This great new resource is designed to assist teachers in introducing young children to coding using Scratch Jr. It provides detailed and well structured tutorials that can be used throughout the first term of elementary classes. It focuses on engaging students in creative learning through exploration and play, using iPads, Chromebooks, or PCs. Projects included All about me Places and people in my school Catching the bus Sound Buttons - (graphemes and phonemes) Frog’s Adventure Looping Birds Jungle Dinner Happy Sun A Space Story Suggested Lesson Uses Introduction to Coding: Start with basic demos on how to use Scratch Jr., focusing on the interface and basic commands. Storytelling and Animation: Encourage students to create simple animations and stories, enhancing their understanding of sequences and events. Problem Solving: Use puzzles and challenges within Scratch Jr. to develop logical thinking and problem-solving skills. Project-Based Learning: Assign projects that require students to design their own stories, advertisements or reports on current topics, promoting creativity and application of learned concepts. School Routine Learning Incorporate Scratch Jr. lessons into the regular school routine by dedicating specific times each week for coding activities. Begin with short, focused sessions that gradually increase in complexity. Integrate coding with other subjects, such as math and language arts, to provide a multidisciplinary approach to learning. Peer-to-Peer Tutorials Encourage peer-to-peer learning by having students who grasp the concepts quickly tutor their classmates. Create small groups where students can collaborate on projects and share their knowledge. This not only reinforces their own understanding but also fosters a collaborative learning environment. Handouts Provide students with these sheets as handouts that serve as quick reference guides and help students independently navigate through their projects. Students can confidently follow the step-by-step instructions which cater to various learning styles. Student Innovation Opportunities Promote innovation by allowing students to explore Scratch Jr. beyond the structured lessons. Encourage them to experiment with different commands and features to create unique projects. Provide opportunities for students to present their projects to the class, highlighting their creativity and problem-solving skills. Use these presentations as a platform for constructive feedback and further learning. Exploration and Play Emphasise the importance of play in learning by allowing students to freely explore Scratch Jr. Encourage them to try new things, make mistakes, and learn from them. Use play-based activities to teach coding concepts in a fun and engaging way. By incorporating these strategies, you can introduce young children to the world of coding, fostering a love for technology and creativity in their early education.

These quick write starter pages help students practice their writing skills by overcoming the first hurdle of What do I write about? 118 Amazing Science Fiction settings to choose from. Beautiful images to stretch the imagination Simple “sense” icons to help prompt full descriptions “If you visited this place, what would you feel, see, hear, smell, think?” Who would you meet? What would happen? Lesson structure and guidance information also provided Question prompts and planning ideas included With an abundance of choice available students can select their favourite images. Used regularly, these inspiring pages can help young writers get started, building better descriptions and longer more detailed sentences. Once these ideas are flowing students can be encouraged to go on to imagine answers to more open questions like - Why is this place like it is? Who made it? What is it’s purpose? Who does it belong to? Why are “you” here too? Another good approach is to spend time as a class or in small groups sharing ideas, thinking of powerful vocabulary, phrases and even mapping out a mini story plan, before asking the students to start writing independently. Responding to your student’s ideas and scaffolding them in a group is a great way to help build confidence and foster a culture where all ideas are valuable. These fantastically detailed images will help stimulate everyones imagination, setting the stage for more elaborate creative writing.

Scratch Jr. Assessment Activity Worksheets which challenge your students to decode simple Scratch Jr. Scripts by either drawing or writing what they think will happen. 18 scenarios in each set plus example answers and blank templates for students to design their own. Combine literacy learning and sequencing language with logic and reasoning to improve your students understanding of computer coding and give them chances to practice how to explain a sequence of events or commands. Differentiated for all abilities, covering Sequencing Logic Green Flag, finger tap and bump triggers Movement Speed control Loops and repeats Size effects Appearance - Hide and show Messages Sound Linear and Parallel progression