Scratch programming environment and graphical editor
What is Scratch and how does it work?
Scratch enables learners to use coding in a visually appealing manner through block-based programming.
Scratch is a free programming language tool that allows learners to learn to program in an engaging, visual way.
Scratch is a great way for teachers to introduce students to the world of coding, as it is a fun coding tool designed for learners eight years and older.
Through the use of block coding, students can create animations and images that can then be published after the project is completed. This makes it ideal for teaching, especially remotely, where teachers can assign students tasks to complete and share.
What is Scratch?
As mentioned, Scratch is a programming tool created as a free way to teach people how to code. The idea was to offer a visually appealing platform that creates an end result that can be enjoyed while learning the basics of coding along the way.
Scratch allows students to mix projects such as animation, video games, and more using sounds and images - all through a blockcode-based interface.
The platform, developed by the MIT Media Lab, is available in at least 70 languages worldwide. At the time of publication, Scratch has over 67 million projects with over 64 million users. The website with 38 million monthly visitors is very popular for learning how to work with block code.
Scratch targets children between the ages of 8 and 16. It was launched publicly in 2007 and has since had two new iterations that have allowed it to move from the Squeak coding language to ActionScript and the latest JavaScript.
Coding learned with Scratch can be useful in potential future coding and programming studies, as well as in job opportunities. Although, to be clear, Scratch is block-based - which means it is easy to use and requires students to order pre-written commands to create actions. But this is a great starting point.
How does Scratch work?
Scratch 3.0, the latest version at the time of publication, includes three sections: the work area, the block palette, and the coding area.
The work area shows results such as animated video. The block pane is where you can find all the commands to drag and drop into your project through the coding area.
You can select the symbol for the sprite, and commands can be dragged from the Blocks Palette to the encoding area, which allows the sprite to perform actions. So, for example, from a cartoon cat, you can take 10 steps forward.
This is a very basic version of coding that teaches students more about the event-based coding process than the deepest language. However, Scratch does work with a host of other real-world projects like LEGO Mindstorms EV3 and BBC Micro: bit, bringing more potential results from the coding platform.
Want to build a real robot and make it dance? This will allow you to encode some of the movement.
What are the best Scratch features?
Scratch's biggest attraction is its ease of use. Students can have fun and exciting results relatively easily, encouraging future use and deeper learning about programming.
The online community is another powerful feature. Because Scratch is so widely used, there are many interactive possibilities. Site members can comment, mark, add to favorites and share projects of others. Scratch Design Studio challenges often arise that encourage students to compete.
Educators have their own ScratchEd community where they can share stories and resources, and ask questions. A great way to come up with fresh ideas for future projects.
Using a Scratch teacher account, you can create student accounts for easy management and direct commenting. You need to request to open one of these accounts directly from Scratch.
Besides using Scratch to control objects in the physical world like LEGO robots, you can also encode digital use of musical instruments, motion detection with a camera, text-to-speech, translation with Google Translate, and more.
How much does Scratch cost?
Scratch is completely free. It's free to register, free to use and free to collaborate with. The only case where costs can be incurred is when connecting to an external device. LEGO, for example, is standalone and needs to be purchased to be used with Scratch.
Take the course on programming from scratch "Programming environment and graphic editor Scratch." Learning programming with Scratch can open up many new job opportunities in the exciting field of technology!
What is Scratch Programming for Kids?
Scratch is an event-driven, block-based visual programming language ideal for kids ages 8-16. Developed by MIT Media Lab and Playful Invention Company.
It was first developed in 2003 with the goal of teaching children to program in a simple way. However, today, people of all age groups are using Scratch to get started on their programming journey. Scratch is used in over 150 countries and translated into 60+ languages. Students of all specialties and disciplines (mathematics, humanities, social sciences) learn to program in Scratch, as it allows them to develop the right skills needed for the 21st century. It helps them think creatively while working, learning, and working together as a team.
The name Scratch comes from a process called scratching, which DJs use when recordings are put together to create different types of sound effects. Just as DJs mix different types of sound to create music, a programming language, Scratch also mixes graphics and sound to create video games and animations.
The team's slogan "Imagine, Program, Share" encourages the student community to share and reuse codes, ideas, and projects. The team emphasizes that students are “reworking” other people's projects. It simply means that the Scratcher (the person who uses Scratch) makes a copy of a project already made by someone in the community and adds their own elements and changes. The Scratch team says this is a great way to learn and bring creative ideas to someone who is just starting out. Even minor changes are considered a remix. However, Scratcher has to do justice to the original creator.
Understanding Scratch
Scratch's user interface is very simple and easy to understand for children. There are four main elements:
The scene area is where all the results will be displayed.
Sprite is the protagonist of the project created by Scratcher. Each sprite is programmed with a script.
Blocks palette - the number of blocks with commands present on the left side of the screen.
Coding area - where blocks are dragged from the blocks palette.
The Blocks Palette has different types of blocks for programming a sprite. They are used to generate code. Each type of block has its own shape and is folded like a puzzle. This helps prevent syntax errors. The different types of blocks, depending on their shape, include hat blocks, C blocks, reporter blocks, logic blocks, cover blocks, and stack blocks.
When several blocks are connected in series, it becomes a script. There are ten block categories available in the latest version of Scratch.
What is a Scratch Community?
Scratch Programming for Kids is a huge community where learners and mentors come together to share their progress and knowledge. All students from scratch get access to the online community. Participating in these conversations can help children explore different student projects, gain new ideas, experiment, and learn in a friendly environment.
The community is made up of members of different ages, interests and backgrounds. It is a collaborative and open learning community, where students at different stages of the educational process share their successes and ideas, and mentors on the platform share feedback.
It helps children grow up in a peer learning environment, helps them communicate better. Getting to know a variety of people and their ideas will help children understand different points of view and solutions to the same issue. At the same time, it will also help them develop critical skills.
The MIT Scratch Team ensures the safe participation of all of its members. Each member must adhere to the principles of the online community as they have a strict privacy policy.
Why Scratch?
Coding from scratch for kids is a great way to start your coding journey. Once a child is comfortable with the smallest details of a programming language and understands the basics, he will be able to move on to more complex languages. Scratch acts as a fun starting point on the kids' coding journey, there are many benefits to getting started with coding from scratch. Let's take a look at some of them.
Helps them plan better
To create any kind of game or animation, the child first needs to plan a course of action. This means they need to plan out the background, elements and theme of the product they are creating. Collectively, it becomes a game or animation. This step-by-step planning and organizational skills will help them become better in their future.
Curate their creativity
Scratch is a block-based programming language. Creators can choose and create their own characters, background and theme. Scratch is a platform on which children can create endless projects based on their imagination, which enhances their creativity and makes them more innovative.
Introducing children to Scratch can help them become familiar with basic programming concepts. Thus, they become familiar with the practical aspects of mathematics and science, including x-y coordinates, degrees, gravity, speed, and so on. This allows them to make significant progress in the learning process. They can also understand the main benefits of programming at a young age, which will better prepare them for the future.
Scratch vs Scratch Jr
Scratch Jr is very similar to Scratch but has a simpler interface. Scratch Jr is ideal for kids ages 5 to 8. While Scratch is perfect for kids between the ages of 8 and 16. Users simply need basic reading skills to get started with Scratch Jr. It is available on iOS, Android and Chromebook.
Using iconic blocks, kids can create their own animated stories with different backgrounds and create many interesting play projects.
In other words, Scratch Jr is a simpler version of Scratch. Kids can develop their creativity with Scratch Jr without necessarily having knowledge of math or science.
Children can create their projects using sprites or the main character of their project. Scratch Jr comes with a well-equipped sprite library to choose from. You can always customize the sprite using the Paint Editor tool. Dragging and dropping blocks into the encoding area forms a sequence. The blocks are based on pictograms, and it is like putting together the pieces of a puzzle.
Scratch Jr's user interface is quite simple compared to Scratch. Only the main categories of blocks are available on the platform. This makes it easier for the user to understand.
What is the ideal age group to learn Scratch?
People of all age groups are starting to learn to program with Scratch. However, it is ideal for young children between the ages of 8 and 16. Scratch Jr, on the other hand, is perfect for kids ages 5 to 7.
Can I use Scratch offline?
Yes, you can download the Scratch app from the official Scratch website or from any app store to your device. This allows you to work on your project without an Internet connection. The Scratch application allows you to create Scratch projects without an Internet connection.
What are the system requirements for using Scratch?
Scratch can work seamlessly on your web browsers, desktops, laptops and tablets. You can also view your projects on your phone, but you cannot edit them. Officially supported desktop browsers are Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari. On tablets, these are Mobile Chrome, Mobile Safari.
How do I generate ideas for my Scratch projects?
You can start by “remixing” the available projects in the Scratch community. Remixing simply means that you can make changes and modifications to an existing project. This will help you get creative and be a good starting point. However, always remember to give credit to the original creator of the project. You can refer to the Ideas section of the community to get started on your project.
Is Scratch Easy to Learn?
Scratch is easy for beginners to learn because it uses visual elements and a simplified drag-and-drop function. It was created especially for children with the main purpose of giving them an early introduction to the basics of coding and programming.
Despite Scratch's simplicity, it is good for teaching coding and allows children to create projects that have a relatively high level of difficulty as they learn more and more.
Is Scratch suitable for beginners then?
Scratch is the best introduction to programming for beginners and young children. Simply put, it is a block-based programming language that helps make coding easier for beginners. It uses a drag and drop method that allows children to perform actions quickly and easily. This approach makes Scratch easy to learn and easy to get started with.
Things like missing commas and forgetting closing parentheses have been eliminated, allowing you to focus more on programming concepts.
Having started working with Scratch, children often take an interest in using more advanced programming languages.
Even if you don't want your child to become a top-notch programmer, but just want him to improve his approach to logical thinking as a beginner, Scratch is a good way to help. For example, in Scratch, children will face obstacles that they will have to overcome through systematic thinking and problem-solving logic.
Another aspect that makes Scratch beginner-friendly is that you don't always need a manual to get started. It is easy enough for most children to pick it up without assistance. As they progress and move forward, it is helpful to receive training and guidance, but it's pretty easy to get started.
To make things easier for beginners, the shape of each block tells the child when to use it. The blocks have grooves. The block can have a groove lower or higher and can be used to connect with other blocks. A block without a groove signals the impossibility of connecting. The blocks also have colors that allow young programmers to create mental associations with different computation concepts.
What age is Scratch programming good for?
Our Scratch courses are designed for children between the ages of 7-16. We offer the course "Programming environment and graphic editor Scratch".
With our course, kids can use Scratch to bring their imaginations to life in the form of games, stories and animations. Scratch was developed by the MIT Media Lab as a free block-based programming language for children ages 7 and older and is known for helping children develop creative thinking while improving their ability to reason logically.
We find that from the first moment a child uses Scratch for the first time, they are attracted to the fun elements. Fun is at the heart of what we do, as it is a great stimulus to learn.
Is Scratch Suitable for Learning Programming?
In the 21st century, when technology is developing at an unprecedented pace, children need to learn to speak the language of computers. Learning to code has amazing benefits for the mind and future of children, but one challenge that parents often face is deciding what is the best environment for children to start learning from.
While there is no “right” programming language for children, the goal of learning at this age should be to focus on fun and problem-solving skills.
Scratch serves as a good building block towards using traditional programming languages, so it is best viewed as an introduction to coding rather than a "professional" programming language.
When it comes time to move on to something a little more complex, Scratch will give your child a valuable head start in learning programming. Then children may be able to learn more complex languages. For example, children who switch to Python will see parallels with Scratch.
Scratch helps children learn certain programming concepts. These concepts include variables, loops, functions, conditionals, and lists. These concepts allow children to understand when and how to use them to code their algorithms.
Once they understand this and successfully create projects, it will be easy for them to learn other programming languages in the future.
Apart from the features that make it easier to learn Scratch, there is the fact that there are so many online communities dedicated to the platform. Plus, of course, there are courses like the ones we offer to help your kids take their skills to the next level.
Learn Scratch with us
We currently offer the course "Programming environment and graphic editor Scratch".
According to the creators, Scratch is and always will be free. No license is required to use Scratch at school or at home.
It's a fantastic idea that has helped literally millions of kids learn the basics of programming since its inception.
What programming concepts can Scratch teach?
• Variables
• Cycles
• if-else statements
• Conditions
• Game development
• Animation
• And much more!
Scratch itself is like a blank canvas for learning programming concepts. It is a place where young programmers can create their art and where they can improve their skills through experimentation and practice. As children learn what coding with Scratch has to offer, they can learn many different programming skills, from problem solving to analytical thinking, that will develop with them on their programming journey outside of Scratch.
Basic programming concepts
Much of working with any coding language is understanding the basic concepts that make coding work. Whether it's being able to systematically think about how the code will work, or diving deeper into how different parts of the code interact with each other, scratch coding can help kids learn the basics that support all kinds of programming languages.
Problem solving
The main goal of all programming languages is problem solving, and scratch coding is no exception. It could be building a straight line of code to move a sprite around the screen, or working on something they've already written, looking for an elusive error. Almost every step in Scratch coding involves learning one way or another to solve problems.
Project design
Plotting lines of code to make something happen is one thing, but understanding how those lines of code should be put together to form a coherent whole is another. Scratch coding can empower kids to think at a systemic level while working to improve the design of their project.
Why should kids learn Scratch?
Of course, many of these programming concepts can be taught across different platforms. After all, part of Scratch's strengths is that it has the same functionality as many traditional programming languages. For example, you can find loops and variables in Scratch just like you do in Python. So where do you start programming from scratch?
Ease of access
For the most part, this is how affordable Scratch is. No specialized software is required to work, only a web browser and an account. And because it uses block coding, it doesn't require as much attention to detail as text languages. An inappropriate block of code can still cause errors, but it is much easier to find it than a misplaced character in your code!
It breaks down the code into parts that are easier to understand so that children can develop their understanding at the same time that they are actively creating real code.
Productive learning
Scratch makes it much easier to create a coherent project than traditional text languages. This is actually much more important than you think!
Being able to support a project they are proud of can be a huge motivator for kids, and Scratch makes this possible earlier than most programming languages. This is largely due to its visual character.
Part of what's included in the Scratch framework is access to their library of sprites and backgrounds. It's part of what allows kids to quickly dive into work and get a real finished project, and it's a feature that is often lacking in other programming languages.
It's fun!
One of the best reasons to use programming from scratch for kids is simply because it's a lot of fun.
Children and adults are much more motivated to do enjoyable activities. Scratch turns learning coding into a hard puzzle instead of a chore, removing the burden of learning a ton of coding terms and focusing on concepts instead. This makes the transition from work to remuneration much easier.
This is a great strategy for getting students involved in the programming process.
Scratch Coding Activities and Resources
Interested in learning how to program in Scratch right now? Here are some great no experience activities to help you discover what Scratch is capable of!