Creative Coding Studio · Lesson 10

Studio capstone: ship it and explain it

Ākonga finish, test and present a project of their own design, explaining one decision they changed during the build and what evidence changed it.

Other teaching approach: Unplugged Computational Thinking Seminar →
Year 7 Digital Technology · Computational Thinking

Lesson 10: Year 7 Computational Thinking Capstone Project & Showcase

Developing computational thinking through Scratch block coding, algorithms, and Te Ao Māori perspectives.

🎯 Ngā Whāinga Akoranga | Learning Intentions

🧠 Students will know:

Comprehensive synthesis of computational thinking: algorithms, loops, variables, conditionals, broadcasting, pūrākau animation/game design, and project documentation.

✏️ Students will demonstrate:

Finalize an original Scratch game or animated pūrākau project, publish to class studio, present project to peers, and complete reflective self-assessment.

🎥 Media Anchor & Pedagogical Scaffold

Meet Computational Thinking Standards with Scratch

Video Clip: Shows how Scratch projects demonstrate real computational thinking standards — useful framing for students reflecting on what they have built and learned across this unit.

🧠 1. Before Viewing (Activate & Predict)

What computational thinking superpowers have you unlocked during this Year 7 Digital Technology journey?

👁️ 2. During Viewing (Watch With a Job)

  • Watch the full clip. As you watch, identify which computational thinking concepts (decomposition, loops, conditionals, variables, events) appear in the Scratch projects shown.
  • Think about your own capstone project: which of these concepts did you use? Which one are you most proud of?
  • After watching, write a two-minute pitch explaining your project to a classmate — describe what it does, what CT concepts it uses, and one thing you would improve if you had more time.

🗣️ 3. After Viewing & Kaiako Move (Process & Apply)

Kaiako Move: Host a Year 7 Arcade & Animation Expo where students playtest and evaluate classmates' Scratch creations.

Immediate Task: Final Year 7 Digital Technology Logbook Submission & Close with Expo shout-outs: name the clearest decomposition, the trickiest bug fixed and the most faithful pūrākau retelling, and have each winner record the citation in their own logbook.

⚡ Whakaoho | Do Now: One Sentence for Your Playtester (10 mins)

Your project runs. Before you show anyone: run it once yourself and pick the one thing you most want a playtester to notice. Write that sentence at the top of your feedback card.

📖 Activity 1: Expo Setup — Host and Playtest (25 mins)

Set up the Year 7 Arcade & Animation Expo: your capstone open on a device, feedback cards (two stars and a wish) on the table. Half the class hosts while half playtests; then swap. As a host you demo two specific Computational Thinking moves in your own code — point at the block ("this repeat loop draws all eight segments") and name the idea it shows. Before anything is shared beyond this room — class blog, whānau evening, school website — complete the publishing check on the digital citizenship handout: what personal information does this project contain, who appears in it, and would you be comfortable if the whole kura saw it?

📝 Activity 2: Digital Tech Logbook & Code Reflection (20 mins)

Draft your formal Digital Tech Logbook entry for Lesson 10. Apply exact programming vocabulary (e.g., capstone, playtest, feedback, demo, publish, privacy) to explain your code decisions.

🏫 Kaiako Planning & Pedagogy Notes

Year 7 Curriculum Alignment: Capstone showcase (NZC Technology; Te Mātaiaho Phase 3) — the unit's moves demoed aloud, and a publishing check before anything leaves the room.