Scratch

Do you mean teaching programing of scratch, or usig scratch as a resource?

You could probably use Scratch instead of (eg) Logo for unit 4e "Modelling effects on screen", then perhaps in unit 5e "Controlling devices" and unit 6c "Control and Monitoring".

The problem with 5e is that scratch doesn't, AFAIK, let you control an external device.  To teach 5e properly you would need a kind of opposite of the scratch-board, so that scratch can switch on/off lights/buzzers or motors on an external device. 

6c would be ok, though, if you have a scratch board.

The QCA doesn't specify that the children need to usse Logo - its more about becoming familar with giving instructions to computers.

Logo type programs have been used in the past not because of what they do, but how they do it.

So whilst scratch does'nt logo, it would be a perfectly viable choice and perhaps even a superior choice)  for unit 4e.

Unfortunately, without a "Scratch Turtle", their work in 4e wouldn't feed in to the subsequent years work in 5e.  This would make introducing 5e harder.

However, I think children would be far keener to expplore Scratch in their own spare time than they would Logo, and so I think the benefits outweigh this disadvantage.

My son's 5th grade class used logo for geometry, and I had many of them in Tech Club using scratch.  Scratch was *much* more motivating than logo.  They didn't mind doing logo in class (more fun than many assignments), but they had no desire to create new programs in it outside class.  Some of them have created dozens of games in scratch, and even those who never completed a full scratch game that they were willing to share were eager to come to Tech Club to play with short animation sequences.

Hi

I am going to be holding a summer project and would like to get any advice on the age group people think Scracth would appeal to? I ask this as I have just come across the software today. I would like them to create games if possible. Does anyone have any guidance they can give on creating games, how creative can they get, how advance can they get?

bobconway wrote:

Once they have this, then it'll (hopefully) be a simple jump to using Logo-style programs to draw regular shapes and the like.

I wouldn't get too hung up about emulating Logo.  As I recall, the unit is about programing, not specifically about drawing geometric shapes.

Shapes drawn in logo are used in the exemplar units because that is what logo is good at, but I think emulating logo with scratch would be a real waste of scratches potential.

You should see if you can meet the learning intention of the unit whilst playing to scratches strengths - eg, could the LI be met by having the children animate a story or play they have written in literacy?  (or an event they have studied in history?  Or an experimetn they have done in science?)

Lots of lovely cross-curicular links there - literacy, ICT, and possibly art if they can design their own sprites 

Yes, we have a national curriculum.

The QCA is the "Qualifications and Curriculum Authority"

The QCA sets various standards, and also provides suggested units of work that would allow you to meet those standards.  The standards are compulsary, the units of work are not, but most schools use them since they are tried and tested means of educating to the required standard.

A list of the units of work can be found here:  http://www.standards.dfes.gov.uk/schemes2/it/

Scratch programming might used to teach to the curriculum requirements in units:

2D "Routes: controlling a floor turtle" (the floor turtle itself can be replaced by scratch)
4e "Modelling effects on screen",
5e "Controlling devices"
5F. Monitoring environmental conditions and changes
6c Monitoring environmental conditions and changes

We don't mandate the same lessons, just the same outcomes.

So that 2 children who have been to an english school will have the same opportunities to learn.

In practice, that may mean that school are teaching the same lessons in some cases, but there are plenty of schools and teachers who are willing to step away from the QCA units of work and try something different, whilst still aiming to give the children the same skills.

EG - history is generally about developing the skills to look at and question historical events, NOT about dates and facts.  The QCA units of work lay out basic planning for teaching these skills by reference to certain historical events, (eg, The Great Fire of London) but if a teacher wanted to change the planning to deliver those same skills by teaching about the Black Death instead, they could.

Similarly, the QCA gives schemes of work for using LOGO to give primary children experience of giving computers instructions, but I'm extremely keen to carry out those lessons usign Scratch instead.

Especially since the new "Excelence and enjoyment" initiative is promoiting more cross-curricular links.  I could Use scratch in a combined literacy/ICT session where children write a script for a cartoon and then animate it.

Throw in some art, too, with them drawing their own sprites and backgrounds.  Make it a cartoon about a historical event, or that teaches something from science or RE, and you've covered a lot of the curiculum in one go 

I havn't done anything towards it but would be happy to be consulted 

How much time would be dedicated to the ICT units?  The "initial thoughts" above seem quite timid---appropriate if each year only gets about 4-5 hours, but one should be able to do more that that with the Year 3 students, if you have as much as 10 hours.

Was introduced to Scratch last year but just started looking at it properly.  Yesterday in fact.

I'm looking at using it for the "control" elements of key stage 3 - or the "automated processes" elements of the revised key stage 3 for 2008 which is replacing control. I'm looking at combining QCA units 6 and 13, maybe unit 7 too - (I have to squish key stage 3 into just year 7 due to teaching OCR Nationals from year 8 onwards, but that's another matter...)

If anyone else has done / is doing the same I would be interested in hearing and sharing ideas with you!