About Scratch
Scratch is a programming language that makes it easy to create your own interactive stories, animations, games, music, and art -- and share your creations on the web. As young people create and share Scratch projects, they learn important mathematical and computational ideas, while also learning to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively. It is developed by the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the M.I.T. Media Lab in Cambridge, Mass.
This handout covers the Basics of Programming with Scratch.
Where Do I Get Scratch?
To try the latest version of Scratch - Scratch 2.0 - visit the Scratch website at http://scratch.mit.edu/ and click "Create." Scratch 2.0 runs completely in the browser - there's no need to install it. There also is a downloadable version that works offline available at Offline Scratch.
What Can You Do with Scratch?
All can be downloaded and remixed if you have an account on the Scratch website
Good Project Ideas (these are simple projects that are doable in the time we have)
Tiger Tech Ed Best Student Projects (projects by GMS students)
Tiger Tech Ed Projects Fall 2016, Tiger Tech Ed Projects Spring 2016, Tiger Tech Ed Projects Fall 2015, Tiger Tech Ed Projects Spring 2015, Tiger Tech Ed Projects Spring 2014
In Class Demos < EXAMPLE SPRITES ARE HERE
Favorite Games (picked by Mr. H and other students)
Top Loved Scratch GAMES
Top Loved Scratch PROJECTS
Scratch Featured Projects
A Gallery of the Best Games (there are other galleries like this)
Another Best Games Gallery
> Find a game you like? Let me know
Assignments
See below for all learning projects. For the final project see Scratch Final Project.
Our Class Projects
Our Scratch lessons walk you through building eight different projects - each covering several new topics. Students will also choose two add-ons for each project to do as well.
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Lesson 1 - Gaming Story Create a simple gaming story in Scratch.
Covers: The basics of creating a Scratch project including how different blocks work to control a sprite, or character, in Scratch.
Add-Ons Choose TWO to do after completing the basic project (-30 per missing Add-On):
- Flicker: Program an interesting introduction to your project.
- Vector Characters: Learn about vector graphics, and edit or draw your own costume.
- Bitmap Characters: Learn about bitmap graphics and draw your own pixel character.
- Adding Sound: Add video game sound effects or music to your project.
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Lesson 2 - Racing Game Create a two-player racing game in which players control movement with the keyboard.
Covers: Keypress events, Movement, "Repeat" blocks
Add-Ons
Choose TWO to do after completing the basic project (-30 per missing Add-On):
- Change Up your Racetrack: Add a button that changes the racetrack backdrop.
- Costume Change: Change what the racers look like when a key is pressed.
- Step on the Gas: Change how fast the racers move, then make them slowdown on the grass.
- Crashing Sounds: Play a crashing sound each time the racers hit each other.
- Race Fans: Program a sprite to count down to the start of the race and cheer.
- Color Trail: Add a colorful trail effect to the racers.
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Lesson 3 - Maze Game Create a game in which the player guides a sprite through a maze
Covers: If-then statements (control flow), Boolean blocks (conditions), Events
Add-Ons
Choose TWO to do after completing the basic project (-30 per missing Add-On):
- Spinning Obstacle: Create a more challenging game by making an obstacle spin.
- Overtaken: Create an obstacle that slowly grows throughout the game.
- Revenge: Program the goal sprite to chase the player sprite.
- Keeping Time: Create a timer to keep score for this game, and program a way to store the fastest time.
- Redesign Your Maze: Change the look of the maze or draw your own!
- Tell a Story: Engage game players with an exciting story for your game.
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Lesson 4 - Platform Game Create and learn about platform games. You will program a player sprite to move and jump across platforms when the arrow keys are pressed. In order to win, the player sprite must make it across all the platforms and touch another sprite.
Covers: If Statements, Events, Movements
Add-Ons
Choose TWO to do after completing the basic project (-30 per missing Add-On):
- Time to Celebrate: Create a wild winning celebration using some of these ideas.
- Moving Platforms: Make your game more challenging by creating moving platforms.
- Shrinking Platforms: Create a shrinking platform to increase your game's difficulty.
- Splash! You Lose: Create a way for the player to lose in your game.
- Add Some Tunes: Add some background music to your game.
- Bug Fix: Land on Your Feet...or Not. Fix the bug that allows things other than a sprite's feet to keep it on a platform.
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Lesson 5 - Escape Game Create an escape game in which a player must avoid other sprites that move randomly. Users increase their score by avoiding these sprites.
Covers: Variables, Randomness, Events, Movement
Add-Ons
Choose TWO to do after completing the basic project (-30 per missing Add-On):
- Play a Sound if Caught: Add a sound to your game and program your project to play that sound.
- Play Your Game with a Friend: Program one sprite to be controlled by another player.
- Change Up the Player: Change up your player's costume whenever it touches another sprite.
- Speed Up the Chase: Make the game harder by making the chasers faster.
- High Score: Create a new variable that stores the game's current high score.
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Lesson 6 - Launcher Game Create a launcher game using key press events, clones, and variables. In this game, a player must launch and navigate a sprite across a screen of bouncing enemies.
Covers: Cloning, Increasing game difficulty, Variables, Keypress Events, Randomness
Add-Ons
Choose TWO to do after completing the basic project (-30 per missing Add-On):
- Finish Line Cheer: Program a sound to play if the player touches the finish line.
- Play with a Friend Option 1: Add a second player to the game.
- Play with a Friend option 2: Challenge a friend by having them control the enemies.
- Bonus Points: Create a sprite that, when touched, gives the player extra points.
- Shrinking Finish-Line: Program the finish line to get smaller as the player scores more points.
- Changing Level Design: Program the backdrop to change every time the player scores 5 points.
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Lesson 7 - Quest Game Learn how to use storytelling in video game design while building an RPG style Quest Game.
Covers: Events (broadcast)
Add-Ons
Choose TWO to do after completing the basic project (-30 per missing Add-On):
- Rearranging Furniture: Customize the look of each location.
- Peek-a-boo: Make the game more challenging by showing the object only if the character is nearby.
- Code a Conclusion: Add some slides to end the story when the player wins.
- Musical Objects: Add some interactive items that make sound when the character walks over them
- Obstacle Obstruction: Make the maps more realistic by preventing the character from running into obstacles, like trees or buildings.
- Hide and Seek: Hide the object in a random location each time.
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Lesson 8 - Cave Surfing Game Create a game with a side scrolling background (similar to the popular game Flappy Bird). In this game, the player sprite moves up and down to avoid obstacles.
Covers: Scrolling backgrounds, If Statements, Random Operators, Motion Blocks, Key Press Events
Add-Ons
Choose TWO to do after completing the basic project (-30 per missing Add-On):
- Placeholder
- Placeholder
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Other Scratch Learning Resources
Keypress events
Movement
"Repeat" blocks
If-then statements (control flow)
Boolean blocks (conditions)
Topics Reinforced
Events
Spinning Obstacle
Create a more challenging game by making an obstacle spin.
If Statements
Topics Reinforced
Events
Movement
Can you confirm that all 164 money needs to be spent by the end of March like in previous years?
Rearranging Furniture
Customize the look of each location.
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