Module 3: Practice Activities
Time to Practice!
These activities will help your child practice decomposition, instruction-writing, flowcharts, and Scratch sequencing. Do them in any order. Some are screen-free, and some use Scratch. Hints and example answers are available if you get stuck!
Screen-Free Activities
1 Decompose It: Planning a Birthday Party
"Plan a birthday party" is a huge task. Break it down into at least 6 smaller steps. Think about everything that needs to happen before the party, during the party, and after the party.
- Choose a date for the party
- Make a list of friends to invite
- Send out invitations
- Buy decorations and a cake
- Decorate the party room
- Set up games and activities
- Greet guests when they arrive
- Play games, eat cake, open presents
- Clean up after the party
Your child's answer may be different, and that is great! There is no single right answer -- the important thing is breaking a big task into smaller pieces.
2 Fix the Mixed-Up Instructions
These instructions for planting a flower are all mixed up! Put them in the correct order by writing the numbers 1 through 6.
- ___ Water the soil
- ___ Put the seed in the hole
- ___ Get a pot and fill it with soil
- ___ Place the pot in a sunny spot
- ___ Cover the seed with soil
- ___ Make a small hole in the soil with your finger
- Get a pot and fill it with soil
- Make a small hole in the soil with your finger
- Put the seed in the hole
- Cover the seed with soil
- Water the soil
- Place the pot in a sunny spot
3 Write Instructions: Tying Your Shoes
Write step-by-step instructions for tying your shoes. Try to include at least 6 steps. Remember: imagine you are writing for someone who has never tied shoes before!
- Hold one lace in each hand
- Cross the right lace over the left lace
- Tuck the right lace under the left lace and pull both laces tight
- Make a loop with the right lace (a bunny ear)
- Wrap the left lace around the loop
- Push the left lace through the hole to make a second loop
- Pull both loops tight
This is a tricky one! Shoe-tying is hard to describe in words. If your child finds it difficult, that is normal. It shows why clear instructions are so important.
4 Draw a Flowchart: Getting Ready for Bed
Draw a flowchart for your bedtime routine. Use boxes for each step and arrows to connect them. Start with "Start" at the top and end with "Fall asleep" at the bottom. Try to include at least 5 steps in between.
Start → Put on pajamas → Brush teeth → Pick out a book → Read a story with parent → Turn off the light → Get under the covers → Fall asleep
Your child's routine might be different. The point is practicing the flowchart format: boxes with arrows showing the order.
Scratch Challenges
5 Tell a Knock-Knock Joke
Scratch Challenge
Make the Scratch cat tell a knock-knock joke using "say for (2) seconds" blocks. You will need at least 5 "say" blocks in a row. Here is a plan:
- "Knock knock!"
- "Who is there?"
- "Boo."
- "Boo who?"
- "Do not cry, it is just a joke!"
Bonus: Add a second sprite to be the one who answers "Who is there?" and "Boo who?"
say [Knock knock!] for (2) seconds
say [Who is there?] for (2) seconds
say [Boo.] for (2) seconds
say [Boo who?] for (2) seconds
say [Do not cry, it is just a joke!] for (3) seconds
6 Draw a Triangle
Scratch Challenge
Make the Scratch cat draw a triangle using the Pen extension. A triangle has 3 sides, and each corner turns 120 degrees. Can you figure out the blocks?
Hints:
- You need "pen down" at the start and "pen up" at the end
- Use "move (100) steps" for each side
- Use "turn right (120) degrees" at each corner
- Repeat the move-and-turn 3 times (once for each side)
erase all
pen down
move (100) steps
turn right (120) degrees
move (100) steps
turn right (120) degrees
move (100) steps
turn right (120) degrees
pen up
7 Dance Party
Scratch Challenge
Make the Scratch cat do a little dance! Use these blocks in any order you like:
- "move (50) steps" and "move (-50) steps" (moves backward)
- "turn right (90) degrees" and "turn left (90) degrees"
- "switch costume" blocks
- "wait (0.5) seconds" between moves
Try to make a sequence of at least 8 blocks that looks like a fun dance. There is no wrong answer -- just have fun putting steps together!
8 Design Your Own
Scratch Challenge
Create your own Scratch project that uses at least 6 blocks in a sequence. It could be:
- A sprite that introduces itself and does a trick
- A sprite that draws a new shape (hexagon? star?)
- A sprite that moves around the stage visiting different spots
- Anything else you can imagine!
Plan your steps on paper first (like a flowchart), then build it in Scratch.
Great Work!
If you have tried at least 4 of these activities, you are ready for the Module 3 Quiz. Remember, the quiz is just for fun and learning -- there is no pressure to get everything perfect.