S
SCRATCH
Notes and Activities (Exam prep Grade 7-9)
Contents
Scratch Programming Notes ................................................................................................................................2
Motion Blocks ........................................................................................................................................................2
Looks Blocks ..........................................................................................................................................................2
Sound Blocks..........................................................................................................................................................3
Events Blocks.........................................................................................................................................................3
Control Blocks .......................................................................................................................................................3
Sensing Blocks .......................................................................................................................................................3
Operators Blocks ..................................................................................................................................................4
Variables Blocks ...................................................................................................................................................4
Pen Extension ........................................................................................................................................................4
Detailed Explanation: Control Blocks...............................................................................................................4
Types of Control Blocks.....................................................................................................................................4
Examples .................................................................................................................................................................5
Summary Table .....................................................................................................................................................5
Scratch Programming Practical Classroom Activities ...............................................................................6
Motion Blocks ........................................................................................................................................................6
Looks Blocks ..........................................................................................................................................................6
Sound Blocks..........................................................................................................................................................6
Events Blocks.........................................................................................................................................................7
Control Blocks .......................................................................................................................................................7
Sensing Blocks .......................................................................................................................................................7
Operators Blocks ..................................................................................................................................................7
Variables Blocks ...................................................................................................................................................7
Pen Extension ........................................................................................................................................................8
Extension Project: Using All Concepts Together.....................................................................................8
1
Scratch Programming Notes
Scratch is a block-based visual programming language developed by MIT. It allows users to
create interactive stories, animations, games, and simulations by snapping together code
blocks like puzzle pieces. Each block belongs to a specific category represented by a color.
Motion Blocks
Control the movement and position of a sprite.
• Examples:
• move 10 steps
• turn 15 degrees
• go to x: 0 y: 0
• glide 1 secs to x: 100 y: 100
• point towards [mouse-pointer]
Looks Blocks
Change how a sprite looks — its costume, size, or what it says.
• Examples:
• say "Hello!" for 2 seconds
• switch costume to [costume2]
• change color effect by 25
2
• show / hide
• change size by 10
Sound Blocks
Play sounds and control audio effects.
• Examples:
• play sound [meow] until done
• start sound [pop]
• stop all sounds
• change pitch effect by 10
• clear sound effects
Events Blocks
Detect and respond to events (like clicks, key presses, or broadcasts).
• Examples:
• when green flag clicked
• when [space] key pressed
• when this sprite clicked
• broadcast [Game Over]
• when I receive [Game Over]
Control Blocks
Control how the program runs — repetition, waiting, and decision-making.
• Examples:
• wait 1 seconds
• repeat 10
• forever
• if <condition> then
• if <condition> then else
• stop [all]
Sensing Blocks
Detect interactions with the mouse, keyboard, or other sprites.
• Examples:
• touching [sprite1]?
• mouse x / mouse y
• key [space] pressed?
3
• ask 'What is your name?' and wait
• answer
Operators Blocks
Perform math, comparisons, and combine text or conditions.
• Examples:
• +, -, *, /
• <, >, =
• and, or, not
• join [Hello] [World]
• pick random 1 to 10
Variables Blocks
Store and change values (like scores, time, or player health).
• Examples:
• set [score] to 0
• change [score] by 1
• show variable [score]
• hide variable [timer]
Pen Extension
Used to draw shapes and patterns on the stage using the sprite as a pen.
• Examples:
• pen down / pen up
• set pen color to [#ff0000]
• change pen size by 1
• clear
Detailed Explanation: Control Blocks
Control blocks in Scratch are used to manage the flow of the program. They allow the sprite
to repeat actions, wait for a certain time, make decisions, and control when scripts start or
stop. These blocks are essential for creating loops, conditions, and timing in animations and
games.
Types of Control Blocks
1. Wait Block – pauses the script for a set number of seconds.
2. Repeat Block – repeats a set of actions a specific number of times.
3. Forever Block– repeats actions endlessly until the program stops.
4
4. If/Then Block – checks a condition; if it's true, performs the action inside.
5. If/Then/Else Block – performs one action if the condition is true, another if false.
6. Stop Block – stops one or all scripts in a project.
Examples
Example 1: Making a sprite move continuously:
```
when green flag clicked
forever
move 10 steps
if on edge, bounce
end
```
Example 2: Waiting and making a decision:
```
when green flag clicked
wait 2 seconds
if <touching [mouse-pointer]?> then
say 'Gotcha!'
else
say 'Try again!'
end
```
In summary, control blocks make a Scratch project interactive and dynamic by managing
repetition, timing, and decision-making. Without them, Scratch animations and games
would only perform a single sequence of actions.
Summary Table
Category Purpose Example Block Color
Motion Moves the sprite move 10 steps Blue
Looks Changes appearance say "Hi!" for 2 Purple
seconds
Sound Plays sounds play sound [meow] Pink
until done
Events Starts actions when green flag Yellow
clicked
5
Control Repetition/decision forever / if then Orange
Sensing Detects input touching [mouse- Light Blue
pointer]?
Operators Math/logic pick random 1 to 10 Green
Variables Stores data set [score] to 0 Dark Orange
Pen Draws on the stage pen down Teal
Scratch Programming Practical Classroom Activities
This document provides practical classroom questions and activities to help learners apply
key Scratch programming concepts, including Motion, Looks, Sound, Events, Control,
Sensing, Operators, Variables, and the Pen extension.
Motion Blocks
Activity: Create a simple animation where a sprite (like the Scratch Cat) walks across the
screen.
• Questions:
• Which blocks did you use to make the sprite move?
• How can you make the sprite move in a zig-zag pattern?
• What happens if you use the glide block instead of move?
Looks Blocks
Activity: Make a sprite change its costume to simulate movement or emotion.
• Questions:
• How can you make a sprite say something for 2 seconds?
• Can you make your sprite switch costumes when it moves?
• How can you hide and show your sprite at different times?
Sound Blocks
Activity: Add background music or sound effects to your Scratch project.
• Questions:
• How do you make a sound play when the green flag is clicked?
• What is the difference between play sound until done and start sound?
• Can you make a sound play when two sprites touch each other?
6
Events Blocks
Activity: Use events to start different actions (for example, press the space bar to make the
sprite jump).
• Questions:
• Which block do you use to start your program?
• How can you make one sprite react when another sprite broadcasts a message?
• What happens if you use 'when this sprite clicked'?
Control Blocks
Activity: Create a loop that makes a sprite move and bounce around forever.
• Questions:
• What is the purpose of the forever loop?
• How does the if then block help control what your sprite does?
• Can you make your sprite wait for 2 seconds before repeating an action?
Sensing Blocks
Activity: Create a game where the sprite changes color when it touches another sprite or the
mouse pointer.
• Questions:
• Which block detects if the sprite is touching another sprite?
• How can you make your sprite follow the mouse pointer?
• How do you get input from the user using the ask block?
Operators Blocks
Activity: Make a game that uses random numbers to decide what happens next.
• Questions:
• How can you use the pick random 1 to 10 block in your project?
• Can you join two pieces of text together using the join block?
• What operator would you use to check if a number is greater than another?
Variables Blocks
Activity: Create a score system that increases every time the sprite touches a certain object.
• Questions:
• How do you create a variable in Scratch?
• How can you increase a variable’s value?
• Can you hide a variable display from the stage?
7
Pen Extension
Activity: Use the pen extension to draw shapes like squares, triangles, or patterns.
• Questions:
• What happens when you use pen down?
• How can you change the pen color?
• Can you create a loop that draws a star shape using the repeat block?
Extension Project: Using All Concepts Together
Create a mini interactive game where:
- The player moves a sprite with arrow keys (Motion + Events).
- The sprite says messages when it scores (Looks).
- Sounds play when an action happens (Sound).
- The game uses variables to track score and time (Variables).
- Control and Operator blocks manage game logic.
- Sensing blocks detect when sprites touch.
- The Pen draws the player’s path or score line.
• Discussion Questions:
• Which blocks did you use to make your sprite move and interact?
• How do the control and sensing blocks help manage your game?
• What challenges did you face combining all these blocks?
