Advanced Classroom Technology Forum

Scratch for Basic Geometry

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Scratch for Basic Geometry Synopsis

Use free web-based Scratch demo programs included in these notes to review coordinate points/planes and basic geometry concepts and then get creative by modifying the base programs to create new examples of different concepts of geometry (like translation, for example) 

Experience Level

Recommended prerequisite knowledge: None required, but a basic understanding of the Scratch program would help!

Prerequisites

Create a Scratch account (click ‘Join Scratch’): https://scratch.mit.edu/

Outline

1. View, copy, explore and edit Scratch example program 1 

• Drag the dots around and and press ‘C’ to run the program to connect them. Drag the dots to new positions and rerun the program or press ‘R’ to reset and start over.… (no need for students to understand coordinates or geometry concepts to have fun with this)
• Extension ideas for students:

• Edit the program to connect only the first 3 or 4 dots (depending on the shape)
• Drag dots to form specific shapes in specific locations of the coordinate plane
• Create a form for students to submit their programs and choose creative examples to show to the class

• Video demo (gif preview below)
• 

2. View, copy, explore and edit Scratch example program 2

• Run the program to draw a square using coordinates and then edit the program to change the speed and/or create a new shape by editing the coordinates
• Extension ideas for students:

• Edit the program by changing all coordinates from positive to negative numbers and describe what happened to your shape
• Edit the program to demonstrate shapes given specific coordinates which you assign
• Edit the program to demonstrate shapes in specific quadrants of the coordinate plane (perhaps using assigned colors for specific quadrants… for example, draw a red triangle in quadrant II)
• Create a form for students to submit their programs and choose creative examples to show to the class

• Video demo (gif preview below)
• 

3. View, copy, explore and edit Scratch example program 3

• Run the program to draw a shape in each quadrant of a coordinate plane
• Extension ideas for students:

• Edit the program to create different shapes in each quadrant
• Edit the program to change the size and color of the circle in Quadrant II
• Edit the program to show reflections about both the x and y axis of the shape in Quadrant III
• Create a form for students to submit their programs and choose creative examples to show to the class

• (gif preview below)
• 

4. View, copy, explore and edit Scratch example program 4

• Run the program to draw a shape
• Extension ideas for students:

• Explain the significance of the colors used in this program
• Edit the program to reflect the shape about the x axis
• Edit the program to reflect a different shape about both the x and y axis and edit the comments to describe what’s happening
• Create a form for students to submit their programs and choose creative examples to show to the class

• (gif preview below) (click here for full size gif)
• 

5. Challenge!                                                                                                                                  solution 

• Modify a base program to plot the 5 evenly spaced points of a pentagon

•  How would you solve this on a piece of graph paper (without the benefit of Google Search?)  
•  What higher order thinking is involved in solving this problem?                 

• Your solution might look something like this:
• 
• Extension ideas for students:

• Edit the program to make a hexagon
• Edit the program to make a star rather than a pentagon

6. Please complete this Feedback Form: https://goo.gl/lHTqz5

• The feedback form should look like this gif version (time permitting we can discuss how to make your own form like this!)
• 

Example Programs List (to copy and edit)

1. Scratch Connect-the-dots/graph-paper/points-reset
2. Scratch Draw-a-shape/copy-and-edit
3. Scratch 4 Shapes
4. Scratch Geometry Triangle Reflection about y-axis
5. Challenge solution program (hidden somewhere on this page!)

Help

        Getting started with Scratch Tutorial

        Anyone interested in creating an archive of published Gdocs (like this) for BISD?

Additional Resources

308 Today Classroom Blog (extensive resources)

• Spring Semester Archive (entire Spring 2015 semester by week)
• Student Weekly Reflection Forms Archive (shows progression of Gforms capabilities)

Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy Verbs (screenshot below)

Scratch Program recommendations to explore (small selection submitted by students)

Screencast-o-matic (where you and your students can record your own gifs of your Scratches)

Staff Links Map (Gsheets campus resources directory)

Screenshots