New Spooky Splats Coding Game for Kids
It’s that time of year when the leaves turn, the wind howls, and things go bump in the night... Don’t worry. That’s just the sound of kids playing with our new Spooky Splats coding game!
Crash the Gorilla is spending the night in a haunted house (Bloopers caught him on a double-dog dare!) and wants to keep the lights on all night. Unfortunately, some pesky ghosts keep shutting them off. With Spooky Splats, students will build a code that will allow the lights to stay on and keep the happy haunts at bay.
How do you play?
Using up to six Splats on the Unruly App or in-person, students will design a timed program that, with plenty of stomping, will keep the lights on before the game clock runs out.
Designed for grade levels 6-8, the Spooky Splats lesson plan offers two versions - a “simple code” which is our classic version and an “advanced code” version which includes variables and functions. Both code versions are available for download in the lesson plan and most of the lesson is focused on going through the classic version of this game. This game is great for both virtual and in-person coding and play!
The goal of the game is to press the flashing Splats before they disappear in order to keep the lights on.
For students who are more experienced with block-coding, they can use variables and functions to re-packaged the code which is shown in the Advanced Code version. This “repackaging” using variables and functions just makes it easier to modify the code to make adjustments in game timing. The game-play is exactly the same as the classic version!
.png)
We covered all of this and how to play in our Spooky Splats Webinar. Click the link below to take a peek!
How will my classroom benefit from a coding game like Spooky Splats?
Splats are designed for kids to have fun and learn coding principles at the same time. Here are some of the highlights of Spooky Splats that make it a great integration into the classroom.
- A Productive Energy Release: When Halloween or any other holiday approaches, it’s easy for kids to feel distracted by what’s happening outside the classroom. A coding game like Spooky Splats lets you lean into the spirit of the season while still providing an educational experience. And with physical Splats, you have the extra advantage of keeping students moving as they race to keep the lights flickering. Spread them out further across the room for an even more active challenge.
- A Lesson in Variables and Nested Functions: One of the fundamentals of coding is working with Nested Conditional Statements. In the Spooky Splats scenarios, for example, students have a setup of “if, if else, while” statements that direct the action of the Splats. If the stopwatch time is above 0 and all of the Splat colors turn off, then the game is stopped. If else, and students have managed to keep the lights on, then the winning cheer sounds. Knowing how to decipher the language of “if, then” statements is critical in developing early coding skills, so the coding game will be a great way to encourage this analytical mode of thinking.
- A Time for Teamwork: Use a coding game for kids like Spooky Splats to unite class participants in a common goal: everyone involved in the gameplay will have to work together to help Crash in the haunted house! It’s critical for students to work together to understand how the variable pieces of coding form a chain reaction. Plus, with lights flickering on any given Splat, kids will use their teamwork skills to divide and conquer, reaching the Splats before time runs out. Working as teammates is excellent for Social Emotional Learning, as it requires kids to communicate and share their insights for gameplay.
Ready to bring this exciting coding game for kids into the classroom? Download the lesson plan below!
On October 22, we filmed a webinar to offer you top tips for running Spooky Splats in your classroom! Watch the free webinar recording at the link below.
