7.1 Game Creation in Kodu Game Lab

Scheme of work and resources for teaching with Kodu Game Lab it has been designed to last between eight and nine lessons and covers the basics of using Kodu Game Lab as well as game design, creation, testing and evaluation. I’ve taken the best bits from my old resources and revamped them into this new unit! If you still wish to access any of the old resources you can download a zip file here. The assessment on the new scheme of work is linked to the Computing at School Progression Pathways as that is what we are going to be following for assessment in my school from September.

I have also developed a series of tutorial videos which can be found here.

To find out more about this topic please download the scheme of work below. This unit can be purchased using the link below or from the store page which includes the teacher’s powerpoint and all resources required. Please read the comments below for customer opinions.

83 thoughts on “7.1 Game Creation in Kodu Game Lab”

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  3. Ayo Betiku

    Nicki just wanted to say a big thank you for giving your time to come in and deliver the Kodu sessions last academic year. I am about to start a new cysle of sessions and now that we have some updated computers hopefully they should run much faster.
    I also want to highly recommend your material for anyone looking for Kodu resources.

  4. Nicki Post author

    Hi Ayo, nice to hear form you. Great to hear you will be running the sessions again, hopefully it will work much better with the new computers. Let me know how you get on! 🙂

    Nicki

  5. Craig Sargent

    Hi,

    Another little question. I notice your Kodu SoW is written for them to user xBox controllers.
    I am reworking many of the resrouces to use just keyboard controls etc, but I would be keen to get controllers, im sure the kids would go wild over that.

    How simple is it to get the xBox controllers to work with the PC. Is it literally a matter for buying a standard controller from anywhere and its plug and play USB with the PC?

    And if this is the case and im looking to convince my SLT to invest in say a box of 30-40 xBox controllers any good sources, I’m guessing I’m not going to find these in the Consortium catalogue 🙂

    Craig

  6. Nicki Post author

    Hi Craig, yes, I just bought a class set of wired Xbox controllers, plugged them in and Windows automatically installed the device drivers (takes about 30 seconds!). I’m running Windows 7. We paid about £17 each for the controllers and my network manager shopped around with some of his suppliers to get the best price for me. 🙂

  7. Gareth Edmondson

    Hi,

    Great resources – I wonder if you could help me with the following?

    I’m translating them into Welsh (I’ll provide you with the copies) – but can you possibly send me the originals?
    Also – what font are you using for the Kodu titles?

    Cheers

    Gareth (@welshgje)

  8. Nicki Post author

    Hi Gareth

    Hopefully you received the link to the originals. The font for the titles is Berlin Sans (FB Demi). Have fun with your translations!

    Nicki

  9. Steve Dowdall

    Hi Nicki

    Many thanks for sharing these resources! Just ordered 25 XBox controllers looking forward to launching Kodu. Apart from the tutorials on Kodu Game Lab would you recommend any others websites, books or training courses to look out for?

    Steve

  11. Nicki Post author

    Hi Steve

    Pleased you’re getting along well with the resources! Another website that I found quite useful is: http://planetkodu.com/ <-- Lots of useful stuff on here. Also there are a lot of tutorials on Youtube. Nicki

  13. Lee Springett

    Hi,

    Sorry to ask, but is their any chance of getting hold of the originals for the sow/pdf so can adapt them for keyboard use please.

    Can’t quite squeeze the budget this year for the controllers.

    You work is fantastic BTW and can’t wait to localise this and use with my students.

    Cheers
    Lee

  14. Lee Springett

    Hi Nicki,

    Another fantastic set of resources. As with your Game Making unit, I am planning on developing this scheme a bit for my year 7s. Any chance of getting the originals as need to change bits over into keyboard commands.

    Cheers
    Lee

  16. Carl Turland

    Hi Nicki

    Great resources – thank you. They are so much better than the official (and out of date) scheme of work from Microsoft.

    My only moan would be that your resources rely on the teacher knowing what they are doing! I’m still trying to work out how you easily insert a bridge in lesson 2 🙂

    I will be reviewing (and promoting) your resources on my website at http://www.codingatschool.com. My first impressions make me believe you will be listed first on the Kodu curricula page as the best SOW available.

  17. Nicki Post author

    Hi Carl Thanks for the comment, your website is great, thank you for linking to my site.

    I do have one tutorial video on Youtube and is’s my intention to create some more as I’ve just found out about using FRAPS to record game content and it records better quality than other screencasting software. Watch this space! . . . 🙂

    For the bridge, I find it works best to add a path node in the middle of the water so at first the road sags down, you can then select that node and raise it up to create a bridge. Hope that helps 🙂

  18. Aaron Peck

    Hi Niki,

    I have recently completed a masters essay reviewing Kudo to increase pupil engagement, within it shows a overview of my SoW. Didn’t know if you wanted a copy?

  22. Andrew

    Hi Nicki,

    Can I have a copy of the originals as I need to change bits over into keyboard commands.

    Also, how easy is it to save the games to a student folder? I plan to teach this to my Year 7s and need to save them so that I can view their games.
    Cheers
    Andrew

  24. Nicki Post author

    Hi Andrew

    Which bits do you need originals for specifically? Let me know and I will send them to you.

    It’s very easy to save games to a students folder, once they have saved them in Kodu they should then select “Export” and they will be able to save the “.kodu” file into their documents.

    Thanks

    Nicki

  26. Wynn Kent

    Hi Nicki
    I am an ICT teacher and I intend to deliver Kodu using xbox control to year 9s in September. You site looks as if it will be invaluable!! Can you tell me which web address to use to download the program please? I have tried to do this and so far managed to pick up a virus on the way
    Regards

    Wynn

  28. Katie

    Hi Nicki

    All these resources look fab and over the summer I am re-writing schemes of work to inlcude programming and computing so this is very helpful!

    I was wondering if you could send me originals of your resources please as we would be using keyboards rather than an xbox controller, also I wanted to change your self assessment sheet a little so that the objectives were already written down rather than the students spend time at the start of the lesson doing this – Ofsted feedback!

    I am also not very good at Kodu and I have tried to find how to add pages to change behaviours but can’t find this, I wondered if you had a video tutorial on this?

    Many thanks

    Katie

  29. Shaz

    Hi Nicki

    Thank you so much for sharing these excellent KODU resources they are fantastic! Is it possible for me to amend these please as I need to use keyboards rather than controllers.

    Kind regards

    Shaz

    p.s. YouTube tutorials are also brill ….. thanks again!

  30. Abs

    Hello

    Thanks for the resources on kodu, I’m thinking of doing this instead of scratch but since I’m in China, the great firewall is not allowing me to download stuff off your website so can I have a copy of the originals as I need to change some stuff to match the IB curriculum?

    Cheers

  32. Nicki Post author

    Hi Shaz, pleased you like the resources. I’ve sent you an email with the originals.

    Best wishes

    Nicki

  34. Shaz

    Hi Nicki – thanks for the reply!

    Have checked email – but sorry, I can’t find the email you have sent with the originals??

    Shaz

  35. Ayo B

    Hi Nicki.
    On my way to my first full term teaching Kodu to year 9’s they are enjoying it and getting it for the most part. Just thinking out loud about assessment. The assessments used so far have been mostly soft at the moments ( peer, self assessment e.t.c). Are there any assessments that you have used that are less subjective. Maybe be I’m picturing a hackaton a’la Facebook..

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  37. José Leandro

    Parabéns pelo seu trabalho, descobri o KODU a pouco tempo e estou muito ansioso para começar a utilizá-lo com meus alunos, sou do estado do Amazonas/Brasil, e gostaria de acompanhar todos os seus trabalhos com esta maravilhosa ferramenta que é o KODU. Apesar da distância entre nós, nossa missão é a mesma. Obrigado!

  39. Nicki Post author

    TRANSLATION:
    Congratulations for your work, I discovered Kodu little time ago and I am very eager to start using it with my students, I am in the state of Amazonas / Brazil, and would like to keep all your work with this wonderful tool is Kodu. Despite the distance between us, our mission is the same. Thank you!

    – Thanks, it’s good to hear I’m reaching so far afield!
    РObrigado, ̩ bom ouvir que eu estou chegando ṭo longe

  40. Pathmanathan

    Hi Nicki,

    Thank you so much for your resources!! My students enjoy KODU very much… I am hoping to get the XBox controllers for the lab soon… Hope the school approve it!

    Regards,
    Pathma

  41. Nicki Post author

    You’re welcome, pleased to hear your students are enjoying using Kodu! Fingers-crossed you get the Xbox controllers, they really enhance the experience!

  42. Linda

    Hi,

    Fanatstic resource but is their any chance of getting hold of the originals for the sow/pdf so can adapt them for keyboard use please?

    Your work is amazing and can’t wait to use with my Y4 students!

    Thanks
    Linda

  44. Anita

    Hi, Can I echo Linda’s comments. Great resource but as we are using keyboards as well could I also have the originals so that I can adapt them for keyboard use.
    Many thanks
    Anita

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  47. Andrea

    These resources are great, easy to follow and written in plain English! We’ve been using them with Year 8s, but I needed some ‘fun’ cover work for my Year 7s a couple of weeks ago, set the first Kodu lesson, and since then I’ve had to ask to get Kodu installed in all of the areas that the kids use at break and lunchtime they enjoy playing with it so much!
    Thanks again!

  49. Graeme

    Hi,
    Easily the best resources I have seen. Congratulations. If possible, would I also be able to get a copy of the originals so I can adapt for keyboard use?

    Thanks

    Graeme

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