Our Current Class Selection
- JavaScript in Minecraft - April 19th - May 24th
- HTML/CSS for Kids - Summer 2014
JavaScript in Minecraft Class Resources
WEEK 1
GOAL: Intro to JavaSript in Minecraft
- CraftBukkit - The free modding software that we will be using throughout the class to learn JavaScript in Minecraft. This program can be downloaded HERE.
- ScriptCraft - A free plugin for CraftBukkit which is what allows your child to use JavaScript within the game to create new structures and run JS files. Check it out HERE
- For those of you that are using ScriptCraft on your own laptop, be aware that you will have to run Minecraft version 1.6.4 or you will get an error and Minecraft won't load. To avoid this: Open Minecraft. On the left side of the main screen (before you click the big play button at the bottom) there is an Edit Profile button. Click Edit Profile, and then look near the middle for "Use version.” Change the version to "release 1.6.4" and then click “Save Profile.” Afterwards, you can start the game. You can revert back to the most recent version of the game in this same way
WEEK 2
GOAL: Basic JavaScript Variable and Building using JS
- Minecraft Bricks Reference Form - Here are the different blocks that users can lay down using JavaScript in ScriptCraft. Ask you child to show you how to lay down a few different types of blocks! A larger version can be found HERE.
- Scratch - A great introduction to programming for students of any age. Create fun animations using an easy to learn visual programming language. Learn some of the fundamentals of programmingHERE.
WEEK 3
GOAL: Creating Geometric Shapes using JS and Intro to True/False Statements
- Fireworks Module - There isn't anything prettier than fireworks. With this simple command line module, you can create beautiful fireworks in Minecraft. You can even have fireworks ignite when you launch an arrow! This is a really simple module to explore and it gives a great insigh into just what is possible through JavaScript in Minecraft. You can find more information about it HERE.
- Codecademy - This fantastic website has a ton of resources for anyone (including young people) who wants to learn to code using HTML/CSS, JavaScript or any other programming language. This is a great place to start your child's journey of learning more about programming. Take a look at all the resources HERE.
- Codecamdemy Programming Course - Speaking of Codecademy, they have a fantastic course for kids and adults which teaches basic JavaScript programming skills. This is a great opportunity for you and your child to go on a more advanced journey into learning JavaScript, the programming language that we have been exploring during this class. You can check out the class HERE.
WEEK 4
GOAL: Modifying an Existing Minecraft Mod and using JS to Create a World
- Cow Clicking Mini Game - Want to watch your child spend hours trying to click on a cow 1000 times? Well then check out the Cow Clicker Mini Game which is built right into ScriptCraft. This simple JS addon can easily be modified by you and your student to change the wording of the game or, for those who are familiar with JS, the mechanics. Take a look at the description of the game HERE.
- Code.Org - We here at Velocity love what Code.org is doing for increasing awareness for the need to teach kids about programming. They have amazing resources for anyone looking to learn more and we would highly recommend perusing their website HERE.
WEEK 5
GOAL: Advanced JS Functions within ScriptCraft and Additional World Creation
- More Advanced JS Functions - Take a look at this section of the amazing GitHub resource for ScriptCraft, which outlines some of the advanced functions that we have used in class. If you want, take some time to explore the more advanced functions and try them out within the game. Some of are favorites are Drone.sphere(), Drone.spiral_stairs() and Drone.rainbow(). Read more about them HERE.
- Hackety Hack - Another one of the great resources for students is Hackety Hack, which is a free piece of software that helps people learn to code in Ruby programming language. Ruby is a powerful and dynamic open source programming language that can be used to build a variety of things. Take a look at Hackety and start learning this awesome programming laguage HERE.
WEEK 6
GOAL: Final World Presentation
- Snowball Fight Mini Game - Who doesn't love a good snowball fight?!?! Well ScriptCraft has a built-in feature which allows multiple users in the same world to split up into teams and compete in an all out snowball war! This game is tons of fun and is built right into the software. Instructions for how to configure the game can be found HERE.
- Treehouse - One of the best resources out there for learning to code is Treehouse. The courses that have been developed by Team Treehouse are industry standards and are continually updated to ensure that everything is up to date with the latest version of every programming language. We absolutely love Treehouse and cannot say enough good things about it. Also, if you are a member of the Louisville Public Library, then Treehouse is completely free thanks to the city of Louisville! Jump on over to their website and start learning HERE.
Feeling Adventurous?
Here are a few additional challenges
Download and Modify the Source Code: One of the main resources that we have used throughout this class is ScriptCraft, which was built by a gentleman named Walter Higgins. If you want to extend the learning that we have provided during this course, we would recommend that you start by looking at the source code for this plugin. Walter has made all of the code that goes into ScriptCraft completely open source and you and your child can download and modify his code as much as you want. We would highly recommend that you check out his GitHub repository for ScriptCraft HERE.
Create your own mod in ScriptCraft: We would also recommend that you check out Walter Higgins' resource for creating Minecraft Mods through ScriptCraft. We will be focusing on this concept in our next Velocity class (starting TBD), but if you are interested in getting familiar with this concept, take a look at his resources. He does a great job of breaking down all of the necessary parts of a Minecraft Mod within his software and gets you started on creating and modifying mods on your own. You can find his Anatomy of a ScriptCraft Plugin HERE.