Unit 4: Variables

8-10 yrs old

11-13 yrs old

14-18 yrs old

Computer Science

Explore the concept of a variable, an important way to store information and make programs more flexible and adaptable.

Submitted By: Minecraft Education

January 21, 2021

Lesson Plan
My Notes

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Skills

Critical Thinking
Project Based Learning

External References

Classroom Presentation

Coding with Minecraft 4-Variables-Presentation

Educator guide

Coding with Minecraft 4-Variables-Educator guide

Student workbook

Coding with Minecraft 4-Variables-Student workbook

Overview Video

Variables Overview Video

Learning Objectives

CL.L2-03 Collaborate with peers, experts, and others using collaborative practices such as pair
CT.L1:6-01 Understand and use the basic steps in algorithmic problem-solving.
CT.L1:6-02 Develop a simple understanding of an algorithm using computer-free exercises.
CPP.L1:6-05 Construct a program as a set of step-by-step instructions to be acted out.
2-A-5-7 Create variables that represent different types of data and manipulate their values.

Guiding Ideas

All of the following lessons are approximately 45-60 minutes, depending on how much time you give students to explore the coding activities.

Lesson A: Introduction to variables

Lesson B: Coding with variables (Please note that depending on time, this lesson may be broken into two parts by separating the coding activities into separate session.)

Lesson C: Combining variables

Lesson D: Get creative with variables

Please review the Coding With Minecraft Educator Guide attached for additional details.

Student Activities

In this unit, we’ll explore the concept of a variable, an important way to store information and make programs more flexible and adaptable. The unit will build on what was learned about Events in previous units, by using a variable to pass additional information in when an event occurs. There is one unplugged activity, four guided coding activities, and an independent project that challenges students to write their own program using variables to customize how it runs.

Performance Expectations

By the end of this unit, students will be able to:

Describe the different kinds of coding variables
Understand the importance of variables while playing Minecraft
Understand the importance of variables in coding
Learn about real-life variables and how they can affect situations
Alter the Minecraft landscape through coding with variables.
Design an original creative project to change their Minecraft world through coding an automated solution with variables

Please review the Assessment Guide for additional details.