Fix a bug (8+ minutes)
3 minute demonstration
Demonstrate what happens when you quickly press several keys in a row. Ask the class “did you notice it switches to a blank backdrop in the middle of my finger drumming?” Explain to the class this occurs because each algorithm occurs in parallel (at the same time). “If I press a key and then press another key halfway through the first algorithm, our backdrop switches to blank very quickly and I don’t see the photo from the second algorithm.”

Walk through how to fix this using the “stop other scripts in stage” block at the start of each algorithm.

5+ minutes to code their buttons and 1-on-1 facilitating
Give coders time to create add this block to the start of each algorithm in their code. Encourage peer-to-peer assistance and facilitate 1-on-1 as needed.

Video: Fix a bug (2:22)
Quick reference guide: Click here

Create a beat (or melody) (30+ minutes)
5+ minute demonstrations
Demonstrate how to use several pairs of look and sound blocks to create a beat or melody (see the example in the video (3:37) or quick reference guide). Encourage coders to use repeats to make their beats or melodies last longer.

Note: This can lead to a discussion on intellectual property rights and when you can and cannot use music created by other people. Click here for a blog post with resources on the topic, and click here for videos on the topic.

25+ minutes to code their beat (or melody) and 1-on-1 facilitating
Give coders time to code their beats or melodies. Encourage peer-to-peer assistance and facilitate 1-on-1 as needed.

Video: Create a beat (or melody) (3:37)
Quick Reference Guide: Click here

Note: Coders could spend several classes creating complicated beats and melodies. Determine the amount of time spent on this extension by the general level of interest of the class. I have spent several days on this one project because young coders were having a lot of fun creating new beats and melodies.

Suggested questions:

• Could you create a repeating melody that you can drum to using your keyboard?
• Could you create a repeating beat that you can add a melody to using your keyboard?
• Could you create a repeating melody and beat that play at the same time?
  a. How would your pictures match having a melody and beat at the same time?

Customize sounds (30+ minutes):
5+ minute demonstration
Demonstrate how to record a custom sound in Scratch. Point out coders can highlight their recording when finished and either edit the recording or add different effects to the recording.

25+ minutes to customize their sounds and 1-on-1 facilitating
Give coders time to code their beats or melodies. Encourage peer-to-peer assistance and facilitate 1-on-1 as needed.

Video: Customize sounds (3:21)
Quick Reference Guide: Click here

Important: Coders tend to turn up the volume all the way when listening to recorded sounds. This can damage someone’s hearing. Take a moment to explain the expectations when sharing custom sounds with others (e.g., coders will sit out the remainder of class if they turn up the volume up too loud).

Add even more (30+ minutes, or at least one class):
If time permits and coders are interested in this project, encourage coders to explore what else they can create in Scratch by trying out new blocks and reviewing previous projects to get ideas for this project. When changes are made, encourage them to alter their comments to reflect the changes (either in the moment or at the end of class).

While facilitating this process, monitor to make sure coders don’t stick with one feature for too long. In particular, coders like to edit their sprites/backgrounds by painting on them or taking photos, or listen to the built-in sounds in Scratch. It may help to set a timer for creation processes outside of using blocks so coders focus their efforts on coding.

Resource: Click here for even more ideas by CS-First

Facilitation Suggestion: Some coders may not thrive in inquiry based approaches to learning, so we can encourage them to use the Tutorials to get more ideas for their projects; however, we may need to remind coders the suggestions provided by Scratch are not specific to our projects, so it may create some unwanted results unless the code is modified to match our own intentions.

Suggested questions:

• What else can you do with Scratch?
• What do you think the other blocks do?
  • Can you make your project do ____?
• What other sprites can you add to your project?
• What have you learned in other projects that you could use in this project?
• Could you add more than one musical instrument that you can play at a time?
  • How would you show more than one instrument with your pictures?
• Could you create buttons for even more options?
• How else might you use messages in your project?

Similar projects:
Have coders explore the code of other peers in their class, or on a project studio dedicated to this project. Encourage coders to ask questions about each other’s code. When changes are made, encourage coders to alter their comments to reflect the changes (either in the moment or at the end of class).

Watch this video (3:20) if you are unsure how to use a project studio.

Note: Coders may need a gentle reminder we are looking at other projects to get ideas for our own project, not to simply play around. For example, “look for five minutes,” “look at no more than five other projects,” “find three projects that each do one thing you would like to add to your project,” or “find X number of projects that are similar to the project we are creating.”

Generic questions:

• What are some ways you can expand this project beyond what it can already do?
• How is this project similar (or different) to something you worked on today?
• What blocks did they use that you didn’t use?
  • What do you think those blocks do?
• What’s something you like about their project that you could add to your project?
• How might we add in more custom sounds or music?
• What other sound or looks blocks might we use in this project?
• Can you add a way to speed up or slow down the music?