Child-friendly computer game design: Scratch

Scratch is a free piece of software which allows children to make simple games and animations.

You start by choosing a 'sprite' (a picture) which you then give instructions by slotting together colourful puzzle pieces. So, by choosing the appropriate instruction, you could make your sprite move when you pressed the space bar or change colour when you press the 'enter' key.

Scratch comes with a quite comprehensive library of pictures to use as Sprites and backgrounds. It also includes lots of sounds (headphones are recommended for a Scratch lesson!)

Using Scratch in class
We used Scratch with Year 3 as part of a unit of work on control technology. It fit in well with this unit because it simplifies the concept of creating a list of commands for a computer to follow. It was a good supplement to work with floor turtles.

Year 3 children enjoyed using the software and most managed to make very simple commands to change the Sprites colour or make simple movements. I think older children might get even more out of the program as they explore different functions and assign different movements to different keyboard keys.

Getting started with Scratch
To use Scratch, you need to download it from the website. You could just play around with it, but I would recommend downloading and reading the official 'getting started guide'. It is quite short and talks you through the basics of choosing a 'sprite' and creating a simple list of instructions.

Collaborative writing with Primary Pad

Primary Pad allows multiple children to work on the same document at the same time using the internet. As soon as anyone makes a change to the document, the change appears immediately on the computers of all the other users. There are two ways to use it.

1) Create Public Pad
If you go to the website and click on 'Create Public Pad' you can get started straight away. Primary Pad creates a unique web address for your new pad. So, if anyone else goes to that web address, then they will be working on the same document as you.

2) Use a Pro Account
By filling in a few details, you can create a 'Pro-account'. This allows you to create and manage as many 'Pads' as you like.

You could create a pad in advance of a lesson, with some text for editing, or some questions to be answered. Using a pro account you can add password protection, to ensure that only children who have the password can access and edit the documents you create.

Click on the slideshow below for a more detailed look at how Primary Pad works.

Create word clouds: Wordle

Wordle is a free website that allows you to create a pretty 'word cloud' from a selection of text. Here as a wordle I created by pasting in the poem 'We are going on a bear hunt'.

To create a Wordle you can copy and paste text form another website or document.

Another way to create a Wordle, is to type in your own words. I have found this to be a great, motivating way of getting children to come up with descriptive language or to create a bank of specialist vocabulary or key words to print out and use for reference.

We used Wordle to create a list of words to use instead of 'said' as part of our work in literacy on reported speech.


How to create a Wordle
1) Go to Wordle.net and click on 'Create'.
2) Put some words in (type them in or copy and paste). Click 'Go'.
3) Tweak your Wordle using the menus to change the way it looks and the words it includes (or just click 'randomise' until you get a Wordle you like!)
4) Print your Wordle.

How to save your Wordle
One annoying thing about Wordle is that it doesn not provide an option to save a copy of your Wordle on your computer.

If you are using an interactive whiteboard you can click on 'print' and then change your printer to your interactive whiteboard to get a copy on there.

To save the Worldle as a picture file on your computer you need to click 'print screen' on your keyboard and then click paste in Paint, or an alternative image editing program.

Online brain-storming: Bubbl.us

On-line tools can provide a great, motivating way for children to collect and organise their ideas about a subject. Here is one that I have been using in various subjects.

Bubbl.us

This free web tool allows users to easily create simple, attractive and effective diagrams made up of 'bubbles' to organise

ideas. The 'bubbles' can be edited to change their colour, size using simple buttons aound the edge of each bubble. The finished document can then be printed out or saved as a PDF file.

Possible uses

You could use Bubbl.us collect a classes ideas and conceptions about a subject, or you could create a linear set of bubbles to map out the plot of a story.

Collaboration

Bubbl.us can be used without logging in, although creating an account allows you to save your diagrams to the website and share them with other Bubbl.us users. Perhaps you could collaborate with another class on the same Bubbl.us document by setting up two class accounts.