Unpack Code Jumper

13 minutes

Code Jumper is designed for students aged 7-11 and works by physically connecting command pods to create a sequence of code. Usually, a program is made up of text commands, but each of the Code Jumper command pods functions like the text-based commands. When a command pod is connected to the program, the corresponding text line of code appears in the Code Jumper app. Pressing play on the Hub or in the app, plays the sounds in the order they were sequenced with the command pods attached to the Hub. Trial-and-error continues as students test their theories physically with the command pods, or by reading the screen, visually or with a screen reader. 

Code Jumper user guide

Code Jumper components

The Hub is where it all begins. The Hub is the largest of the components and connects the Command pods to the app.

Command pods function like lines of written code and each carries out a different type of command. There are five different types of command pod that are white with a different secondary color. Each pod is shaped similar to a computer mouse.

Hub

The Hub has two buttons, play and stop, and four ports along the edge that allow Command pods to be plugged into it. Play is a blue triangle-shaped button that plays the program’s sounds, also known as “running the code.” The stop button is square-shaped and stops the program from running. Pressing the play and stop buttons together reads the program aloud.

Play pod—two blue dials

The play pod represents one play command in the physical program and a line of code in the block code in the app.

Pause pod—one orange dial

The pause pod enables students to create a delay between two sounds in the middle of a sequence of code. The pause can range from 1/4 beat to two beats.

Loop pod—one yellow dial

The loop pod repeats a set of commands by adjusting the dial to the number of times students wish to repeat the commands by creating a physical loop.

Nested loop and extender cable

Loops within loops or, nested loops, can be created in a program and might require the use of the extender cable.

Selection and merge pods—two green dials and no dials

The selection pod (two green dials) allows different paths to be taken through a program depending on the values set on its two dials. These are the "if/else" statements in Code Jumper.

The merge pod (no dials) allows two paths from the selection pod to join back together.