Memory Game – word variant

This version of the Memory Game animation is very similar to the one detailed in the previous post. The only difference is that, the characters that appear onscreen (and disappear) are letters that form a “code word”. Your pupils will learn to assign time arguments to the “wait” blocks, as well as practice reading and writing.

The goal is to create an animation in which letters flash in and out in a random order, like in the example below:

The solution is, of course, the word “HOUSE”.

Set the animation up the same way as in the previous Memory Game (check the previous post for details).

Each pupil starts by choosing their „code word” – they may come up with words of their own or pick them at random from a word bank you’ve created (you can use sticky notes for that).

Depending on your pupils’ level and capabilities, you can suggest any three- to five-letter words. Those “code words” could be in your native language, but you could also use the exercise to revise vocabulary from any other language your students learn.

How to conduct the lesson

First, have your pupils prepare the characters, i.e. all the necessary letters.

Next, have them place the letters on the screen. They may decorate the background any way they like, prepare a backdrop for the animation, or draw shapes for the letters to appear in, which should help tidy up the workspace and make the animation more legible.

When all that is ready, your students prepare their scripts and implement their animations.
Finally, each pupil presents their animation to the group, and the rest tries to figure out the code word.

Other ideas

You can use this animation template in many different ways. For example, the appearing and disappearing characters could be replaced with numbers. The goal of the exercise for your students would then be to add those numbers up and calculate the sum:

What other puzzles or challenges could be made using the Memory Game template? Share your ideas in the comments!

Happy coding!