Get started or add to your Scratch skills by using this blog! Share the link with your friends!
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Alex Wagner, creator and team leader
What is Scratch? Scratch is a programming tool created by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to help young people learn coding. Scratch is perfect for creating video games and all kinds of simulations. All of the coding instructions in Scratch are colored blocks that you drag into a programming window and connect together to create all or part of a program. All of the software is contained on-line so there is nothing to download to your computer. You can also use it on phones and tablets. By creating an account for yourself, you can create and run programs from anywhere in the world. You can also look at millions of programs created by people around the world and see the exact code that was written. You can even use parts of other people’s code in your own programs!
Why learn Scratch? Scratch is completely safe to use, with no risk of computer viruses getting on your computer. Scratch might be the most fun and valuable language for learning the basic concepts of coding. Many high-school and college students, and adult coders, say that Scratch was the most valuable tool they had when they were younger for learning coding languages like Java, Python, JavaScript and C. You can even create and upload your own photos, sounds and images to include in your games. AND, there are thousands of YouTube videos to learn everything from the simplest to the most complex programs you can imagine.
How to get started: Create an account at www.scratch.mit.edu. You will need an email account and must create a password.
At the top left of the screen, click “Tutorials.” Then click the first program “Getting started”. Then look at other Tutorials to start learning basic skills. You can also look at Explore and Ideas tabs at the top menu bar for more examples.
NOW, START PROGRAMMING!
Beginner Programmer Challenge #1. Create an account. Create and save a program that makes the cat spin 3 times to the left and 3 times to the right. Save your program. Click “Share” in the menu bar at top of the screen. Add a comment to the blog post and give the name for your program so others can see it. (how is this done?)
Beginner Programmer Challenge #2. Make a new project and create a program that moves the cat left when the left arrow key is pressed, and moves it right when the right arrow key is pressed. Share your program and give the program name as a comment in the blog posts.
Beginner Programmer Challenge #3. Go to this Scratch program “https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/378134270/”. Click “Look inside” at the top right of your screen. Click the green flag to play the project. The cat is stuck and cannot pass the purple line. Without adding or removing any blocks, find a way to get the cat to the other side of the line. Also, just dragging the cat to the other side of the line is cheating.
Intermediate Programmer Challenge #1: Create a program that allows the cat to move up, down, left, and right using the arrow keys. (Hint: The “Move __ Steps” block is not needed; instead use the “change x by __” and “change y by __” blocks.)
Intermediate Programmer Challenge #2: Make a “Forever If” loop that does anything you want
Advanced Programmer Challenge #1: Make a new sprite and use the paint tools to make a maze. Make it so if the cat touches the walls of the maze, it gets sent back to the start. (If the cat is too big for the maze, use the “set size to __” block to make it smaller.)
Advanced Programmer Challenge #2: Add a goal/finish line in your maze. From there, either make a new level for your game, or make your character do whatever you want as a little victory dance.
FAQs
Marty the Robot
Along with programming in JavaScript and Python for older students, your Marty V2 is also programmable using Scratch. Scratch is certainly the easiest way for students to program their Marty. There is a Scratch 3 platform that's accessible through the Robotical website.
What code do you use to code a robot? ›
The C/C++ language is one of the most widely used programming languages in robotics. The Arduino microcontroller uses a programming language based on C and is a great way to learn the basics of this important language whilst doing hands-on robotics.
What is the Scratch question answer? ›
Explanation: Scratch is a visual programming language that is designed for beginners to learn programming concepts. It uses a block-based interface where users can drag and drop different blocks to create interactive stories, games, and animations.
Where is answer in Scratch? ›
The answer block consists of the most recent input typed by the user and erases any previous inputs typed by the user. You can find the answer block in the sensing block.
What does the when green flag clicked block do? ›
The when green flag clicked block runs code when you click on the green flag above the Stage to run your project. Drag a when green flag clicked block above the move block so that they snap together. Tip: Scratch blocks are colour-coded, so you will find the when green flag clicked block in the Events blocks menu.
Is Scratch coding real coding? ›
Scratch is the world's largest coding community for children and a coding language with a simple visual interface that allows young people to create digital stories, games, and animations.
Does Scratch actually teach coding? ›
Scratch was developed to provide a cost-free and visually appealing coding platform for children that generates a product while teaching the fundamentals of coding. Here are the main features of Scratch: Teaches children how to write code in a visually eloquent manner.
Does Scratch actually help with coding? ›
Teaches fundamental coding concepts: Scratch is a great way to learn fundamental coding concepts, such as loops, conditionals, and variables, in a hands-on and interactive way. These same concepts are later used in even more complex real-world programming languages such as Python.
What are the three codes of robotics? ›
A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm. A robot must obey orders given it by human beings except where such orders would conflict with the First Law. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
Is Python or C++ better for robotics? ›
However, for students who are serious about robotics and want to build complex systems, learning C++ is essential. Python, on the other hand, is an easier language to learn because it has a simpler syntax and requires less knowledge of computer architecture.
Tabnine is an AI code completion tool that utilizes deep learning algorithms to provide the user with intelligent code completion capabilities. Tabnine supports several programming languages such as Java, Python, C++, and more. This tool is open-source and is used by leading tech companies like Facebook and Google.
Is Scratch good or bad? ›
scratch is a good coding website, but get this, the moderation is absolutely horrible. for example, many people get mass-reported and banned for no reason, likewise my account, Iamdudeboy, which got banned for self injury when i had just gotten off it.
What kind of coding is Scratch? ›
Scratch uses block coding. Block coding turns programming into a drag-and-drop process by converting text-based code into visual blocks. Each block performs a different task, similar to a function in code languages. To write a program, kids combine blocks to create animations and games.
What language is Scratch written in? ›
Scratch 3.0 is JavaScript-based, 2.0 is programmed in ActionScript, and the 1. x versions were based on Squeak, which itself is based on Smalltalk-80. 2.0 had an experimental JavaScript-based interpreter that was being developed in parallel with the ActionScript version.
How can you add question and answer in Scratch Javascript? ›
You do this using a Sensing block called Ask and wait , which you can type a question into. Pull the Ask and wait block into your sprite panel and change the question to How many steps should I grow by? Now you've got your program asking a question, you need it to remember the answer!
How do you write a question and answer? ›
6 Proven Tips for Writing Impactful Answers
- Make use of the extra 15 minutes provided. ...
- Attempt question in the right order. ...
- Underline important words. ...
- Answer only one question in 'or' questions. ...
- Maintain clarity and neatness. ...
- Write to the point precise answers.
Explanation: Questions that require a simple 'yes' or 'no' are of limited value. To be effective, you should ask searching questions based on 'what', 'when', 'where', 'why' and 'how'.
How do you add a question tag? ›
Sentences with action verbs in the simple present tense form a question tag using the verb 'do/does' and its corresponding negative form. For example: He teaches Chemistry, doesn't he? A sentence in the past tense will have question tags formed using the verb 'did'.
