Scratch Programming

[ChristineW]

http://scratch.mit.edu/

 

Anyone try it with a mathy kid? DS7 is very into robots, building and math. I'm trying to convince DH to pay for a Lego Mindstorms class but in the interim, I'm thinking about Scratch. If so, how did you get started? Was it through the online tutorials, a book, etc. I personally don't know anything about computer programming, but I remembered this from an WSj article a few months ago.

 

Thanks,

 

Christine

[GWOB]

My son loves this site! We just downloaded it and let him go. He taught himself how to create games and animations. While I know absolutely nothing about programming, Scratch seems incredibly simple to learn and use. I know there are books on Amazon that will teach you how to create more advanced programs, but have yet to need them. Just be prepared. If your son is anything like my son, he will beg you constantly to play with Scratch. Constantly.

[Halcyon]

My 7 year old has been using Scratch for a couple of months. DH downloaded a book on Lulu written by a man and his young son, full of lessons which dig a lot deeper into the "how" of the software. My older is going to join in soon.

[GWOB]

My 7 year old has been using Scratch for a couple of months. DH downloaded a book on Lulu written by a man and his young son, full of lessons which dig a lot deeper into the "how" of the software. My older is going to join in soon.

 

Was the book really useful? I'm sure there is so much more my son could be getting out of Scratch, but I just haven't purchased anything else. Maybe a book would be a good Christmas present.

[Halcyon]

Yes, they really like it, but I am not really involved LOL. I think they downloaded it to my DH's ipad. DH says that Scratch can be a useful tool to build up DS's programming skills, but I don'tt think he realized how deep he could go before reading the book.

[Arcadia]

. DH says that Scratch can be a useful tool to build up DS's programming skills, but I don'tt think he realized how deep he could go before reading the book.

 

What is the title of the book? My boys played with Scratch for awhile and were bored because they didn't know what to do with it other than trying out all the commands on the screen.

[Halcyon]

I am not sure--will ask my DH and post back.

[FairProspects]

:bigear: I would like to know too, although I'm not sure ds loves programming. He says it is too much sitting still when he would rather be working with his hands. :D

[nutella08]

dd did all the tutorials/lessons at http://learnscratch.org/. I sat with her thru the 1st couple to get her started. Now she browses the online gallery and downloads projects to learn how others do interesting things. She's hooked. When I get the chance, we're going to try Alice next.

[dbmamaz]

My kids started with the tutorials, but i just found a NEW BOOK - in comic book format! i'm so excited and so si my 9 yo

[wapiti]

:lurk5:

[Dmmetler]

DD's been programming in Scratch for about 2years now, mostly by the "find a project I like, look at the source code, and then apply it to my projects method". She's also enjoying Alice.

[Kathy G]

My son did scratch for about a year at age 9 and read many books etc. Over the next few years he went on to python and C+ and now Java. It is a great way to start.

[FairProspects]

My son did scratch for about a year at age 9 and read many books etc. Over the next few years he went on to python and C+ and now Java. It is a great way to start.

 

 

Can I ask how he learned python, and C+? Is there a book or tutorials you or he would recommend?

[Kathy G]

This is the book he started with for python

 

http://www.amazon.com/Python-Programming-Absolute-Beginner-Edition/dp/1435455002/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1354235910&sr=8-2&keywords=python+programming

 

He went through it then went on websites to learn a ton more. I don't know any programming. He started C+ programming with a book called Head first C. He really did most of it through things he found online though.

 

He is now doing books through Big Nerds Ranch- some C and some ios and some Objective C (hope I said those correctly)

 

https://www.bignerdranch.com/index

 

I wish I could give more guidance, but I am merely the book buyer here. It all startede with scratch though and he still occasionally goes back and makes little things on scratch for fun. He liked all of these books. He is 13 now so it has been a few years.

 

Kathy

[FLDebbie]

dd did all the tutorials/lessons at http://learnscratch.org/. I sat with her thru the 1st couple to get her started. Now she browses the online gallery and downloads projects to learn how others do interesting things. She's hooked. When I get the chance, we're going to try Alice next.

 

 

Thank you for posting this! I'm going to be teaching Scratch at our co-op next semester and now I don't have to think through the lesson plans. What a great time saver!

[brownie]

My boys all started with Scratch. We later did FLL (NXT). DS12 now programs the NXT with Robot C rather than NXT-G.

 

Of course they play around making video games, but they've also modelled diffusion and played with angles looking at how to estimate the number of degrees in a circle. My middle son likes to make really cool designs he calls "Rugs" but they're like something you'd make on a spirograph.

[gracesteacher]

Did we ever find out the name of the Lulu book?