Tag Archives: programming

NEW! TechnoTales Coding Activities for Beginners

TechnoTales is a new STEM project by TechnoKids Inc. It includes coding activities for beginners. Primary and elementary students in Grades 2-4 follow the detailed instructions to create a modern fairy tale using Scratch Jr. They learn how to build scripts to animate the story action.

TechnoTales has coding activities for beginners. Build scripts to create an interactive story.

Blend Creative Writing With Coding

The lessons in TechnoTales guide students through the writing process. The project begins with an exercise that forms a connection between storytelling and scripts. Next, students answer questions about an example fairy tale to recognize the story elements. Once familiar with the task, they use a planning sheet to select the setting, characters, and plot. Afterwards, step-by-step instructions explain how create the story pages. A checklist is used to help students review the completed fairy tale to make revisions. Upon completion, the Techno Tale is shared with viewers.

Imaginative resources support learning.

Storytelling and Coding Activities for Beginners

TechnoTales gradually introduces students to programming concepts. Each story page applies a different coding technique:

	Page 1 – Once Upon a Time: Introduce the problem in the story. Animate the hero embarking on a quest using Motion and Looks blocks.
	Page 2 – Find a Hidden Item: Engage the viewer. Tap objects on the story page to reveal a hidden item that will help the hero.
	Page 3 – Get Help: Seek someone that will help to solve the problem. Count the number of steps to produce an animated sequence that triggers an event when characters bump each other.
	Page 4 – Happily Ever After: Create the story ending. Send and receive messages to show the characters celebrating.

Download Scratch Jr to Complete TechnoTales

To use the coding activities in TechnoTales you must have Scratch Jr installed on your devices. Scratch Jr is a free coding app for iPad, Android tablets, and Chromebooks. The interface is designed specially for children. To introduce programming concepts, colored blocks are sequenced together to form scripts. It is fun and easy to build interactive stories, animated scenes, and games.

Combine coding blocks to build scripts that animate the story action.

Teach Coding to Kids Using TechnoTales Instructional Resources

When you purchase TechnoTales, you will receive:

Teacher Guide: Detailed instructions for teaching a coding unit provide tips and strategies.
Student Workbook: Digital worksheets with screenshots and illustrated scripts support learning.
Example Videos: Sample fairy tales created with Scratch Jr help students gain an understanding of the task and spark inspiration.
Scratch Jr Flashcards: Large colored or black and white coding blocks can be used to build scripts as a visual aid.
Review Questions: Multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, or short answer questions assess knowledge of Scratch Jr tools and scripts.
Skill Reviews: Optional activities solidify learning by transferring skills to a new coding project.
Assessment Tools: Customizable checklists and marking sheets evaluate the fairy tale.
Extension Activities: Enrichment lessons challenge students to expand their coding skills.
Offline Coding Exercises: Board game that applies computational thinking to have a player complete a quest.

Teaching If Then Statements, Make Real World Connections

Make real world connections when teaching if then statements to beginners. If then statements are conditionals. A conditional is an action that occurs if something specific happens. If then statements are used in programming to trigger a set of instructions.

Before learning how to code if then statements, students need to understand the logic.

If then statements can be a difficult concept for young children to understand. To help them comprehend the logic, compare it to situations in their daily life. For instance, you may go home from school but only if it is the end of the day – then you can leave. Or you may get a treat, but only if you eat your dinner – then you can have a cookie.

Teaching If Then Statements to Beginners

Think about a school day. IF an event occurs THEN what happens?

if it is math class then ___
if it is library day then ___
if the fire alarm rings then ___
if the teacher is talking then ___

Think about a sporting event. IF an event occurs THEN what happens?

if the referee blows the whistle then ___
if a time limit is reached then ___
if a racer crosses the finish line first then ___
if a player touches a friend during tag then ___
if a soccer ball goes out of bounds then ___

Think about weather. IF an event occurs THEN what happens?

if it is hot then wear ___
if it is cold then wear ___
if it is rainy then wear___

Think about your daily life. IF an event occurs THEN what happens?

if the clock alarm goes off in the morning then ___
if you do not clean your room then ___
if the traffic light is red then ___

Think about gadgets. IF an event occurs THEN what happens?

if a cell phone battery charge is 0 then ___
if a person forgets to sign out of a device then ___
if the microwave reaches the time set for cooking then ___
if the SHIFT key is pressed when typing a letter then ___
if the Fill tool is clicked by the mouse in a drawing program then ___

Teaching If Then Statements using Scratch

When teaching if then statements it is essential that students understand the logic FIRST – before programming begins. Once connections have been made to daily life, students are ready to build scripts with if then coding statements. The if then coding block in Scratch, a coding app for children, can be used to direct the action in animated scenes, puzzles, or games. It uses blocks that are joined together to form scripts. The if then coding block has a blank spot that is filled with the condition.

if then coding block in Scratch

In Scratch the if then condition can be:

if a sprite is touching another sprite
if a sprite touches the mouse pointer
if a sprite reaches the edge of the stage
if a sprite touches a color
if one color is touching another color
if a keyboard key is pressed
if the mouse button is pressed down
if a value equals an amount
if a value is less than an amount
if a value is greater than an amount

Lessons to Teach If Then Statements

Are you interested in teaching a coding unit that applies if then logic? TechnoCode uses if then statements to have students build scripts to control the action of characters. Several assignments use conditionals:

Animated Fish Tank: Sense if a sprite is touching a specific fish. If it is, then alter movement. Children can program the sprite to swim to a new spot, change direction, or spin.
Maze: Sense if a sprite touches a color outside the path. If it is, then move back to stay inside the path.
Game: Sense if a player touches a target. If it does, then increase the score.
Game: Determine if a final score in a game is greater than a value. If it is, then display a message such as “You won!”

Use if then statements to keep score in Scratch.

How to Create a Timer in Scratch, Game Design

Want to know how to create a timer in Scratch to set a time limit for a game? Follow the instructions to create a counter that tracks each second that passes. When a specific time is reached, the timer stops counting and the game ends.

Create a timer in Scratch to set a time limit for a game.

About the Scripts and Your Game

The directions listed below explain how to add a timer to an existing Scratch project. You may need to adjust the scripts slightly to suit your game.

About the Timer Variable

The script requires the use of a variable. A variable is a factor that can change. Create a timer variable. It will be used to hold the number of seconds.

Scratch Coding Blocks Used to Create a Timer

Scratch has several coding blocks that you will use to build the script:

	Increase the (timer) variable by a specified amount.
	Reset the (timer) variable to zero when a new game begins.
	Display the timer variable to see the counter.
	Do an action until the something specific happens (time limit is reached).
	An operator that tests if the first value (seconds that have passed) equals the second value (time limit).

About the Timer Script

Before making the variable and building the script it is important to understand how the timer script works. Study the script below.

Does the timer equal 15? If no, wait 1 second and then increase the timer by 1 second. Repeat until the timer equals 15.

Code used to create a timer in Scratch.

Game Design with a Timer Video

Watch the video to understand how a timer can be used to set a time limit for a game. If this is a coding project that you would like to make, TechnoCode has a game design coding unit. The instructions explain how to build scripts to have a player touch targets to earn points. The lessons also include a planning sheet, game consultant checklist, coding journal log, Scratch quiz, and marking sheet.

How to Create a Timer in Scratch

Create a Timer Variable

Open the saved game project in Scratch.
Select the sprite that you will use to track the time (it might be the player).
From the Variables palette, click Make a Variable.
Type timer as the variable name. Click OK.

Create a timer variable.

Select the timer variable to display it.
Use your skills to build this script:
How do you want the script to start? Notice that in the sample script below, it begins with when I receive play game. This is a broadcasted message that you may have already created. If the broadcast message was not made, you can use the when Go clicked Hat block. To learn about broadcasting read the post, How to Broadcast a Message in Scratch.

Set the time limit using an Operator block.

Tip to Setting the Operator Coding Block:

View the Operator palette.
Drag __=50 into the if-then block .
Edit the number of seconds to the time limit. For example, 15.
View the Variable palette. Add the timer.

Test the Timer

Play the game. When done, click Stop.

Does the timer increase when one second passes?
Does the timer stop when it reaches the time limit?

Set the Timer to Zero When a New Game Begins

Play the game again. Does the timer start at zero? NO, it doesn’t.
Select the sprite that tracks the time.
From the Variables palette, add set my variable to 0 to the start of a script. Click the Variable arrow and select timer.

Add a coding block to reset the timer.

WHERE SHOULD THE CODING BLOCK GO? Notice where the set timer to 0 block is located in the script above. It was placed after the when Go clicked Hat block of an existing script. Look at your scripts. Where should it be placed in your game?

Play the game again. The timer should start at 0.

Programming Lessons – Coding Units

Interested in Scratch lessons? Learn more about TechnoCode published by TechnoKids Inc. TechnoCode is a technology project that includes a teacher guide, workbook, and resource files. Use the instructional materials to teach a coding unit to students in Grades 6-9.

How to Keep Score in Scratch, Game Design

Do you need to keep score in Scratch? If yes, keep reading! The instructions explain how to track the points earned by a player each time it touches a target.

Keep score in Scratch

About the Game

The directions listed below explain how to add scoring to an existing Scratch project. The game should have with a player and target sprite. Several scripts must already be built. For example, the player should have a script that controls its movement using the mouse pointer. As well, the target should be programmed to show in random spots. If your game design is different, you may need to adjust the scoring system to suit your Scratch project.

NOTE: These instructions are modified from the technology project TechnoCode, published by TechnoKids Inc. TechnoCode has programming activities for kids. The lessons include a game design coding unit. The seven assignments, guide students step-by-step through how to construct an entire game. To support learning, the unit has a planning sheet, example videos, sample scripts, programming challenges, game consultant checklist, coding journal log, Scratch quiz, Treasure Hunt skill review, and Variable extension activity.

About the Score Variable

The script you will build requires the use of a variable. A variable is a factor that can change. You will create a score variable. It will be used to hold the number of points.

A coding block will be used to increase the score by a specified number of points.

Another coding block will reset the score variable to zero when a new game begins.

About the Scoring System Script

Before making the variable and building the script it is important to understand how the scoring system script works. Study the script below.

Is the player touching the target? If yes, then increase the score by 2 points.

Code used to change the score in Scratch.

How to Keep Score in Scratch

Keep Track of the Score

Open your saved game project in Scratch.
Select the player sprite.
From the Variables palette, click Make a Variable.
Type score as the variable name. Click OK.

Create a score variable.

Select the score variable to display it.
Use your skills to build this script.
How do you want the script to start? Notice that in the sample script below, it begins with when I receive play game. This is a broadcasted message that you may have already created. If the broadcast message was not made, you can use the when Go clicked Hat block.

Set the number of points the player earns each time it touches the target.

Tip to Setting the Sensor Coding Block:

View the Sensing palette.
Drag touching mouse pointer into the if-then block .
Click the arrow and select the name of the target.

Test the Scoring System

Play the game. When done, click Stop.

Does the score increase each time the target is touched?
Are too many points added when the player touches a target?

Use these tips to improve how the player scores points:

If too many points are added when target touched, add wait 1 seconds after change score.
Play a sound when the target is touched. You may need to trim the clip.

Set the Score to Zero When a New Game Begins

Play the game again. Does the score start at zero? NO, it doesn’t.
Select the player sprite.
From the Variables palette, add set my variable to 0 to the start of the player’s script. Click the Variable arrow and select score.

Add a coding block with the score variable to reset the points.

WHERE SHOULD THE CODING BLOCK GO? Notice where the set score to 0 block is located in the script above. It was placed after the when Go clicked Hat block of an existing script. Look at your scripts. Where should it be placed in your game?

Play the game again. The score should start at O.