Microsoft MakeCode Arcade
Hour Of
Code™
2021 Educator Guide
About MakeCode Arcade
Microsoft MakeCode Arcade is a free, open-source, retro, 2D game development environment. Students between the ages of 9 and 18 can use MakeCode Arcade to design and create their own games online and share them with friends and family or download to hand-held game devices. Learn more about Microsoft MakeCode at http://aka.ms/makecode.
Teacher Resources
Learn More
This Year's Activity:
Save the Forest
Students will learn about core programming and game development concepts while building a game about fighting forest fires.
Activity Requirements
The MakeCode Arcade Hour of Code™ activities require students to have a computer with internet access. All activities run in the browser – no download or installation required.
Optionally, there are hand-held game devices students may purchase to download the games they code to play on-the-go. Learn more at https://arcade.makecode.com/hardware.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this lesson, students will have been exposed to:
Game Design Concepts
- Tilemaps
- Sprites
- HUD (Head-up Display)
- Status Bar
- Art and Design
- Animations
- Effects
Programming Concepts
- Events
- Variables and constants
- Loops
- Randomization
Topical Concepts
- The impact of wildfires on the environment
- Common causes of forest fires
- How computers and technology can help combat wildfires
Teacher Preparation
While it’s great to be completely prepared when teaching activities, computer science is one of those fields where students benefit from exploring and troubleshooting for themselves. If you find yourself short on time, embrace the idea that this lesson is as much about learning to solve unknown problems as it is coming out the other side with a working game.
That said, for the most comfortable experience, the following advanced preparation is suggested.
- (5-20 minutes) Review Save the Forest Skillmap
- (10-15 minutes) Review Additional Resources
- (5 minutes) Preview Save the Forest Video and Questions
- (5-10 minutes) Review Lesson Slides
Share this Hour of Code activity as a class assignment in Microsoft Teams by clicking on the button below.
Educator Training and Student Lessons
Join free educator training sessions that will prepare you to facilitate the Hour of Code activity in your classroom, and participate in the Global MakeCode Arcade Game Jam. Then throughout Computer Science Education Week, tune in with your students to live lessons that provide tips and tricks on how to create a game MakeCode Arcade.
- Save the Forest | Makecode Arcade HOC Educator Training (On Demand Recording)
- Code with MakeCode Arcade Part 1: The Basics (12/7 10:30 am PST)
- Code with MakeCode Arcade Part 2: Designing Your Game with Drew Okenfuss (12/8 10:30 am PST)
- Code with MakeCode Arcade Part 3: Developing your Game with MakeCode Engineers (12/9 10:30 am PST)
- Quick Start: Creating Your Game Jam Project (12/9 5:30 pm PST)
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Resources for Further Exploration
- Save the Forest Skillmap
- Game Jam
- Webpages and Articles
- YouTube videos
MakeCode Insiders Club
Do you know a student who may be interested in helping to influence product development? The Microsoft MakeCode team is recruiting members for its upcoming MakeCode Insiders Club Winter Cohort. Insiders will connect with likeminded peers, make Microsoft connections, and learn coding basics! Applications for the winter cohort close 11/28!
Application
Join the MakeCode Forum!
Have a question, or want to share your experiences? Join a community with other educators teaching with MakeCode.
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Follow us on Social Media
Tag us in your students' creations using @msmakecode or the hashtag #makecode. And don't forget to follow us to find out about the newest MakeCode Arcade updates, games, and competitions!