Do you want coding lessons for Scratch 3? Great news! TechnoKids just published TechnoCode for Scratch 3. It is jam-packed full of programming activities for students in elementary and middle school.
Scratch 3 is an app that allows kids, especially those aged 8-16, to program their own creations by sequencing coding blocks together. It is a fun way to have students build scripts that control the movement and appearance of characters. It can be used to make interactive stories, games, puzzles, artwork, music, and more!
If you want your students to design their own unique programs, TechnoCode might be right for you. The coding lessons for Scratch 3 support independent learning. You can use the instructional materials to teach a coding unit, computer science class, or workshop series.
Whether you purchase TechnCode or design your own coding lessons for Scratch 3, make the instructional goal to develop a deep understanding of programming. To achieve this aim, divide each project into four parts: Exploration, Practice, Freestyle, and Reflection. This approach will gradually transform your students into programmers. Instead of mindlessly copying scripts, they will independently create their own unique programs.
Tips for Designing Coding Lessons for Scratch 3
Follow these tips to support the learning process:
Understand It, Before Building It
It is tempting to supply a bunch of scripts that students copy to make a project in Scratch. Instantly it appears as if you have a class full of programmers! Stories, games, and puzzles are quickly made. The downside to this approach is that students may not comprehend what they have built or why it works. When teaching programming to kids it is recommended that you begin with the basics and gradually build in complexity.
Exploration
To start, use guided discovery to develop an understanding of the function of coding blocks. When students are learning how to code, it is essential that they recognize the purpose of commonly used Scratch blocks. This knowledge will allow them to select the appropriate block and sequence instructions correctly to complete a task. This awareness also highlights creative possibilities when designing a project.
There are over 70 coding blocks in Scratch. They are organized in categories based on their purpose. If your students are beginners, they do not need to know them all. However, many are essential for building simple scripts. Use questioning techniques to help your students learn how to complete common tasks.
Not sure where to start? Consider the questions you can pose for the move 10 steps block:
- From the Motion palette, can you find the block that will move a sprite 10 steps?
- What happens if you change the number of steps to 200? Or -50?
- How many steps does it take your sprite to walk across the stage?
Want help? TechnoCode includes introductory activities that have students discover the purpose of coding blocks. They explore the program to answer questions. This investigation helps students to construct their understanding of which blocks they can use to solve a problem or do an action.
Practice
Learning how to code, is like learning any other subject – it takes time and practice! Once students know the function of coding blocks, they can start to build scripts that have a specific purpose. TechnoCode has coding lessons for Scratch 3 with step-by-step instructions. The assignments explain how to sequence coding blocks to construct fun projects such as an animated scene or story.
When teaching how to code using Scratch 3, begin by demonstrating how to build a script. It is a good idea to use natural language during this task to explain what is happening at each step. For example, “When the green flag is clicked, the character will move ten steps to the right, say Hi, and then play a meow sound.”
Provide sample scripts that students can re-create. Afterwards, have them customize the settings, rearrange the order, or add additional blocks to personalize the action. This will help your students gain confidence as they thoughtfully build scripts. Repetition is important. Students cannot learn how to code by building a script only once.
Freestyle
Once students know how to sequence instructions they are ready to freestyle. Freestyle doesn’t mean randomly snapping together coding blocks. Happy accidents are great! It can be fun to get unexpected results that look fantastic when coding using Scratch 3. However, the instructional goal should be to have students intentionally build scripts.
Freestyle means uniquely applying coding skills to achieve a specific goal with limited guidance. This instructional approach has students develop their own method for completing a task. It gives them an opportunity to consolidate learning and transfer skills.
When freestyling, the assignment could be open-ended. For example, “Create an animated scene”. However, if you are teaching beginners, this might be too broad. Instead, you may wish to narrow the focus of the activity. Provide students with a problem they must solve using their existing knowledge.
In TechnoCode, students are given freestyling challenges to complete. This helps students apply their coding skills in a new way. For example:
- In your animated scene, the character makes a sound effect. Can you add a music track that plays throughout the entire scene?
- In your story, the character sends a message to a friend using broadcasting. Can you add another object that does an action when the same broadcasted message is sent?
- In your game, the character scores a point when it hits a target. Can you add another target that when touched causes the character to lose a point? Or can you add a second target that is worth more points?
Reflection
Finally, the Scratch project is complete. Before moving onto the next coding project or curriculum unit, take the time to reflect upon the experience. This will provide students with the opportunity to acknowledge their success, recognize their progress, and generate new ideas for future learning. This can be done using a worksheet, coding journal entry, or Scratch project presentation.
TechnoCode Has Coding Lessons for Scratch 3
TechnoCode has coding lessons for Scratch 3. It is a technology project that uses this four part approach. The goal of the activities is not to simply make things in Scratch 3. Instead, the objective is to have students think like programmers as they develop coding solutions. Reviews, skill reviews, and extension activities support learning.