BBP Activity 9: Pattern Shapes with Turtle Graphics

:video_game: Activity Time!

Time Needed: 30-40 minutes
What You'll Create: A colorful pattern of squares using Python's Turtle Graphics! You'll make your turtle draw multiple squares at different positions and sizes, creating beautiful geometric art.

Before You Start:

Here's what you need to have ready:

• Your EduBlocks account logged in
• A quiet workspace to focus
• Your creativity hat on! :art:
• About 30-40 minutes of coding time

Setup Instructions

1. Login to EduBlocks:

   • Go to: https://app.edublocks.org/login
   • Sign in with your Google account

2. Start Your Project:

   • Click on the "Editor" icon to start a new project
   • (To continue an old project, click "Projects" instead)

3. Configure Your Project:

   • Select Python 3 mode
   • Name your project: Pattern Shapes
   • Click "Start Coding" button
   • Click "Save" at the top-right corner

:bulb: :bulb: Pro Tip: Save your work every 5-10 minutes! Just click the "Save" button so you don't lose your awesome code.

Let's Build Your Pattern Shapes!

Step One: Set Up Your Turtle Graphics :emoji:

First, let's get our turtle ready to draw! Follow these numbered steps:

1. Drag the import block:
   • Find the import turtle block from the Imports section
   • Drag it to the top of your workspace
2. Create your turtle and screen:
   • Drag my_turtle = turtle.Turtle() from the Turtle section
   • Drag my_screen = turtle.Screen() from the Turtle section
   • Place these blocks right after your import
3. Make your turtle look awesome:
   • Drag and connect these blocks in order:
     • my_turtle.shape("turtle") - Makes it look like a real turtle!
     • my_turtle.color("white") - White turtle on purple background
     • my_turtle.speed(2) - Not too fast, not too slow
     • my_turtle.width(3) - Nice thick lines for our squares
4. Set up the background:
   • Drag my_screen.bgcolor(149, 125, 173) - Pretty purple background!
   • Drag my_turtle.penup() - Lift the pen so we don't draw lines yettip :art: Color Tip: The numbers (149, 125, 173) are RGB values that make a nice purple color. In real Python, colors work the same way!

Step 2: Create Your Square-Drawing Function :package:

Now we'll create a special function that can draw squares anywhere on the screen!

1. Start your function:

   • From the Functions section, drag def my_shape(x, y, length):
   • This creates a function with 3 parameters:
     • x = horizontal position
     • y = vertical position
     • length = how big the square will be

2. Inside the function, add these blocks in order:

   • Drag my_turtle.goto(x, y) - Moves turtle to starting position
   • Drag my_turtle.pendown() - Put the pen down to start drawing

3. Draw the square (4 sides):

   • For each side of the square, drag and connect:
     • my_turtle.forward(length) - Draw a line
     • my_turtle.right(90) - Turn 90 degrees
   • Repeat this 4 times to complete the square!

4. Finish the function:

   • Drag my_turtle.penup() - Lift the pen when done

:bulb: :emoji: Why 90 degrees? A square has 4 corners, and each corner is a right angle (90°). So 4 x 90° = 360° - a complete square!

Step 3: Draw Your Square Pattern! :dart:

Time to use your function to create an awesome pattern!

1. Call your function 4 times with these exact values:
   • Drag my_shape(0, 0, 120) - Big square in the center
   • Drag my_shape(50, 50, 70) - Smaller square to the upper right
   • Drag my_shape(30, -30, 100) - Medium square to the lower right
   • Drag my_shape(-45, 40, 120) - Big square to the upper left
2. What do these numbers mean?
   • First number (x): How far left (-) or right (+) from center
   • Second number (y): How far down (-) or up (+) from center
   • Third number: Size of the square

tip :emoji: Position Tip: The center of the screen is (0, 0). Positive x goes right, negative x goes left. Positive y goes up, negative y goes down!

Troubleshooting Tips :wrench:

Having trouble? Here are common issues and fixes:

Problem: "My turtle isn't drawing anything!"

• Check that you have my_turtle.pendown() before drawing
• Make sure your function calls are OUTSIDE the function definition

Problem: "My squares look weird!"

• Count your forward/right commands - you need exactly 4 of each
• Check that each turn is exactly 90 degrees

Problem: "I can't see my turtle!"

• Your turtle might be white on a white background
• Make sure you set the background color to purple (149, 125, 173)

:trophy: Challenge Yourself!

Ready to level up? Try these advanced challenges:

Challenge One: Rainbow Squares :emoji:

1. Import the random module at the top
2. Inside your function, before pendown(), add:
   • my_turtle.color(random.choice(["red", "blue", "green", "yellow", "orange"]))
3. Now each square will be a different color!

Challenge 2: Shape Explorer :emoji:

Transform your squares into other shapes:

• Pentagon (5 sides): Use my_turtle.right(72) instead of 90
• Hexagon (6 sides): Use my_turtle.right(60) and repeat 6 times
• Octagon (8 sides): Use my_turtle.right(45) and repeat 8 times

Challenge 3: Pattern Master :art:

Create your own unique pattern:

• Try calling my_shape 8 or more times
• Experiment with different positions
• Mix different sizes together
• Create a flower, star, or spiral pattern!

:bulb: :bulb: Math Connection: The turn angle for any regular polygon = 360° / number of sides. That's why a square uses 90° (360 / 4 = 90)!

Final Checklist :white_check_mark:

Before submitting, make sure your project has:

• Turtle Graphics import at the top
• Turtle and Screen variables created
• All turtle properties set (shape, color, speed, width)
• Purple background color (149, 125, 173)
• my_shape function with x, y, and length parameters
• Square drawing with 4 forward/right commands
• All 4 function calls with the correct numbers
• Your code runs without errors!

For the advanced version, also check:

• Random colors OR different shapes
• Your own creative pattern design

Project Submission :emoji:

Great job completing your Pattern Shapes activity! Time to submit your work:

1. Test your program - Click the green play button to make sure it works
2. Save your project - Click the save button one more time
3. Submit your work:

**Submit Your Project Here**tip :memo: Submission Note: You'll need to submit 2 project links:

• One for your basic pattern (4 white squares)
• One for your advanced creative version

Make sure both are saved with different names!

You Did It! :tada:

Congratulations on creating your Pattern Shapes project! You've learned how to:

• Use Python's Turtle Graphics library
• Create and call functions with parameters
• Position shapes using coordinates
• Build patterns with code

Keep experimenting and creating amazing turtle art!