Scratch Academy 1: Intro to Scratch
An introduction to the world of coding starts with tools, programs and educational products that allow students to create digital projects and products using block coding; a simple, easy to use and understand preliminary coding “language” for youth and students. This series will introduce student’s to MIT’s Scratch environment, and challenge them with LSA’s small series of mini challenges within Scratch.
Teacher and parent Prep: Remix some projects in the Scratch Studio and share your remixes with students so they can see examples of creative re-appropriation of the source projects!
Materials: Dani’s Room Scratch Play Environment
Objectives
-Develop familiarity with the scratch user interface
-Explore what it means to have an online account. What you can do with it, and what other people can see from you.
-Explore the topic of digital citizenship, and other online norms that students should look to, in order to keep their online presence positive, safe and productive.
-Learn how to log in and log out, and search for and select projects
Activity
Head to scratch.mit.edu
Have each student practice logging in and logging out at least once. Create a username and password that is easy to remember. Note: you do not need a login to remix (or, re-arrange to your liking) Dani’s rooms 1-5.
Explore “Dani’s Room 1”, making sure to Click, “See inside this project” in order to view and manipulate the code that makes it work! Do this after pressing the green play button to see what the cat sprite says!
Review code, and notice how to play, stop, and explore commands.
Explore the, “Wait,” “Play,” “Say” commands.
Remix (aka, play with commands to your liking) Dani’s room 1 to explore how to use “Wait,” “Play,” and “Say” commands.
Document your Learning
Download the Screencastify Video tool extension to your browser. Document your Scratch challenges by recording a short video of yourself answering the discussion question below! Save your journal’s URL for your own reference, or SHARE your video on Latino STEM Alliance’s Facebook page or @latinostem on Twitter to show us and your fellow students and community how your work with scratch has been going!
Discussion Questions
Digital Citizenship: What does it mean to be a digital citizen. What is private, and what is being shared? What is important information that you should not share? Explore this article by the International Society for Technology Education, for more topics to discuss with your students.
2. How can “Wait” be helpful? How can the “say” be useful?
More resources: explore the topics within this lesson
https://www.aeseducation.com/career-readiness/what-is-digital-citizenship
Credits: Daveywonder for Creating Dani’s Room for the Scratch Community to enjoy!