Programming Concepts and Skills Supported in Scratch

Problem-Solving and Project-Design Skills

• logical reasoning
• breaking complex problems into simpler parts
• debugging problems
• developing ideas from initial conception to completed project
• sustained focus and perseverance

Specific Programming Concepts

Introduction to Programming

At NIS we learn programming through several steps.  Level I students begin with Scratch.  Scratch comes from MIT.  They developed it in response to the high number of students that drop out of computer science, or do not succeed in programming courses in university.  So we start in grade 7 with a graphical approach to programming.

Scratch is fun.  This is an important part of learning.  We know that we can engage better with the material if it captures our interest and is enjoyable.  I am thinking about have a unit on more advanced programming in Scratch for the higher level students.  Many of them have had the foundational unit on Scratch.  We will see how it goes.

I just noticed that Scratch 1.4 is released.  Students should use this latest version.  I will update the lab today.  Thanks to MIT for all they have done for education.