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Scratching the Surface of Coding with Kids

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Hi! I’m Nikki Vradenburg

Teacher Ambassador for MontanaPBS

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“If we teach today’s students as we taught yesterday, we rob them of tomorrow”―John Dewey�

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Discussion I

  • What is coding?
  • Why coding for young kids?

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The act of coding means creating a sequence of instructions that tell a computer (or other technology) what to do

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In PBS KIDS ScratchJr each of the blocks represents a different instruction/action that impacts a character on the screen.

When the blocks are snapped together they create a sequence of actions that the character(s) will follow.

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Let’s Play!

Download the app from the Apple, Google Play, or Amazon App store (depending on what type of tablet you’re using)

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Novice Goals:

  • Explore the different features of the app
  • Learn how to make basic programs
  • Learn about the block categories and what �the different blocks do
  • Take time to play and make your own discoveries

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Open the app and tap Start

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Getting Started

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New project

Title Screen

Information

Sample projects

and tutorial videos

Home Screen

Tap + to open a New Project

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Home Screen

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Project Screen

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Creating a Program:

1) Add a character

2) Drag blocks to the programming area

3) Snap the blocks together to make a program

4) Run your program!

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Follow along in the app

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Give It a Try!

Spend about 5-10 minutes exploring the app

Keep track of any fun discoveries you make

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Block Types

Trigger Blocks

Motion Blocks

Trigger Blocks are ways to start programs. They cause certain events, like tapping the Green Flag, to trigger the code attached to them.

Motion Blocks tell your character how to move. Connect them like puzzle pieces to make multi-step movements.

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Looks Blocks

End Blocks

Use End Blocks to mark the end of your program, to repeat a program forever or to change pages.

Looks Blocks are great for changing the size of your character, making them hide and show, or giving them speech bubbles.

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Block Types

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Control Flow Blocks

Sound Blocks

Control Flow Blocks are used to control your character’s programs. Use them to pause code, make code happen quickly or slowly or to repeat parts of code a certain number of times.

Sound Blocks add audio to your project. You can use the default “pop,” or you can tap the microphone to record your own sounds.

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Block Types

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Edit/Delete Characters

  • Edit – Tap on the paintbrush next to the character you want �to edit

  • Delete – Hold down on the character until the pink X appears

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Check-in

  • Before continuing to the advanced slides, make sure you can do the following:
    • Add, delete, edit characters and backgrounds
    • Describe the different types of blocks and where to �access them.
    • Create programs to make your characters move
  • For more information on each of the blocks visit the ‘i’ section of the app

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Advanced Goals:

  • We will explore using Repeats, Start on Tap, Start on Bump and Message Sending blocks
  • We will explore making programs that include sound and text
  • We will explore making projects that include multiple pages and multiple characters

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New Ways to Start Your Program

Start on Tap - If you want your character to start moving when �a user touches it, use the Start on Tap block.

Start on Bump - To make a character start moving when another character runs into it, use the Start on Bump block. Pay attention to which character you want to do the ‘bumping,’ and which character you want to start after it is bumped into.

Try it out - Can you program two characters to play soccer? �You can make a ball roll away when a character walks near it, �or bounce when you tap it yourself!

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Follow along in the app

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Message Sending

By using the message blocks, characters can send and receive messages that activate their programs

In this example, tapping the ‘jump’ circle sends a message and when Dot receives the message it will trigger her to jump. Try it out!

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Follow along in the app

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Recording Sounds

Recording Studio - Tap the microphone inside the dotted green block to enter the Recording Studio. Here you can record a sound, stop it and replay it. Press the check mark to turn it into a new block for your character

Recorded Sound Blocks - Once you’ve recorded and saved a �new sound, you will have a new block with a number on it. �Each character can save and use up to 5 unique sounds

Try it out - Try to make funny voices for two characters and �record a few different sound blocks for each one. Can you�create a short conversation using the sound and message blocks?

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Follow along in the app

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Using Pages

Add Pages - Along the right side of the project screen, �you’ll see a thumbnail version of the stage you are editing. Tap the plus sign below it to add a new page.

Turn-to-Page Blocks - When you add a new page, �a new End Block also appears. Use this block to change �from one page to another, just like turning a page.

Try it out - Turning pages makes your project really feel like �a story. Try to make a simple story with a beginning, middle, �and end.

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Follow along in the app

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Add Text to the Stage

Add Text - Tap the ‘ABC’ icon above the stage area. �A text field will let you write messages on screen with your regular tablet keyboard. This text can be moved wherever you’d like it to appear on the stage

Color and Size - You can customize your text as well. Tap the paint bucket to choose from 10 colors, or the multi-size ‘A’s to select from 7 sizes

Try it out - Give your project a line of text to narrate �or label what’s happening on the screen

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Follow along in the app

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Keep going…

Want to make even more complex projects? �Did you know that with PBS KIDS ScratchJr you can…

  • Make projects with up to four pages
  • Create your own character and backgrounds from scratch
  • Use the same yellow trigger block to trigger multiple programs at the same time
  • Use the “start on tap” and “message” blocks to create �game buttons
  • Take pictures and add yourself to your projects

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Activities and Resources for teaching coding

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Discussion II

  • How can you extend this beyond “just coding”

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Beyond just coding…

What are some ways you can use coding in content areas?

Reading/ELA

  • Illustrate a story/chapter
  • Predicting
  • Setting and Characters

Math

  • Problem solving/Perseverance
  • Grids
  • Sequencing

Science

  • Biomes/Habitats

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Need help?

Want more training?

Want someone to model this in your classroom?

Contact Nikki Vradenburg

nikki@montanapbs.org

406-579-9760

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