Seeco Tutoring

This course is the ideal starting point for students with little or no prior coding experience. Using Scratch’s visual programming environment, students build strong problem-solving and logical thinking skills without getting overwhelmed by typing syntax. This creates a smoother transition into text-based programming languages like Python later on.

Topics Covered:

Scratch Interface
- Getting familiar with the Scratch interface
Sprites and Backdrops
- Choosing and customizing sprites and backdrops
Code Categories
- Motion
- Looks
- Sound
Basic Coding
- Writing and running simple code snippets
Adding Delays
- Using the “wait” block appropriately

Sample Exercises:

Costume Change
- Make a sprite change its costume on click
Sequential Actions
- Sprite performs two actions in order
Sprite Creation
- Design your own sprite
Costume Customization
- Edit colors of a duplicated costume
Experimenting
- Try out blocks in Motion, Looks, and Sound

Topics Covered:

Loops
- “Forever”, “Repeat”, and “Repeat Until”
Randomization
- Adding unpredictability
Default Variables
- Working with Scratch’s built-in variables
Conditional Logic
- Using “if”, “if-else”, and nested conditions
Combining Loops and Conditionals
Operators
- Comparison and logical operators

Sample Exercises:

Pattern Movement
- Help your sprite move in a fun pattern using different loops.
Bouncing Sprite
- Make your sprite bounce off walls like ping-pong ball using conditionals.
Growing Sprite
- Program your sprite to grow big like a balloon until it reaches a set size

Topics Covered:

Keyboard Events
- Triggering actions with key presses
Mouse Events
- Using mouse hover, follow, and click
Text Input
- Capture and display text from the keyboard
Timers
- Integrate timed actions into your code
Messaging
- Communicating between sprites using broadcast
Broadcast vs Broadcast and Wait
- When and how to use each

Sample Exercises:

Jumping Sprite
- Make a sprite jump up on spacebar key press
Interactive Menu
- Display a menu with options. Change color of a menu item when hovered over.
Sprite Conversation
- Create an interactive conversation between two sprites by sending messages back and forth

Topics Covered:

What are Variables?
- Understanding how data is stored
Managing Variables
- Creating and modifying them
Block Variables
- Creating custom blocks with parameters
List Variables
- Storing and working with multiple values

Sample Exercises:

Product Calculator
- Take two user inputs (numbers), calculate and display their product
Grocery List
- Allow the user to add or remove items from the grocery list using input. Continuously prompt the user until they choose to quit
Move Block
- Create a custom “move” block that moves a sprite according to step size and move angle parameters.

	"Seema created a great Scratch coding course that was superb for new learners. It was also advanced enough that those students who did have a good grasp on Scratch could still learn something. There was a great structure that was designed to be a progression, but if you had to miss a session or two, you could still jump right back in." — Ethan Harrington, Director, STEM, Mill Creek YMCA
Scratch Coding Course
Overview This course is the ideal starting point for students with little or no prior coding experience. Using Scratch’s visual programming environment, students build strong problem-solving and logical thinking skills without getting overwhelmed by typing syntax. This creates a smoother transition into text-based programming languages like Python later on. Introduction to Scratch Programming Topics Covered: Scratch Interface Getting familiar with the Scratch interface Sprites and Backdrops Choosing and customizing sprites and backdrops Code Categories Motion Looks Sound Basic Coding Writing and running simple code snippets Adding Delays Using the “wait” block appropriately Sample Exercises: Costume Change Make a sprite change its costume on click Sequential Actions Sprite performs two actions in order Sprite Creation Design your own sprite Costume Customization Edit colors of a duplicated costume Experimenting Try out blocks in Motion, Looks, and Sound Loops, Conditionals, and Operators Topics Covered: Loops “Forever”, “Repeat”, and “Repeat Until” Randomization Adding unpredictability Default Variables Working with Scratch’s built-in variables Conditional Logic Using “if”, “if-else”, and nested conditions Combining Loops and Conditionals Operators Comparison and logical operators Sample Exercises: Pattern Movement Help your sprite move in a fun pattern using different loops. Bouncing Sprite Make your sprite bounce off walls like ping-pong ball using conditionals. Growing Sprite Program your sprite to grow big like a balloon until it reaches a set size Keyboard & Mouse Events, Timers, and Messaging Topics Covered: Keyboard Events Triggering actions with key presses Mouse Events Using mouse hover, follow, and click Text Input Capture and display text from the keyboard Timers Integrate timed actions into your code Messaging Communicating between sprites using broadcast Broadcast vs Broadcast and Wait When and how to use each Sample Exercises: Jumping Sprite Make a sprite jump up on spacebar key press Interactive Menu Display a menu with options. Change color of a menu item when hovered over. Sprite Conversation Create an interactive conversation between two sprites by sending messages back and forth Variables Topics Covered: What are Variables? Understanding how data is stored Managing Variables Creating and modifying them Block Variables Creating custom blocks with parameters List Variables Storing and working with multiple values Sample Exercises: Product Calculator Take two user inputs (numbers), calculate and display their product Grocery List Allow the user to add or remove items from the grocery list using input. Continuously prompt the user until they choose to quit Move Block Create a custom “move” block that moves a sprite according to step size and move angle parameters.