Scratch Charades with Loops
OverviewThis game reorients students to Scratch Charades and introduces them to Loops. Students learn by playing a Scratch version of charades and building scripts using magnetic Scratch blocks. | Module ObjectivesStudents will be able to:
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Big Idea:Before students are able to program, they need to understand how individual blocks, as well as blocks within loops, work. Acting out scripts allows teachers to see students’ understanding in a way that students cannot articulate and allows students to focus on scripts and blocks without the complexity of the Scratch programming interface. |
Module Overview
Scratch CharadesStudents share their prior knowledge about coding and Scratch Charades. Students explore block-based programming and Scratch by playing a Charades-like coding game and using legos or magnetic Scratch blocks to build scripts. Students are introduced to Loops and how to act out and build scripts with looping actions. |
Prior knowledge
Events Motion Looks Sound Control
New Blocks
Control
Lesson 1: Playing Scratch Charades (45 minutes)
Lesson OverviewIn this lesson, teachers will gauge previous student knowledge about computer science, coding, and Scratch. Students will explore Scratch through a Charades-like coding game. Vocabulary: script, sprite, debug, events, control, loop | Lesson At-a-GlanceEngage (20 minutes) Explore (25 minutes) Reflect (5 minutes) |
Lesson Preparation | |
Student MaterialsExplore/Engage
| Scratch Project(s) & Teacher MaterialsEngage
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Engage
Introductory Discussion (5 minutes)
Today we will be doing Scratch Charades!
Begin a class discussion using the following questions as a guide.
What do you remember about playing Scratch Charades? What does each person on the team do (Actor, Director, Code Builders)? Who knows what type of blocks every script begins with? |
Remind students that Scratch Charades is a mix of Scratch and Charades. In Scratch Charades, the Director will make sure that the Actor acts out the script correctly. The Code Builders will work together to build the script. Remind students that in Scratch, the Actor is a Sprite that acts out a script. Review the game rules:
- Explain that each group will get a set of cards with Scratch scripts on them and a bag of magnetic Scratch blocks.
- They will get a Green flag card and a Hello! bubble card.
- There are different levels of cards: blue and red. Tell the students that they will need to understand the concepts from the blue level before they move on to the red level, so they will start with the blue level cards.
DEMONSTRATE (15 minutes)
Introduce the new block: The Repeat loop. A Repeat loop has 2 parts: the top part which tells you how many times to repeat an action and a bottom ‘L’ shaped part that closes the loop (and forms a sandwich!) (For Scratch Charades it will always be ‘repeat 4’, but when you are coding you decide how many times you want to repeat an action.)
In between the 2 parts of a Repeat loop, there can be one or more action blocks. If there is one action block, for example ‘say Hello!’, you will show the ‘Hello!’ card 4 times (demonstrate this - hold the card up then put it down 4 times). If there is more than one action block, then the actions will happen 4 times, sequentially. For example, if in the Repeat loop there is a ‘say Hello!’ block and a ‘move 1 steps’ block, you will show the Hello! Card, then put it down, then move 1 step, then show the Hello! card, then put it down, then move 1 step, and repeat this pattern 4 times (ask a student to demonstrate this using the Green flag card to start the script).
Ask another student to come up and try to build the loop that shows what was just acted out (order of blocks: when Green flag clicked, repeat 4, say Hello!, move 1 steps, close repeat block). When the student has correctly built the loop, point that the top Repeat (number) block is always first, then the blocks that represent the actions, in order, then the ‘L’ shaped block at the end to show that the blocks inside are the only actions to be repeated.
Tell students to be careful to repeat actions in order. You show the Hello! card first, then move rather than showing the Hello! card while you are moving.
Hand out the Charades materials to the groups. Have them remove the magnets and arrange them so the Scratch blocks are facing up.
- Remind students how the Point in direction block works: they need to turn their body, not just their arm. To practice, have the class stand and tell them to point in direction 180, then point in direction 0 (which should be pointing at the front of the classroom).
- Ask students to demonstrate change size by -10 and change size by 10.
- Remind them that the Say block uses the Hello! card. They do not actually say “Hello”.
Have the students sit with their groups. Choose the blue demonstration script card and act it out (or choose a student to) slowly. Tell the students, in their groups, to build a script based on your actions. Allow them to debug their script by showing it to you (or the class) and making changes until the script correctly represents your actions. They can ask you to repeat your actions if needed.
Explore
Teams of 4 Play (20 minutes)
Each group gets a bag with the magnets, script cards, Green flag, and “Hello!” bubble. The groups should spread out to have enough space to act out the scripts, especially when they need to ‘move steps’. Each student will take turns at being the Sprite.
Students should start with the blue cards, then use the red cards.
Reflect & Discuss
Share & Discuss (5 minutes)
If there is time, lead a brief discussion about any challenges.
- Which of the Sprite’s actions were most difficult to understand?
- What could the Sprite do to make their actions more clear?
- What was confusing when building the scripts with Repeat loops?
- What changes would you suggest for this activity?