Scratch

Pico Blocks is like a simplified version of Scratch customized to work with the PicoCricket system. The system includes a small piece of hardware called a Cricket that can be programed with your Pico (Scratch) project and connected to various input and output devices like what you find on a sensor board and to Lego Wedo motors.

Personally, I like that much more than having to work off of a sensor board. Think of it as being able to remove and re-connect board components with only the parts you need for that specific project. The Cricket has batteries that power whatever sensors/motors are connected to it and an On/Off button to start and stop the script you program into it. It is re-programmable via an usb "beamer" that sends the data wirelessly over a very short, unobstructed distance (you put the Cricket in front of the beamer to program it)

For example, I used built a remote control (via 2 wires and hand-held buttons) car that had 2 lights as headlights, a horn, and a Wedo motor for an engine. I added a 2nd motor to add left and right turning to the front wheels but it did not work perfectly as it wouldn't always return to the same "center" position after you turned left or right. It was still cool and fun to make and play with though.

My class also built windmills and funky sculptures that played music, lit up, and moved via motors, lights, etc. We also made musical instruments that played according to light input or Play Doh and aluminum foil, a door alarm that worked via paperclip resistance circuit that got activated when the door opened and the handle pulled out the clip and broke the circuit, a racing start light and timer that we used to race Lego cars down a ramp... all kinds of stuff!