes or events from Romeo and Juliet. For example, the party, the sleeping potion, love, hatred, fighting, etc. These are the variables that will be changed as Romeo and Juliet enter the multiverse.
Place your list of 6 items here:
Day 3 - Play & Modify
Now that you have your six “major themes/events”, you are going to code the Micro:bit to provide your random peers, themes, and “Multiverse Madness”.
Using the link above, change the variables so that the A+B input’s highest random value is the number of students in your class. Then, change the animations to fit your selected themes/events! Save your new code, and share it below.
Rough draft of your creation: Link here
Briefly describe what you were going for. What connections did you want to make to your book? Don’t worry if it isn’t perfect! Perfect is boring.
Day One-Three Assessment Questions
Day 4 - Testing & Entering the Multiverse
Test your code, and your Book of Events. Make sure the conductive tape lines up, and make some quick changes if need be.
Now it is time to ENTER THE MULTIVERSE! Please follow the directions clozelt, as entering any multiverse is dangerous going!
Step 1: Press the A & B button on the Micro:bit. This will give you a number from 1-32. That number will tell you the first student you are working with. Find them!
Step 2: Press the A button. This will give you the page number and variable that is changing. Turn to that page in your classmates Book of Events!
Step 3: Press the B button. This will give you one of 12 options. Take note of your of this option on the next slide
Revised creation: Link here
Day 4 - Elements in Your Multiverse
Element 1:
Element 2:
Element 3:
Element 4:
Element 5:
Element 6:
Day 5 - Writing
In Google Docs, write a scene incorporating all the multiverse elements on the previous page. Don’t be intimidated, have fun! Think creatively, and incorporate all of the wild elements. Maybe your multiverse elements are not wild enough? Change them up! You are free to make it even crazier.
Link your final artifact here
Day Four-Five Assessment Questions
Day 6-8 Animating your Scene
Using my sample project as a guide, remix my code and create your own, to animate your scene in Scratch. This is rooted in the philosophy of remixing and revising. Have fun, explore Scratch for the work of others, and then use that to inspire your scene.
Your scene should include all of the dialogue, some movement, and the character and settings of your Romeo and Juliet in The Multiverse elements.
Your Final Scratch Animation
Link here
Day Six-Eight Assessment Questions
Day 9-10 - Feedback & Revise
Answer the following questions about one of your classmates creation. Then share the answers with them.
Day Nine-Ten Assessment Questions
Final Checklist
Acknowledgement
This assignment is heavily inspired by the MAET graduate program at Michigan State University and their ungraded assessment philosophy.