Animation and Games with Scratch
Elementary School – Wizard Level I – Class 1
About Animation and Games with Scratch
Scratch is a preferred introductory programming platform for younger students. Animation and Games with Scratch is a great introductory course for young individuals who are interested in learning to program. Students will learn powerful programming concepts by using Scratch’s easy-to-use interface. Every lesson is spent creating a game or animation that teaches skills that are crucial to programming, such as utilizing and creating variables, implementing loops, and using conditionals. By the end of the class, students will have the ability to code simple Scratch games and animations.
Learning Objectives
When students complete Animation and Games with Scratch, they will be able to:
- Learn fundamental programming concepts like elements, if-else statements, and events
- Understand tools to animate sprites and other Scratch elements
- Start game development using Scratch
- 1. Introduction to programmingYou’re already thinking like a programmer and you didn’t even know it!
In this session, students will learn how to think like a programmer, and we show them that, in many ways, they are already doing it. This class will provide an introduction to Scratch, help them get set up, and walk them through how to setup a fun, interactive Scratch project.
- 2. Getting familiar with scratchExplore different Scratch tools
In this lesson, in order to sharpen their programming skills, we will be focusing on the Sprite and Stage area of Scratch. Students will add backdrops, create and add sprites, and incorporate personalized text through a creative birthday card Scratch project
- 3. It’s time to move things aroundMake your Scratch projects more interesting with movement
In this lesson, students find out that moving elements in a Scratch project is not only interesting but essential to many projects. Students will see how to make elements move by learning about the x-y coordinate plane, degrees, and different types of movement blocks. They’ll complete a maze using what they learn about movement blocks and rotations.
- 4. Story timeBring a story to life using Scratch
In this lesson, students use different Scratch tools to program an animated story. The story will incorporate movement blocks and text blocks to bring their stories to life.
- 5. Fly the Rocket – Part IBlast off with a flying rocket game
In this lesson, students learn how to make a game where a rocket is trying to avoid collisions. They’ll use the tools learned to tie together all of the code in a fun and exciting way and star their rocket game.
- 6. Fly the Rocket – Part IIAdd the finishing touches to your rocket game
In this lesson, students finish their midterm project by adding obstacles as well as a scoreboard. This project will put to use many programming concepts students have learned, such as loops, randomization, and conditionals.
- 7. Create your own characterLearn about making interactive buttons
In this lesson, students will create a game that allows users to create characters and change their wardrobe. To accomplish this, students have to learn about broadcasting and receiving messages.
- 8. It’s Raining TacosAnimate repeating code to make it rain
In this lesson, students will get to make an animation where tacos are falling like rain from the sky. In order to get this program to function properly, students will need to remember what they learned about the coordinate system and cloning sprites.
- 9. Music Jam projectMusic and code come together
In this lesson, students will practice incorporating audio into their Scratch projects by creating a virtual music band. They’ll use different instruments and vocals and let the user click the instruments they would like to play a sound.
- 10. GhostbustersCalling code to bust ghosts
In this lesson, students will create a ghostbusters game using the programming concepts that they’ve learned throughout the semester. Students will also learn about creating their own variables to keep score in Scratch.
- 11. Final Project – IThe “Space Invaders” game with a twist
In this lesson, students will be creating a fixed shooter game, where the user has to activate the shoot command with their voice to have the rocket eliminate incoming space aliens. This final project will bring together everything the students learned throughout the class in an entertaining way.
- 12. Final Project – IIPut the finishing touches on your game
In the final lesson, students will complete the last steps to finish their final project. Students will be creating the space aliens, a scoreboard, and debugging their program. This final project will bring together everything the students learned throughout the class in an entertaining way.
Minecraft Capstone Class
Our goal is to make programming as entertaining for kids as playing games. Minecraft is loved as a game by kids worldwide. We use a special mod of Minecraft that allows us to use it as an interface to practice all the programming concepts that students learned in Wizard Level 1.
Class Schedule
All students start in Animation and Gaming in Scratch at Wizard Level I. If you have previous coding experience, take the Advanced Placement test. Returning students can continue with the class where they left off.
- Animation and Interactive Games with Scratchon Mondays (12 weeks, 1 class per week)
- Animation and Interactive Games with Scratchon Saturdays (12 weeks, 1 class per week)
- Animation and Interactive Games with Scratchon Tuesdays (12 weeks, 1 class per week)
- Animation and Interactive Games with Scratchon Thursdays (12 weeks, 1 class per week)
- Animation and Interactive Games with Scratchon Fridays (12 weeks, 1 class per week)
- Animation and Interactive Games with Scratchon Sundays (12 weeks, 1 class per week)
- Animation and Interactive Games with Scratchon Mondays (12 weeks, 1 class per week)
Once a course begins, every student at any level enjoys the same benefits:
Course Duration & Time Commitment
All courses are 12 weeks long. A Wizard will receive a certification for their achievement at the end of the course.
Expect a weekly time commitment of 2-3 hours. 1 hour of class time, plus 1-2 hours of practice time, with instructors support throughout, including weekends.
100% Guarantee
Our goal is to make all our students successful. If your child is not happy with our program, please notify us within the first four class sessions and you will receive a full refund.