Scratch Variables and Data Types Challenges

🎮 Activity Time!

Time needed: 30-45 minutes

What you'll do:

Get ready for an awesome coding adventure! You'll create 5 super cool Scratch projects that use variables - special boxes that can store and change information! From building a counter to making your own catching game, you'll become a variables master! 🌟

Before You Start:

✅ Open Scratch (online or desktop version)
✅ Have your creativity hat on
✅ Remember: Variables are like magic boxes that can store numbers, words, or other information
✅ Create a new Scratch file for each challenge and give it a fun name!

Challenge One: Counter Machine 🔢

Create your very own counting machine! Watch the numbers go up and down with the click of a button!

Instructions

1. Design your controls! Create three fun sprites:

   • A plus sprite (maybe a green + sign?)
   • A reset sprite (how about a refresh arrow?)
   • A minus sprite (perhaps a red - sign?)
   • Pick a cool background too!

2. Create a score variable - this will be your counter!

3. Program the green flag: When clicked, set the score to 0

4. Make the plus sprite work: When clicked, add 1 to the score

5. Make the minus sprite work: When clicked, subtract 1 from the score

6. Make the reset sprite work: When clicked, set the score back to 0

💡 Remember to test each sprite after you program it! Click them to see if they work properly. 🎯

Blocks You'll Need:

scratch

set [score v] to (0)
change [score v] by (1)

Challenge 2: Time Machine Age Calculator ⏰

Build a magical time machine that tells you how old you'll be in the future!

Instructions

1. Choose your time traveler! Pick a sprite (maybe a wizard or astronaut?) and a futuristic background

2. Create 2 special variables:

   • Current Age (your age right now)
   • Future Age (your age in 10 years)

3. Set up your program: When the green flag is clicked, set both variables to 0

4. Make your sprite friendly! Program it to say hello with "Say" blocks

5. Ask the big question: Program your sprite to ask "What's your age?" and store the answer in Current Age

6. Do the time travel math! Add 10 to Current Age and store it in Future Age

7. Reveal the future! Make your sprite say something like "In 10 years, you'll be [Future Age] years old!"tip Try changing the number of years! What if you wanted to know your age in 20 or 50 years? 🚀

Blocks You'll Need:

ask () and wait
() + ()

Challenge 3: Number Battle Arena ⚔️

Create an epic battle between two numbers to see which one is the champion!

Instructions

1. Set the stage! Choose a sprite to be your referee and pick an exciting background (maybe a stadium?)

2. Create battle variables:

   • Num 1 (first competitor)
   • Num 2 (second competitor)

3. Reset the arena: When green flag is clicked, set both variables to 0

4. Get the competitors!

   • Ask "Enter the first number:" and store it in Num 1
   • Ask "Enter the second number:" and store it in Num 2

5. Declare the winner! Use conditionals to check:

   • If Num 1 > Num 2, say "Number 1 wins with [Num 1]!"
   • Otherwise, say "Number 2 wins with [Num 2]!"

💡 What happens if both numbers are the same? Add an extra check for a tie! 🤝

Blocks You'll Need:

scratch

ask () and wait
if <> then ... else
() > ()
join ()()

🏆 Challenge Yourself!

1. Add victory animations for the winning number
2. Create a "smaller than" competition too
3. Add a third number for a triple battle!

Challenge 4: All About You Quiz Show! 🎤

Create your own interactive quiz show where YOU are the star!

Instructions

1. Choose your host! Pick a friendly sprite and a fun background (maybe a TV studio?)

2. Create at least 3 variables to store your info:

   • Name (who you are)
   • Age (how old you are)
   • Favorite color (your top color choice)

3. Hide the variables: When green flag is clicked, hide all variables from view

4. Start the show! Make your sprite say welcoming messages like "Welcome to the All About You Quiz Show!"

5. Interview time! Program your sprite to ask:

   • "What's your name?" -> store in Name variable
   • "How old are you?" -> store in Age variable
   • "What's your favorite color?" -> store in Favorite color variable

6. Big reveal! Make your sprite announce each fact:

   • "Your name is [Name]!"
   • "You are [Age] years old!"
   • "Your favorite color is [Favorite color]!"tip Make it more exciting by adding pauses between questions and using different "Say" times! 🌟

Blocks You'll Need:

ask () and wait
join ()()

🏆 Challenge Yourself!

1. Add more fun questions (favorite food, pet, hobby)
2. Make sprites appear that match your answers (like a pizza sprite when you say pizza!)
3. Add sound effects for each reveal!

Challenge 5: Ultimate Catching Game! 🍩

Build your very own catching game where treats fall from the sky!

Instructions

1. Choose your game characters!

   • Pick a Main Sprite (your catcher - maybe a basket or character?)
   • Pick a sprite to catch (donuts, stars, coins, or anything fun!)
   • Select an awesome background

2. Create your score variable: Name it based on what you're catching (like "Donuts caught" or "Stars collected")

3. Set up the game: When green flag is clicked, set your score to 0

4. Welcome the player! Make your Main Sprite say "Welcome to the catching game!" or something exciting

5. Make your catcher move: Program the Main Sprite to forever follow your mouse pointer

6. Create falling objects! Program your catch sprite to:

   • Forever create clones of itself
   • When it starts as a clone, appear at the top and fall down

7. Catch them! When the falling sprite touches your Main Sprite:

   • Make it disappear (delete this clone)
   • Add 1 to your score variable

💡 Tip

Start with a slow falling speed, then make it faster as you get better at the game! 🚀

Blocks You'll Need:

forever
when I start as a clone
change y by (-10)
touching [ v]?

🏆 Challenge Yourself!

1. Add a "POP!" sound when you catch something
2. Create enemy sprites that you should avoid (they decrease your score!)
3. Make the falling sprites change colors or spin as they fall
4. Add levels - make sprites fall faster after catching 10!

🎯 Ready to Submit?

Awesome job completing all 5 challenges! You've mastered variables and created some amazing projects!

Submit your Scratch links here

You did it! 🎉

You're now a variables expert! These skills will help you create even more amazing games and stories in Scratch. Keep experimenting and have fun coding!