Micro Challenge #4 – Creating a Random Action Generator

Welcome to the fourth of Altitude Foundation’s #MicroChallenges2020

In this challenge we generate random combinations of actions!

What’s a Micro Challenge?

These challenges are short activities to help you develop, revise or refresh your coding skills, posted every Monday, Wednesday and Friday (although we’re posting this challenge a day late in light of the bank holiday). 

Micro Challenge #4

For the start of the week, we are going to create a random action generator as a way of exploring iterations and loops.

The Challenge:

Create a random action generator:

• Make a list of different actions or outputs – you might choose different types of jumps, or using different colours, or drawing different shapes. Give each output a number.
• Using a randomiser (this could be using dice, or a number pulled out of a bag, or you can create a random number generator using the micro:bit’s MakeCode editor), create different sequences (generate a number to find out what your output is, and then generate another number to determine how many times to repeat the output).
• Write up the different sequences you come up with.

Here’s an example using a die: 

List of movements:

1 = Forward one step

2 = Clap

3 = Side step left

4 = Side step right

5 = Click fingers on left hand

6 = Click fingers on right hand

My first two rolls get me 6, and 3, which could be written up as:

‘Click fingers on right hand, Click fingers on right hand, Click fingers on right hand.’

But could also be written as ‘Repeat 3 times: Click fingers on right hand’.

Advanced:

— What could you use this for? Could you get an exercise or dance routine out of it? Draw abstract art using it? Knit a scarf? 

Review it

Once you’ve completed the challenge, review it:

— Here’s a video from BBC Bitesize about iterations: how might this link to what you’re doing?

— What is the advantage of using iterations? Think about the dance move example: why might you want to use iterations for a routine? 

Share it

We would love to see what you have created! Please send any pictures, videos, or files of your activities to us – either via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram  using #MicroChallenges2020 or to challenges@altitudefoundation.org. If you are emailing them to us, please let us know if you are happy for us to share your stuff on our social media platforms (with credit, of course).

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