1. Review and demonstration (2+ minutes):
Begin by asking coders to talk with a neighbor for 30 seconds about something they learned last time; assess for general understanding of the practices and concepts from the previous project.

Explain that today we are going to create a synthesis project that looks back on what you learned or did over the year. Display and demonstrate the sample project (or your own remixed version).

Video: Project Preview (2:50)
Video: Lesson pacing (1:48)

This can include a full class demonstration or guided exploration in small groups or individually. For small group and individual explorations, you can use the videos and quick reference guides embedded within this lesson, and focus on facilitating 1-on-1 throughout the process.

Example review discussion questions:

• What’s something new you learned last time you coded?
  • Is there a new block or word you learned?
• What’s something you want to know more about?
• What’s something you could add or change to your previous project?
• What’s something that was easy/difficult about your previous project?

2. Discuss (3+ minutes):
Have coders talk with each other about how they might create a project like the one demonstrated; in particular, point out the Polaroid developing and ask coders how they might create something similar. If coders are unsure, and the discussion questions aren’t helping, you can model thought processes: “I noticed the sprite moved around, so I think they used a motion block. What motion block(s) might be in the code? What else did you notice?” Another approach might be to wonder out loud by thinking aloud different algorithms and testing them out, next asking coders “what do you wonder about or want to try?”

After the discussion, coders will begin working on their project as a class, in small groups, or at their own pace.

Note: Discussions might include full class or small groups, or individual responses to discussion prompts. These discussions which ask coders to predict how a project might work, or think through how to create a project, are important aspects of learning to code. Not only does this process help coders think logically and creatively, but it does so without giving away the answer.

Example discussion questions:

• What would we need to know to make something like this in Scratch?
• What kind of blocks might we use?
• What else could you add or change in a project like this?
• What code from our previous projects might we use in a project like this?
• What kind of sprites might we see in a project like this?
  • What kind of code might they have?
• How could we simulate a Polaroid picture developing?
  • Hint: there are two sprites used to simulate this process

4. Create Polaroid costumes (40+ minutes):
2 minute discussion
Either pick a theme for everyone, have coders select from a list of themes (see the column on the right), or allow coders to create their own theme for their scrapbook project. Discuss with a partner how they might remix the Polaroids sprite to include several costumes related to their chosen theme.

5+ minute demonstration
Open up a project that coders previously worked on and click “See Inside” to reveal the code. Right click on the stage and click “save image as” to save the current project view as an image. Open the saved image and explain that saving the stage as an image will save everything that you can see when the project is running. Let everyone know this process works even when the project is running. Demonstrate by press the green flag so the project is running and repeat the process to save another image of the project.

Demonstrate how to open the “Polaroids” sprite’s “Costumes” tab and add one of the images by uploading a new costume. Explain that we want to be able to edit the text on the costume, so you’re going to click the blue button to “Convert to Vector,” then open the “Polaroid frame” costume and copy everything in that costume. Open the new costume and paste the “Polaroid frame” on top of the new costume then change the text so it labels the photo. See the video or quick reference guide on the right for a walkthrough of this process.

33+ minutes to create custom costumes and 1-on-1 facilitating
Give coders plenty of time to create their new costumes using the image editor tools or following the steps outlined above. Encourage peer-to-peer assistance and facilitate 1-on-1 as needed. If coders finish their costumes early, encourage them to begin adding code to their project.

Video: Create Polaroid costumes (2:31)
Quick reference guide: Click here

Suggested questions:

• What are some of your favorite projects you worked on this year?
  • What did you like about that project and how could you save a picture that highlights your favorite part about that project?

Themes:

• What you learned in Scratch this year
• What you learned in another class
• Your favorite memories growing up
• Your favorite places to visit in town (or around the world)
• How your preferences for a topic changed over time (e.g., how your taste in books, video games, movies, comics, sports, etc. changed over time)
• What you want to experience and learn when you’re older
• Change the perspective from that of the coder to a scrapbook by a historical person (e.g., research a historical figure such as Ada Lovelace and create a scrapbook from her perspective)
• Create a historical scrapbook about a particular place, time period, or event

5. Record narrations (15+ minutes):
2+ minute review
Review how to record a custom sound in the Polaroids sprite. Remind everyone they can highlight their recording when finished and either edit the recording or add different effects to the recording.

13+ minutes to customize their sounds and 1-on-1 facilitating
Give coders time to record narrations for an introduction, each costume in the Polaroids sprite, and a closing. Encourage peer-to-peer assistance and facilitate 1-on-1 as needed. If coders finish recording their narrations, ask them to move on to the next step.

Video: Record narrations (1:30)
Quick Reference Guide: Click here

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).

A note on using the “Coder Resources” with your class: Young coders may need a demonstration (and semi-frequent friendly reminders) for how to navigate a browser with multiple tabs. The reason why is because kids will have at least three tabs open while working on a project: 1) a tab for Scratch, 2) a tab for the Coder Resources walkthrough, and 3) a tab for the video/visual walkthrough for each step in the Coder Resources document. Demonstrate how to navigate between these three tabs and point out that coders will close the video/visual walkthrough once they complete that particular step of a project and open a new tab for the next step or extension. Although this may seem obvious for many adults, we recommend doing this demonstration the first time kids use the Coder Resources and as friendly reminders when needed.

6. Code the Polaroid narrations (20+ minutes)
10+ minute partner collaboration
Ask coders to work with a neighbor to figure out how to play each narration when each Polaroid appears in a random location on the screen; as well as the intro and outro narrations. Give time for each pair to implement and test out their algorithms in their own projects.

If coders are unsure how to match the sound to a costume, you can provide a hint that the Character Builder project had an extension that did something similar (see the resources on the right). Also, if coders are stuck trying to figure out how to make several Polaroids appear on the screen, you can give them the hint that they can use one of the pen blocks (i.e., stamp each costume of the Polaroid on the backdrop). Another solution is to use clone blocks; however, that solution is not demonstrated in the example project.

5+ minute small group discussion
Ask each pair to find another pair to share, discuss, and compare their potential solutions, bugs, and questions around coding the Polaroid narrations. When comparing algorithms, encourage groups to ask clarifying questions about their algorithms and decide as a group which algorithm they would like to use for their own project and why.

5+ full group discussion and implementation
Remind everyone there are often many solutions for the same problem. Demonstrate the Polaroids sprite’s code from the example project and ask groups to share out loud how their code is similar or different from the example code. Encourage groups to share their code on the screen or with other nearby groups. Give a couple of minutes for coders to refine their own algorithms before moving to the next section.

Video: Match sounds to a costume (3:17)
Quick reference guide: Click here

Resource: Example project

Suggested guiding questions:

• What kind of blocks do you think you might need to do something like that?
• Do you see a pattern where we might use a repeat?
  • If so, what kind of repeat?
• How can you prevent the Polaroids from stacking on top of each other?

7. Simulate a Polaroid developing (20+ minutes)
10+ minute partner collaboration
Ask coders to work with either the same or a different neighbor to figure out how to simulate the Polaroid developing. Give them the hint that both the Polaroids and Overlay sprites need to work together to create this effect (also explain what an overlay is if they are unfamiliar with this term). Give time for each pair to implement and test out their algorithms in their own projects. If coders are stuck on making both sprites work together, you can ask what kind of blocks (i.e., message blocks) can you use to make multiple sprites run their own algorithms in parallel (i.e., at the same time)?

5+ minute small group discussion
Ask each pair to find another pair to share, discuss, and compare their potential solutions, bugs, and questions around simulating a Polaroid developing. When comparing algorithms, encourage groups to ask clarifying questions about their algorithms and decide as a group which algorithm they would like to use for their own project and why.

5+ full group discussion and implementation
Remind everyone there are often many solutions for the same problem. Demonstrate the code from the quick reference guide and ask groups to share out loud how their code is similar or different from the example code. Encourage groups to share their code on the screen or with other nearby groups. Give a couple of minutes for coders to refine their own algorithms.

Video: Simulate a Polaroid developing (5:04)
Quick reference guide: Click here

Suggested guiding questions:

• What kind of blocks do you think you might need to do something like that?
  • What kind of blocks (i.e., message blocks) can you use to make multiple sprites run their own algorithms in parallel (i.e., at the same time)?
• Do you see a pattern where we might use a repeat?
  • If so, what kind of repeat?