Week 3: Your First Steps into Programming!
Unit: Building Blocks of Programming (Weeks 3-5)
What’s in Store This Week?
The moment you’ve been waiting for is here! This week, you’ll dive into the world of real programming with a super fun tool called Scratch Jr. Think of it as your own digital playground where you are the creator. You’ll learn how to bring characters to life by snapping together colorful blocks that make them move, talk, and interact. Get ready to unleash your creativity and build your very first interactive stories and games!
What You’ll Be Able to Do!
By the end of this week, you’ll be able to:
- Find your way around the Scratch Jr. app like a pro.
- Snap together motion and sound blocks to create your first simple programs.
- Understand the secret language of programming, like what “sprites” and “scripts” are.
- Mix different blocks together to build your own unique creations.
Lessons This Week
Lesson 3.1: Welcome to the Programming Playground!
Get Ready To: Jump into Scratch Jr. for the first time! We’ll take a guided tour of your new creative playground and program a character to move across the screen.
Lesson 3.2: Let’s Have a Dance Party!
Get Ready To: Become a digital choreographer! You’ll combine movement, sound, and even repeat blocks to make your characters perform amazing dance routines.
How We’ll See Our Skills Grow
- Show What You Know: We’ll see how easily you can find your way around Scratch Jr. and snap blocks together.
- Creative Showcase: You’ll get to show off the amazing dance parties you programmed!
- Your First Portfolio Piece: We’ll save your first Scratch Jr. projects so you can see how much you grow as a programmer over the next few weeks.
Connecting to Other Subjects
- Art & Music: You’ll be the artist and composer, creating digital dances with your own choreography and sound.
- Physical Education: You’ll think about movement and coordination, just like in a dance or sports class.
- Math: You’ll use sequencing and pattern-making skills, which are a big part of math!
Your Programmer’s Toolkit
- Tablets or computers with Scratch Jr. ready to go
- A projector for our group demonstrations
- Worksheets to help you plan your amazing dance moves
- A special folder to save and keep track of all your projects
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