Hello, everyone! My name is Christen, but you might know me as ceebee. I’m part of the Scratch Team, and I work on making the Scratch community a fun and friendly place for everyone. Today, I want to tell you about some cool updates happening on Scratch!
On June 28th, you’ll see some changes to the colors on the Scratch website. The most noticeable change will be the Nav Bar at the top of your screen. It’s going to change from blue to purple! There will also be some smaller changes, like the color of alerts for your messages. But don’t worry, Scratch will still feel and work the same way you’re used to.
Here’s something exciting for those who love creating projects! In the project editor, you’ll now have the option to use high contrast blocks. These blocks are easier to read for some people. You can switch to this color mode in the editor, and if you change your mind, you can always switch back. We might even add more color options in the future!
We made these changes to make Scratch more accessible for everyone, including people with disabilities. We want to make sure everything on the site is easy to read, so more people can enjoy creating and sharing projects. All the changes follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, which help make websites better for everyone.
It’s important to us that Scratch is a place where everyone feels welcome. Our community is made up of people with different abilities, backgrounds, and cultures. This update is just one step toward making sure everyone can enjoy Scratch.
We also want to say a big thank you to everyone who gave feedback about the high contrast blocks in Scratch Lab. Your ideas helped us make the design even better. These changes only affect small parts of the site, so your overall experience in the community will stay the same.
We hope you have fun exploring the new high contrast blocks. Stay tuned for more exciting announcements in the future. Thanks for being part of the Scratch community, and keep on creating!
Explore the new high contrast blocks in Scratch by creating a simple project. Try using different color combinations and observe how they affect the readability and appearance of your project. Share your findings with the class and discuss which combinations work best for accessibility.
Imagine you are part of the Scratch design team. Create a new design for the Scratch navigation bar using colors that you think would be both attractive and accessible. Present your design to the class and explain your color choices.
Create a poster that explains the importance of accessibility in digital platforms like Scratch. Include information about the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and how they help make websites better for everyone. Display your poster in the classroom.
In pairs, role-play a scenario where one of you is a Scratch user providing feedback on the new high contrast blocks, and the other is a member of the Scratch Team. Practice giving constructive feedback and responding to it positively.
Create a storyboard for a Scratch project that promotes inclusivity and diversity. Think about how you can use characters, dialogue, and settings to convey a message that everyone is welcome and valued in the Scratch community.
Hello, everyone. My name is Christen, also known as ceebee, and I’m the community engagement manager here on the Scratch Team. I spend a lot of time thinking about and interacting with the Scratch online community. I’m here today to share some exciting updates with you all.
On June 28th, you’ll notice some changes to the colors on the Scratch site. The biggest change will be the Nav Bar at the top of your screen, which will change color from blue to purple. You may also see some smaller updates, like the alerts color for your messages, but the Scratch site will still feel and work the same.
Another exciting change will appear in the project editor. Scratchers will now have the option to use high contrast blocks, which will be easier for some people to read. You’ll be able to change this color mode inside the editor, and you can always switch back or choose not to use high contrast blocks at all. We may even introduce some new color mode options in the future.
We made these changes to make our site more accessible for everyone, including people with disabilities. We want to ensure everything on the site is easy to read so that more people can express themselves on Scratch. All of the changes we made meet Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, which you can learn more about in our announcement post in the forums.
It’s important that Scratch is inclusive for all users. We appreciate that our community consists of individuals with diverse abilities, backgrounds, and cultures. This is just one step toward ensuring everyone feels welcome on Scratch.
We also want to extend a special thank you to those who provided feedback about the high contrast blocks on Scratch Lab. Your suggestions helped improve the design. These changes only affect small parts of the site, and your experience in the community will remain unchanged.
We hope you enjoy exploring the new high contrast blocks and stay tuned for future announcements. Thanks, and Scratch on!
Scratch – A programming language and online community where you can create your own interactive stories, games, and animations. – Example sentence: In Scratch, you can make a cat dance by using different coding blocks.
Color – A property of objects that can be seen when light reflects off them, often used in computer graphics to make things look more interesting. – Example sentence: I changed the color of my character’s shirt to blue in my game project.
Blocks – Pieces of code that you can snap together to create programs in Scratch and other visual programming languages. – Example sentence: By connecting the blocks, I was able to make my character jump over obstacles.
Project – A task or activity that involves creating something, often using a computer program like Scratch. – Example sentence: My latest project in Scratch is a game where you catch falling stars.
Editor – A tool or software used to create and modify projects, such as writing code or designing graphics. – Example sentence: I used the Scratch editor to add sound effects to my animation.
Accessible – Easy to use or reach, especially for people who might have difficulties with technology. – Example sentence: Scratch is accessible to beginners because it uses simple drag-and-drop blocks.
Community – A group of people who share a common interest, like creating and sharing projects on Scratch. – Example sentence: The Scratch community is very supportive and always ready to give advice on projects.
Feedback – Information or opinions about how well you are doing something, often used to improve projects. – Example sentence: I received helpful feedback on my game, so I added more levels to make it better.
Explore – To look around and discover new things, often used when trying out different features in a program. – Example sentence: I like to explore different projects on Scratch to get new ideas for my own creations.
Fun – Enjoyable and entertaining, often a goal when creating games or animations on the computer. – Example sentence: Making my own video game in Scratch was so much fun!
