Introduction to Programming with Scratch
An introduction to programming using Scratch, a visual programming language via which aspiring programmers can write code by dragging and dropping graphical blocks (that resemble puzzle pieces) instead of typing out text. Used at the start of Harvard College's introductory course in computer science, CS50, Scratch was designed at MIT's Media Lab, empowering students with no prior programming experience to design their own animations, games, interactive art, and stories. Using Scratch, this course introduces students to fundamentals of programming, found not only in Scratch itself but in traditional text-based languages (like Java and Python) as well. Topics include: functions, which are instructions that perform tasks; return values, which are results that functions provide; conditions, via which programs can decide whether or not to perform some action; loops, via which programs can take action again and again; variables, via which programs can remember information; and more. Ultimately, this course prepares students for subsequent courses in programming..
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Chapter 1
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Lesson 1: Functions
This lesson covers a wide range of topics, including fundamental concepts like functions, data types, and control flow, as well as more advanced areas like algorithms, data structures, and software engineering.
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Lesson 2: Values
Values are fundamental data that a program manipulates, like numbers, text, or boolean flags, and can be stored in variables. They are essential for building functionality and logic within code.
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Chapter 2
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Chapter 3
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Lesson 1: Conditions & Loops
Conditions refer to statements that allow a program to make decisions and execute different code blocks based on whether a certain criteria (or condition) is true or false.
Loops are control structures that allow you to repeat a block of code multiple times, automating repetitive tasks and making code more efficient. They execute instructions repeatedly until a specific condition is met, like a sequence of instructions that repeats until a certain value is reached.
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Lesson 2: Variables
Variables are named storage location that holds a value, which can be changed during the program's execution.
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