Scratch Block Coding

Get ready to jump into Scratch! Designed for young creators in grades 1 through 4, this beginner-friendly course introduces kids to the basics of programming in a fun and interactive way. Using Scratch’s colorful drag-and-drop coding blocks, students will learn how to create their own games, animations, and stories while developing essential problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.

This class is all about sparking creativity and building confidence. Through hands-on projects and playful exploration, kids will see how coding can be both fun and powerful. No prior experience is needed—just a love for learning and imagination!

What is Scratch?

Scratch is a free, beginner-friendly programming platform developed by the MIT Media Lab. Instead of typing lines of code, kids use colorful, LEGO-like blocks to create projects such as games, animations, interactive stories, and more!

With Scratch, kids can:

• Explore their creativity by designing their own interactive projects.
• Practice logical thinking while solving challenges and debugging.
• Learn to code in a creative and kid-friendly way.

What We’ll Explore:

1. Getting to Know Scratch
   • What is Scratch?
   • Navigating the Scratch interface
   • Creating your first project: make a character move and talk.
2. Building Blocks of Coding
   • Understanding Scratch blocks: motion, looks, sound, and events.
   • Sequencing: putting blocks together to make fun actions.
   • Debugging basics: fixing mistakes while coding (and why that’s okay!).
3. Creative Projects
   • Animating Your Imagination: Make characters dance, jump, and tell a story.
   • Design Your Own Game: Create a simple game like a maze or a race.
   • Interactive Art: Use coding to draw amazing patterns and designs.
4. Problem-Solving with Code
   • Using loops to repeat actions (e.g., make a character spin forever!).
   • Adding decisions with “if” statements (e.g., “If the cat touches a wall, say ‘Oops!’”).
   • Keeping track of points and scores with variables.
5. Exploring Advanced Fun
   • Adding sounds and music to bring projects to life.
   • Creating multi-level games with increasing challenges.
   • Collaborating and sharing projects with classmates.

By the end of this course, students will have built their own creative projects, gained confidence in their problem-solving skills, and learned that coding is an amazing tool for self-expression. Let’s code, create, and have fun with Scratch! 🐱