Beginner’s Guide to Scratch for School Students

Table of Contents

1. What is Scratch?
2. Getting Started with Scratch
3. Understanding the Scratch Interface
4. Making Your First Program (Hello, Scratch!)
5. Moving the Sprite (Basic Animation)
6. Adding Sounds and Effects
7. Using Loops and Conditions
8. Creating a Simple Game
9. Saving and Sharing Your Project
10. Next Steps: Becoming a Scratch Pro!

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1. What is Scratch?

Scratch is a fun and easy programming language designed for beginners. It allows you to create animations, games, and interactive stories using colorful blocks instead of typing code.

Why learn Scratch?

• No need to memorize complex code!
• Helps you think like a programmer (logic and problem-solving).
• You can create amazing projects in just a few minutes!

Who made Scratch?
Scratch was created by MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) to help kids learn coding in a fun way.

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2. Getting Started with Scratch

Go to the Scratch website:
https://scratch.mit.edu

Sign up for a free account (optional, but recommended).
Click on “Create” to start coding!

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3. Understanding the Scratch Interface

When you open Scratch, you’ll see:

Stage (Right Side) – This is where your animations and games appear.
Sprite (Characters) – These are the objects you control (like the Scratch Cat).
Blocks Palette (Left Side) – Colorful blocks that make your sprite move, talk, and interact.
Backdrop – The background for your project (like a forest, space, or classroom).

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4. Making Your First Program (Hello, Scratch!)

Step 1: Drag a “When Green Flag Clicked” block from the Events category.
Step 2: Add a “Say Hello!” block from the Looks category.
Step 3: Click the Green Flag at the top to see your sprite talk!

Congratulations! You just made your first Scratch program!

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5. Moving the Sprite (Basic Animation)

Let’s make the Scratch Cat walk!

Step 1: Go to the Motion section.
Step 2: Drag the “Move 10 Steps” block.
Step 3: Click the Green Flag to test it.

Want continuous movement? Add a “Forever” block from the Control section!

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6. Adding Sounds and Effects

Let’s add some sound!

Step 1: Go to the Sound section.
Step 2: Drag “Play Sound Meow” block.
Step 3: Click the Green Flag to hear it!

You can record your own voice or upload new sounds too!

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7. Using Loops and Conditions

Loops and conditions help you make interactive projects!

Example: Make your sprite move back and forth.

• Use “Repeat” to make it move multiple times.
• Use “If on edge, bounce” to keep it inside the stage.

Challenge: Can you make your sprite say “Ouch!” when it hits the wall?

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8. Creating a Simple Game

Let’s make a basic Catch the Ball game!

Step 1: Add a ball sprite.
Step 2: Use “When Green Flag Clicked” + “Forever” + “Change Y by -5” to make it fall.
Step 3: Use “If touching Paddle” → “Change Y by 10” to make it bounce!
Step 4: Add points using “Change Score by 1” block.

Now play your own game!

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9. Saving and Sharing Your Project

Click “File” > “Save Now” to save.
Click “Share” to show your project to others!

Check out the Scratch community for inspiration!

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10. Next Steps: Becoming a Scratch Pro!

Now that you know the basics, try:
Making a story with multiple sprites.
Creating a race game using keyboard controls.
Building an interactive quiz with score tracking.

Remember: The more you experiment, the better you get!