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Coding Club with Scratch

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Kerry Viglianco
Member
We have a once a week after school coding club for 4th and 5th graders.  Does anyone have any suggestions for best practices that keep these bright students engaged in both coding and collaborating with Scratch?  I have found that some of the students are finding others games that have been shared and now want to just play them rather than code their own.  The games they like usually have code that is more complicated than they are able to follow so asking them to look at the code then make their owh is too hard for them.  How do I keep their interest in coding so they can improve their skills with Scratch?  I think this stems from the "want it now mentality"  The kids loved initially seeing what they could do in the program, but then they also loved playing the games that more experienced coders already created.  I want creators, not consumers.  Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Replies
Alexa Kutler
Administrator
Hi Kerry!

So well said. Are you familiar with the Creative Computing Curriculum Guide? In Unit 4, students are given some tools and tips for Game Design. I wonder if it would provide some scaffholding for your students to design their own games? Particularly, it emphasizes the value of personalization, so students can create games that are directly related to something they're excited about. The guide offers structure, while also leaving a lot of space for creative agency and automonmy. 

Here are some other great game design resources that may provide some scaffholding for your students!

Game design handout and examples
http://scratched.gse.harvard.edu/resources/lets-play

Complete Introduction Course - Designing a Platform game in Scratch​
http://scratched.gse.harvard.edu/resources/complete-introduction-course-designing-platform-game-scratch

Game Design Elements in the Creation Process​
http://scratched.gse.harvard.edu/resources/game-design-elements-creation-process

Blocks/scripts you might use in games​
http://scratched.gse.harvard.edu/resources/blocksscripts-you-might-use-games​


I'd also recommend hopping onto the Teaching with Scratch Facebook group, an extension of the ScratchEd discussion boards, to gather insight from more educators about how they have engaged this question. I think it would be a really wonderful one to pose to the group, as it is an ongoing pursuit! 

I hope this helps!

Best,
Alexa