One project is to have students create their own story starter randomizer (here is her example in Scratch.) For this project, students would create a sprite for each spinning story element and then create a "costume" inside each sprite to create an easy way to randomly spin words. When a key is pressed by the Makey Makey, it stops the story element from spinning. 

To make your own:

• Create a "Genre" sprite (Create multiple costumes and change the genre name in each costume)
• Create a descriptive sprite (Create multiple costumes and write different phrases for each costume)
• Create a character sprite (for this just choose random sprites as each costume)
• Create a "action" or "problem" sprite (Create multiple costumes and list different actions for each costume)

The code for this is pretty simple. Use the micro:bit extension for the "When tilted" hat and have the code "repeat until" an arrow key is pressed. Hook up your Makey Makey to the key press of your choice. Repeat this code for each sprite and change the tilt and key press if desired! 

When you are done, plug in your Makey Makey/ micro:bit Power Glove and play!

This monster mash-up idea based on the book Myth Match: A Fantastical Flipbook of Extraordinary Beasts (see example in Scratch.) 

See the project in action below:

Here is a pdf to download to help students with the writing aspect for their own Monster Mash Scratch project! Full Guide for this project.

You can share this pdf as a MadLibs style writing project, but the main idea is no matter what front monster your code lands on the writing should fluidly match with any back monster half.

The code for this one is pretty simple too! You are combining the "When micro:bit tilted" hat with a "repeat until" key pressed block to have the sprite rotate to the next costume until a key is pressed.

You need to create two sprites. A "back half" sprite and a "front half" sprite. You can have the code be the same, or you can have the back half start spinning when you tilt micro:bit back and the front half spin when you tilt the micro:bit front.

This code will spin the monster half until you press the right arrow.

To make each sprite's monster costumes, go into your "back half" sprite and create a new costume from the "costumes" tab. Pick an animal that can be matched up with another animal. All of my animals are standing from a side ways perspective so each half is the back half of a monster and the front half of a monster!  

Use the selection tool to cut your monster in half, copy the selection, and paste it into the other sprite. It's easiest to write all of the text while you are cutting and pasting your monster costumes in each sprite. But each half will look like this when you are finished.

To Create Costumes for Each Sprite

While your sprite is whole, insert a text box and write your text for the front and back half of this monster. 

After writing, divide your character in half with the selection box, and make sure to "ctrl c" to copy (or command c).

Once you've copied the selection, go to your "front half" sprite and choose to paint a new costume.

Then paste the selection you copied from the previous step! Make as many front half and back half monsters that you want! We'd love to see them! If you make a monster mash project, please add it to this studio by sharing your link as a comment! 

If you like this project, you might want to try some of our other "hacking literacy" guides:

• Blackout Poetry with Makey Makey and Scratch

• Making and Literacy with Doll-E 1.0

• Dual Language Lesson Idea