Learning and Teaching Scratch

I have decided to introduce Scatch in my upcoming TechCamp.

Scratch is a new programming language that makes it easy to create your own interactive stories, animations, games, music, and art — and share your creations on the web.

Scratch is designed to help young people (ages 8 and up) develop 21st century learning skills. As they create Scratch projects, young people learn important mathematical and computational ideas, while also gaining a deeper understanding of the process of design.

Documenting my learning journey in familiarizing myself with the program helps me in the process and might encourage and guide someone else.

First I downloaded the available documentation from Scratch:

• Getting Started Guide (.pdf)
• Reference Guide (.pdf)
• I made copies of the Scratch Cards for each one of my TechCampers to reference. It was a lot of work copying, cutting, laminating and adding a metal ring. In the future, I am thinking of just photocopying them, letting the students color them and create their own style of booklet.

Researched other educator’s blogs and websites on their use, lesson plans and experience in the classroom with Scratch:

• Creative Computer Exploration

Other resources:

• LearnScratch.org
  Great getting started videos and answers to Why Learn Scratch for the development of 21st century Learning Skills
• Scratch Help Screens

This is how I plan to start out on Day 1 of camp. Let’s see where it takes us from there

• Discussion of importance of collaborative learning
• In order to personalize: take and import students pictures to be used as sprites
• Watch Introduction Video
  
• Watch Image Effect Video
  
• Let students experiment in the Scratch environment and create their own Name Project.
  Here is my first attempt:
  
• Record students explaining their projects
• I am leaving the Scratch Cards to be handed out for the next day. Again emphasizing to try out and play without too much instruction.