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 make a racing game, and then a story about a race. Display and demonstrate the racing game (or your own remixed version).

Alternative introduction: Read a story about a race, such as The Tortoise and the Hare, and then demonstrate how we might make our own story or game about a race using ScratchJr.

A note on say blocks: If you are displaying a sample project with say blocks, it might help to read the text out loud using various voices for each sprite as it is displayed. This strategy might help early/pre-readers, as well as young coders who are new to learning English. In addition, when young coders begin working on their own project, you can encourage them to use speech-to-text or emojis in their own say blocks instead of typing out words (or use recorded sound blocks).

Video: Project Preview (0:52)
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, it might help to set a time limit for exploration before discussing the project.

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?

3. Create a racing game (30+ minutes):
5+ minute coding time and 1-on-1 facilitating
Give coders time to try and figure out how to make a racing game that moves sprites when they are pressed, creates a countdown, and says finished when sprites reach a finish line. Encourage peer-to-peer assistance and facilitate 1-on-1 as needed.

2+ minute demonstration
Coders will most likely figure out how to make a sprite move using the start on tap block with motion blocks; however, we will want to introduce coders to the say block so coders can create a countdown. Demonstrate how to create code for the countdown (the code connected to the green flag trigger).

3+ minute coding time and 1-on-1 facilitating
Give coders time to create their own countdown. Encourage peer-to-peer assistance and facilitate 1-on-1 as needed.

2+ minute demonstration
Next review how to make the sprites move when tapped (they will most likely have figured this out if they’ve done the other projects before this one).

3+ minute coding time and 1-on-1 facilitating
Give coders time to add this code to their sprites. Encourage peer-to-peer assistance and facilitate 1-on-1 as needed.

4+ minute demonstration
Draw a new sprite that represents the finish line. Point out that we can use the start on bump block to announce a sprite has reached the finish line. We can put this code on the finish line sprite, or leave that empty and put it on each sprite so they say when they’ve won.

11+ minute coding time and 1-on-1 facilitating
Give coders time to add more to their racing game. Encourage peer-to-peer assistance and facilitate 1-on-1 as needed.

Example completed code:

• Bird
• Cat Walking
• Finish Line

4. Demonstrate and Discuss (5+ minutes):
Display and demonstrate the the racing to the finish story (or your own remixed version).

Have coders talk with each other about how they might create a project like the one demonstrated. 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?”

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.

Example discussion questions:

• What would we need to know to make something like this in ScratchJr?
• 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 race?
  • What kind of code might they have?

5. Create a storyboard (10+ minutes):
Either hand out paper with at least four different quadrants (one for each page in ScratchJr), use handheld whiteboards, or use a painting app on a device to encourage coders to storyboard what they are going to create. It may help to model this process with a separate set of random ideas.

Encourage coders to draw or write out not only the kinds of sprites and backgrounds they’re going to use, but the kind of code that will accompany them.

When coders are ready, have them show you their storyboard and ask questions for clarification of their intent (which may change once they start coding and get more ideas). If approved, they may continue on to the next step (creating); otherwise they can continue to think through and work on their storyboard.

Note: Coders may change their mind midway through a project and wish to rethink through their original storyboard. This is part of the design process and it is encouraged they revise their storyboard to reflect their new ideas.

Resource: Example storyboard templates

Suggested storyboard questions:

• What might we include in our storyboard for creating a story about a race?
  • What are some of the media we might use in a project like this (pictures, sounds, sprites, backdrops, etc.)?
• Using the five senses, brainstorm what someone might sense on a race day.
• What are all of the ways we can interact with the story?
  • In each of these ways we can interact with the story, how might we use code to create that interaction?

Suggestion: If coders need additional help, perhaps pair them with someone who might help them with the storyboarding process. Or, you could have coders meet with a peer to discuss their storyboard before asking to share it with yourself. This can be a great way to get academic feedback and ideas from a peer.

Note: This process may take significantly longer than 10 minutes if storyboarding many different sprites and pages (not recommended until the end of the first year).