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Sensemaking routines for Scratch movement

A DIY deck

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Help yourself…

Copy & paste any of these Scratch project “captures” and make your own sequence of sensemaking routines.

Suggested:

Same But Different: in pairs of two.
Which One Doesn’t Belong: in sets of 4 (traditionally)
What Did This Student Know: correct and/or buggy code

Method:

Reveal the program first or the code first (w/ think time before revealing the other), or both together.
Lead a discussion to elicit what students notice and interpret.
Encourage students to name the motion and algorithms they see. Informal names are fine; expression is more important than accuracy or formality.
Each pushes students to infer or predict how the code & behavior are connected.

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Credits

Created by Mike Deutsch, 2025.

Contact: socials @mdeutschmtl, freshmanlabs.com, michael.deutsch@gmail.com

Animated GIFs created with Kap desktop app �(these were captured at 494x410 px, exported at 988x820 px, 30 fps).

Accompanying Scratch project: Same But Different - Ways to Move https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/1169680658/

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Ways of Moving

via steps, gliding, coordinates, etc.

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Ways of Moving

https://scratch.mit.edu/�projects/1169680658/

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Ways of Moving

Translate a character 100 steps	Translate a character 10x10 steps, costume change	Glide a character 100 horiz steps	Follow mouse	Translate a character, “spin”
Move a character 100 (any dir) + pen + colour → Geometry	Glide a character 100 diagonal steps, and back	Tilt, then “fly”	Translate a character, “jump”	Translate and stamp, 10x

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Ways of Controlling Movement

via keys, pointer, video, etc.

🚧 In Development 🚧

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Ways of Controlling Movement

WASD keys, separate key input → change x/y	Arrow keys, separate key input → change x/y	Arrow keys to point and move: forward, back, turn L/R	WASD keys, 4 key detections in a row, inside a forever loop	Key → signals a complex scripted movement
Arrow keys, arranged differently on the workspace	Forever follow mouse	Forever follow mouse, only horiz rotation	Video detection	Sound detection (one action only: jump)

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Programs with bugs

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What did this programmer know?

Scratch project title�https://scratch.mit.edu/�projects/1167368823/fullscreen/

What did this programmer get working?

What’s almost working, but isn’t quite?

What could be changed?