SCRATCH YOUR ITCH FOR 3D MODELING WITH BEETLEBLOCKS

http://hackaday.com/2015/10/10/scratch-your-itch-for-3d-modeling-with-beetleblocks/

If you want to create a 3D model, you’ll probably either use a graphical CAD tool or a programming-based tool (like OpenSCAD). Although BeetleBlocks is graphical, it is more akin to OpenSCAD than a graphical CAD program. That’s because BeetleBlocks is–more or less–Scratch for 3D modeling.

Scratch is the graphical block-structured language developed by MIT for teaching kids to program. You may have seen Lego robots programmed with similar blocks as well as Android App Inventor. In this incarnation, the blocks control a virtual robot (the beetle) that can extrude a tube behind it as it moves. The beetle is reminiscent of the Logo turtle except the beetle moves in three dimensions. The system is actually closer to Snap, which is a reimplementation of Scratch that allows custom blocks.

Kickstarter: Animate-Build-Code book for the busy teacher

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/752554476/animate-build-code-book-with-lego-and-scratch-busy

STEM Cross-Curricular enrichment activity guide for Busy Teachers! Student driven project based fun! Complete-lessons- code programs.

Article: How my son and I became game programmers – kind of

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/mar/12/how-my-son-and-i-became-game-programmers-scatch

The simple programming tool Scratch is a brilliant introduction to making games – just don’t expect to make Minecraft overnight

COMPUTATIONAL THINKING WITH SCRATCH

http://scratched.gse.harvard.edu/ct/

“Computational thinking has received considerable attention over the past several years, but there are many perspectives on what computational thinking entails. We are interested in the ways that design-based learning activities — in particular, programming interactive media — support the development of computational thinking in young people. This site and its collection of instruments are designed for K-12 educators and researchers interested in supporting and assessing the development of computational thinking through programming. “

Sniff – A (next) programming language for Scratchers… on Arduino and Pi

http://www.sniff.org.uk/

Sniff is a “Scratch-like” programming language that’s designed to help Scratchers move gently from Scratch to more conventional languages. They can start writing programs, without having to learn a new language because Sniff is based on Scratch. They learn a little more about variables, compiling, syntax errors (!), and they can have fun controlling real hardware while they’re doing it.

Scratch 2 Offline Editor (Beta Version)

http://scratch.mit.edu/scratch2download/

The Scratch Team is pleased to announce that the beta version of the Scratch 2 Offline Editor is now available. This version will work on Mac, Windows, and some versions of Linux (32 bit).

Invent with Scratch! screencasts

Programming screencasts and tutorials for kids with MIT’s Scratch 2.0

http://inventwithscratch.com/

Scratch 2.0 is now available

http://www.geek.com/apps/mit-releases-scratch-2-0-to-get-kids-coding-in-the-cloud-1554799/

Scratch 2.0 is now available to use, and it brings with it a ton of improvements including Scratch 2.0 allows you to create, edit, and view projects directly in your web browser. (You no longer have to download or upload projects or install any software.)

 

S4A is a Scratch modification that supports simple programming of the Arduino

http://seaside.citilab.eu/scratch/arduino

 

S4A is a Scratch modification that supports simple programming of the Arduino open source hardware platform. It provides new blocks for managing sensors and actuators connected to Arduino. There is also a sensor report board similar to the PicoBoard.

It has been created to attract people to the programming world. The goal is also to provide a high level interface to Arduino programmers with functionalities such as interacting with a set of boards through user events.

New version of Snap – visual, drag-and-drop programming language

http://snap.berkeley.edu/

 

Snap (formerly BYOB) is a visual, drag-and-drop programming language. It is an extended reimplementation of Scratch (a project of the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab) that allows you to Build Your Own Blocks. It also features first class lists, first class procedures, and continuations. These added capabilities make it suitable for a serious introduction to computer science for high school or college students.