Overview

A sprite can be animated by repeating sets of blocks that alternate between switching costumes or moving to the next costume along with repeated step movement. Adjusting the wait times of these repeated actions will increase or decrease the speed of the animation. Naming each of the costumes and changing the size of the sprites can assist in the creation of the animation.

Module Objectives

Students will be able to:

• animate a sprite at one location using a repeat loop and multiple costumes.
• animate a sprite with movement using a repeat loop.
• distinguish between the functionality of switch costume and next costume blocks.

Big Idea:

In many tasks, the same action or sequence of actions is repeated several times. Loops are used to make it easier to express such programs. Figuring out how many times the loop should run is critical to proper use.

Lesson 1: Exploring Loops (45 minutes)

The concept of loops is introduced. Students modify a Scratch project to make a band play songs and move using loops.

Lesson 2: Creating with Loops  (60 minutes)

Students use animation in an open-ended, create a project to create an interactive story.  This is the culminating project for the entire curriculum.

Written Assessment: 

Animation: Written Assessment                           PDF   Answer Key

Looks

Events 

Motion

Sound

Control

Lesson Overview

In this lesson, students animate and play music with instrument sprites.

Vocabulary: loop

Lesson At-a-Glance

Engage (10  minutes)

Explore (25  minutes)

Reflect (10  minutes)

Lesson Preparation

Student Materials

Engage

• Loops
• About Instruments (pg 28)

Explore

• Build-a-Band TIPP&SEE worksheet  (pg 25)

Scratch Project(s) & Teacher Materials

Engage & Explore

• Loops: Build-a-Band (https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/247314726/)

Can someone tell me the instructions to get to the door?  [Point towards the door, walk X steps] 

What would you do if I don’t understand the instruction “walk X steps” - I only know the instruction “walk 1 step”? [We would write down “walk 1 step” X times ] 

What is a loop? [Something that keeps going for a long time.]

In a programming, a loop is an action or sequence of actions. Scratch has a loop that tells the computer to do the same thing a set number of times. Sometimes, you have to work harder to decide when to make the loop stop. Some loops go as long as the program is running.

What are things that you do that are loops?  [Blinking, heart beating, jumping jacks, walking] 

Can there be more than one block, or instruction, in a loop?  [Yes, loops commonly contain more than one block. Some examples are move then wait and  next costume then wait.]

A loop can contain as many instructions as the programmer desires. The program will run through all of the instructions in order until it reaches the end and then begin at the top of the list again for as many times as the loop is run.

Extensions:

• Animate the Scratch cat to dance
• Animate an instrument to move
• Make parallel scripts to perform animation and play music at the same time

New Blocks and Concepts:

• repeat__
• Play sound ___ until done
• Loop

Journal Questions:

• What motion blocks did you use to make the instruments move?
• What things could you do at the same time in this project using parallel scripts?

Assessment:

• Student projects should be graded based on completion of all required elements.

Integration:

• Music - Musical notes

Differentiation:

• Prepare block definition sheets for students to add to their journals. Options include: List the block names (students fill in the definitions), block names and definitions provided (students match block names to the definitions).
• Provide a list of the type and number of blocks needed to complete each activity.

Lesson Overview

Students create an animation in an open-ended, create project that brings together all they have learned.

Lesson At-a-Glance

Engage (10 minutes)

Explore (35 minutes)

Reflect (15 minutes)

Lesson Preparation

Student Materials

Explore

• Final Project project page 

Teacher Materials

Engage

• Loops Review 

How many times will the note E play?  [8] 

How many times will the note G play? [4 ] 

How many times will the note C play? [1]

Are the scripts the same or different? [Same. They both alternate playing sound and changing costume 3 times]

Describe the order of the script? [First switch costume. Then, 6 times, it will play C, play F, and change color. Last, it will play a drum roll]

What are the different kinds of events in Scratch?  [Green flag, sprite clicked, key pressed] 

How do you tell the user what events you used? [In the instructions in the project page ] 

What is parallelism? [when you program two actions to happen at the same time]

How do you make two scripts run in parallel in Scratch? [Use the same event block in both scripts.]

What does a repeat loop do in programming? [Do the same action(s) multiple times.]

What are some blocks you might want to use for the sprites to talk to each other?  [say or think blocks] 

Where might you use parallel scripts? [To play music and dance or glide and dance at the same time] 

When might you want to use wait blocks? [when you want a sprite to wait until some other action finishes before doing something]

Extensions:

• Put multiple main characters on the front and have them each do a performance when clicked.
• Experiment with different types of animation - using turn, move, point in direction, Change x by, and change y by.

Assessment:

• Student projects should be graded based on completion of all required elements.
• Student will complete the Animation: Written Assessment based on the concepts covered in this module.

Integration:

Art - Animation and drawing

Differentiation:

• Prepare a block definition sheets to add to journals - block names listed (students fill in the definitions) or blocks and the definitions completed, students match block names to the definitions
• Provide a list of the type and number of blocks needed to complete each activity