ClassX Video Lessons Youtube Channel Scratch Team What Are Variables and Lists in Scratch? (Part 1)| Tutorial
Have you ever used variables or list blocks in a Scratch project? They are super cool tools that help you make your programs more interesting and personalized. Let’s dive into what they are and how you can use them!
Think of a variable as a special box that can hold one piece of information at a time. This information can be a number or some text, which is also called a “string.” When you put new information into this box, the old information gets replaced. Variables are handy when you need to remember something, like a player’s score in a game.
Now, imagine you have a list, like a shopping list. In Scratch, a list can hold many pieces of information, all neatly ordered. This is different from a variable because a list can store lots of things at once. In other programming languages, lists are sometimes called “arrays.”
Variables and lists are great because they let you save information and use it later in your program. For example, you can keep track of a game score to see if someone has won or lost. You can also store answers to questions and use them to create a unique story.
With variables and lists, you can change how a game or story unfolds. They can control actions, send messages, and do much more. Scratch has built-in blocks called reporter blocks that store information for you. For instance, the “ask” block lets someone answer a question, and the answer is saved in a reporter block named “answer.”
Another example of a reporter block is “volume,” which keeps track of the current sound level. You can explore the block palette in Scratch to find more reporter blocks that store different kinds of information. These blocks can be used as inputs in other blocks to make your projects even cooler.
If you can’t find a built-in reporter block that fits your needs, don’t worry! You can create your own variable. Just go to the Variables category in the block palette. You can rename or delete the default variable or make a new one. You can also decide if your variable should be available to all sprites or just one.
In the Variables category, you’ll find different types of blocks to set or change your variable. There’s also a variable reporter block that you can use inside other blocks. In the next part, we’ll look at some examples of how to create and use your own variables and lists.
Stay tuned for more fun with Scratch!
Start a new Scratch project and create a variable to keep track of a player’s score. Use the “set” and “change” blocks to update the score as the player completes tasks. Experiment with different ways to display the score on the screen. This will help you understand how variables work in Scratch.
Create a game where you use a list to store items for a shopping list. Add items to the list as the player collects them in the game. Display the list on the screen and allow the player to remove items once they are collected. This activity will help you learn how to use lists in Scratch.
Investigate the different reporter blocks available in Scratch. Create a project where you use the “volume” reporter block to change the behavior of a sprite based on the sound level. Try using other reporter blocks to see how they can enhance your project.
Think of a unique feature you want to add to a Scratch project, such as tracking the number of jumps a sprite makes. Create a custom variable for this feature and use it in your project. This will give you practice in creating and using your own variables.
Create an interactive story where the player’s choices are stored in a list. Use the list to change the story’s outcome based on the player’s decisions. This will help you understand how lists can be used to create dynamic and personalized projects.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript, removing any unnecessary details while retaining the core information:
—
Have you used variable or list blocks in a Scratch project? They can be powerful tools for creating customized programs. A variable can store numbers or text, known as a “string.” If you need to store a lot of custom information, using a list may be more efficient than creating multiple variables.
A variable is like a container that holds an assigned value or information. It can only contain one piece of information at a time, so when new information is added, the old information is replaced. A list, on the other hand, can store multiple pieces of information, ordered as separate items. Lists are also known as “arrays” in other programming languages.
The benefit of using variables or lists is that you can recall the stored information later in your program. For example, you can check the current score of a game to determine if a player has won or lost. You can also record answers to questions and use that information to customize a story.
Variables and lists can change the direction of a game or story, control actions, signal messages, and more. Scratch also includes built-in reporter blocks that store information. For instance, the “ask” block allows a user to respond to a question, and the answer is stored in a reporter block called “answer.”
Another reporter block is “volume,” which stores the current volume level. You can explore the block palette to find other reporter blocks that store information. Reporter blocks can be used as inputs in other blocks.
If there isn’t a built-in reporter block for your needs, you can create your own variable by selecting the Variables category from the block palette. You can rename or delete the generic variable provided, or create a new one. You can choose whether the variable is accessible to all sprites or just the current one.
There are different types of blocks in the Variables category to set or change the variable, as well as a variable reporter block that can be used inside another block. In the next video, we’ll explore examples of creating and using custom variables and lists.
—
This version focuses on the essential concepts and instructions without extraneous details.
Variables – Variables are like containers in a computer program that hold information which can change. – In our coding class, we used variables to keep track of the player’s score in the game.
Lists – Lists are collections of items or data stored in a specific order in a computer program. – We created a list of all the levels in our game so we could easily access them.
Information – Information is data that is processed or organized in a way that makes it useful. – The program uses information from the user to create a personalized experience.
Score – Score is a number that shows how well someone is doing in a game or activity. – The player’s score increased every time they collected a coin in the game.
Game – A game is a fun activity or program where players follow rules to achieve a goal. – We designed a simple game where the player has to catch falling apples.
Blocks – Blocks are pieces of code that can be snapped together to create a program, often used in visual programming languages. – In Scratch, we used blocks to make the cat sprite move across the screen.
Programming – Programming is the process of writing instructions for a computer to follow. – We learned programming by creating a simple app that tells jokes.
String – A string is a sequence of characters, like letters or numbers, used in programming. – We used a string to store the player’s name in our game.
Unique – Unique means being the only one of its kind, especially in a special way. – Each character in the game had a unique ability that made them special.
Sprites – Sprites are images or characters in a game that can be moved or controlled. – We added sprites to our game to make it more interactive and fun.
