Scratch

The Challenge: Your challenge is to use Scratch to create an original game or animation. Scratch was created by MIT to help introduce coding to all. It uses what is called 'block' coding to help students learn the fundamentals of coding without having to learn a coding language first.

About Scratch

Careers with Code:

Why Coding is the most important Job Skill of the Future

https://careerswithcode.com/

*More Scratch resources below.

Challenge Resources:

Project Editor

When you create in Scratch, you will see this window, called the Program Editor. This is where you have all the resources and tools necessary to create your own program.

Stage

The stage of the Program Editor shows all of your current characters and objects. It is also where you can see your program in action as you edit it. What you see on the stage is how your program will actually look and behave, so refer to it often when developing and testing your program.

Sprite List

Scratch calls persons, places, and things “sprites”. All sprites used in your program show up in the sprite list. Scratch comes with a collection of pre-made sprites to use, but you can also upload or create your own if you cannot find exactly what you are looking for.

To find a new Sprite click on the character icon above the sprite list. This opens a Sprite Library. Simply choose a new sprite and it will be added to your sprite list and appear on the stage. To upload a sprite image, click the folder icon. To create your own, click the paintbrush icon.

Blocks

Blocks are commands that control the behavior of a sprite. For example, some blocks tell a sprite to move and turn. Others allow you to change the appearance of a sprite. Notice the shapes of different blocks - there are tabs and notches in each block to help you figure out how they fit together.

Scratch organizes blocks using palettes. The palette categories can be seen at the top of the blocks section. In art, the term “palette” refers to the board that holds paint. An artist picks colors from a palette to use in a painting. In Scratch, the word “palette” refers to the commands that are available to the computer programmer. Each color represents a different set of block commands.

The main Scratch palettes are Motion, Looks, Sound, Pen, and Control.

Scripts Area

This script tells the fish to move 10 steps, twice.

In order to control Sprites, you must drag the blocks into the scripts area of the workspace. Only the blocks in the scripts area control the sprites. This is where you create your program by combining blocks into chains of commands. Click the green flag to run the script, and then watch the stage to see how the sprite behaves.

Note: Every sprite you have in your program has its own script code. To switch between each sprite's script area, just click the "Scripts" tab above the blocks section and then select the sprite from the sprite list that you want to build a script for.

Tips and Help

Scratch includes Step-by-Step Guides and How To tips. Use these to help explore the Scratch Project Editor and to help answer questions. Refer to this section if you want a good introductory program example to get you started.

STEAM U Levels:

GREEN CIRCLE (1 PT.)

Create a Scratch account. You can use the class account which is written on the whiteboard or you can create your own account using your school email. You need to create an account in order to save your work.
Watch the Introductory Videos to learn how to do write basic block coding to make your objects move, spin, change color, glide, 'talk', jump, walk, change costumes, looks, and more.
Create your own original animation. Length does not matter.

BLUE CIRCLE (2 PTS.) IN ADDITION TO ALL IN THE GREEN CIRCLE....

Create an original animation or game that includes at least 4 different type of command blocks. Blocks include:

- - Be sure to mention the 4 types of blocks you used in your presentation.

If you make an animation must be long enough to tell a story with a message and a beginning, middle and end.
If you make a game, it must be a working game with a goal and way to 'win'.

BLACK DIAMOND (3PTS) IN ADDITION TO ALL IN THE GREEN CIRCLE AND BLUE SQUARE...

Must use 8 types of block commands that MUST include SENSING, OPERATORS and if it is a game it must also include DATA.
There must be audio files integrated to either your animation or game.
If making an animation, there must be a moral to the story, a message to which you hope to communicate to your audience.
If making a game, it must be multi-level with increasing difficulty. It must also be able to be played repeatedly without hesitation.