Last time you saved a MakeCode Arcade project — let's pick it back up. Quick recap: what does it mean to run a program, and why might it not work first time?
Today you'll build Hot Air Balloon: a game where you fly a balloon and dodge clouds. We'll predict first, then build it step by step, run it, and fix anything that breaks. Open the project you saved earlier and get ready.
Open MakeCode Arcade on the board and have students log in and open the project they saved earlier. Keep the recap short — ask what 'running' a program means and why code often fails first time. Set up the goal (a balloon dodging clouds) without listing any code. Support cue: check every pair can actually find their saved project before you move on.
Before anyone clicks run, look at what we're about to build and commit to a prediction. What will the program do when it runs? What will you see on screen first?
Say your prediction out loud to your partner before you build — we'll come back to it later to see who was right.
This is the PRIMM predict beat. Hold everyone off clicking run. Ask 'What will you see first?' and collect two or three predictions, parking them on the board to revisit later. Don't correct predictions now — the point is committing to one. Differentiation: let quieter students whisper their prediction to a partner rather than the room.
Start by creating a new project. To do this, visit MakeCode Arcade and click on 'New Project'. Name your project 'Hot Air Balloon'.
Model creating and naming a new project on the board so students see exactly where to click. Key question: 'Why name the project clearly?' Watch for students who skip naming and lose track of which project is theirs. Support: pair anyone who can't find the New Project button with a confident neighbour.
Let's start by setting up the game environment. We will first set the background color of the game screen. Add the following code:
scene.setBackgroundColor(9)
This will set the background color to a sky blue, perfect for our hot air balloon game.
Model adding the background block on the board. Ask 'How will we know this worked?' Common slip: students place the block in the wrong place and see no change — show them where it belongs. Extension cue: invite students to try other colour numbers once theirs runs.
Now, let's create our hot air balloon, which will be the player in the game. We will use the 'spritedata.create' function to do this. Add the following code:
let player = sprites.create(img`...`, SpriteKind.Player)
You can choose your own design for the hot air balloon using the image editor.
This is the sprite creation step — give students a moment in the image editor to design their balloon, but timebox it. Key question: 'What does SpriteKind.Player tell the game?' Watch for students who design forever and run out of build time; keep them moving. Support: offer a simple shape so no one is stuck.
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