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CS50's Introduction to Programming with Scratch

An introduction to programming using Scratch, a visual programming language via which aspiring programmers can write code by dragging and dropping graphical blocks (that resemble puzzle pieces) instead of typing out text. Used at the start of Harvard College's introductory course in computer science, CS50, Scratch was designed at MIT's Media Lab, empowering students with no prior programming experience to design their own animations, games, interactive art, and stories. Using Scratch, this course introduces students to fundamentals of programming, found not only in Scratch itself but in traditional text-based languages (like Java and Python) as well. Topics include: functions, which are instructions that perform tasks; return values, which are results that functions provide; conditions, via which programs can decide whether or not to perform some action; loops, via which programs can take action again and again; variables, via which programs can remember information; and more. Ultimately, this course prepares students for subsequent courses in programming.

Scratch is developed by the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab. See scratch.mit.edu.

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What's inside

Learning objectives

Functions
Events
Values
Conditions

Loops
Variables
Abstraction

Functions
Events
Values
Conditions
Loops
Variables
Abstraction

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Explores programming fundamentals with a visual language, accessible to beginners

Provides a strong foundation for subsequent courses in programming

Developed at MIT's Media Lab, known for innovation and creativity

Instructors are highly regarded for their work in computer science education

Offers hands-on practice with interactive materials

Covers essential programming concepts such as functions, loops, and variables

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Reviews summary

Intro to scratch programming

According to students, this is a great course for beginners who wish to learn the basics of programming. Reviews indicate that the assignments are fun and engaging. The majority of students enjoyed the course, and many remarked on how easy it was to navigate.

Course assignments are enjoyable

"It was helpful and I recommend to the people who want to learn form scratch. I relly enjoyed learning about it."

Platform is user-friendly

"It's easy to navigate and how like how they made it to be accessible by everyone"

Well suited for beginners

"Excellent beginner programming course!"

"It was helpful and I recommend to the people who want to learn form scratch."

Experience may not be recognized professionally

"Was Boring and When putting it on Job Resume the job actually denied me because of this. They said it was too babyish to be doing at 38"

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in CS50's Introduction to Programming with Scratch with these activities:

Review basic programming concepts

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Revisit the basics of programming to ensure a strong foundation before embarking on this course.

Browse courses on Programming Concepts

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Review basic data types and structures
Practice writing simple programs

Review Scratch and Its Basics

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Refresh your knowledge of the basics of programming concepts, which are needed to succeed in this course.

Browse courses on Scratch

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Review the documentation for Scratch.
Complete online tutorials on the basics of Scratch.
Create a simple game or animation using Scratch to test your understanding of the basics.

Follow Guided Tutorials to Learn Scratch

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Follow guided tutorials to deepen your understanding of Scratch programming concepts and techniques.

Browse courses on Scratch

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Search for online tutorials that cover the fundamentals of Scratch.
Follow the tutorials step-by-step, creating your own Scratch projects as you learn.
Experiment with the concepts you learn in the tutorials by modifying your projects.

Four other activities

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Participate in a Scratch study group

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Join a study group with fellow students to exchange ideas, share knowledge, and work through challenges together.

Browse courses on Scratch

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Find or create a Scratch study group
Attend regular meetings
Contribute to discussions
Help other group members with their projects

Solve coding puzzles

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Sharpen your problem-solving skills by tackling coding puzzles that require logical thinking and algorithmic solutions.

Browse courses on Problem Solving

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Find a coding puzzle website or platform
Select a puzzle that interests you
Attempt to solve the puzzle
Review your solution and identify areas for improvement

Build a simple Scratch project

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Create a small Scratch project to apply the concepts you learn in class and reinforce your understanding of the platform.

Browse courses on Scratch

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Design a simple game, animation, or interactive story
Create a new Scratch project
Code your project using Scratch blocks
Test and debug your project
Share your project with others

Solve Scratch Coding Challenges

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Solve coding challenges to practice applying Scratch concepts and improve your programming skills.

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Find online resources or books that provide Scratch coding challenges.
Select challenges that align with the topics you are learning in the course.
Solve the challenges by writing Scratch code.
Review your solutions and identify areas for improvement.

Career center

Learners who complete CS50's Introduction to Programming with Scratch will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Web Developer

Web Developers create websites and web applications. This course can help you get started in this field by teaching you the fundamentals of programming, which are essential for web development. You'll learn about functions, events, values, conditions, loops, variables, and abstraction, all of which are important concepts in web development.

See salaries and explore the career path for Web Developer

Computer Programmer

Computer Programmers write code to create software applications. This course can help you get started in this field by teaching you the fundamentals of programming, which are essential for computer programming. You'll learn about functions, events, values, conditions, loops, variables, and abstraction, all of which are important concepts in computer programming.

See salaries and explore the career path for Computer Programmer

Software Engineer

Software Engineers design, develop, and maintain software applications. This course can help you get started in this field by teaching you the fundamentals of programming, which are essential for software engineering. You'll learn about functions, events, values, conditions, loops, variables, and abstraction, all of which are important concepts in software engineering.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer

Network Administrator

Network Administrators design, develop, and maintain computer networks. This course can help you get started in this field by teaching you the fundamentals of programming, which are essential for network administration. You'll learn about functions, events, values, conditions, loops, variables, and abstraction, all of which are important concepts in network administration.

See salaries and explore the career path for Network Administrator

Information Technology Specialist

Information Technology Specialists support and maintain computer systems. This course can help you get started in this field by teaching you the fundamentals of programming, which are essential for information technology support. You'll learn about functions, events, values, conditions, loops, variables, and abstraction, all of which are important concepts in information technology support.

See salaries and explore the career path for Information Technology Specialist

Technical Writer

Technical Writers create documentation for software applications. This course can help you get started in this field by teaching you the fundamentals of programming, which are essential for technical writing. You'll learn about functions, events, values, conditions, loops, variables, and abstraction, all of which are important concepts in technical writing.

See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Writer

Computer Support Specialist

Computer Support Specialists provide technical support to users of computer systems. This course can help you get started in this field by teaching you the fundamentals of programming, which are essential for computer support. You'll learn about functions, events, values, conditions, loops, variables, and abstraction, all of which are important concepts in computer support.

See salaries and explore the career path for Computer Support Specialist

Security Analyst

Security Analysts design, develop, and implement security measures to protect computer systems. This course can help you get started in this field by teaching you the fundamentals of programming, which are essential for security analysis. You'll learn about functions, events, values, conditions, loops, variables, and abstraction, all of which are important concepts in security analysis.

See salaries and explore the career path for Security Analyst

Computer Technician

Computer Technicians repair and maintain computer systems. This course can help you get started in this field by teaching you the fundamentals of programming, which are essential for computer repair. You'll learn about functions, events, values, conditions, loops, variables, and abstraction, all of which are important concepts in computer repair.

See salaries and explore the career path for Computer Technician

Software Tester

Software Testers test software applications to find and fix bugs. This course can help you get started in this field by teaching you the fundamentals of programming, which are essential for software testing. You'll learn about functions, events, values, conditions, loops, variables, and abstraction, all of which are important concepts in software testing.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Tester

Computer Systems Analyst

Computer Systems Analysts design, develop, and implement computer systems. This course can help you get started in this field by teaching you the fundamentals of programming, which are essential for computer systems analysis. You'll learn about functions, events, values, conditions, loops, variables, and abstraction, all of which are important concepts in computer systems analysis.

See salaries and explore the career path for Computer Systems Analyst

Data Scientist

Data Scientists use data to solve problems and make decisions. This course can help you get started in this field by teaching you the fundamentals of programming, which are essential for data science. You'll learn about functions, events, values, conditions, loops, variables, and abstraction, all of which are important concepts in data science.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Scientist

Computer Operator

Computer Operators operate and maintain computer systems. This course can help you get started in this field by teaching you the fundamentals of programming, which are essential for computer operation. You'll learn about functions, events, values, conditions, loops, variables, and abstraction, all of which are important concepts in computer operation.

See salaries and explore the career path for Computer Operator

Database Administrator

Database Administrators design, develop, and maintain databases. This course can help you get started in this field by teaching you the fundamentals of programming, which are essential for database administration. You'll learn about functions, events, values, conditions, loops, variables, and abstraction, all of which are important concepts in database administration.

See salaries and explore the career path for Database Administrator

IT Auditor

IT Auditors review and evaluate computer systems to ensure that they are secure and compliant with regulations. This course can help you get started in this field by teaching you the fundamentals of programming, which are essential for IT auditing. You'll learn about functions, events, values, conditions, loops, variables, and abstraction, all of which are important concepts in IT auditing.

See salaries and explore the career path for IT Auditor

Reading list

We've selected 14 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in CS50's Introduction to Programming with Scratch.

Coding Games in Scratch

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Takes a project-based approach to teaching programming concepts. The projects are all based around coding games, which makes learning programming fun and engaging.

CS50's Introduction to Programming with Scratch

Three deals to help you save

What's inside

Learning objectives

Good to know

Save this course

Reviews summary

Intro to scratch programming

Activities

Career center

Reading list

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