The Badge Archive

Conditional Simon Says

Fulfills Step 3 of GSUSA Junior Coding Basics badge requirements.

Info Needed for badge requirement: Many conditionals do rely on an event to “trigger” them, but they are distinct in purpose:

  • Event: Something that happens. It simply announces, “This is occurring!” For example, “It starts raining” or “A button is pressed.”
  • Conditional: A decision-making rule that determines what to do after the event. It asks, “Is this true or false, and what action should follow?” For example, “If it is raining (true), grab an umbrella. If it is not raining (false), wear sunglasses.”

Key Difference:

  • An event doesn’t inherently make decisions—it just happens and signals something.
  • A conditional steps in after an event and decides what action to take based on whether a specific condition is met.

Think of it like this:

  • Event: “Someone knocks on the door.”
  • Conditional: “If it’s your friend, open the door. If it’s a stranger, ask who it is.”

So yes, most conditionals do require an event to start the process, but events alone don’t involve the “if/then” logic that defines conditionals. “If you give a mouse a cookie, then he’ll be very hyper, else he’ll be normal.” If, then statements we use all the time. Else is just an addition for what would happen if the statement doesn’t happen. If/then/else are used in coding, called conditional. If something happens then what action is taken?

Items Needed

  • Area large enough to move around in without scouts bumping into each other.

Instructions:

Info Needed: “If you give a mouse a cookie, then he’ll be very hyper, else he’ll be normal.” If, then statements we use all the time. Else is just an addition for what would happen if the statement doesn’t happen. If/then/else are used in coding, called conditional. If something happens then what action is taken?

Practice conditionals with a modified Simon Says game:

  1. Choose one Scout to be the leader, and the rest are followers.
  2. The leader starts by giving two simple “If…Then…” instructions, such as:
    • “If I touch my nose, then you touch your nose.”
    • “If I jump once, then you jump once.”
  3. For the third instruction, the leader uses a different outcome, like:
    • “If I jump once, then you jump three times.”
    • “If I spin in a circle, then you clap your hands.”
  4. The leader performs the three “If” actions randomly, and the followers must remember and do the correct “Then” action for each.
  5. Switch roles so each Scout gets a turn being the leader.
Tia Kennard