GameSalad Curriculum
Step-By-Step Game Creation Tutorials
Using GameSalad Creator, students build their own working games! GameSalad’s syntax-free visual programming system lowers frustration and increases engagement.
Detailed step-by-step tutorials are embedded directly in the platform. Videos, written directions, and screenshots are included to accommodate different learning styles. Every game is customizable, allowing each student to express their own vision!
With project-based units of increasing complexity, GameSalad fits into classrooms of any level. Units are divided into bite sized pieces, allowing you to control the pace of students.
Standards Aligned Lesson Plans
Each game tutorial is paired with a computer science lesson unit that includes up to 10 hours of instruction. A teacher dashboard allows you to assign game creation tutorials and quizzes, see student progress, and access all lesson plan materials.
Lesson plans are CSTA (3-8 Grade CS) and TEKS (Tech Apps) standards aligned, providing a complete curriculum including Computer Science fundamentals and other computing topics including Game Design, Networking, and Digital Citizenship.
Use the whole curriculum as the basis of your class, or pick and choose from a variety of teacher-led activities, assessments, and lectures.
Computer Science Units
CS.1 Getting to Know GameSalad
Wizard Run
This unit serves as the most basic introduction to the GameSalad interface. Students start with a pre-built game and use existing actors to construct their own levels.
CS.2: Creating A Game
Monster Maze
This unit covers the basics of the GameSalad user interface and foundations of a basic game including user input, actor movement, collision, object collection, and victory / failure conditions.
Computer Science Concepts
- Conditional Statements
- Algorithms
- Variables
CS.3: Computer Systems
Fruit Fall
While its game mechanics appear simple, this lesson introduces the concept of object-oriented programming through random object spawners, introduces students to the design challenges of implementing logic and behaviors that take place off-screen, and focuses heavily on user interface design across multiple device platforms (and the affordances each device offer).
Computer Science Concepts
- Object-Oriented Design
- User Interface Design
- Random Functions
- Hardware Sensors
CS.4: Artificial Intelligence
Good Tank, Bad Tank
This unit introduces a number of more sophisticated game development topics including object spawning, attribute constraints and basic AI-driven enemies.
Computer Science Concepts
- Mathematical Expressions
- Looping
- Game AI
CS.5: Variables in Games and Troubleshooting
Pong
This unit covers spawning, scoring, and more complex AI logic through building the classic game Pong.
Computer Science Concepts
- Spawning
- Game AI
- Physics
CS.6: Animations and Game Physics
Space Runner
This unit introduces physics simulation, particle systems, animation control and a variety of platformer game mechanics such as running, jumping, object collection and more.
Computer Science Concepts
- Animation Systems
- Particles
- Looping
- Physics
CS.7: Conditional Branching and Data
Top-Notch Trivia
This unit introduces concepts of conditional branching and multidimensional arrays (GameSalad’s table feature) in a quiz game that inspires creativity.
Computer Science Concepts
- Data Driven Programming
- Variable Scoping
- Data Structures
