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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�
Discussion I
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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:
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Open the app and tap Start
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Getting Started
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
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
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
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
Edit/Delete Characters
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Check-in
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Advanced Goals:
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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
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
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
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
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
Keep going…
Want to make even more complex projects? �Did you know that with PBS KIDS ScratchJr you can…
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Activities and Resources for teaching coding
Discussion II
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Beyond just coding…
What are some ways you can use coding in content areas?
Reading/ELA
Math
Science
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Need help?
Want more training?
Want someone to model this in your classroom?
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