What is SCRATCH?
SCRATCH is a programming language that allows users to easily create games, stories, animations and much more. View the video below for a quick overview and to hear others talk about the ease of use and benefits of this exciting program.
Scratch: overview from andresmh on Vimeo.
How is SCRATCH beneficial to my classroom?
SCRATCH teaches students a variety of skills in an engaging and challenging environment. Skills include:
- Mathematical and computational skills
- Problem solving
- Creativity
- Systematic reasoning
- Collaboration
Beyond the skills, students receive immediate feedback on their decisions by playing the sequence to ensure it is working properly. Students can also learn to work together by helping each other correct functions that aren't' working properly and critiquing each other's work.
How much does SCRATCH cost?
SCRATCH is FREE. It is developed at MIT and supported by various entities. You simply go to http://scratch.mit.edu/ and click the download button to start today!
What does SCRATCH look like?
Below is a screenshot of SCRATCH. When you first open it, you can see "sprite" on the right, the blocks on the left, and you place the blocks in the middle to make the sprite "perform."
What types of projects can be completed in SCRATCH?
Visit http://scratch.mit.edu/channel/featured to view the featured projects on the SCRATCH website. SCRATCH can be used for students to create:
- educational games
- drawings
- animations
- stories
- music
- interactive projects
- art
- anything your creative mind can come up with!
How do I get started with SCRATCH?
- Visit http://info.scratch.mit.edu/Support/Get_Started to see the quick and easy steps to get started.
- View Getting Started with SCRATCH
- Create SCRATCH Cards
- Watch this SCRATCH Into Video
Resources