This document introduces Scratch, a programming environment for creating computer programs and interactive stories. It outlines four lesson objectives: identifying the major parts of the Scratch environment; understanding how sprites and blocks work; understanding the concept of a computer program; and working with simple animation and sound. The document guides the reader through creating their first program involving a cat walking on a stage using sprites, costumes, scripts, and blocks. It also discusses parallel processing and tasks the reader with creating a dancing sprite program.

1. Scratching The Surface

2. Starter Activity: Scratch Website
Explore the scratch website
http://scratch.mit.edu
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3. Scratching The Surface
In this lesson you will learn about the Scratch
programming environment and the basic terms
used in the program. You will create your first
computer program based on a cat walk scenario.
Lesson
Objectives
 Identify the major parts of the scratch environment
 Understand how sprites and blocks work
 Understand the concept of a computer program
 Work with simple animation and sound

4. Watch the Scratch Intro video, this will introduce
you to Scratch and its screen layout.
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5. A Scratch program contains sprites (characters)
that “perform” on a stage. Sprites and the stage
have three kinds of properties (or settings).
Scripts: These are the instructions that control a
sprite. Scripts are made from blocks.
Costumes/Backgrounds: Costumes are “outfits” for
a sprite. Backgrounds are just like costumes but for
the stage.
Sounds: These are sounds that sprites or the stage
can use.
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6. Task 1: Up on the Catwalk
Follow the steps outlined in the Catwalk video
which is in the programming in scratch folder in
Groupwork to create your first computer
program.
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If you get struck, look back at the video.

7. Congratulations – you have just started your
journey to become a computer programmer!
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8. Putting Things in Order
•Blocks in the same script get executed (carried
out) in sequence, one after the other.
•Blocks in separate scripts can sometimes be
executed at the same time. This is called parallel
processing – having the computer do more than
one thing at a time.
•For example, if you have several scripts, they will
all get executed together when the green flag is
clicked.
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9. Task 2: Dance Away
Create a program to make a sprite dance in time to
music. Watch the Dancing Queen video which is in
the programming in scratch folder in Groupwork to
give you some inspiration.
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10. Plenary: Question 1
Look at the section of code below that controls a
sprite.
What you think the user will see when the green
flag is clicked.
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11. Plenary: Question 2
Look at the section of code below that controls a
sprite.
What do you think the user will see when the green
flag is clicked.
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12. Plenary: Question 3
In the stack of blocks below, how many times
does the sprite move 10 steps?
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13. Plenary: Question 4
A programmer wants the cat to dance to some
music. However, the cat doesn’t start dancing
until after the music has finished!
Why is this?
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14. Scratching The Surface
Keywords
 Identify the major parts of the scratch
 Understand how sprites and blocks work
 Understand the concept of a computer program
 Work with simple animation and sound
Objectives
 Sprites
 Blocks
 Costumes
 Processing
 Motion
 Control
 Coordinates
 Code
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