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Scratch Programming for Elementary School Students

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Eligibility: CTY-level or Advanced CTY-level math score required

Prerequisites: Completion of grade 2 in school. Students should complete the basic computer skills placement test to identify what areas they need to review before registering for this course. A strong grasp of the English language is recommended.

Course Format: Individually Paced

Course Length: Typically 3 months

Course Code: ESP

Course Description

Description

Scratch Programming for Elementary School Students has been developed to meet the interests of younger students. In this course, elementary school students (grades 3 through 5) will be introduced to fundamental programming concepts. Students will learn how to create animations, computer games, and interactive projects using Scratch, a graphical programming language developed at MIT. At the end of the course, students create their own computer game and share it with their CTY Online Programs instructor and classmates. No previous programming skills are required, but students should be comfortable using a computer and browser, and managing files. Students do not need to purchase any software or textbook.

Students who complete this course should not enroll in Scratch Programming for Middle School Students because it covers similar content. Students will be prepared to study more advanced concepts in the next level course, Advanced Scratch Programming.

This course does not have any synchronous class meetings, but students may schedule one-on-one virtual meetings directly with the instructor to answer questions or concerns.

Students may be invited to interact in CTY community spaces that include students and instructors and potentially specially invited guests that are not enrolled in their course. Student contributions (e.g., projects, forum posts, etc.) may remain in the course after the student completes the course. These artifacts may be preserved to showcase student work or to continue important conversations.

Materials Needed

There are no required materials for this course.

Detailed Course Information

What is SCRATCH?

  • Scratch Interface
  • Creating A New Scratch Project

Getting Started

  • Start Moving
  • Add a Sound
  • Start Dancing
  • Repeating Actions
  • Control Block – Green Flag
  • Change Color
  • Control Actions
  • Create a Sprite
  • Say and Think Blocks
  • Animation
  • Make a Block

Motion

  • Move and Turn
  • Pointing
  • Go and Glide
  • Changing Positions
  • Bouncing
  • Locating the Sprite

Looks

  • Changing Costumes
  • Changing Backdrops
  • How to Make a Sprite Say Something
  • Graphic Effects
  • Changing the Size of a Sprite
  • Working with Multiple Sprites
  • Moving Sprites

Sound

  • Associating Sounds with a Sprite
  • Play Sound
  • Play Drums Part I
  • Play Drums Part II
  • Play Note and Play Instruments Part I
  • Play Note and Play Instruments Part II

Pen and Color Control

  • Pen Down and Pen Up
  • Changing Pen Color
  • Changing Pen Shade
  • Changing Pen Size
  • Stamp

Sensing

  • Mouse Report
  • Pressing Keys
  • Touching and Over
  • Reporting Distance
  • Using the Timer
  • Using the Loudness
  • Ask and Wait
  • Video Motion
  • Calculating Location/Date

Control

  • Wait Blocks
  • Forever Block
  • Repeating Actions
  • Conditional Actions
  • Cloning
  • Stop Block

Events

  • Beginning Actions
  • Controlling Backdrops Part I
  • Controlling Backdrops Part II
  • Checking Volume/Motion

Data

  • Variables and Data

Operators

  • Arithmetic Operators
  • Random Numbers
  • Comparing Numbers
  • Logic Operations

 

Technical Requirements

This course requires a properly maintained computer with high-speed internet access and an up-to-date web browser (such as Chrome or Firefox). The student must be able to communicate with the instructor via email. Visit the Technical Requirements and Support page for more details.

Zoom online virtual classroom
This course uses an online virtual classroom which can be used for instructor-student communication if the student has any questions about the course or curriculum. The classroom works on standard computers with the Zoom desktop client and also tablets or handhelds that support the Zoom Mobile app. Students will need a computer with the Zoom desktop client installed to watch any recorded meetings. The Zoom desktop client and Zoom Mobile App are both available for free download.

Most course lectures may be viewed on mobile devices, but in some cases assignments and quizzes must be completed on a desktop or laptop computer.

Chromebooks are not recommended due to required downloading of specialized software.

 

 

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"My son’s instructor has a great ability to interact with kids. He was able to teach a technical subject to my son amazingly well. He kindled interest in the subject. He is very dedicated and provided good feedback."

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