If you like mazes and puzzle games, you will enjoy programming Karel the Robot. Just like a real robot, Karel moves, turns, picks up objects, places them in containers and avoids obstacles. Karel is easy to code using simple commands such as go, left, right, get, and put. Write code to solve a problem, then run Karel through the maze to test and debug your code. You will learn how to control repeated actions, then program Karel to handle the unknown! Finally, organize your code like a pro with defined commands. Enjoy the scenery, and don’t run into any scorpions!

What Does Karel Teach?

Karel is a great introduction to scripted programming. Students can concentrate on learning logic while they practice typing the Python-based code in their native language (English, Spanish, and more). They can step through their code line by line and retry as many times as needed, practicing their debugging skills and building their confidence. Students will learn the following skills: Games 1-3 – scripted sequences with basic commands; Games 4-6 – loops to control repeating patterns; Games 7-9 – if-else statements to detect and respond to conditions; Games 10-12 – while-loops to control repeating code sequences until a condition is no longer true; Games 13-15 defined keywords to define code that will be reused in the program. These are all valuable concepts that will set students up for successful coding. NCLab’s complete, self-paced Karel course consists of 225 levels, including advanced concepts such as recursion, Python lists, random functions and more.

Try NCLab’s Karel App

Visit NCLab’s Free Apps to view other people’s projects, or create your own. In order to save projects and share them online, you will need to create a free user account in NCLab at nclab.com/sign-up/.

Request a Free Classroom Trial For The Complete Karel Course

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