Lesson 2: Events

In this lesson, we will learn about events and event handlers, which are important concepts in computer science and can be found in all programming languages. We will start with a fun unplugged activity that demonstrates cause and effect, and how events trigger actions in the real world. Next, we’ll get hands-on with MakeCode in Minecraft, and finally, we’ll challenge you to create your own MakeCode projects that use events to activate different parts of your program.

* You can also watch this video here.

Lesson structure

  • Overview: Events
  • Unplugged Activity 1: Events and Handlers
  • Unplugged Activity 2: Overly Complicated Machine
  • Minecraft Activity 1: Yellow Brick Road
  • Minecraft Activity 2: Sing a Song of Sixpence
  • Minecraft Activity 3: Last Stand at the Alamo
  • Minecraft Activity 4: The Linked Wall
  • Project: Respond to an event
  • Assessment: Rubric
  • Standards: Listed

Lesson plan

  1. Overview: Events
  2. Unplugged: Events and Handlers
  3. Unplugged: Overly Complicated Machine
  4. Activity: Yellow Brick Road
  5. Activity: Sing a Song of Sixpence
  6. Activity: Last Stand at the Alamo
  7. Activity: The Linked Wall
  8. Independent Project

Flipgrid

The Flipgrid topic for the Events lesson: https://flipgrid.com/613855de

CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards

Targeted standards for this lesson:

  • CPP.L1:6-05 - Construct a program as a set of step-by-step instructions to be acted out
  • CPP.L1:6-06 - Implement problem solutions using a block-based visual programming language