Michelle Garrison

You will be creating a 2D video game.  It’s requirements are:
1.  It must have at least half of the sprites and backgrounds created by you.

2.  The scripting must work to have a playable game.

3.  The game has to have a clear and logical point and plot.

4.  The gameplay and scripting should be complicated enough to take you two weeks of work.

5.  The more interesting your game idea – the better!

Today, you must brainstorm!  Answer these questions!

1.  List three game ideas, and explain in a sentence.  i.e. – In this game, you try and destroy the alien ships as they attempt to land on earth – or – In my game, you will play as a mouse that must navigate a maze to get the cheese.

2.  List the sprites you will need for your favorite idea, including villains, prizes, obstacles, and projectiles/weapons.

3.  Why do you think people will want to play your game?  How does it differ from games that already exist?

4.  List the stages you will need for the different parts of your game.

5.  Sketch out the sprites and stages needed.

Go to this website, and read about invention ideas from other Middle School students.  These inventions could use any technology – the students did not have to make a prototype themselves.

http://inventors.about.com/od/kidinventions/ss/Young_Inventors.htm

1.  Chose four inventions from this list that you’d like to critique.

a)  List the invention you are talking about.

b)  What are some potential problems or conflicts this invention might encounter?

c)  What is good about this invention idea?

2.  After you’ve done that, come up two different ideas for inventions you would build if you could use any existing technology.  Write a brief explanation of your ideas.

1.  Think of 3 ideas for inventions that you could construct yourself.

a) Provide an explanation of each invention.

b)  Sketch out how it will look.

c)  Explain why you think people will want this.

d)  Explain how this is different or special from products that already exist.

e)  What materials will you need to construct each one?

2. Choose which one you think is the best.  Begin to research similar products, to see what your “competition” would be.

For these questions, think about your own Garage Band projects.

1.  Which song do you feel is your strongest?  Explain why.

2.  Which song do you feel is the least successful?  Explain why.

3.  What could you have done differently to improve your work on this project, overall?

4.  Did you enjoy this project?  Why or why not?

5.  Is there anything Ms. G could do to improve this unit?

For these next questions, listen to another student’s Garage Band tune.

6.  List two good qualities about this song.

7.  List two things that could use improvement.

You will make your own, original song using Garage Band.  Here are the requirements:

It must be 3-4 minutes in length.

It must follow the verse/chorus format (shown below)

You need at least two tracks playing at all times.

You need at least five total tracks in your song.

The song must change with the verse and chorus, but still sound like the same genre, and have a good flow and overall sound.

Verse/Chorus Format

1.  Intro – 10-40 seconds.

This is the beginning of the song.  It sets the tone and builds it up for the verse to kick in.

2.  Verse – 30-60 seconds

This is the part where the singing would usually begin.  You introduce one of the songs main melodies.

3.  Chorus – 30-60 seconds

This is the main melody of the song.   It is the catchy, most important part.

4.  Repeat the verse

5.  Repeat the chorus

6.  Outro – 5-20 seconds

This is the end of the song.  It usually winds it down, fades it out, or builds up to an explosive finish      (whichever works with your style)!

6th Grade Art – 3F and 4F

This week is our unit on landscape – artwork that features distant views of nature.  Students will learn how to draw common landscape elements, like trees, mountains, and water, more realistically.  We will also learn the process of foam-block printmaking, and students will make a print of an imaginary landscape.

7th Grade Design and Technology

This week we continue work in Garage Band software.  Students are making jingles and songs for imaginary commercials and tv shows.  You can find the assignment also on this blog.

8th Grade Art

This week, students will finish up their Artists’ Books, and we will start our next unit on negative space and reductive drawing.

You have been hired by a production company to make the music for some TV shows and advertisements.  You must make the following:

1.  Music to accompany a 15-second sad commercial persuading people to donate money to animal shelters.

2.  30 seconds of dancey music for a cheerful club scene in a TV show.

3.  20 seconds of a song played by a fictional rock band in a TV show.

4.  10 seconds of energetic and cheerful music for an intro theme to a show for young children.

Each song needs the following:

*At least 4 tracks

*At least one track must be invented by  you using the musical typing feature (not a loop)

*Everything has to make sense together and sound good

*The tone of the song must make sense with its purpose, and appeal to the right type of people.

Design and Technology students:

Here is how you access the Network Folder to turn in your work for grading:

1.  Click on “Go” in the upper left of your screen

2.  Select “Connect to Server”

3.  In the screen that pops up, enter this -     afp://10.2.1.25/garrison

4.  Both the user and password are garrison