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  •  » Scratch Programming for Teens - Now Available

#1 2008-07-03 21:42:15

jlf04
Scratcher
Registered: 2007-09-11
Posts: 10

Scratch Programming for Teens - Now Available

Hi! I am the author of Scratch Programming for Teens.

http://www.tech-publishing.com/images/SPFT.jpg

I just received an advance copy of the book today which means that it should be arriving on-line and at your local neighborhood bookstore within the next few days. Below is a copy of the book's table of contents:

Introduction

Part I    Scratch Basics

Chapter 1 Introducing Scratch
Chapter 2 Getting Comfortable with the Scratch Development Environment
Chapter 3 A Review of the Basic Components of Scratch Projects
Chapter 4 Mr. Wiggly's Dance - A Quick Scratch Project

Part II    Learning How to Write Scratch Programs

Chapter 5 Moving Things Around
Chapter 6 Sensing Sprite Position and Controlling Environmental Settings
Chapter 7 Storing and Retrieving Data
Chapter 8 Doing a Little Math
Chapter 9 Conditional and Repetitive logic
Chapter 10 Changing the Way Sprites Look and Behave
Chapter 11 Spicing things Up with Sounds
Chapter 12 Drawing Lines and Shapes

Part III    Advanced Topics

Chapter 13 Sharing Your Scratch Projects Over the Internet
Chapter 14 Collecting External Input Using a Scratch Sensor Board
Chapter 15 Finding and Fixing Program Errors

Part IV    Appendices

Appendix A What's on the Companion Web Site?
Appendix B What Next?
Glossary   

To learn more visit: http://www.amazon.com/Scratch-Programming-Teens-Jerry-Ford/dp/1598635360

If you would like to provide me with feedback on what you think of the book, I would very much appreciate it. My email address is jerry@tech-publishing.com. I receive a lot of email from readers so unfortunately, I cannot respond to every email I receive. Still, I read every email I get and any input received may come in handy down the road when I get the chance to work on a second edition of the book.

I really worked hard on this book and am pleased with the way it turned out. I hope everyone who reads it finds something of value in it.

Keep on Scratching!

Jerry Lee Ford, Jr.

Last edited by jlf04 (2008-07-12 21:50:32)

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#2 2008-07-03 21:58:38

Bluestribute
Scratcher
Registered: 2008-01-24
Posts: 1000+

Re: Scratch Programming for Teens - Now Available

Wait. It will only be online and at Brick and Mortar? Never heard of Brick and Mortar. Hope it's actually a store so this doesn't look too funny. Anyways, why not like Barnes & Noble?


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#3 2008-07-03 22:08:35

jlf04
Scratcher
Registered: 2007-09-11
Posts: 10

Re: Scratch Programming for Teens - Now Available

Brick and motar is just a term that refers to your local neighborhood bookstore as opposed to an on-line store. I'll edit my original posting to make this more clear.

Thanks,

Jerry Lee Ford, Jr.
Author, Scratch Programming for Teens

Last edited by jlf04 (2008-07-03 22:09:56)

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#4 2008-07-03 22:14:26

Bluestribute
Scratcher
Registered: 2008-01-24
Posts: 1000+

Re: Scratch Programming for Teens - Now Available

Oh. Well, that probably also means Barnes & Noble (correct me if I'm wrong) because the only book store by use is either a trade and take kind of one or very very small (I know it's small at least)


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#5 2008-07-03 22:16:59

deatheater
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Registered: 2008-04-11
Posts: 1000+

Re: Scratch Programming for Teens - Now Available

I probably won't be able to get this book

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#6 2008-07-03 22:23:42

jlf04
Scratcher
Registered: 2007-09-11
Posts: 10

Re: Scratch Programming for Teens - Now Available

You should be able to get at Barnes and Nobles, Books-a-Million, Borders, etc.

My publisher, Course Technology, is one of the major computer book publishers. The book should be available pretty much anywhere computer books are sold.

Jerry Lee Ford, Jr.
Author, Scratch Programming for Teens

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#7 2008-07-03 22:25:14

deatheater
Scratcher
Registered: 2008-04-11
Posts: 1000+

Re: Scratch Programming for Teens - Now Available

jlf04 wrote:

You should be able to get at Barnes and Nobles, Books-a-Million, Borders, etc.

My publisher, Course Technology, is one of the major computer book publishers. The book should be available pretty much anywhere computer books are sold.

Jerry Lee Ford, Jr.
Author, Scratch Programming for Teens

Does that include Australia?

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#8 2008-07-03 22:38:01

jlf04
Scratcher
Registered: 2007-09-11
Posts: 10

Re: Scratch Programming for Teens - Now Available

At the bottom of the opening page in the book there is a list of countries in which my publisher has a direct distribution channel through which it sells it's books. This list includes:

Australia, Brazil, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Signapore, Spain, United Kingdom and the United States.

Since Australia is on the list I would be very suprised if it was not sold at all your major bookstores. If not, there is always www.amazon.com, www.bamm.com, www.bn.com, www.bookpool.com as well as all of the Australian based on-line bookstores.

Jerry Lee Ford, Jr.
Author, Scratch Programming for Teens

Last edited by jlf04 (2008-07-03 23:19:35)

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#9 2008-07-04 09:16:54

Jman720
Scratcher
Registered: 2007-11-27
Posts: 1000+

Re: Scratch Programming for Teens - Now Available

Awesome, My birthday's coming up and I hope I get it!  It looks great!  I saw whoever did the cover and I love all the projects!


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2+3+2+(-9)+1x+2x=7

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#10 2008-07-04 10:06:15

Lanie
Scratcher
Registered: 2008-02-03
Posts: 1000+

Re: Scratch Programming for Teens - Now Available

This is great, now more people will learn about Scratch, I will order it definitely on Amazon. May I ask: What sparked the idea of writing a book about Scratch Programming  For Teens?

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#11 2008-07-04 10:20:42

jlf04
Scratcher
Registered: 2007-09-11
Posts: 10

Re: Scratch Programming for Teens - Now Available

I have 3 children, ages 7, 9 and 11. My 11 year old wants to learn about computer programming. He is not ready to try anb learn Visual Basic or any other similar programming langauges. So late last year I went looking for an alternative and I came upon Scratch. When I realized that no one had written a book for Scratch yet, I decided to kill two birds with one stone and write a book that I could use to help teach my son while also meeting what I preceived to be a need of the Scratch community.

Jerry Lee Ford, Jr.
Author, Scratch Programming for Teens

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#12 2008-07-04 10:34:13

Lanie
Scratcher
Registered: 2008-02-03
Posts: 1000+

Re: Scratch Programming for Teens - Now Available

Thats nice, I want to program for a career and I just learned visual basics last year and that was my first year of High School! But i think its wonderful you made the book im going  to order it

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#13 2008-07-04 11:02:12

adriangl
Scratcher
Registered: 2007-07-02
Posts: 1000+

Re: Scratch Programming for Teens - Now Available

You have a definate 2 buyers. Me and Lanie.


Scratchin' since 2007

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#14 2008-07-04 11:03:12

adriangl
Scratcher
Registered: 2007-07-02
Posts: 1000+

Re: Scratch Programming for Teens - Now Available

And throught what ages is this book for ?(example: 9-14).


Scratchin' since 2007

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#15 2008-07-04 11:46:43

Lanie
Scratcher
Registered: 2008-02-03
Posts: 1000+

Re: Scratch Programming for Teens - Now Available

well its for teens so its from ages 13-19 because they all end in teens lol

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#16 2008-07-04 12:06:40

SonicPops
Scratcher
Registered: 2007-06-10
Posts: 100+

Re: Scratch Programming for Teens - Now Available

Cool! I'll certainly have a look at it  smile


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#17 2008-07-04 13:01:53

adriangl
Scratcher
Registered: 2007-07-02
Posts: 1000+

Re: Scratch Programming for Teens - Now Available

I am 10 but I still want to get it!


Scratchin' since 2007

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#18 2008-07-04 14:23:37

Lanie
Scratcher
Registered: 2008-02-03
Posts: 1000+

Re: Scratch Programming for Teens - Now Available

well you can be any age and read it its just suggested for teens i guess

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#19 2008-07-04 14:25:03

Bluestribute
Scratcher
Registered: 2008-01-24
Posts: 1000+

Re: Scratch Programming for Teens - Now Available

I think I am getting (or looking) at it today. If I do, I'll post some stuff about it like who would want/need it


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#20 2008-07-11 08:00:07

Paddle2See
Scratch Team
Registered: 2007-10-27
Posts: 1000+

Re: Scratch Programming for Teens - Now Available

Okay, I got my copy a few days ago and have read it pretty much cover to cover.  Here is my review:

Review of “Scratch Programming for Teens"  by Jerry Lee Ford.

First, I’d like to offer my thanks to Jerry Ford.  I’m so happy that a book on Scratch is finally available.  It gives me something to point to when people ask me, “So…what is Scratch anyway?"    I can just hand them this book (in addition to pointing them to the website, of course!).

This book is a good overview of the Scratch programming language with a nice progression of projects that would help a new user move rapidly to a moderate level of expertise.  The text is nicely formatted and broken up by many pictures and examples. The writing style would probably appeal most to adults and teens with a good vocabulary.  It is clear, but occasionally uses technical jargon and complex sentence structures.  A couple of examples:

Page 65 - “Control blocks automate the execution of scripts, pause script execution, and send messages to other sprites, allowing sprites to synchronize their execution.  There are also control blocks that let you set up loops to repeatedly execute collections of code blocks as well as control blocks that let you conditionally execute other code blocks based on whether or not a test conditional evaluates as true."   

Page 122 – “This application’s operation depends on the use of a virtual pen object that Scratch makes available to you via pen code blocks, which you will learn about in Chapter 12, “Drawing Lines and Shapes."    The overall operation of the application is controlled by the script, which automatically begins executing when the green flag button is clicked."

I think this would be a great book for teachers interested in learning Scratch so as to introduce it in to their classrooms.  Older teens and adults looking to learn Scratch, particularly those with programming experience in other languages, will also find this book helpful.

The section on debugging is particularly good, offering many helpful tips that Scratch programmers will find useful.  A common Scratch problem area that was not addressed, however, was Race Condition bugs.  A Race Condition can exist when multiple scripts start at the same time and “race each other"  to completion.  Other running scripts that depend on the results of the racing scripts will give different answers depending on which script completes first.  If the programmer doesn’t plan for this type of condition, through the use of Wait blocks or other means, it can cause a host of problems.  Race Condition bugs often appear in projects that are run on the website Java player since the Java Player runs scripts at different speeds than the Scratch program.  Hopefully later editions of the book will address this lack.

For the Scratch game programmer, this book offers less.  It does not provide any help in the more common algorithmic problem areas experienced by game builders such as: Scrolling, Gravity, Platforms, Levels, and  Solid Walls.  I was particularly disappointed not to find a good sample project using the “Color X Touching Color Y"  Boolean block as it provides some great sensing capabilities but can be confusing to use.  Maybe a second book should be written: “Advanced Scratch Game Construction Techniques" .  How about it Jerry, are you working on a sequel?  I hope so.


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#21 2008-07-11 11:03:54

Bluestribute
Scratcher
Registered: 2008-01-24
Posts: 1000+

Re: Scratch Programming for Teens - Now Available

Thanks! My mom said she would get it for me since Barnes & Noble hadn't got it yet, but it seems (especially the last paragraph) that it is more for beginners


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#22 2008-07-12 14:19:23

chalkmarrow
Scratcher
Registered: 2007-05-18
Posts: 100+

Re: Scratch Programming for Teens - Now Available

Thanks for the excellent review, Paddle2See!

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#23 2008-07-14 21:21:11

teachcomputers
Scratcher
Registered: 2008-07-11
Posts: 25

Re: Scratch Programming for Teens - Now Available

Hi Jerry,
I am compiling a list of resources (with ratings) for learning and teaching scratch.
http://www.kidslike.info/scratch_computer_programming_tutorials?op0=contains&filter0=scratch
I added a listing about your book.
Is there a free sample chapter online that we can read?
It sounds like a good book, but it sounds like it reads at a pretty advanced level.

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#24 2008-07-16 16:08:38

andresmh
Scratch Team at MIT
Registered: 2007-03-05
Posts: 1000+

Re: Scratch Programming for Teens - Now Available

I browsed through the book and I found on page 301 it features the Scratch Resources website that JSO and adriangl have been working on!!!


Andres Monroy-Hernandez | Scratch Team at the MIT Media Lab
on identi.ca and  twitter

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#25 2008-07-16 17:45:16

adriangl
Scratcher
Registered: 2007-07-02
Posts: 1000+

Re: Scratch Programming for Teens - Now Available

Sweet! Thanks for the mentioning jlf04!

andresmh wrote:

I browsed through the book and I found on page 301 it features the Scratch Resources website that JSO and adriangl have been working on!!!


Scratchin' since 2007

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