What is Scratch?
Scratch is a simple, easy, block-based programming language. You can learn Scratch at any age. In the app of Scratch, There is a sidebar present at the left side of the window. The block codes are present there, they are divided into categories like Motion, Looks, Controls. You just have to click on any category and drag and drop the block you want.
This was only a quick understanding. The main article starts from here -
How to Download Scratch?
To download scratch, visit this website -
Now when you have downloaded Scratch, run the file. Now open Scratch. Your scratch screen will look like this -
This is the interface of Scratch.
The Red bordered box is the menu bar of the Scratch window. ON this Menu you can change the name of your project, Find tutorials by clicking on the tutorials button. Save the project by clicking File>>Save as, etc.
The Blue bordered box present in the extreme left corner shows us the different types of block categories. Click any one of them and you will see different blocks in the purple bordered box.
The purple bordered box contains the blocks that fall in the category you have selected. You just have to click on any category and some blocks will appear. Each category has its own color like the Controls category has the color orange, so, all blocks that fall in its category are orange.
The black-bordered field, where you can see the cat is the place where the selected cartoon or character will move or do any other actions.
The Yellow circled button present in the bottom right corner of the window is to choose a backdrop. This option is used to change the background of a sprite(character or cartoons are called "sprite" in Scratch). AS you can see, the cat's background is currently blank or white. So you can add a background by using this option.
The brown circled button is to select or choose a sprite. The cat is the default sprite of scratch. Like it, there are many sprites available here(in Scratch).
The light blue-bordered box present right above the black-bordered field is to run and stop the code. I will explain it in the next tutorial.
The orange-colored field is to drop the blocks. You drag a block from the purple-colored field and you release or drop it in this field.
Learning Scratch - Part 2
All my images are available here -
Visit the above URL to view all the images of Scratch.
I have not inserted the images here.
In the link, you can see three images -
Scratch 2, Scratch 3, Scratch 4
First concentrate on Scratch 2 -
As you can see, we are now in the Costumes tab. In Scratch, some sprites have more than one costume. What is a costume?
As you know, in real life costumes are dresses used to look like something. Like if you want to look like a samurai, you have to wear a costume of a samurai.
Similarly, Scratch costumes mean different stages of a sprite. Like in the costumes tab you will see two costumes or stages of the cat. The first costume or stage is named costume 1 and the second is named costume 2. In the first costume, the cat is walking and in the second costume, the cat is running. So, if you want to show the cat running, then click on costume 2. Then jump to the code tab by clicking on it( It is available at the left of the costumes tab). Now, you can drag and drop the code blocks you want. In the costumes tab, you can also change the color of the sprite, change its shape, change its outline, and many more.
This was all about the Costumes tab. Now, how can you choose a sprite?
To choose a sprite, click on the choose sprite button. Now, we will focus on Scratch 3.png (open the URL Scratch imgs available above). After you have clicked on the choose sprite button a screen will open as shown in Scratch 3.png. From there you have to choose the sprite or character you want. When you hover over a sprite you will see its costumes or stages. Like if you hover over the sprite Bat you will see different costumes, changing one by one. Just click on it and you will see the sprite appear. You can search for different sprites by typing in the search bar.
This was about how to choose a sprite. Now you will learn how to choose a background or backdrop for your sprite.
To choose a background, click on the choose backdrop button and a screen will appear as shown in Scratch 4.png. From there, you have to select a backdrop or background. It will be applied. You can also search for backgrounds in the search box.
When you hover over the choose sprite button or the choose backdrop button, you will see an option to draw your own sprite or to draw your custom backdrop. You will also see an option to upload your own backdrop or sprite.
You can see the tutorials button present in the menu bar. Just click on it and you will see a bunch of tutorials.
MSW Logo is much easier than Scratch. Search on the web about it.
How to add effects?
This is one of the tutorials of Scratch. In this tutorial, you will learn how to add effects
From the Events category, drag the first block ( When this sprite clicked )
From the Controls category, drag the second block ( repeat 10 )
From the Looks category, drag the last block ( change color effect by 25 )
Now click on the sprite or character. And it will change its color !!
Now, do you understand how powerful, easy and fun Scratch is?
Thanks for reading the full article~~