BBP Project One: Racing Turtles

:information_source: Project Overview :emoji: Racing Turtles Challenge

• Difficulty: ⭐⭐⭐ (3 out of 5 stars)
• Time to Complete: 45-60 minutes
• Skills Practiced:
  • Python Turtle Graphics
  • Variables and loops
  • Random numbers
  • Conditional statements (if/else)
  • Lists and indexing
• What You'll Build: An exciting turtle race game where colorful turtles compete to reach the finish line! Watch as they move at random speeds - who will win? :emoji:

:emoji:️ Project Roadmap

📍 Part 1: Basic Race
Step 1: Setup & Import → Step 2: Draw Finish Line → Step 3: Create Racing Turtles → Step 4: Race Logic → Success! 🎉

📍 Part 2: Advanced Race  
Step 1: Multiple Turtles → Step 2: Loop Setup → Step 3: Dynamic Racing → Epic 7-Turtle Race! 🏆

Activity Instruction: Create a new project

Setup Instructions:

Go to EduBlocks page and login with your Google account: https://app.edublocks.org/login

Everytime you want to start a new project, click on the "Editor" icon. To resume your project, click on the "Projects" icon.

Setup:

1. Select the Python 3 mode
2. Give the project a filename called: Racing Turtles
3. Click on the "Start Coding" button and then "Save" at the top-right

:warning: Important! Save your work frequently! Click the "Save" button every 5-10 minutes to avoid losing your amazing race game. EduBlocks will remind you, but it's good to develop this habit early! :emoji:

Project Guideline

Using the Python Turtle Graphics Library, we will create a race track and see 2 Turtles (Green and Red), racing each other to the finish line!

:bulb: Fun Fact! :emoji:

Did you know? Python's Turtle Graphics is based on the Logo programming language from the 1960s! It was designed to help young programmers learn coding by drawing shapes and patterns. Today, you're continuing that awesome tradition!

Part One: Programming Instructions

:rocket: Step One: Import Modules

First, we need to bring in the special tools (modules) that Python needs for our race:

1. Import these modules:

• Turtle Graphics module - This creates our racing turtles! :emoji:
• Time module - This controls the speed of the race ⏱️
• Random module - This makes each race unpredictable and exciting! :emoji:

:bulb: Block Location

Find these import blocks in the Imports category on the left sidebar of EduBlocks!

:emoji: Step 2: Draw the Finish Line

Now let's create the finish line that our turtles will race towards:

2. Draw the finish line:

• Declare a Turtle() variable called line
• Set the line Turtle shape to "circle"
• Set the line Turtle to turn left by 90 degrees
• Set the line Turtle to move forward by 100 pixels

What's happening? The line turtle draws a vertical line by turning left (facing up) and moving forward. This creates our finish line!

:emoji: Step 3: Red Turtle Gets Ready

Time to create our first racer!

3. Red Turtle get ready:

• Declare a Turtle() variable called red
• Set the red Turtle shape to "turtle"
• Set the red Turtle colour to "red"
• Set the red Turtle pen up
• Set the red Turtle goto (-100,60)
• Set the red Turtle pen down

:warning: Common Mistake Alert! Make sure to use pen up before moving the turtle to its starting position, then pen down after. Otherwise, you'll see unwanted lines on your screen!

:emoji: Step 4: Green Turtle Gets Ready

Now for our second racer!

4. Green Turtle get ready:

• Declare a Turtle() variable called green
• Set the green Turtle shape to "turtle"
• Set the green Turtle colour to "green"
• Set the green Turtle pen up
• Set the green Turtle goto (-100,40)
• Set the green Turtle pen down

Pro tip: Notice the green turtle starts at y=40 while red starts at y=60. This puts them on different racing lanes!

:white_check_mark: Milestone Check #1

Before continuing, make sure you have:

• :emoji: Imported all 3 modules
• :emoji: Created the finish line
• :emoji: Set up both racing turtles at their starting positions
• :emoji: Both turtles should be visible on screen

If something's missing, go back and check your blocks!

:emoji: Step 5: Announce the Race

Let's add some excitement with a race announcement!

a. Using "# your own code" block, write the following:

line.write(" Ready? Go!")

This will allow the line Turtle to say something.

b. Set the time to sleep 1 second. This just means the program will pause for 1 second and then resume.

:bulb: Understanding "# your own code"

The "# your own code" block is super powerful! It lets you type Python code that isn't available as a ready-made block. You'll find it in the Statements category. Think of it as your secret weapon for adding custom features!

:emoji: Step 6: Begin the Race!

This is where the magic happens! We'll use a loop to keep the race running until someone wins.

a. Create a variable called run and set the value to True

b. While run:

i. Set the red Turtle to move forward by a random integer from 1 to 3

ii. Set the green Turtle to move forward by a random integer from 1 to 3

iii. Set the time to sleep 0.1 second. This is to set the speed of the race. The lower the sleep time, the faster the 2 Turtles run.

iv. If the x coordinate of red Turtle is greater or equal to -10:

1. Using "# your own code" block, write the following:

red.write(" I win!")

2. Set the variable run to False

v. Else, if the x coordinate of green Turtle is greater or equal to -10:

1. Using "# your own code" block, write the following:

green.write(" I win!")

2. Set the variable run to False

:warning: Debugging Tip If your turtles aren't moving, check:

1. Did you set run = True before the while loop?
2. Are you using random.randint(1,3) correctly?
3. Is your while loop properly indented?

Remember: In EduBlocks, proper block connections = proper indentation!

:bulb: Helpful Tips:

• To set the sleep time, use the time.sleep() block from the Statements category. The argument should be the number of seconds.
• The "# your own code" is from the Statements category. This is useful when you want to type your own code that isn't available in the left sidebar, such as the turtle.write() method.
• To get the x coordinate of a Turtle, you have to write red.xcor() where the word red is the name of the Turtle.

:bulb: Understanding Coordinates

The finish line is at x = 0. The turtles start at x = -100. When a turtle's x coordinate reaches -10 or higher, they've crossed the finish line! That's why we check if xcor() >= -10.

:white_check_mark: Milestone Check #2

Your basic race is complete when:

• :emoji: Turtles move at random speeds
• :emoji: The race stops when one turtle wins
• :emoji: The winner announces "I win!"
• :emoji: No errors appear when running

Great job! You've created your first racing game! :tada:

:star2: Make It Your Own - Part 1 Edition

Want to make your race even cooler? Try these ideas:

• Add a third turtle with a different color (try blue or yellow!)
• Change the race distance by adjusting when turtles win
• Speed up or slow down the race by changing sleep time
• Add sound effects using the winsound module (advanced!)
• Create obstacles that turtles must avoid

Part 2: Advanced Multi-Turtle Race

:information_source: Level Up! :rocket: Ready for a challenge? In Part 2, we'll use the power of loops and lists to create an EPIC 7-turtle race! This is where your Python skills really shine!

Project Guideline

For the part 2 version of the project, recreate the program so that this time it uses loops to create multiple racing Turtles.

We will have 7 colours for each of the 7 Turtles, following the colour of "red", "green", "blue", "purple", "pink", "orange", "black".

Advanced Instructions:

:wrench: Step One: Setup for Multiple Turtles

Import these modules: a. Turtle Graphics module b. Time module c. Random module

For the line Turtle, we will have to use a longer line that extends from (0, -100) to (0, 100).

:clipboard: Step 2: Create Lists

We need two important lists:

1. A list called colours for the 7 colours as mentioned above.
2. A list called turtles without an item in it (empty list).

:bulb: Understanding Lists

Think of lists like a container that can hold multiple items. The colours list holds color names, while the turtles list will hold actual turtle objects!

:emoji: Step 3: Create Multiple Turtles with Loops

a. This turtles list will be used to append 7 Turtle() to it through a for loop with the range function in the length of the colours list.

b. By using the "# your own code" block, we can then give commands to each of those Turtles in the turtles list with the turtles[i] syntax.

For example:

turtles[i].shape("turtle")
turtles[i].color(colours[i])
turtles[i].penup()
turtles[i].goto(-100, 60 - i*20)
turtles[i].pendown()

The i is the index number of the for loop with the range function.

:warning: Advanced Concept Alert! The formula 60 - i*20 creates evenly spaced starting positions:

• Turtle 0: y = 60 - 0*20 = 60
• Turtle 1: y = 60 - 1*20 = 40
• Turtle 2: y = 60 - 2*20 = 20
• And so on...

This creates a nice vertical spacing of 20 pixels between each turtle!

:emoji: Step 4: The Grand Race!

After announcing the race begins, while race is running:

a. For x in turtles list:

i. x.forward(random.randint(1,3))

ii. Set the sleep time. The shorter the sleep time the faster the turtles run.

iii. if x.xcor() is greater than -10:

1. x will announce itself as the winner and the race ends with run set to False and add a break.

:bulb: Pro Racing Tip

Try setting sleep time to 0.01 for a super-fast, exciting race! The turtles will zoom across the screen!

:white_check_mark: Milestone Check #3

Your advanced race is complete when:

• :emoji: 7 different colored turtles appear
• :emoji: All turtles start at different positions
• :emoji: They race simultaneously using loops
• :emoji: The winner correctly announces victory
• :emoji: The race stops after a winner is found

:bulb: Advanced Tips:

• Remember how lists can have many different types of items in it? You can actually declare each item in a list as a Turtle(). This way, you can loop through a list of the Turtles and command them individually with their index number in the list such as turtles[i].
• You can set the sleep time to 0.01 in the final for loop to speed up the race like the example output below.

:hammer_and_wrench: Debugging Guide for EduBlocks

Having trouble? Here are common issues and solutions:

Common EduBlocks Issues:

1. "Turtle not defined" error

   • Make sure you imported the turtle module first!
   • Check that import blocks are at the very top

2. Turtles not moving

   • Verify your while loop condition (run = True)
   • Check that random.randint() is inside the loop
   • Make sure blocks are properly connected (indentation)

3. All turtles the same color

   • Check your colours list has all 7 colors
   • Verify you're using colours[i] not just "red"

4. Race never ends

   • Check your win condition (xcor() >= -10)
   • Make sure you set run = False when someone wins
   • Don't forget the break statement!

5. Blocks won't connect

   • Some blocks only fit in specific places
   • Try deleting and re-adding the block
   • Check you're using the right block type

:star2: Make It Your Own - Advanced Edition

Take your 7-turtle race to the next level:

• Add a betting system - Let users pick a turtle to win!
• Create lane markings using additional turtle objects
• Add a countdown timer before the race starts
• Track race statistics - How many pixels did each turtle travel?
• Create a tournament mode - Best of 3 races!
• Add special abilities - Maybe one turtle gets a speed boost?

:white_check_mark: Required Elements Checklist

Make sure your Racing Turtles project includes:

• :emoji: Complete Part 1 implementation with all specified steps
• :emoji: Part 2 advanced version with 7 turtles using loops
• :emoji: Proper module imports and turtle setup
• :emoji: Race logic with random movements and win detection
• :emoji: Correct use of "# your own code" blocks

:bulb: Final Check

Run your program 3 times to make sure:

1. Different turtles win each time (randomness works!)
2. No error messages appear
3. The winner announcement displays correctly

:dart: Learning Connections

In this project, you've practiced real Python programming concepts:

• Game Loops - The while loop that keeps the race running is used in all video games!
• Random Events - Just like dice rolls in board games
• Lists and Loops - Essential for managing multiple game objects
• Coordinate Systems - Foundation for all computer graphics
• Event Detection - Checking win conditions is crucial in game design

:emoji: Project Submission

When you have completed your "Racing Turtles" project, submit it using the link below: Submit Your Project Here

:warning: Before You Submit! Test your program thoroughly:

1. Run the advanced version at least 3 times
2. Check that all 7 turtles appear and race
3. Verify the winner announces correctly
4. Make sure there are no error messages

Note: You need to submit 1 project link for this project - the advanced version (Part 2) which incorporates all the concepts from Part 1.

:tada: Congratulations!

You've created an awesome turtle racing game! You've learned about loops, lists, randomness, and game logic - all fundamental concepts in programming. Keep experimenting and making it your own! :emoji::trophy: