Programming
Mobile Apps
KS3 Computing
Basics of App
Inventor
Starter Activity
• During today’s lesson we will be looking at
applying basic tools within App Inventor.
• What would you consider to be the basic
features of an app?
• Discuss in pairs and write your answers down
on your worksheet.
• EXTENSION:
Justify your choice by linking your answer back to
existing apps.
Learning Journey
Lesson Objectives Lesson Outcomes
ALL MUST – Bronze
Review the basic tools available
Create a basic app that uses some of
within App Inventor. the features identified in the lesson in
a basic manner.
Examine how the different tools
MOST SHOULD – Silver
are applied when building apps. Create an app that uses most of the
features identified in the lesson in a
Build an app using the tools within suitable manner.
App Inventor. SOME MIGHT – Gold
Create an app that uses most of the
Literacy
features identified in the lesson in a
Numeracy good manner.
E-Safety FEW WILL – Exceeding
SMSC Create an app that uses all of the
Keywords features identified in the lesson in a
Big Question
What are the basic
features of App Inventor?
How are these features used
within mobile apps?
Basic Features
Review the
• Within App Inventor there are many
basic tools different features that can be used to
available within add extra functionality to an app.
App Inventor.
• During today’s lesson we will just be
Examine how
the different looking at the basic features and how to
tools are implement them.
applied when
building apps.
• These features include:
Build an app
– Buttons
using the tools – Images
within App – Text Boxes
Inventor.
– Screens
App Inventor
This is App Inventor. It can only be used in Google Chrome.
If you try to open it in Internet Explorer, it will not work.
Basic Features
Review the
• To open App Inventor you need to go to
basic tools this address.
available within
App Inventor.
http://ai2.appinventor.mit.edu/
Examine how
the different
tools are • When you go onto this website, it will
applied when ask you to enter login details for
building apps.
Google.
Build an app
using the tools
• Username (username) XXX
within App
Inventor.
• Password
• Password (ask to change on login)
Basic Features
When Logged in, click on the
button Start New Project. Give it
the name Quiz.
App Inventor
It will then open with a blank app ready to be
programmed. I will show you how to add in: Buttons,
Text Boxes, Pictures and Screens.
App Inventor
When you have a screen completed, it should look
something like this.
Designing an App
• You will now have a go at creating the start to a
Review the quiz app.
basic tools
available within
App Inventor. • Look at the Grade to see what you should be doing.
Bronze
Examine how A quiz with 2 questions that uses buttons and screens.
the different
tools are Silver
applied when A quiz with 2 questions that uses buttons, pictures
building apps. and screens.
Gold
Build an app A quiz with more than 2 questions that uses buttons,
using the tools pictures and screens with some feedback to player.
within App
Inventor. Exceeding
A quiz with more than 2 questions that uses buttons,
Self Assessment 1
Change your traffic light to match the colour of
what you think you have achieved.
• Created a detailed quiz that has a wide range
Green
of questions, answers and suitable challenge.
• Created a quiz that has a good range of
Amber
questions, answers and challenge.
• Created a basic quiz that has limited
Red
questions, answers and challenge.
Basic Features
Review the • Now we have added in the elements for
basic tools our app, we can now program them to
available within
App Inventor. actually do something.
Examine how • To program an app using App Inventor,
the different we use blocks that are dragged into
tools are
applied when place.
building apps.
• This is very different to traditional
Build an app programming that we have experienced.
using the tools
within App
Inventor. • Let us have a look at how we program.
Basic Features
Click on the blocks button. This
will load up the block editor of
App Inventor.
Basic Features
You will then have a blank coding environment ready
for you to add blocks to program your app.
Basic Features
These options allow you to add
general blocks that work with
all parts of the app.
These options allow you to add
blocks that operate specific
objects you have added.
Basic Features
Review the • Using the block coding environment,
basic tools
available within I will show you how to go about
App Inventor. adding blocks in to control your quiz.
Examine how
the different • We will be adding blocks in to send
tools are people to the correct screen
applied when
building apps. depending on the answer they select.
Build an app • Once I have shown you, you will have
using the tools
within App a chance to complete the rest of
Inventor. your program.
Basic Features
Change this to the name of the page it
should go to if the answer is wrong.
This block setup is what you would add to the button
if they get the question wrong.
Change this to the name of the page
it should go to if the answer is right.
This block setup is what you would add to the button
if they get the question wrong.
Creating an App
Review the • You will now add blocks in to program your quiz app.
basic tools
available within • Look at the Grade to see what you should be doing.
App Inventor.
Bronze
Examine how A quiz with 2 questions that uses buttons and screens.
the different
tools are Silver
applied when A quiz with 2 questions that uses buttons, pictures
building apps. and screens.
Gold
Build an app A quiz with more than 2 questions that uses buttons,
using the tools pictures and screens with some feedback to player.
within App
Inventor. Exceeding
A quiz with more than 2 questions that uses buttons,
Self Assessment 2
Change your traffic light to match the colour of
what you think you have achieved.
• Created a detailed quiz that has a wide range
Green
of questions, answers and suitable challenge.
• Created a quiz that has a good range of
Amber
questions, answers and challenge.
• Created a basic quiz that has limited
Red
questions, answers and challenge.
Plenary Activity
Review the
basic tools
• Switch with another person in the
available within group and see what Grade you
App Inventor.
have achieved.
Examine how
the different
tools are
• Once you have discussed your
applied when Grade, improve your quiz to hit
building apps.
the higher Grades for this lesson.
Build an app
using the tools
within App
• You will have the remainder of
Inventor. this lesson to complete your quiz.
Plenary Activity
Lesson Objectives Lesson Outcomes
ALL MUST – Bronze
Review the basic tools Create a basic app that uses some of
available within App the features identified in the lesson in
a basic manner.
Inventor. MOST SHOULD – Silver
Create an app that uses most of the
Examine how the features identified in the lesson in a
different tools are suitable manner.
applied when building SOME MIGHT – Gold
Create an app that uses most of the
apps. features identified in the lesson in a
good manner.
Build an app using the FEW WILL – Exceeding
tools within App Create an app that uses all of the
features identified in the lesson in a
