Beginner Scratch Coding Club: Games, Animations and More

In this engaging and interactive coding adventure, learners will dive into the exciting world of programming! 🎮💻 Here's a sneak peek of what they'll experience:

🔹 What will be taught? We'll cover essential coding concepts using fun, beginner-friendly tools like Scratch (block-based coding) or Python (text-based coding). Students will design their own projects, from games to animations, enhancing their problem-solving skills while having a blast! 🚀✨

🔹 Topics we’ll explore:

Variables: What they are and how to use them

Loops and conditions: Key elements in building dynamic programs

Game development: Creating your own interactive games!

Animations: Making characters move and respond to input 🎬🎮

🔹 Class Structure & Teaching Style: Each session is designed to be interactive and hands-on. Learners will follow along with live demos, participate in discussions, and work on their own projects in real-time! We’ll start with a short introduction, jump into coding together, and leave time for questions and feedback at the end. 💡👩‍💻

🔹 Engagement & Interaction: Expect lots of collaboration! I'll encourage students to share their ideas, ask questions, and offer peer feedback. We'll use live coding exercises, fun quizzes, and even some friendly competition to keep things exciting. 🎉📊 This isn’t just about coding — it’s about learning through doing!

Whether you're new to coding or looking to sharpen your skills, this class is designed to be fun, supportive, and tailored to different learning speeds. Let’s make coding creative and engaging together! 👾

If a student is absent for the first part of a game a Starter file will be sent to the student so they are caught up and at the same place as the rest of the class. You can join this ongoing class at any time!

For advanced students please see our "Advanced Scratch Weekly Coding Club: Games, Animations and More." Course!


Here’s what your student can expect to do during class:
- Welcome + Introductions (5 minutes)
- Code a project in Scratch (45 minutes)
- Student Project Showcase + Say Goodbye (5 minutes)

Themes: 

Week of  December 16th: Fractal Snowflake

Week of  December 23rd: Campfire

Week of  December 30th: Fireworks Display

Week of  January 6th:  World Builder 1

Week of  January 13th: World Builder 2

Week of  January 20th: Sports Climbing

Please Note: This class runs on a set schedule, with lessons progressing through a 1-week cycle. New learners are welcome to join at any point during the cycle, but they may start partway through an ongoing project. If you’d prefer to begin at the start of a new cycle, feel free to check with us above for the upcoming schedule!

> Note for Parents:
Your student will need:
- A Scratch account. Visit https://scratch.mit.edu/ to create a free account.
- Access to a laptop or desktop computer with Zoom installed and screen-sharing enabled
- An internet connection of 3mbs+
- A working speaker, microphone and webcam - all Windows and Mac operating systems of the past five years are supported

Note: iPads are not recommended, but reach out to our team if you have any questions.  Please make sure an adult is on hand for the first five minutes of class to help set-up and tackle troubleshooting.