Description
This online Scratch programming class will be a 16-week course and consists of our beginner, intermediate and advanced courses (these are available as 5-week classes). Scratch is a drag-and-drop language that allows students to easily create games. It is a good way to start learning about programming concepts before progressing to other languages which require users to learn the syntax.
Each week students learn to program a different game. They start with simple games but progress to games like Hangman, Flappy Bird imitations, and platform games.
Instructor: Meryl van der Merwe (ex-programmer) – meryl@fundafunda.com
Grades: Suitable for grades 5 – 12
Hours: 3 -4 per week
Credit Hours: 0.50 High School Credit. Combine with another of our 16-week computer courses for a full credit in Computer Programming.
Fall Dates: August 19 – Dec 13 (with a week’s break over Thanksgiving)
Spring Dates: January 10 – May 2 (any week in March can be taken for Spring break)
View One Module Here
Examples of student projects
Mallory Kerley –
I loved this course. I had previously taught myself a bit of Scratch, as well as some other programming, but this course taught me so much more!
~It also helps a lot for those in Science Olympiad with the event Game On.~
100% Would Recommend!
Nicole Channing –
This course was great for my (advanced mathy) fifth grader, who already had a fair amount of experience on code.org. It started out pretty easy but soon became quite challenging. The instructor covers a lot of material clearly and efficiently and the presentation and assignments are generally broken into manageable chunks. The TA almost invariably graded assignments and provided feedback within 24 hours. Overall, a terrific experience. Toward the end, as the assignments become more demanding, it would be helpful to give more advanced tips about debugging and ways of organizing workflow to avoid frustration. This aspect of programming is difficult, perhaps especially for younger students. Generally, bravo! We look forward to trying another course at FundaFunda.
Patrick Daigle –
Ever wanted to program Flappy Bird or Space Invaders? You can do that in this! I find computer science fascinating, and being able to take a course like this was amazing! It really makes me want to minor in computer science! I especially enjoyed programming my own game!
Oh, and for those who are in C Division Science Olympiad, this can help a bunch for Game On!
Chase Johnson –
I liked this course. It was interesting to learn how to program games.
Holland Johnson –
I absolutely loved this course! It made learning the basics of programming fun and understandable. Not only has this been one of my absolute favorite subjects this semester, but this course has also made me want to major in computer science in college. I highly recommend it!
Tanner Johnson –
I had never done any programming of any kind before Scratch. This course is very fun and teaches you a lot. It was my favorite subject of the semester!
Charis Guilford –
I had previously done scratch by following instructions from a book but I never really understood how it worked. This class teaches all of the basics of making a game as well as explaining how and why the commands work (as well as why they might not be working.) This class has been my favorite class all year and is a great introduction to programing and creative thinking. I would highly recommend it.
Caleb Knight –
This class was AWESOME!! it really does teach you the basics of programming WHILE making it look easy! I have enjoyed the class a lot. whenever I got stuck, I could ask for help and get it fast! Really good class
Rosie Abrams –
As a home educator and youth leadership development advocate for many years, I have worked with Meryl van der Merwe on numerous projects. She is an excellent parent and teacher. We partnered together and she was the instructor for a Girls’ Day of Code event with middle school students. She provides interesting, relevant curriculum and is very patient. She is encouraging and engaging to both young men and young women. Her introduction of Scratch to students who had never had programming was very well done. She was equally as versed in advancing the students who had prior programming experience. Scratch is a great starting point. I highly recommend participating in any class Mrs. van der Merwe might offer that would be appropriate for your student.
Lyell C. Read –
Great course. I took the fall semester in 2014 and loved it! I was able to get help when I needed it, and was also able to do assignments ahead to schedule it around school. This course got me into programming.
Jonathan Ziesmer –
I took the Scratch course a while ago. It was very fun and got me started in learning several other languages. As a result I now spend a lot of time programming complicated programs. Scratch is a great way to get started in learning how to think like a programmer.
August Smith –
This is a great introduction to the basics of programming, and is a great way to easy into learning how to communicate with and to think about how a computer thinks. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!