You can setup a new Scratch Account as a Teacher Account or request that an existing account be converted to a Teacher Account by emailing the Scratch Team at teacher-accounts@scratch.mit.edu.
What They Let You Do:
Setup classes and accounts for students:
You can upload a CSV file to set up classes or manually set students up individually or give students a class code to join your class.
You can change passwords on student accounts or require they change their password on their next login.
Students follow you and their classmates and you follow them when they join a class. This means their activity shows up on your What's Happening feed and you get messages of new activity in classes. You can also view activity for each class.
Students are automatically made curators of any Studios you create for their class so they can add their work to them.
You can remove comments your students make.
What They Don't Let You Do:
Students cannot login with Google Suite credentials.
Students must create a new Scratch account. They cannot join a class with an existing account.
Student accounts cannot be transferred to a new teacher next year.
You cannot delete a student account.
You cannot keep student projects in a "walled garden". They will be shared publicly. Students can turn off commenting on their projects.
You cannot see student work until it is shared.
For more information, check out the official Scratch Teacher Accounts video.
How Can Scratch be Integrated Into Curricular Areas?
Even without intentionally integrating Scratch, it will include a lot of critical thinking and persistence ... and lots of math!
Writing can and should be incorporated into any Scratch project. Before starting a major Scratch project, it is a good idea for students to plan the project first. Drawing and/or writing out the plan will give them something to refer back to when their project doesn't work. Storyboarding is one way to plan Scratch projects. This is what I use with my students for storyboarding large projects: Scratch Storyboard in Google Slides - Use File / Make a Copy to be able to edit this. Any storyboarding template could work or students can just write out a narrative of what their project will do. When a project is complete or as it progresses, students can reflect on the process, document the code they used, and even present their final projects.
Beyond this though, think of Scratch as another way students can show their knowledge. Instead of making a poster, they can make an interactive Scratch project. Instead of writing a report (or in addition to writing a report), students can create a Scratch project about the topic. Want students to practice math facts? Rather than having them use an app or website, let them create a math facts game and practice with that. Instead of just writing a story, have students write it and then program it to bring it life.
Computer Science:
Did you know that California is in the early process of writing K-12 Computer Science standards? Scratch is a great way to start teaching Computer Science programming standards now! Explicitly use terminology. Code.org and the K12 CS Framework both have glossaries of computer science terms.
Hands-on Activities:
If you do not have a Scratch account, now would be the time to create one if you want to share your projects. If you were previously saving projects to your computer or to Google Drive, you can open them again in Scratch after you are signed in and share them as well.
Select an activity from the ideas on the Curricular Activities page and create a project in Scratch. Also, Explore the Resources on ScratchEd for lots of ideas, lessons plans, and more. Use the Search and Explore options on the Scratch website for ideas.
Questions or comments? Contact Vicky Sedgwick