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Year 4

Designing a game

I can design a project that includes repetition.

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New
New
Year 4

Designing a game

I can design a project that includes repetition.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. An algorithm can include repetition.
  2. Key parts of a given project can be selected to use in your own design.

Keywords

  • Repetition - a part of a program where one or more commands are run multiple times in a loop

  • Algorithm - a precise sequence of steps that can be followed to do a task

Common misconception

You only need to program one loop for a whole game.

Each sprite needs its own loop so it can repeat its actions independently.


To help you plan your year 4 computing lesson on: Designing a game, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

There are four levels to describe a coding project. This can support pupils in understanding how to create a program: Task - what is needed, Design - what it should do, Code - how it is done, Running the code - what it does. In this lesson, learners will be working between task and design levels.
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Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is the term for making changes to code you have already written?
Correct Answer: modify
Q2.
Which of these is a reason you might want to change an infinite loop in a game project?
Correct answer: to make the game more interesting
to remove all sprites
to make the code invisible
to stop the project from running
Q3.
What happens if you increase the value inside a loop that moves a sprite?
the sprite disappears
the sprite changes colour
Correct answer: the sprite moves faster
the sprite stops moving
Q4.
If you want another character to jump in the same way as your main character, what could you do?
Correct answer: reuse and modify the jump code
delete the main character
change the background
add a new sound
Q5.
Put these steps in order for changing how a sprite moves in a game:
1 - Decide what you want to change.
2 - Find the code that moves the sprite.
3 - Modify the value in the loop.
4 - Test the new movement.
Q6.
Match the coding action to its effect:
Correct Answer:changing a value in a loop,affects how the game plays

affects how the game plays

Correct Answer:copying code to a new sprite,using code again

using code again

Correct Answer:planning what might happen,thinking ahead

thinking ahead

Correct Answer:splitting a big task,making things easier to manage

making things easier to manage

Assessment exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
What does repetition mean in programming?
doing something once
making a sprite disappear
Correct answer: running commands multiple times in a loop
changing the background
Q2.
What is an algorithm?
a random guess
a decorated sprite
a single command
Correct answer: a precise sequence of steps
Q3.
Why might you use repetition in a game?
Correct answer: to repeat actions like moving or jumping
to make the game end quickly
to delete all sprites
to stop the game from running
Q4.
Which block in a programme makes an action continue without stopping until the programme ends?
Correct Answer: Forever
Q5.
What action do you use in a programme to make a sprite invisible on the stage?
Correct Answer: hide
Q6.
Why isn’t it enough to programme just one loop for an entire game with several sprites?
because one loop will make all sprites move at the same speed
Correct answer: because each sprite needs its own loop to repeat its own actions
because loops can only be used for backgrounds
because games don’t need repetition

Additional material

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