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Script Academy
Pros: Clever games guide students through basic coding logic and language.
Cons: There's little help for when kids struggle, and there's no support for teachers.
Bottom Line: This free set of coding games is a fun option for kids ready to explore but could frustrate those who need more support.
Use Script Academy to teach students about JavaScript in a computer or technology class. The lessons can take students from knowing nothing about coding to being able to program simple computer games, but teachers will need to be on hand for extra explanation and troubleshooting support if needed. After students make it through the tutorials, have them design their own games, and share the games with the class. Other students can play the game or make their own edits to change it. Or, start them off with a game that's already written, and have them make changes; then see how many different directions students went. Make sure students don't use any identifiable information when they create an account as it's easy to share a project by accident -- and once shared, it's published on the website and can't be deleted. The developer provided math games and puzzles can also be fun; teachers can offer them as a possible activity for individual students to fill down time. Because there are no teacher resources, it's either best for teachers who already feel comfortable with basic coding or are willing to play around enough to help troubleshoot for kids.
Script Academy takes students through the fundamentals of JavaScript to learn how to program simple computer games. Students start by moving a character around the screen and adding features like sound and text bubbles, but without actually writing any code. Then, mini-games introduce coding language -- and give students practice writing their own code. For example, in one game, students practice orienting items on a grid and using the "add" and "remove" commands to create a path for baby owls to reach their mother. Other games cover concepts such as using and creating functions, conditional statements, variables, and JavaScript syntax. When students have completed all 10 lessons, they will have learned enough to create their own simple computer game. Click on New project to start, and a "sprite" helps with basics like picking and placing a character, adding music, and pointing out certain mistakes in the programming language. Students can save projects locally to their own account, or post them on ScriptAcademy.net by clicking "share." Students can also play a Minecraft-style 3D game called Coding Town, code their own 3D project, or browse the developer's collection of pre-made math puzzles and games.
Script Academy is a straightforward introduction to coding that teaches students enough to allow them to create something interesting, but many will need extra support. The first activity starts off simply, without requiring students to know anything about JavaScript. Though the next games introduce new terms step by step, they quickly get into much more complex concepts. And though each concept is defined, the explanation is brief and may not make sense for everyone. The explanations are also all completely text-based, so students will need pretty strong reading comprehension skills. Alternatively, students can just try things out and see what happens, though that may be frustrating for some. Graphics aren't particularly "sophisticated" and there's not a lot of functionality within the website, such as a clear way to go back to specific lines of code to fix or change them. And the 3D game has an in-character guide, but there's still quite a bit of trial and error. For some students, this approach will click and they'll breeze through the games and tutorials. But, the potential for frustration is high, and there's little to no help for when students get stuck. Teachers should be prepared to provide significant extra scaffolding.
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