Week 1: Introduction to Scratch
Unit: Introduction to Scratch
This week you learn what programming is, get set up in the computer lab, and start building in Scratch. Monday is a digital learning day you complete from home. The rest of the week is shortened by conference-week early release, so each lesson is sized to fit. By Friday you will have explored sequencing, events, motion blocks, and the Scratch art tools, and started a maze game with a partner.
Weekly Schedule
| Day | Date | Topic | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mon 10/12 | Sequencing and Debugging (Digital Learning Day) | From home: watch the BrainPOP “Computer Programming” video and quiz, then complete Code.org’s “Programming with Angry Birds.” |
| 2 | Tue 10/13 | Computer Lab Basics | Log in to the Macs, complete the About Me form, and set up OneDrive for file storage. |
| 3 | Wed 10/14 | Intro to Scratch | Log in to Scratch, complete the Getting Started tutorial, and paint a backdrop with the art tools. |
| 4 | Thu 10/15 | Motion and Sequences | Use the green flag event, motion blocks, and sequences to program a sprite, then add a second sprite with its own code. |
| 5 | Fri 10/16 | Maze Design | Analyze example mazes, design one on a worksheet with a partner, then draw your partner’s maze in Scratch. |
Graded Assignments
- BrainPOP — Computer Programming (Monday, from home) — Complete the video and quiz. The quiz is a daily grade.
- Code.org — Programming with Angry Birds (assigned Monday, due Friday 10/16) — Complete all 11 levels plus the bonus levels. Late work will receive a one-time 20 point deduction.
Week 2 Preview
Next week you bring your maze to life with keyboard controls and use conditionals to detect wall collisions. You deepen your understanding of conditionals through a Flocabulary lesson and an offline flow-diagram activity, then learn how loops let programs repeat actions efficiently. By the end of the week you combine loops and conditionals to build a working game mechanic from a blank project.