Getting Started
New to Scratch? Try these lessons!
Lesson 1: Go To
Lesson 2: Blink and Spin
Lesson 3: Run
Lesson 4: Fly a Plane
Lesson 5: Sing
Lesson 6: Paint With Flowers
Lesson 1: Go To
Take a look at the movie below. Can you make the cat move as it does in the movie?
Hints!
- You only need the commands listed below.
- You’ll need to change the order of the commands and repeat some of them.
- You’ll need to change the numbers within the commands. You can change the numbers by clicking them and then typing new numbers.
Lesson 2: Blink and Spin
Take a look at the movie below. Can you make a sun that blinks and spins as it does in the movie?
Hints!
- You’ll need to paint the stage black. Can you figure out how to do that? In Scratch, try clicking the Stage towards the bottom of the screen, and then clicking its Backgrounds tab. Figure it out on your own from there!
- You’ll need to remove the cat sprite. There are lots of good ways to do so. One way involves clicking the Scissors at the top of the screen. Then click the small cat sprite just below the game window. To make a new sprite, click the Paint button. When the paint editor screen appears, draw a sun with colored dots in its place. Be sure to cick OK to save your work!
- One of the commands you’ll need is change color effect… (on the Looks menu). This command is special! If you click its down arrow, you can change the command to say change brightness effect… You will need to use this tip in order to create this project.
- You’ll need all the commands listed below.
- You’ll need to change the order of the pieces.
- You’ll need to change the numbers in the pieces.
Lesson 3: Run
Take a look at the movie below. Can you make the cat run as it does in the movie?
Hints!
- You’ll need to click the turn settings button with arrows that point sideways. Can you find this button on the screen? What does it do?
- You’ll also need the commands listed below.
- Can you explain how the costume command is working?
- You’ll need to change the order of the commands.
- You’ll need to change the numbers in some of the commands.
Lesson 4: Fly a Plane
Take a look at the movie below. The plane flies across the screen by itself (no keys pressed!). When you press down on the mouse button, the plane turns towards the mouse. Can you make the plane fly as it does in the movie?
Hints!
- You’ll need to click the turn settings button with arrows that point sideways, just as you did in the previous lesson. Can you find it again?
- You’ll need to remove the cat sprite as you did in a previous lesson. After you’ve clicked the Paintbrush to create a new sprite and open the Paint Editor, you can add the airplane by clicking the Import button. In the Import window, click the Costumes button at the left. Then double-click the Transportation folder. When the transportation folder opens (see picture below), click the airplane and then click OK, twice.
- To make the plane fly towards the mouse, you’ll need the point towards command. If you press its down-arrow, you’ll find the option to point towards mouse-pointer.
- The picture below shows all the commands you’ll need to create this project. You’ll need to change some of the numbers and put the commands into the correct order.
Lesson 5: Sing
Take a look at the movie below. Can you make the square girl sing as she does in the movie?
Hints!
- To set the scene, paint the stage background black.
- Delete the cat sprite and import the Square Girl. (You’ll find the Square Girl in the People folder.)
- The Square Girl has two costumes. You’ll need to create the second one. To do so, click the Costumes tab. Then click the Copy button to copy the first costume. For the new, second costume, click the Edit button. Change the arms and mouth, and then click OK to save your work.
- To create the sound, click the Sounds tab. Import the sound Oooo-badada from the Vocals folder.
- Two things happen simultaneously in this project. The Square Girls sings and at the same time she changes her costume. To get this effect in Scratch, we need to have two different scripts that both start when the green flag is clicked, one for the costumes and the other for the singing. You can see all the commands you’ll need below. Can you arrange them into the two scripts you’ll need?
Lesson 6: Paint With Flowers
Watch the movie below. Can you draw with flowers in the way that the movie shows?
Hints!
- Delete the cat sprite and create a new sprite that is a flower.
- If you explore the pen commands, you’ll find one called stamp. It’s a fun command! Whenever you use this command, the sprite stamps a picture of itself that remains on the screen even if the sprite moves away. In this project, you’ll stamp every time the mouse button is pressed. All the commands you’ll need are listed below. Can you arrange them to paint flowers?
