Scratch is an amazing tool that helps kids learn how to code while having fun. Developed by experts at MIT, Scratch is based on a teaching method that encourages learning by creating. It’s free to use online, but you need Flash to run it. While there are no official apps, younger kids might enjoy using Scratch Jr., which is a simpler version. Older students might find other coding tools more suitable as they advance.
When you visit the Scratch homepage, you’ll find three main sections: Create, Explore, and Tips. The Create section is where the magic happens! Here, you can build your own projects by adding characters called sprites and backgrounds known as backdrops. You can use visual blocks of code to make your sprites move and talk. You can also change how they look with costumes and add sounds to make your projects even cooler.
Let’s see how Scratch works. Imagine you have a sprite, and you want it to say “hello” when you click on it. You can use a “when clicked” block and connect it to a “say hello” block. Now, when you click the sprite, it will greet you! You can also choose different backdrops and add more sprites. You can pick from a library, draw your own, or upload images. You can even take pictures with your camera and use them in your projects.
Scratch offers lots of creative freedom, and if you ever need help, there’s a question mark in the corner that opens the tips menu. This menu has step-by-step guides to help you start new projects, a how-to section for common tasks, and explanations of different coding blocks. On the homepage, you can also find tutorials and starter projects that give you a head start.
One of the coolest things about Scratch is the studios feature. Here, you can group projects that share a theme. You can see how others made their projects by clicking “see inside” and even remix them to create your own version. The Scratch community is full of kids sharing ideas and giving feedback, all in a safe and moderated environment. There are guidelines and forums to help you learn how to be a good digital citizen.
If you’re a teacher, Scratch has a special section just for you. By signing up for a teacher account, you can manage your students’ projects and comments. There’s also a Creative Computing Curriculum Guide, a detailed resource developed by Harvard, to help you integrate Scratch into your lessons. Plus, there’s a community of educators called Scratch Ed where you can share experiences and find resources for teaching with Scratch.
Scratch is a fantastic tool for learning and teaching coding. Whether you’re a student or a teacher, exploring Scratch can be a rewarding experience. If you want to learn more, check out reviews and share your thoughts with others!
Start by visiting the Scratch homepage and click on the “Create” section. Choose a sprite and a backdrop, then use the visual coding blocks to make your sprite move or say something. Experiment with different blocks to see what you can create. Share your project with your classmates and explain what you did!
Go to the “Explore” section on Scratch and find a project that interests you. Click “see inside” to understand how it was made. Try remixing the project by adding new sprites or changing the code. Share your remix with the class and discuss what changes you made.
Create or join a studio on Scratch. Choose a theme for your studio and invite your classmates to add their projects. Discuss the theme and how each project fits into it. This is a great way to collaborate and see different creative ideas.
Use the tutorials available on the Scratch homepage to learn a new skill. Choose a tutorial that interests you, follow the steps, and create a project. Present your project to the class and explain what you learned from the tutorial.
Organize a coding challenge with your classmates. Set a theme or a specific task, like creating a game or an animation. Use Scratch to build your project and present it to the class. Vote on the most creative or innovative project!
Here’s a sanitized version of the provided YouTube transcript:
—
Scratch is one of those EdTech tools that many others aspire to emulate. It’s grounded in constructionist pedagogy, supported by years of research at MIT, and has a thriving community of creative kids learning to code and communicate. Scratch is free and available on the web, although it requires Flash. There are no official apps, and it is suitable for all grades according to the Scratch team. However, for younger kids, they have an app called Scratch Jr. that may be a better fit. For older students, you might want to explore other tools that align more closely with high school sensibilities.
Here we are on the Scratch homepage, which has three main sections: Create, where you can create your projects; Explore, where you can find other people’s projects; and Tips, where you can get advice on how to create. Let’s delve into the Create section, as this is really the heart and soul of Scratch.
In this section, you can see what your project looks like. You can load in sprites (the characters) and backdrops (the backgrounds). There’s a library of scripts, which are the visual blocks of code that students can piece together to make sprites perform actions. You can also change the appearance of your sprites with costumes and add sounds to enhance your projects.
Let me show you how it works. We have our sprite, and we want to make it do something. We can use the “when clicked” block and add a “say hello” block. Now, when we click on this character, it will say hello. You can also select different backdrops and add new sprites to the scene. Importantly, for both sprites and backdrops, you can choose from a library, draw your own using Scratch’s built-in tools, or upload images from other art programs. You can even take pictures using your device’s camera and upload them.
There’s a lot of creative control for kids, and while they explore, it’s important to note the little question mark in the corner that opens the tips menu. This provides kids with options for learning more about getting started. There’s a step-by-step section that guides them through interesting projects, a how-to section that breaks down common tasks, and a blocks section that explains the different blocks available.
On the homepage, kids can also access the tips section, which includes step-by-step tutorials and downloadable instruction cards. There are starter projects available that provide more than just a blank canvas, giving kids something prepped to play around with.
One of the coolest aspects of Scratch is the studios feature, where students can curate sets of thematically aligned projects. This showcases both the creative potential of Scratch and the community aspect. Kids can view projects, click the “see inside” button to learn how they were made, and even click the remix button to create their own version of a project.
In each project, there’s a vibrant community of kids contributing thoughts and feedback, all moderated and organized. The Scratch site has great community guidelines and discussion forums where kids can learn to be responsible digital citizens.
If you’re a teacher interested in using Scratch in your classroom, I recommend checking out the “For Educators” section at the bottom of the Scratch homepage. This allows you to sign up for a teacher account, which takes about a day to process. With a teacher account, you can add your students, curate their projects, and monitor their comments.
Additionally, take a look at the Creative Computing Curriculum Guide linked in the educators section. This PDF, developed by the Harvard Graduate School of Education, is one of the best implementation guides for an EdTech product. It’s comprehensive, at 154 pages, and provides everything you need to know about integrating the creative computing process into your classroom.
There’s also a community of educators called Scratch Ed, where you can discuss questions and share experiences with other educators. This community is active, similar to the student forums on Scratch, and features stories from educators about how they’re using Scratch in their classrooms. You can find a wealth of resources across all grades and subjects, with particular strengths in middle and elementary school.
While this may seem like a lot to take on, reviewing the Creative Computing Curriculum Guide and learning how to implement Scratch can be a worthwhile investment of your time. It offers significant benefits as a tool you can use regularly in your classroom throughout your career as an educator.
That’s an introduction to Scratch. If you’re interested in a more in-depth analysis and a learning rating of Scratch, check out our review on Common Sense Education. Feel free to share your thoughts on Scratch in the comments!
—
This version removes any informal language and maintains a professional tone while summarizing the key points.
Scratch – A free programming language and online community where you can create your own interactive stories, games, and animations. – Example sentence: In Scratch, you can make your own games by dragging and dropping code blocks.
Coding – The process of writing instructions for a computer to understand and execute. – Example sentence: We are learning coding in class to create our own computer programs.
Sprites – Characters or objects in a Scratch project that can be programmed to move and interact. – Example sentence: I added a cat and a dog as sprites in my Scratch game.
Projects – Completed creations in Scratch that can include games, stories, or animations. – Example sentence: Our teacher asked us to share our Scratch projects with the class.
Blocks – Pieces of code in Scratch that you can snap together to create a program. – Example sentence: By connecting different blocks, I made my sprite dance across the screen.
Community – A group of people who share their Scratch projects and ideas online. – Example sentence: The Scratch community is a great place to find inspiration and learn from others.
Teachers – People who help students learn how to use Scratch and understand coding concepts. – Example sentence: Our teachers showed us how to use Scratch to make a simple animation.
Create – To make something new using your imagination and skills, especially in Scratch. – Example sentence: I love to create new games in Scratch during my free time.
Explore – To try out new things and discover how they work, especially in a coding environment like Scratch. – Example sentence: I like to explore different coding techniques to improve my Scratch projects.
Fun – Enjoyable and entertaining, especially when working on Scratch projects. – Example sentence: Coding in Scratch is so much fun because I can make my own games and animations.
