In this exciting lesson, you will:
- 🧠 Discover what computer programming languages are
- 👩💻 Meet Grace Hopper, a real-life coding superhero
- 🐛 Learn about bugs and debugging (hint: it involves a real bug!)
- 🎮 Set up your very own Scratch account
- 🚀 Start creating your first Scratch project
Imagine trying to talk to someone who only understands 0s and 1s - that would be super hard, right? 😅 That's exactly what early programmers had to do!
ℹ️ Info Fun Fact!
Binary code is the fundamental language of computers, consisting of only two digits: 0 and 1. It looks like this: 01001000 01101001! (That's "Hi" in binary!)
While computers are designed to process binary code efficiently, humans find it challenging to work directly with these sequences of zeros and ones. Can you imagine writing a whole game using just 0s and 1s? 🤯
This led to the amazing development of:
- Assembly Language 📝 - A more readable representation of machine code
- High-level Programming Languages 🌟 - Languages that use human-readable syntax (like English!)
- Modern Programming Tools 🛠️ - Advanced tools that make coding even more accessible (like Scratch!)
💡 Did You Know?
This evolution shows how computer programming has bridged the gap between machine understanding and human thinking. It's like building a bridge between two different worlds! 🌉

Grace Hopper (1906-1992) was like a real-life superhero of computers! 💪 She was a brilliant computer scientist, mathematician, and even a U.S. Navy rear admiral who changed the world of programming forever
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note Amazing Grace! 🌟
Her friends called her "Amazing Grace" because of all the incredible things she did!
Her super achievements include:
- 🔧 Developed the first compiler - A special tool that translates human-friendly code into computer language
- 💬 Created FLOW-MATIC - The first English-language data processing compiler (computers could finally understand English!)
- 🏆 Led the development of COBOL - Which became the most widely used business programming language
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- 🌈 Made programming easier - She believed programming should use English-like commands instead of confusing mathematical symbols
Here's a funny story! A "bug" in programming is when your code doesn't work properly - like when your game character walks backwards instead of forwards!
ℹ️ Info The First Real Bug! 🦋
The term became famous when Grace Hopper and her team found an ACTUAL moth (a real bug!) trapped inside their computer in 1945. They taped it in their notebook and wrote "First ACTUAL bug found"
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. How cool is that?
Debugging is like being a detective for your code! 🕵️♀️ When something goes wrong, you need to:
- Find the problem - "Why isn't my sprite moving?"
- Look for clues - Check your code blocks carefully
- Fix the bug - Change the code that's causing trouble
- Test it out - Make sure everything works perfectly now!
Get ready to join millions of kids around the world who are creating amazing projects with Scratch! Follow these super easy steps:
Let's go to: https://scratch.mit.edu/join
💡 Pro Tip! 💡
Ask a parent or guardian to help you set up your account if you need assistance!

- Choose a cool username - Be creative! Maybe something like "CodingNinja123" or "GameMaker2024"
- Create a strong password - Mix letters and numbers for safety!
note Super Important! 📝
Write down your username & password somewhere safe! You'll need them every time you want to code.
- Click on "Next Step" to continue your adventure!
- Click on "Save" to remember your login info automatically



- Fill in your details - This helps Scratch keep you safe online!
- Click on "Next Step" - You're almost there!

- Click here to submit your Scratch profile link
This helps your teacher see all the amazing projects you'll create! 🌟
Congratulations! You're now a Scratcher! Time to create some awesome projects!
When you create something cool, here's how to share it:



Ready for some fun challenges? Let's explore what you can do in Scratch!
- Add and paint a new sprite 🎨 - Create your own character!
- Adjust the size and position of the sprite 📏 - Make it just right!
- Add and paint a new backdrop 🖼️ - Design your world!
- Add, edit, and record a sound 🎵 - Give your project a voice!
- Duplicate a sprite, backdrop, costumes, and sound 👯 - Make copies easily!
- Delete a sprite, backdrop, costumes, and sound 🗑️ - Clean up your workspace!
- Code your sprite! 💻 - Make it come alive with code blocks!
💡 Challenge Yourself! 🌟
Try to complete all 7 tasks. Each one teaches you something new about Scratch!
- Sprite = Your character or object (like a cat, ball, or spaceship)
- Costumes = Different looks for your sprite (like the cat with eyes open or closed)
ℹ️ Info Think About It! 💭
It's like you're the sprite, and your different outfits are your costumes!
- Position in output = Where your sprite moves on the stage when your game runs
- Position in costumes = How you draw or place parts of your sprite in the costume editor
Don't panic! Here's your rescue plan:
- Quick Fix: Press Ctrl+Z (or Cmd+Z on Mac) to undo! ⏪
- Lost a sprite? Check the sprite library or upload your saved files 📁
- Missing costumes? Look in the costume library or your saved pictures 🖼️
- Code disappeared? Use the backpack feature to save important code blocks! 🎒
note Pro Tip! 💡
Always save your project regularly by clicking File -> Save Now. Better safe than sorry!
Wow! Look at everything you learned today:
- ✅ You discovered how computers understand our language
- ✅ You met Grace Hopper, a real coding hero
- ✅ You learned about bugs (including a real moth!)
- ✅ You set up your very own Scratch account
- ✅ You explored the amazing things you can do in Scratch
🏆 You're officially ready to start your coding journey!
💡 What's Next? 🚀
In your next lesson, you'll start creating your very first Scratch project. Get ready to bring your ideas to life!
- Every expert coder started exactly where you are now
- Making mistakes is how we learn (that's why we have debugging!)
- The most important thing is to have fun and be creative
Happy Coding, Future Programmer! 🎮✨