Coding for Kids: 2 Books in 1
Python and Scratch 3.0 Programming to Master Your Coding Skills and Create Your Own Animations and Games in Less Than 24 Hours
Matthew Teens
Book Description
Scratch is the ideal introduction to programming for children of all ages! This step by step guide will teach kids the fundamentals of programming and how to create a variety of projects using Scratch 3.0.
Coding for Kids in Scratch 3.0 is an educational book that provides a solid understanding of common coding techniques and concepts that can be later applied when learning other programming languages like Python.
Kids will learn that programming is an exciting, creative activity, which can be fun to learn when using the most popular coding tool for children.
Start by gaining an understanding about how programs work and learn about other programming languages. Not all languages are created equally, and this book will give you a summarized explanation of how they work.
Next, learn the basic programming principles with step by step explanations using Scratch. This guide will show you how to install Scratch and how to set up your development environment. The sooner you start coding, the better.
What else is inside this book?
You will learn how to program by working on real projects. Create graphical elements, manipulate audio effects, create a story book, animate sprites, and develop games!
Computer coding for kids has never been easier or more accessible. Add Coding for Kids in Scratch 3.0 to your collection and begin your programming journey today!
Coding for Kids in Scratch 3.0
A Step-by-Step Beginners Guide to Master Your Coding Skills and Programming Your Own Animations and Games in Less Than 24 Hours
Matthew Teens
Copyright 2020 - All rights reserved.
The content contained within this book may not be reproduced, duplicated or transmitted without direct written permission from the author or the publisher.
Under no circumstances will any blame or legal responsibility be held against the publisher, or author, for any damages, reparation, or monetary loss due to the information contained within this book, either directly or indirectly.
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Please note the information contained within this document is for educational and entertainment purposes only. All effort has been executed to present accurate, up to date, reliable, complete information. No warranties of any kind are declared or implied. Readers acknowledge that the author is not engaged in the rendering of legal, financial, medical or professional advice. The content within this book has been derived from various sources. Please consult a licensed professional before attempting any techniques outlined in this book.
By reading this document, the reader agrees that under no circumstances is the author responsible for any losses, direct or indirect, that are incurred as a result of the use of the information contained within this document, including, but not limited to, errors, omissions, or inaccuracies.
Table of Contents
Introduction
The desire to learn how to code has blown up in recent years. Everywhere in the world schools have started adding programming classes, even for kids as young as seven years old. Coding clubs and bootcamps started popping up everywhere. More and more jobs require coding skills and people have even started learning how to program just for fun. There are so many devices and tools available to us that we can do so much if we know at least one programming language. Programming is becoming a new must-have skill.
All of this means that it was never easier to learn how to code than it is today. Back in the early days, even before the Internet, programmers had to do everything manually. Their tools couldnt check how correct the code was, couldnt automatically detect errors, and a lot of fundamental computer processes had to be managed by the coder. A single misplaced symbol was enough to give the programmer a headache. Today, all you need is an intelligent tool that handles the boring stuff for you so that you can focus on creating something. One such tool is Scratch. Scratch is a visual scripting language, also known as a drag and drop programming language, and were going to focus on mastering it throughout this book.
A lot of people think that programming is difficult, it requires math, and some special talent to be able to master it. None of that is true! Programming can be both easy and fun! Scratch is all about making the learning process so fun that you forget youre actually dealing with programming concepts and techniques. It allows you to be creative; it gives you all the tools you need to create art, animations, and cool games to share and play with your friends. If you are a complete beginner, youll discover a whole world of possibilities.
So lets jump in and start learning about coding. Build up your skills from scratch (pun intended!) and learn the basics of programming through practical projects.
Part 1: General Coding Principles
Chapter 1: Programming Basics
Computers are used for everything. Your favorite games, movies, art, and animations involve the use of computers. Chances are, even your toaster or fridge involved the use of a computer to program all of their smart features. Computers are used in so many ways and by learning how to program, youll discover a whole new world of possibilities. Lets explore this new realm by first learning how computers think and how programs work.
How Do Programs Work?
Everything that is powered by a computer runs on a sequence of commands. You can look at a program as a long collection of instructions. You might think of computers as something much smarter than us humble mortals, but in fact theyre quite dumb. Computers need to be told EXACTLY what to do, otherwise theyre useless.
Think about the process of making a sandwich. If I tell you to go make yourself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, you dont need any more details. You know what that means and how to do it, and even if you arent quite sure, you can figure it out. But a computer cant do that. Its not enough to tell it to go make a sandwich. You need to tell it to first open the cupboard, fetch the peanut butter jar, open the lid, take a knife from the drawer, and so on. Even ordering it to use peanut butter isnt enough. Every single detail needs to be explained step by step. Thats how dumb a computer is, and thats why it needs a programmer.
Programmers use their logic and creativity to write all the commands in an orderly sequence. This is what a program is, except that the commands cant be written in plain English because the computer doesnt understand it. That is why a programming language is used.
But, most languages cant be understood directly either. Computers speak in machine code, which is formed by nothing but long sequences of zeros and ones. So, the programming languages we use are first translated by an interpreter or a compiler so that the computer can read the code. Many languages work like this, such as Python, C, C++, Java, and Ruby. Even Scratch works the same way, though it differs from the other languages because we use visual blocks to create the program instead of writing the code ourselves.
Can Anyone Be a Programmer?
YES!
You decided to start out with Scratch, a visual, building-block based programming language instead of languages that involve writing code like Python or C#. Those languages might feel intimidating because theyre much harder to understand, but that doesnt mean you need some special ability or to be a mathematical genius to eventually learn them. Everyone can learn any programming language. So if youre worried that you might not have what it takes, know that with time you can learn other languages and progress. Anyone can be a programmer with enough dedication and desire to learn.
