Scratch

We’re going to start our investigations in computer science by taking a look at a programming environment called [|Scratch] (you can find it on your course DVD, if you want to use it at home). It’s an incredibly simple environment that can be coaxed into doing some pretty neat stuff.


 * Please bring headphones to class so that you can watch the tutorials and experiment with sounds!**

To help us investigate this environment, you are going to be working through the video tutorials found at [|learnscratch.org]. We will use their "Scratch 2" video series, starting [|here with lesson 1, unit 1]. You will work through all of these lessons, at your own pace. For each lesson, there is a short assignment that you will complete (I have chosen one of the extensions for you to work on). Make sure you save these, as I will want to see them.

Going through all of these tutorials will take some time. Once you have finished them all off, you are going to **create the coolest Scratch project you can think of**. The sky is the limit. To help you get an idea of what you might want to try, take a look at some of the projects from the [|"Scratch 3" video series].

Here are some neat examples of Scratch projects created by students taking an intro to CS class from Harvard:
 * [|Scratch Scratch Revolution]
 * [|Oscartime]
 * [|Soccer game]
 * [|Medieval story]



Selected Extensions/Assignments for the Scratch 2 video series
L1 (Lesson 1) - Experiment combining all actions (move and turn / pointing) in this lesson. L2 - Experiment by moving the sprite around the edge of the stage. L3 - Experiment by having two sprites bouncing off the edges of the stage. Experiment by adding sounds when the sprite bounces. L4 - Experiment by synchronizing changes of costumes and backgrounds. L5 - Experiment by having two sprites communicate in words and thoughts. L6 - Experiment by making several sprites appear and disappear. Experiment by controlling the layer relative position of several sprites.

Quiz 1 - See me.

L7 - Experiment by adding text and sounds to a simple story. L8 - Experiment by exploring the drum sounds in the Scratch libraries. L9 - Experiment by exploring the instrument sounds in the Scratch libraries. L10 - Experiment by having two or more pens draw together. L11 - Experiment by changing the size and shade of the color of the pen as it draws circles and rectangles.

Quiz 2 - See me.

L12 - Experiment by applying simultaneous controls to multiple sprites. Experiment by starting some actions and stopping others with the same controls. L13 - Experiment by applying the techniques seen in the tutorials (doing forever/repeating) to: two, three or more sprites. L14 - Experiment by creating two sprites (to draw circles and rectangles) controlled by the broadcast signal of a third sprite. L15 - Experiment by drawing circles when a condition is true (e.g.: the sprite is touching the edge.) L16 - Experiment by moving two sprites and stopping them when they collide.

Quiz 3 - See me.

L17 - Experiment by moving one sprite with the mouse and another with the arrow keys. L18 - Experiment by drawing circles when the sprite touches a green path of color. Experiment by playing a warning sound when the sprite gets to close to the edge. L19 - Experiment by resetting the timer each time a moving sprite bounces off the edge. L20 - Experiment by drawing squares using variables.

Quiz 4 - See me.

L21 - Experiment by using variables and arithmetic operators to draw circles of different sizes and colors. L22 - Experiment by using variables and comparison of numbers to change the background when the sprite moves close to the edges (for example: distance = 40.) L23 - Experiment by changing the background when one of two sprites (or both) touch a red square in the middle of the stage. L24 - Experiment by using a variable and the round operator to have the sprite move in discrete jumps.

Quiz 5 - See me.