Banana Tales

A Game-based Python course for kids ages 11-13

Sign Up Now

Free trial

python for kids
Previous
Next

AN UNFORGETTABLE TALE

Banana Tales is a fun coding game for 6th-7th graders. In the game, students need to help reunite twin baby monkeys who were separated after an earthquake hit. Along the way, students will tackle different coding concepts as they rebuild a baby monkey’s pathway back home.

Now offering interactive quizzes to reinforce student knowledge!

sign up now

CODING CONCEPTS TAUGHT

Python Fundamentals

  • Sequencing
  • Lists & Indexing
  • For loops
  • Variables
  • If/Else Conditionals
  • While Loops
  • Boolean Operators
  • Functions

Advanced Topics

  • Classes
  • Input
  • String manipulation
  • Advanced data types
  • 2D lists
  • Bubble sort

TEACH PYTHON BY HELPING A BABY MONKEY ON ITS WAY HOME

Game-based

In the game, twin baby monkeys were separated by an earthquake – leaving one of the monkeys with no way to get bananas! Now, it is up to your students to use code to rebuild the path and feed the baby monkey. Along the way, students will plan and program the game surroundings to code a path for the banana to get to the monkey. 

Learn Python

Help students learn fundamental and advanced Computer Science concepts in the programming language Python. Kids will develop and strengthen their skills in sequential programming, lists and indexing, for loops, variables, if else, while loops, Boolean operators, functions, classes and class objects, sorting, and various data structures.

Easy to Follow

The platform is intuitive and instructions are easy to follow. Every few challenges, new animals are introduced to help clear the path. After students write their code, they will click on the banana to get it moving along the path. Hints and tips are included every step of the way.

request a quote
Play Video

What are you waiting for?

Start teaching your students the basics of Python Coding and prepare them for the 21st century!

subscription plans

One hour of

banana tales

Teach Python by Helping a Baby Monkey

sign up for free

Save and view students progress,
get access to solutions and lesson plans

start playing

Log-in not required

Teach Students how to Code in Python

By introducing Banana Tales to your class, students will learn the fundamental and advanced computer science concepts used in Python. Along the way, students will develop and strengthen their computational thinking skills. Banana Tales will help students get closer to gaining the confidence they need to enter the real world of programming where they will build websites, apps and games.

banana tales

Students will advance through self-paced challenges where they will help deliver a banana to a hungry baby monkey.
start playing
log-in not required
python coding course

ABOUT BANANA TALES

HOUR-LONG VERSION

cute bird

30 levels

In an hour, students will progress through 21 fun coding challenges.

rat

6-8 Grade

Banana Tales is perfect for middle schoolers.

coding adventure turtle

Learn Python

Students will learn Python, a widely-used programing langauge

chicken laughing

easy to follow

The platform is intuitive and instructions are easy to follow.

teacher resources

teacher notes

Access CodeMonkey’s teacher notes for Banana Tales to learn all the tips and tricks on how to host an hour of code in your classroom.

Access notes

Full lesson plans available with a subscription

Standards alignment

5/5

Banana Tales aligns to the CSTA and Common Core standards so you know you are bringing a quality curriculum to your students.

View standards

For the full course

Looking for more content?

Go Beyond an Hour!

Prepare your students for a journey into the future by developing their coding skills today.
Find out more about our premium plans for schools.
sign-up

free trial, credit card not required

Banana Tales

common core state standards

MATH.PRACTICE.MP1

Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. Plans a solution pathway rather than simply jumping into a solution attempt.

MATH.PRACTICE.MP1

Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them. Uses concrete objects or pictures to help conceptualize and solve a problem.

MATH.PRACTICE.MP3

Construct viable arguments and critique others’ reasoning. Analyzes situations by breaking them into cases.

MATH.CONTENT.6.EE.A.2

Apply and extend previous understandings of arithmetic to algebraic expressions. Write, read, and evaluate expressions in which letters stand for numbers.

ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.3

Key Ideas and Details. Follow precisely a multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks.

ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.4

Craft and Structure. Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades 6–8 texts and topics.

ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.7

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas. Integrate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text with a version of that information expressed visually (e.g., in a flowchart, diagram, model, graph, or table).

ELA-Literacy.RST.9-10.4

Craft and Structure. Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades 9–10 texts and topics.

ELA-Literacy.RST.9-10.7

Integration of knowledge and Ideas. Translate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text into visual form (e.g., a table or chart) and translate information expressed visually or mathematically (e.g., in an equation) into words.

CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards

Level 1B (Ages 8-11)

Algorithms: Compare and refine multiple algorithms for the same task and determine which is the most appropriate. (P6 .3, P3.3)

Level 1B (Ages 8-11)

Variables: Create programs that use variables to store and modify data. (P5.2)

Level 1B (Ages 8-11)

Control: Create programs that include sequences, events, loops, and conditionals. (P5.2)

Level 1B (Ages 8-11)

Modularity: Decompose (break down) problems into smaller, manageable subproblems to facilitate the program development process. (P3.2)

Level 1B (Ages 8-11)

Modularity: Modify, remix, or incorporate portions of an existing program into one's own work, to develop something new or add more advanced features. (P5.3)

Level 1B (Ages 8-11)

Program Development: Use an iterative process to plan the development of a program by including others' ' perspectives and considering user preferences. (P1.1, P5.1)

Level 1B (Ages 8-11)

Program Development: Test and debug (identify and fix errors) a program or algorithm to ensure it runs as intended. (P6 .1, P6 .2)

Level 1B (Ages 8-11)

Program Development: Describe choices made during program development using code comments, presentations, and demonstrations. (P7.2)

Level 2 (Ages 11-14)

Variables: Create clearly named variables that represent different data types and perform operations on their values. (P5.1, P5.2)

LEVEL 2 (AGES 11-14)​

Control: Design and iteratively develop programs that combine control structures, including nested loops and compound conditionals. (P5.1, P5.2)

LEVEL 2 (AGES 11-14)​​

Modularity: Decompose problems and subproblems into parts to facilitate the design, implementation, and review of programs. (P3.2)

LEVEL 2 (AGES 11-14)​​​

Modularity: Create procedures with parameters to organize code and make it easier to reuse. (P4 .1, P4 .3)

LEVEL 2 (AGES 11-14)​​​

Program Development: Incorporate existing code, media, and libraries into original programs, and give attribution. (P4 .2, P5.2, P7.3)

LEVEL 2 (AGES 11-14)​​​​

Program Development: Systematically test and refine programs using a range of test cases. (P6 .1)

LEVEL 2 (AGES 11-14)​​​​​

Program Development: Document programs in order to make them easier to follow, test, and debug. (P7.2)

Levels 3A (Ages 14-16)

Variables: Use lists to simplify solutions, generaliz ing computational problems instead of repeatedly using simple variables. (P4 .1)

LEVELS 3A (AGES 14-16)​

Control: Justify the selection of specific control structures when tradeoffs involve implementation, readability, and program performance, and explain the benefits and drawbacks of choices made. (P5.2)

LEVELS 3A (AGES 14-16)​​

Modularity: Decompose problems into smaller components through systematic analysis, using constructs such as procedures, modules, and/or objects. (P3.2)

LEVELS 3A (AGES 14-16)​​​

Program Development: Document design decisions using text, graphics, presentations, and/or demonstrations in the development of complex programs. (P7.2)

LEVEL 3b (17-18)

Algorithms: Implement an artificial intelligence algorithm to play a game against a human opponent or solve a problem. (P5.3)

LEVEL 3B (17-18)

Algorithms: Use and adapt classic algorithms to solve computational problems. (P4 .2)

LEVEL 3B (17-18)

Algorithms: Evaluate algorithms in terms of their efficiency, correctness, and clarity. (P4 .2)

LEVEL 3B (17-18)

Variables: Compare and contrast fundamental data structures and their uses. (P4 .2)

LEVEL 3B (17-18)

Modularity: Demonstrate code reuse by creating programming solutions using libraries and APIs. (P5.3)

LEVEL 3B (17-18)

Program Development: Develop and use a series of test cases to verify that a program performs according to its design specifications. (P6 .1)

National curriculum in England

Key stage 1

Create and debug simple programs.

Key stage 1

Use logical reasoning to predict the behavior of simple programs.

Key stage 2

Design, write and debug programs that accomplish specific goals, including controlling or simulating physical systems; solve problems by decomposing them into smaller parts

Key stage 2

Use sequence, selection, and repetition in programs; work with variables and various forms of input and output

Key stage 2

Use logical reasoning to explain how some simple algorithms work and to detect and correct errors in algorithms and programs

KEY STAGE 3

Design, use and evaluate computational abstractions that model the state and behaviour of real-world problems and physical systems

Key stage 3

Understand several key algorithms that reflect computational thinking [for example, ones for sorting and searching]; use logical reasoning to compare the utility of alternative algorithms for the same problem

Key stage 3

Use 2 or more programming languages, at least one of which is textual, to solve a variety of computational problems; make appropriate use of data structures [for example, lists, tables or arrays]; design and develop modular programs that use procedures or functions.

Key stage 3

Understand simple Boolean logic [for example, AND, OR and NOT] and some of its uses in circuits and programming;

Key stage 4

Understand how instructions are stored and executed within a computer system;

Have questions? Email us