Overview

This STEAM/ course is designed specifically for middle or high school students who want to take their first class about computer programming. It's a great starter programming course to include as part of a computer science curriculum for your students.

This course isn't about learning Scratch programming specifically. Rather, it is designed to help students get their first experience with computer programming, and along the way, get a basic understanding and familiarity with essential concepts in programming languages, such as algorithms, loops, variables, logic, conditionals, objects, properties, events, design, implementation, debugging, testing, etc.

The projects in this STEAMcourse are designed to be well-balanced between thinking & logic and artistic expression and creativity, so that both left- and right-brained students can thrive and be motivated!

This is an all Project-based Learning (PBL) lab course. Each week's class includes a little bit of lecture and slides, but the majority of the time is spent by the students in the lab (or on students' laptops) on their own to finish each week's project. The solution to each project is included and the teacher may choose to review it with the students during the next class. The course ends with a capstone project, wherein students will design, implement, test, and debug a State Machine device of their choice (e.g. a soda machine) using Scratch.

I teach this class to a real 8th grade classroom in a middle-high school, during one school semester.

Perquisites and Requirements

• No prior knowledge or experience in programming needed

• Exercises only require a computer with internet access

Sections

• Intro

  • Course Overview

• Unit 1

  • Scratch: Sign Up, Log In

  • Basics Demo

• Unit 2

  • Intro to Algorithms

  • Project 1: Write Algorithm for Farmer River Crossing Problem

• Unit 3

  • Project 2: Implement Algorithm to Farmer River Crossing Problem Using Scratch

• Unit 4

  • Loops

  • Events

  • Broadcasts

  • Project 3: Remote Controlled Car

• Unit 5

  • Costumes

  • Timers

  • Project 4: Traffic Light

• Unit 6

  • Variables

  • Arithmetic Operators

  • Project 5: Traffic Light with Timer

• Unit 7

  • Create a Moving Art

• Unit 8

  • Project 7: Browse Existing Scratch Community Projects

• Unit 9

  • Asking the User

  • Conditionals

  • Project 8: ATM Machine

• Unit 10

  • Project 9: Make Some Sound/Music

• Unit 11

  • Logical Operators

  • Testing &Debugging

  • Project 10: Rock Paper Scissors Game: Debug & Customize

• (Bonus) Unit 12

  • State Machines

  • (Bonus) Design Project 11:Make Your Own State Machine

• Outro

  • Conclusion