Anishinaabe Arcs Tutorial
Welcome!
Welcome to the Anishinaabe Arcs programming tutorial! We're going to make some Wigwaams together. Click on the links above the simulation to go through the steps:
You can also click on them to see instructions again. Click Start below to go to the first step.
My First Arc
A Single Arc:
- Drag the “when clicked” Control block to the right (click and hold while moving the mouse).
- The “when clicked” block starts the program.
- Now you can create a script to create an arc.
- The “angle” Motion block will tell the middle of the arc which directions to point.
- The “go to” Motion block will tell the arc where to move along the x, y, and z axes.
- The “clear” Pen block will erase all prior drawing on the stage.
- The “pen size” Pen block will allow you to set the diameter of the arc's cross section
- The “arc” Pen block will allow you to draw an arc by specifying the width and height.
Running the Program
- The green flag button is in the upper right corner, just above the stage.
- When you click the green flag button it tells the “when clicked” block to run the program, stepping through each block in the script to create a arc.
Positioning
- The “angle” block controls where the middle of the arc is pointing.
- The “go to” block controls where the arc will be positioned on the coordinate grid.
- Click me if you're stuck.
Making a Structure
Making a Structure!
- Drag the “repeat” Control block into the script panel.
- Place the “arc” block into the “repeat” block.
- Drag the “translate” block into the scripting panel and place it inside of the “repeat” block.
- The width, height, and depth of the translation by clicking on the drop down menu within the “translate” block itself.
Making Beautiful Structures
- The translate block controls the spacing.
- The repeat block controls the number of iterations.
- Click me if you're stuck.
Make Two Variables
- In the block library you will find a “make a variable” button. Click on it to make your first variable.
- When the “Variable name” window pops up type in width.
- Click “OK” and a width variable will appear.
- Do the same thing but for creating a height variable.
Setting Variables
- Drag in two “set to” Variable blocks, place them at the beginning of your script, and set them to 100 each.
- In the “set to” blocks use the drop down menu to select the variables you just created: width and height.
- Find the “width” and “height” Variable blocks that you just create and drag them into the aligning width and height values in the “arc” block.
Change Blocks
- Drag in two “change by” Variable blocks and place them below the “translate” block in your “repeat” block.
- In each “change by” block use the drop down menu to select the variables you just created: width and height.
- Change the values in each “change by” block to 10.
A New Variable
- In the block library you will find a “make a variable” button. Click on it to make your first variable.
- When the “Variable name” window pops up type in increment.
- Click “OK” and a increment variable will appear.
Setting Increment
- Drag in two “change by” Variable blocks and place them below the “translate” block in your “repeat” block.
- In each “change by” block use the drop down menu to select the variables you just created: width and height.
- Change the values in each “change by” block to 10.
- Click me if you're stuck.
Changing Variables with Variables
- Find the “increment” Variable blocks that you just create and drag it into the “change by” height and width blocks.
Making Smooth Arcs
- Drag in one “change by” blocks and place them below the other “change by” blocks in your “repeat” block.
- In the “change by” block use the drop down menu to select the variables you just created: increment.
- Change the values in each “change by” block to -3.5.
Traditional Wigwaam
Challenge! A Traditional Wigwaam:
- If you want to duplicate a part of your script, right click the section you want to duplicate and select “duplicate”.
- If you want to point the middle of one of your arcs up, change the “point at angle” by 180 degrees.
- Click me if you're still stuck.
