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Animation Using Virtual Worlds

A skater-chicken world

The Alice Web Site

Download Alice v2.2

Note: If you want to play with Alice v3.0, be my guest. It is unclear whether we will use it in class, but it will be beautiful.

The Scratch Web Site

Download Scratch (Note: You do NOT have to give personal information; it is all voluntary)

Topics You Will Learn En Route To The Final Alice Project

List Of Things That Must Be In Your Final Alice Project

Alice Favorites (Help this grow by putting fun projects on the Internet)

Scratch Favorites (Help this grow by putting fun projects on the Internet)

Textbook: Learning to Program with Alice (2nd ed.) by Wanda P. Dann, Stephen Cooper, and Randy Pausch.

Strongly Recommended : Flash memory stick (which might be helpful for other classes as well)

Homework problem codes:

  1. Q: Questions
  2. E: Exercise (most exercises are of the form "a-bEc" where a-b is a chapter section and c is the problem number.
  3. P: Project
  4. Any problem with an asterisk (*) is optional. If you have done the rest of the homework, then the optional problem can be done for extra credit. Extra credit problems can add up and they won't hurt your grade, so try them when you have the time!

As you go along, you may find that you have completed the homework for the current week and you are therefore ahead of schedule. If you get ahead by a couple of weeks and have a neat idea for a project, please let me know. I often give extra credit for projects, but I need to agree to whether an extra credit project proposal is worthy of extra credit.

  • WEEK TOPIC(S) READING HOMEWORK
    8/24--8/27 Getting Started With Alice Chapter 1

    Download, install, and goof around with Alice at home

    Appendix A Tutorial

    Q3, Q4, E1, E5*

    Final project (Rube Goldberg machine)

    8/30--9/3

    Program Design and Implementation

    Scenarios and Storyboards

    		Chapter 2 Q1 (see bottom of page 22, Q5, Q7, Q8, Q15, Q16, Q17, 2-1E1(a), 2-2E3

    (Turn in storyboards for 2-1E1 part a and 2-2E3 on paper handed out in class; put your answer to the Q problems on the F drive in the classroom.)
    9/7--9/10 Introduction to Programming Chapter 3 Q1, Q2, Q3, Q8, 3-1E1, 3-1E3, 3-2E6
    9/13--9/17 Introduction to Programming Chapter 3 Miniproject
    9/20--9/24 Classes, Objects, Methods, and Parameters Chapter 4
    (World-Level Methods)

    Fix the binary number world

    Do the jumping cow example.

    The Figure 8 problem
    9/27--10/1 Interaction: Events and Event Handling Chapter 5  
    10/4--10/7

    Functions and If/Else (Conditionals)

    Randomness

    		 Chapter 6

    P2; For the project, P2, use the random number generator to produce an answer between 0 and 7 so that each time the game is played, the user does not know what the solution is.

    Logical operators practice

    Storyboard final Alice project; storyboards due 10/7

    The suggested final project is a Rube Goldberg machine. However, if you have another final project that meets the requirements specified for the Rube Goldberg machine project, that is fine, too. I need a description of that project along with storyboards by end of class on Friday, December 11.

    10/12--10/15 Repetition: Definite and Conditional Loops Chapter 7

    Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4, Q5, Q6, 7-1E4, 7-2E8, P1

    Final Alice project

    10/18--10/22 Final Alice Project -- Projects will be presented on 10/21 and 10/22
    10/25--10/29 Intro to Scratch/BYOB  

    Make something interesting that Mr. Paley can see when he gets back on 5/10

    (I'll be gone 5/4 through 5/7. Be nice to the sub.)
    11/1--11/5 Motion, Pen, Controls, Variables, Sprites, Looks, Sensing, Operators, Sound   Make an animation that you enjoy
    11/8--11/12    
    11/15--11/19    
    11/22--11/23      
    11/29--12/3     Write Tic-Tac-Toe
    12/6--12/10     Write Tic-Tac-Toe
    12/13--12/17 Final Scratch Project   Write Achi (needs link)
    12/20--12/24 Winter Break   YAY
    12/27--12/31 Winter Break   More YAY
    1/3--1/7 Final Scratch Project   Write Achi
    1/10--1/14 Final Scratch Project   Write Achi
    1/17--1/21 Finals Week    

    Readings are due each Monday.  Homeworks and projects are due AT THE BEGINNING OF CLASS on the following Monday unless it is a holiday. In that case they are due the first class period following the Monday.

    Example: Chapter 1 of the textbook should be read by Friday, 8/28.  Chapter 2 should be read by Monday, 8/31, so we can talk about it during class.  The written/programming homework for Chapter 1 is due on Monday 8/31, Chapter 2 homework is due on Monday 9/8, etc.

    Unexcused late homework, projects, quizzes, and tests will be given a score of zero.  If you expect to have problems meeting a deadline, I need to know about it in advance.  Excuses after the fact will be given zero tolerance, barring a medical excuse signed by parents. Note that I hate being this way, but the fall semester just ate me alive because I was lenient too often.