How to Get Started in Alice
Target Audience: Grade 4
Materials: Alice 2.3, computer/laptop
Time: approximately 45 minutes
CITES (North Caroline Information & Technology Essential Standards)
4.TT.1.3—Use technology tools to present data and information (multimedia, audio and visual
recording, online collaboration tools, etc.).
Prior to instruction
 Is Alice installed on PC or school network?
 Create “ALICE for [insert teacher last name] Students” folder on school share drive wherein students will
access tutorials, directions, assignments and files from their teacher for use in Alice.
Introduction—Student set-up and procedures
 Review AUP (Acceptable Use Policy) and computer/lab expectations.
 Review student login to network.
Introduce Alice
 Explain .a2w files
 What is Alice?
o Creating interactive stories or games
o Learn programming in an easy, drag-and-drop method
o Problem-solving with visual feedback
o Learn computer science


Demonstrate how to find Teacher’s Alice folder for students on network. [This procedure will change
once our students are given Google cloud access].
Show Alice world examples with moving objects
Introduce the Work Area in Alice
 What is the Object Tree?
 How do I select something in the Object Tree?
 When do I select World vs. select Object?
 What is a Method and when do I use it?
Open and Rename Files
 Find Teacher’s Alice folder for students on network.
 Open Alice file “move6Directions.a2w”
 Rename file “[your first name last initial]_move6Directions.a2w”
o
Emphasize importance of renaming and saving student files as an initial step of each
computer session so that all student work (including back up files) is saved in the student’s
folder. [Only final products are copied to teacher folder for viewing and grading].
o
Give explicit directions for renaming files according to Alice (and CS) convention—first word
all lowercase, other words begin with capital, no spaces
EXERCISE
How Do Objects Move in Alice?
 Alice objects can move in 6 directions—(1) up, (2) down, (3) left, (4) right, (5) forward and (6) backward.
 All movement in Alice is happening to an OBJECT (not the person watching the animation).
 For example, if you command a selected object to “move left 1 meter”, it will move to the OBJECT’s left
(which probably isn’t the viewer’s left).
1. Teacher Model
The drag-and-drop command to move the PENGUIN left 5 meters is already included in the first method of ht e
Alice “move6Directions.a2w” file. Press PLAY and see what happens in the animation.
The penguin moves to his left (which, in this case is the viewer’s right).
2. Guided Practice
Now, you try! Drag and drop the correct code to make the COW move left 5 meters.
Play the animation. Did the cow move to its left? After your cow moves, CLICK on the cow with the
mouse/cursor to check your code. I have programmed my cow to return to its original position, become purple
and move left 5 meters.
If your cow does not move in the same direction and finish in the same place as the purple cow, check your
code—make sure you have programmed the COW to move to the COW’s left (not your left or the camera’s
left).
3. Independent Practice
Now program the car (convertibleCorvette). Don’t forget to check your work.
4. Partner Practice/Extension/Discussion
See if you can repeat the exercise but move the objects (cow, car) in the other directions (right, forward,
backward, up, down). Work with a partner and discuss what you observe for each direction.
Helpful Hints
 The “Undo” button is your friend.
 Make your life easier… never move or delete the ground.
 Every 15 minutes or so, Alice will remind you to save any changes to the world you are programming. Take
her advice and SAVE your work.
D. M. Delk
W B Beam Intermediate
Cherryville, NC