“Imagine, Program, Share.” – Scratch
Scratch is a block-based programming language developed by MIT, used to create interactive stories, animations, games, music, and art, and share your creations on the web. Scratch also offers extensions to work with other products such as the LEGO EV3 Robot, micro:bit, Makey Makey and so much more!
Scratch is designed for ages 8 to 16, but is fun for all ages! A simplified version of Scratch, ScratchJr has been created for ages 5 to 7. ScratchJr is an introductory programming language that enables young children to create their own interactive stories and games while learning core programming concepts in the background. All blocks are icon-based which enables students to be able to still use this while having early reading skills.
Accessing is easy! Scratch can be run from from a web browser where an account can be created by the student (13 and over) or by a Parent/Guardian (if the student is under 13 or does not have an email). With an account, the user can create, save, publish and share their projects. An offline “Desktop editor” is also available for download, however, it has limited functionality as the user is not able to publish and share projects. ScratchJr is available as a free app for Chromebook and for both iPad and Android tablets.