Ozaria

Ozaria was developed upon CodeCombat, but geared towards the classroom. It takes a game-based approach to teaching text-based coding in Python or Javascript. The game's framed by a fantasy adventure narrative, told through illustrated cutscenes, which then lead to a puzzle game students must complete to advance the storyline. Ozaria is standards-aligned, meeting CSTA and ISTE standards. It's built with middle schoolers in mind, but extend below and above those grade levels. The curriculum is well-structured and includes a mix of whole class instruction, independent practice, group work, and creative opportunities -- if the curriculum guide and lesson slides are followed. Only one chapter is free, then schools need to contact for pricing. There's a scope and sequence, lesson slides, and professional development courses available. Teachers have access to a dashboard, where they can monitor student progress, manage student projects, and use assessment tools. There are handy accessibility options, including voiceover narration and a screen reader mode, as well as optional support for coding.

To get started, teachers should consult the excellent lesson slides; chapter one is available for free. The slides include pacing suggestions, including when to start and stop gameplay, how to incorporate the cutscenes in instruction, and check-in and extension opportunities. Throughout, there's also a lot of great info about computer science concepts that'll help students understand things like algorithms, loops, and debugging. There's also a healthy focus on SEL, encouraging students to develop resiliency and integrity when working on a project. These slides will give you the best notion of just what's covered in the game, then you can try the first chapter and see if it'll meet your students' needs.

Disclaimer: While this tool has received a Common Sense Selection for Learning, its privacy policy contains unclear information which should be considered when using the tool.