Medium Term Plan on Teaching Scratch Design a Racing Car Game

Year 4

About the unit:

Within this unit, the children will carry on building their knowledge, skills and understanding of using Scratch to create algorithms. They have previously looked at Scratch in Year
3.
Here are the main skills that the children will apply into their game;
Learning Objective: To create a game environment using sequence of code in the program.
Design and write the program to accomplish specific goals including solving problems by decomposing them into smaller parts
Use repetition and two-way selection to create if, then and else statements
Use variables and various forms of input and output
Use logical reasoning to explain how the algorithms work and predict what will happen
Detect and correct errors (debugging)
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/239033/PRIMARY_national_curriculum_-_Computing.pdf
Not confident

Success Criteria

Getting there :/

Confident

I can insert blocks.

I can use the repeat (loop) command within a series of instructions.
I can use the if.... then (conditional statement) command within a series of instructions.
I can debug my game (sport errors and correct them).
I can discuss with others what I want to happen and plan the blocks I will need to use and in what order.
Learning
Focus/ Key
Questions
Lesson 1
What is
Scratch?

What can
Scratch do?

Learning Objectives/ Intentions

Activities, Teacher and

TAs roles

Differentiation

Success Criteria and

Assessment

Recap from Year 3:

Become familiar with the program;
- To know and understand what is
Scratch and what can Scratch do
(exploring the functions of the
program)
- To be able to try out some of the
functions (LO: I can use blocks)

Input:
- Brainstorm ideas on
Scratch
- Teacher and TA to
facilitate class discussion
- Teacher to also scribe
ideas onto the diagram
- Share ideas of the
functions on Scratch and
model the advance ones

Low Attainers;
- Provide the children
with a list of functions
that they must explore
and screenshots of
them being used and
how to find them
- Teacher to support

Must:
- Know what Scratch is - Know
what Scratch can do
- Explore the basic functions of
Scratch
Should:
- Explore the main functions of
Scratch
Could:
- Explore the advance
functions of Scratch

Example of a basic command;

Drag and drop control
Click the command to make the
cat move

Main activity:
- Open the program,
which is downloaded on
each computer to
explore and try out the
functions

Middle Attainers;
- Provide the children
with a list of functions
that they must explore
High Attainers;
- Children need to be
encouraged to explore
as many functions as
possible

- All pupils must recognise that

algorithms create programs

Resources
being used
(Technology)
A2 white paper
Board pen
Teachers
computer
IWB
Computers
Scratch
LAs worksheet
checklist and
guide
MAs checklist

Key
Vocabulary

Cross Curricular
Links

Algorithm
Code
Decomposition
Logic
Tinkering
Creating
Preserving
Collaborating

- English;
Communicating
their ideas to
each other
- Design and
Technology;
Design and make

- TA to support

Example of a main command;

forever control

Example of an advance
command;
key________ pressed control
Lesson 2
Background
Spire

LO: I can write a program that will

perform a set goal.
Begin to create their game;
- To know and understand how to
create a background in Scratch
To be able to design a background in
Scratch
- To know and understand how to
insert a sprite
To be able to insert a sprite
- Children to design their race track
background
- Insert sprite (chose a car) for their
game

Input:
- Teacher to model and
design a race track
background, by getting
ideas from the children
- The teacher and
children need to mark on
their track the start/
finish line
- TA to support children
on the carpet with ideas
- Teacher to explain and
model the different
functions that can be
used to design the
background
- Teacher to show how to
insert a sprite and
resizing it (How can I
resize the car?)
Main activity:
- Children to log onto the
computers and set up

Low Attainers:
- Work in pairs
- TA to support
Middle Attainers:
- Option to work in
pairs or on their own
depending on
confidence level
- Teacher to support
High Attainers:
- Individually create
their game

Must:
- Have a race track background
- Have a car as their sprite

Teachers
computer
IWB
Computers
The quality of backgrounds will Scratch
vary due to different abilities
of children.
Furthermore, the HAs will
have produced more games
that are difficult because they
will be adding more bends in
their racetrack.

Sprite

- English;
Communicating
their ideas to
each other
- Design and
Technology;
Design and make
a program

Discuss and model the features

to be able to design their
background

their game
- Design their background
with grass
- Insert their sprite and
adjust the size

Show the children how to insert

a sprite
Lesson 3 & 4
Control their
sprite

Continue with their game;

- To know and understand how to
design and create a program
To be able to create a program to
move and change directions of a
sprite (LO: I can use the repeat;
loop command within a series of
instructions)
- To know and understand why it is
important to test your program
throughout the making process
- To be able to test and fix errors
(What is the problem? What is the
solution?)
- Design their game on paper;
What keys will control the sprite
What conditional statements to
include and what they will action
(LO: I can discuss with others what I
want to happen and plan the blocks
I will need to use and in what
order.)
- Give sequence of commands to
move their car and change
directions (LO: To code an on-screen
car which involves keyboard input
control.)
- Test and debug throughout to fix
errors in the instructions (LO: I can

Input;
- Teacher to model how
to make the car move
and change directions to
complete the race track
made in the previous
lesson
- Teacher to gather ideas
from the children of what
commands to use
- TA to support children
on the carpet with
sharing their ideas and
building their
understanding
Main activity;
- Children to design a
brief plan of their game
on paper to demonstrate
what blocks are needed
and in what order
- Children to work on
their game inserting
commands to make their
car move and change
directions

Low Attainers:
- Children to work in
their pairs and are
provided with example
commands of making a
sprite move and
change directions as a
reminder
- Teacher to support
Middle Attainers and
High Attainers:
- Refer to the board for
reminders
- TA to go around
supporting; Are
children showing
evidence of debugging?

Must:
- Created a paper design of
their game to show desired
outcome, which includes what
commands they are going to
use
- Make their car move and
change directions (I can use
blocks provided to solve a
problem or achieve a specific
goal.)
- I can use a keyboard input to
control aspects of the game.)
- Use logical thinking to solve
an open-ended problem by
breaking it up into smaller
parts
- Use an efficient procedure to
simplify a program
- Use a sensor to detect a
change which can select an
action within the program
- Testing and debugging errors
- Use a variety of tools to
create a program

Teachers
computer
IWB
Computers
Scratch
LAs prompt
sheet

Algorithm
Code
Decomposition
Logic
Tinkering
Creating
Preserving
Collaborating
Patterns
Debugging
Sequence
Conditional
loops
if...then
statement
Repeat loops

- English;
Communicating
their ideas to
each other
- Design and
Technology;
Design and make
a program

Lesson 5
Finish their
game

use debug my game; spot errors and

correct them.)
Continue with their game;
- To know and understand how to
create conditional statements
To be able to create conditional
statements
- To know and understand why it
would be a good idea to insert a
timer
To be able to insert a timer and
make it reset
- To know and understand how to
insert a message
- To be able to insert a message to
indicate the game is completed
- Use conditional statement; if...
then (LO: I can use the if... then;
conditional statement command
with a series of instructions.)
For example, if the car touches the
grass, then the game restarts
(timer to also restart)

- Insert a timer and once completed

the race track, show the time
- When the track is completed a
winning message to appear
For example, Congratulations you
have completed the race track! With
a time of __.__ seconds
- Continue to test and debug errors

Input;
- Teacher to model how
to insert if... then
statement into the class
racetrack game
- Teacher to model and
insert a timer and how to
reset it and restart the
game
- Teacher to model how
to present a message to
indicate the race is
completed
Main activity;
- Children to finish their
game inserting the above
commands into their
game

Low Attainers:
- Children to work in
their pairs and are
provided with example
instructions of inserting
the commands
- Teacher to support
Middle Attainers and
High Attainers:
- Refer to the board for
reminders
- TA to go around
supporting

Must:
- Have a action that makes the
player restart the game by the
conditional statement if....
then
- Have a timer to track the
players time
- Timer is reset when the game
begins from the beginning
- Have a message to indicate
the game is completed and
shows time
- Use logical thinking to solve
an open-ended problem by
breaking it up into smaller
parts
- Use an efficient procedure to
simplify a program
- Use a sensor to detect a
change which can select an
action within the program
- Testing and debugging errors
- Use a variety of tools to
create a program

Teachers
computer
IWB
Computers
Scratch
LAs prompt
sheet

Algorithm
Code
Decomposition
Logic
Tinkering
Creating
Preserving
Collaborating
Patterns
Debugging
Sequence
Conditional
loops
if...then
statement
Repeat loops

- English;
Communicating
their ideas to
each other
- Design and
Technology;
Design and make
a program

Lesson 6
If required,
finish their
game

If required, finish their game;

- Carrying on from Lesson 5

Main activity:
- Finish their games

Evaluate each
others game

Once everyone is finished;

- Then play and peer assess each
others games to provide 2 stars and
a wish feedback
- Share some of the games on the
board

- Play and assess each

others games
- Sharing some games on
the board
- Discuss how the games
are different and how
this influences playability
- Discuss what changes
they could make to the
their games if they could
reprogram them

Low Attainers:
- Children to work in
their pairs and are
provided with example
instructions of inserting
the commands
- TA to support
Middle Attainers and
High Attainers:
- Refer to the board for
reminders
- Teacher to go around
supporting

Must:
- Have a action that makes the
player restart the game
- Have a timer to track the
players time
- Timer is reset when the game
begins from the beginning
- Have a message to indicate
the game is completed and
shows time
- Use logical thinking to solve
an open-ended problem by
breaking it up into smaller
parts
- Use an efficient procedure to
simplify a program
- Use a sensor to detect a
change which can select an
action within the program
- Testing and debugging errors
- Use a variety of tools to
create a program
- Have played and assessed
another persons game (I can
evaluate a game.)

Teachers
computer
IWB
Computers
Scratch
LAs prompt
sheet

Algorithm
Code
Decomposition
Logic
Tinkering
Creating
Preserving
Collaborating
Patterns
Debugging
Sequence
Conditional
loops
if...then
statement
Repeat loops
Evaluate

- English;
Communicating
their ideas to
each other
- Design and
Technology;
Design and make
a program