Skip to Content

6 Ways to Scratch the Surface

SCRATCH elegantly meets a deep need within many urban schools: a tool that allows students to create with computers. But how do we use it? This resource suggests six strategies for getting started.

 

Scratch elegantly and powerfully meets a deep need within many urban schools: a tool that allows students to create with computers. Designed by the Lifelong Kindergarten Project and the MIT Media Lab, Scratch represents the best of cutting-edge technological design for schools—and it’s completely free. But how do we use it? This resource suggests six strategies for getting started.
 
            1. “From Scratch”                                                            members follow along
            2. “The Scratchbook”                                                      members go at their own pace
            3. “Backscratch”                                                              members work in pairs
            4. “Scratching for Seeds”                                               members start with a “seed” project
            5. “Scratch That, Rewind!”                                             members undo a popular project
            6. “Scratch the Tape!”                                                     members remix a popular project
 
As a platform for learning, Scratch stresses creativity and collaboration. So rather than present a series of lesson plans, this resource offers six strategies or methods for designing activities with Scratch. Each strategy connects to Scratch projects. These strategies are intended to serve as a starting point.
 
This resource assumes a basic knowledge of Scratch. It does not attempt to explain every block or how Scratch works as a whole. For a basic knowledge of Scratch, view the explanatory videos on the Scratch website and then just tinker!
 
Elements of this project and links to it have been shared in several places. ScratchEd is where all the pieces can be found together.
 
            1. The Scratch Website                 scratch.mit.edu                                               
            2. Scratch for Educators               scratched.media.mit.edu
            3. TMC Wiki                                     techmissioncorps.org/cms/wiki/techmission-corps-wik
            4. Thinkfinity Community              community.thinkfinity.org
            5. After School TechTeam            afterschooltechteam.wordpress.com