Hands-On Coding Lesson for Beginners: An Introduction to Scratch & Python

Discover the world of programming with this engaging, hands-on lesson plan perfect for absolute beginners. Guide students on their first coding adventure as they explore block-based (Scratch) and text-based (Python) languages using free online tools. This lesson covers fundamental computer science concepts, teaching learners to define programming, understand the use of variables, and compare different coding languages. Students will complete creative projects, such as building a Mad Libs generator or an interactive character, reinforcing their learning in a fun and practical way. No prior experience is needed, making it an ideal resource for educators introducing computer science in the classroom.

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Lesson Plan: Code Explorer - Your First Programming Adventure

Materials Needed:

  • A computer with internet access
  • A web browser (like Chrome, Firefox, or Safari)
  • A notebook and pen/pencil for brainstorming and notes
  • Access to the following free websites:

Lesson Overview

This hands-on lesson introduces the foundational concepts of computer science and programming through exploration and creativity. Instead of just reading definitions, you will become a "Code Explorer," experimenting with different programming languages to see how they work and then building your very own mini-program.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

  • Define Computer Science and Programming in your own words, based on your experience.
  • Identify and compare a block-based language (Scratch) with a text-based language (Python). (CRD-1.A.2)
  • Explain that different programming languages are used to create programs and have different features. (CRD-1.A.1, CRD-2.B.1)
  • Create a simple program that uses a variable to store and reference data. (AAP-2.A.2)
  • Explain the basic difference between a language that is translated before running and one that is translated as it runs. (AAP-2.A.3)
  • Identify a computing innovation and describe its purpose. (CRD-1.A.1)

Part 1: The Spark - Computing Innovations (10 minutes)

Activity: Innovation Investigation

  1. Brainstorm: Open your notebook. List three of your favorite apps, video games, or websites. These are all Computing Innovations—they are programs that have changed how we play, connect, or learn.
  2. Discuss: Think about one of them.
    • What problem does it solve or what purpose does it serve? (e.g., "Instagram helps me share photos with friends.")
    • Who do you think made it? How do you think they built it?

Teacher's Note: This connects the abstract idea of "Computer Science" to something tangible and relevant in your life. Everything you listed was built by people using a set of instructions. Let's find out how!

Part 2: The Explorer - What are Programming Languages? (25 minutes)

Activity: Three Languages, One Mission

Your mission is to make the computer display the message, "Hello, [Your Name]!" You will do this using three different languages. This will show you that while the goal is the same, the instructions can look very different.

  1. Language #1: Scratch (Block-Based)
    • Go to the Scratch editor.
    • From the left-side menu, drag these blocks into the coding area and snap them together:
      1. Drag a `when green flag clicked` block (from the "Events" circle).
      2. Drag a `say Hello!` block (from the "Looks" circle).
      3. Click inside the word "Hello!" and change it to `Hello, [Your Name]!`.
    • Click the green flag above the cat sprite. Did it work? Congratulations, you just wrote a program!
  2. Language #2: Python (Text-Based)
    • Go to the Replit Python editor.
    • In the middle coding panel, type this single line of code:
      print("Hello, [Your Name]!")
    • Click the green "Run" button at the top. Look at the output on the right. You did it again!
  3. Language #3: JavaScript (Text-Based)
    • Go to JSFiddle.
    • In the JavaScript panel (bottom left), type this line of code:
      alert("Hello, [Your Name]!");
    • Click the "Run" button at the top left. A pop-up box should appear. Success!

Reflection:

  • Which language was the easiest to understand just by looking at it? Why? (This touches on block vs. text-based languages).
  • How was typing code in Python different from dragging blocks in Scratch?

Teacher's Note: You've just discovered that Programming is giving a computer instructions in a language it understands. Computer Science is the whole field of study—it includes programming, but also problem-solving, designing solutions, and understanding how computers work. You also saw that some languages (like Python) are often interpreted (translated and run line-by-line, like a live translator), while others are often compiled (the whole program is translated into machine code first, like translating a whole book before anyone reads it). For today, just know there are different ways computers process our instructions! (AAP-2.A.3)

Part 3: The Creator - Build Your Own Program! (45 minutes)

Activity: Choose Your Challenge

Now it's time to be creative. Choose one of the two challenges below and build it using either Python or Scratch (your choice!). This time, you'll use a variable—a container for storing information that can change.

Challenge A: "Mad Libs" Story Generator (Recommended for Python)

  1. The goal is to ask the user for a noun, a verb, and an adjective, and then use their answers to tell a funny story.
  2. You will need variables to store the user's answers. In Python, you can ask for input and store it like this:
    noun = input("Give me a noun: ")
    verb = input("Give me a verb: ")
    adjective = input("Give me an adjective: ")
  3. Then, use the `print()` function to combine your text and the variables into a story. For example:
    print("The " + adjective + " " + noun + " decided to " + verb + " by the lake.")
  4. Run your code and test it out! Try to write 2-3 sentences for your story.

Challenge B: "Personal Greeter" Interactive Character (Recommended for Scratch)

  1. The goal is to make the cat sprite ask for your name and then use it to say hello and ask a question.
  2. Use the `ask and wait` block from the "Sensing" category. Type `What's your name?` in the block.
  3. The user's answer is automatically stored in a special variable block called `answer`.
  4. To use the answer, you'll need the `join` block from the "Operators" category. This lets you combine text.
  5. Combine a `say` block with a `join` block to make the cat say something like: `join (Hello, ) (answer)`
  6. Try to make your character ask a second question after greeting the user by name!

Teacher's Note: In both challenges, you used variables (`noun`, `answer`) to store information. Notice how the program refers to the variable's name to get the data inside it. This is a fundamental concept in all programming! (AAP-2.A.2)

Part 4: The Showcase - Reflection and Wrap-Up (10 minutes)

Activity: Show and Tell

  1. Demonstrate your finished program. Run it and show what it does.
  2. Answer these questions:
    • Which language did you choose for your project, and why?
    • What is a variable? How did you use one in your project?
    • In your own words, what is programming?
    • What was the most fun part of this lesson? What was the most challenging?

Extensions & Deeper Dives (Optional)

  • For the Mad Libs project: Add more variables! Ask for a place, a food, a number, etc., and make your story even funnier and more complex.
  • For the Personal Greeter project: Use an `if/else` block (from "Control") to make the character say different things based on the user's answer to your second question.
  • Research: Pick one of the apps you listed in Part 1 and search for "what programming language is [app name] written in?". You'll be surprised at the variety!