Scratch Projects

Explore & Discover

Go to [scratch.mit.edu](https://scratch.mit.edu) and make a free account — it takes two minutes. Then just browse the community. Search for projects tagged "game," "animation," or "art" and remix one. Remixing means you get a copy of the code and can change anything. Don't worry about breaking it — that's the point. Watch what happens when you drag a block to a new spot or change a number. Scratch is used by millions of kids around the world, including tons of students in Utah schools. You're ready for the next step when you've remixed at least one project and changed at least three things in it.

Learn the Basics

Work through the free official Scratch tutorials at [scratch.mit.edu/ideas](https://scratch.mit.edu/ideas). Complete "Getting Started with Scratch" and at least two more tutorials from the Ideas page. Learn the core blocks: Motion, Looks, Sound, Events, Control, Sensing, and Operators. Pay special attention to **Events** (what starts things happening) and **Loops** (how things repeat). The official [Scratch Wiki](https://en.scratch-wiki.info/) is great when you get stuck. Try building a simple animation of something you care about — your pet, your favorite Utah hiking trail, anything. You're ready for the next step when you can build a sprite that moves, changes costume, and reacts to a keypress.

Build Your First Project

Build a complete Scratch project from scratch — no remixing this time. Pick one of these: an interactive story with at least three scenes, a simple platformer game, or an animated music video. Your project needs at least three sprites, background changes, sound effects, and a clear beginning and end. Use the Scratch Paint Editor to draw at least one original costume. Share it publicly on Scratch so others can see it. Search "Scratch tutorial for beginners" on YouTube if you hit a wall — there are hundreds of free walkthroughs. You're ready for the next step when your project is shared publicly and someone besides you has viewed it.

Experiment & Iterate

Take your project and make it better in five specific ways. Add a score counter, a timer, extra levels, better sound, and one feature you've never tried before — like cloning sprites or using the microphone input. Search "[feature you want] Scratch tutorial" on YouTube for anything you haven't figured out yet. Then start a *different* type of project than your first one: if you made a game, try an animation; if you made a story, try a quiz. Each project type teaches different skills. You're ready for the next step when you've completed two distinct Scratch projects that each use different block categories.

Advanced Techniques

Push Scratch to its limits. Learn how to use **lists** and **variables** to store player data — like a save system for a quiz game. Build a project that uses **custom blocks** (Scratch's version of functions) to keep your code organized. Study how Scratch handles *collision detection* for games and *random numbers* for surprise elements. Read the free book [*Creative Computing*](http://scratched.gse.harvard.edu/guide/) from Harvard's ScratchEd team — it's designed for exactly where you are now. Try entering your project in a Scratch community challenge or contest. You're ready for the next step when your project uses at least one list, one custom block, and handles at least two different game states.

Final Project Showcase

Create your best Scratch project yet — something you'd be genuinely proud to show a teacher, a parent, or post online. It should demonstrate everything you've learned: clean code with custom blocks, variables and lists, multiple scenes or levels, original artwork, and original sound. Add clear instructions so anyone can play it without your help. Write a "Notes and Credits" section in your project describing how you built it and what was hardest. Share it, post the link to the SLCTrips community, and leave thoughtful comments on at least three other members' projects. You're ready for the next step when your project has been shared, you've received at least two community comments, and you can explain your code to someone who's never seen Scratch.