Scratch 3 Programming Playground

Scratch 3 Programming Playground

Author: Al Sweigart

Publisher: No Starch Press

Published: 2021-01-19

Total Pages: 226

ISBN-13: 171850022X

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A project-filled introduction to coding that shows kids how to build programs by making cool games. Scratch, the colorful drag-and-drop programming language, is used by millions of first-time learners worldwide. Scratch 3 features an updated interface, new programming blocks, and the ability to run on tablets and smartphones, so you can learn how to code on the go. In Scratch 3 Programming Playground, you'll learn to code by making cool games. Get ready to destroy asteroids, shoot hoops, and slice and dice fruit! Each game includes easy-to-follow instructions with full-color images, review questions, and creative coding challenges to make the game your own. Want to add more levels or a cheat code? No problem, just write some code. You'll learn to make games like: Maze Runner: escape the maze! Snaaaaaake: gobble apples and avoid your own tail Asteroid Breaker: smash space rocks Fruit Slicer: a Fruit Ninja clone Brick Breaker: a remake of Breakout, the brick-breaking classic Platformer: a game inspired by Super Mario Bros Learning how to program shouldn't be dry and dreary. With Scratch 3 Programming Playground, you'll make a game of it! Covers: Scratch 3


Learn to Program with Scratch

Learn to Program with Scratch

Author: Majed Marji

Publisher: No Starch Press

Published: 2014-02-14

Total Pages: 291

ISBN-13: 1593275781

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Scratch is a fun, free, beginner-friendly programming environment where you connect blocks of code to build programs. While most famously used to introduce kids to programming, Scratch can make computer science approachable for people of any age. Rather than type countless lines of code in a cryptic programming language, why not use colorful command blocks and cartoon sprites to create powerful scripts? In Learn to Program with Scratch, author Majed Marji uses Scratch to explain the concepts essential to solving real-world programming problems. The labeled, color-coded blocks plainly show each logical step in a given script, and with a single click, you can even test any part of your script to check your logic. You'll learn how to: –Harness the power of repeat loops and recursion –Use if/else statements and logical operators to make decisions –Store data in variables and lists to use later in your program –Read, store, and manipulate user input –Implement key computer science algorithms like a linear search and bubble sort Hands-on projects will challenge you to create an Ohm's law simulator, draw intricate patterns, program sprites to mimic line-following robots, create arcade-style games, and more! Each chapter is packed with detailed explanations, annotated illustrations, guided examples, lots of color, and plenty of exercises to help the lessons stick. Learn to Program with Scratch is the perfect place to start your computer science journey, painlessly. Uses Scratch 2


Scratch Programming Playground

Scratch Programming Playground

Author: Al Sweigart

Publisher: No Starch Press

Published: 2016-09-16

Total Pages: 289

ISBN-13: 1593277962

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Scratch, the colorful drag-and-drop programming language, is used by millions of first-time learners, and in Scratch Programming Playground, you’ll learn to program by making cool games. Get ready to destroy asteroids, shoot hoops, and slice and dice fruit! Each game includes easy-to-follow instructions, review questions, and creative coding challenges to make the game your own. Want to add more levels or a cheat code? No problem, just write some code. You’ll learn to make games like: –Maze Runner: escape the maze! –Snaaaaaake: gobble apples and avoid your own tail –Asteroid Breaker: smash space rocks –Fruit Slicer: a Fruit Ninja clone –Brick Breaker: a remake of Breakout, the brick-breaking classic –Platformer: a game inspired by Super Mario Bros. Learning how to program shouldn’t be dry and dreary. With Scratch Programming Playground, you’ll make a game of it! Uses Scratch 2


Super Scratch Programming Adventure! (Scratch 3)

Super Scratch Programming Adventure! (Scratch 3)

Author: The LEAD Project

Publisher: No Starch Press

Published: 2019-08-27

Total Pages: 160

ISBN-13: 1718500130

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Comics! Games! Programming! Now updated to cover Scratch 3. Scratch is the wildly popular educational programming language used by millions of first-time learners in classrooms and homes worldwide. By dragging together colorful blocks of code, kids can learn computer programming concepts and make cool games and animations. The latest version, Scratch 3, features an updated interface, new sprites and programming blocks, and extensions that let you program things like the micro:bit. In Super Scratch Programming Adventure!, kids learn programming fundamentals as they make their very own playable video games. They'll create projects inspired by classic arcade games that can be programmed (and played!) in an afternoon. Patient, step-by-step explanations of the code and fun programming challenges will have kids creating their own games in no time. This full-color comic book makes programming concepts like variables, flow control, and subroutines effortless to absorb. Packed with ideas for games that kids will be proud to show off, Super Scratch Programming Adventure! is the perfect first step for the budding programmer. Covers Scratch 3


Computer Graphics from Scratch

Computer Graphics from Scratch

Author: Gabriel Gambetta

Publisher: No Starch Press

Published: 2021-05-13

Total Pages: 250

ISBN-13: 1718500769

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Computer Graphics from Scratch demystifies the algorithms used in modern graphics software and guides beginners through building photorealistic 3D renders. Computer graphics programming books are often math-heavy and intimidating for newcomers. Not this one. Computer Graphics from Scratch takes a simpler approach by keeping the math to a minimum and focusing on only one aspect of computer graphics, 3D rendering. You’ll build two complete, fully functional renderers: a raytracer, which simulates rays of light as they bounce off objects, and a rasterizer, which converts 3D models into 2D pixels. As you progress you’ll learn how to create realistic reflections and shadows, and how to render a scene from any point of view. Pseudocode examples throughout make it easy to write your renderers in any language, and links to live JavaScript demos of each algorithm invite you to explore further on your own. Learn how to: Use perspective projection to draw 3D objects on a 2D plane Simulate the way rays of light interact with surfaces Add mirror-like reflections and cast shadows to objects Render a scene from any camera position using clipping planes Use flat, Gouraud, and Phong shading to mimic real surface lighting Paint texture details onto basic shapes to create realistic-looking objects Whether you’re an aspiring graphics engineer or a novice programmer curious about how graphics algorithms work, Gabriel Gambetta’s simple, clear explanations will quickly put computer graphics concepts and rendering techniques within your reach. All you need is basic coding knowledge and high school math. Computer Graphics from Scratch will cover the rest.


Coding with Minecraft

Coding with Minecraft

Author: Al Sweigart

Publisher: No Starch Press

Published: 2018-05-29

Total Pages: 258

ISBN-13: 1593278535

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A hands-on introduction to coding that teaches you how to program bots to do cool things in the game you love--Minecraft! This book takes the robotic "turtle" method, and extends it to the 3D, interactive world of Minecraft. You've mined for diamonds, crafted dozens of tools, and built all sorts of structures--but what if you could program robots to do all of that for you in a fraction of the time? In Coding with Minecraft®, you'll create a virtual robot army with Lua, a programming language used by professional game developers. Step-by-step coding projects will show you how to write programs that automatically dig mines, collect materials, craft items, and build anything that you can imagine. Along the way, you'll explore key computer science concepts like data types, functions, variables, and more. Learn how to: - Program robots that make smart decisions with flow control - Reuse code so that your robots can farm any crop you want, including wheat, sugar cane, and even cacti! - Program a factory that generates infinite building supplies - Design an algorithm for creating walls and buildings of any size - Code yourself a pickaxe-swinging robotic lumberjack! - Create a robot that digs mine shafts with stairs so you can explore safely Bonus activities in each chapter will help you take your coding skills to the next level. By the end of the book, you'll understand how powerful coding can be and have plenty of robots at your beck and call.


Invent Your Own Computer Games with Python, 4th Edition

Invent Your Own Computer Games with Python, 4th Edition

Author: Al Sweigart

Publisher: No Starch Press

Published: 2016-12-16

Total Pages: 377

ISBN-13: 1593277954

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Invent Your Own Computer Games with Python will teach you how to make computer games using the popular Python programming language—even if you’ve never programmed before! Begin by building classic games like Hangman, Guess the Number, and Tic-Tac-Toe, and then work your way up to more advanced games, like a text-based treasure hunting game and an animated collision-dodging game with sound effects. Along the way, you’ll learn key programming and math concepts that will help you take your game programming to the next level. Learn how to: –Combine loops, variables, and flow control statements into real working programs –Choose the right data structures for the job, such as lists, dictionaries, and tuples –Add graphics and animation to your games with the pygame module –Handle keyboard and mouse input –Program simple artificial intelligence so you can play against the computer –Use cryptography to convert text messages into secret code –Debug your programs and find common errors As you work through each game, you’ll build a solid foundation in Python and an understanding of computer science fundamentals. What new game will you create with the power of Python? The projects in this book are compatible with Python 3.


Beyond Coding

Beyond Coding

Author: Marina Umaschi Bers

Publisher: MIT Press

Published: 2022-03-22

Total Pages: 230

ISBN-13: 026254332X

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Why children should be taught coding not as a technical skill but as a new literacy—a way to express themselves and engage with the world. Today, schools are introducing STEM education and robotics to children in ever-lower grades. In Beyond Coding, Marina Umaschi Bers lays out a pedagogical roadmap for teaching code that encompasses the cultivation of character along with technical knowledge and skills. Presenting code as a universal language, she shows how children discover new ways of thinking, relating, and behaving through creative coding activities. Today’s children will undoubtedly have the technical knowledge to change the world. But cultivating strength of character, socioeconomic maturity, and a moral compass alongside that knowledge, says Bers, is crucial. Bers, a leading proponent of teaching computational thinking and coding as early as preschool and kindergarten, presents examples of children and teachers using the Scratch Jr. and Kibo robotics platforms to make explicit some of the positive values implicit in the process of learning computer science. If we are to do right by our children, our approach to coding must incorporate the elements of a moral education: the use of narrative to explore identity and values, the development of logical thinking to think critically and solve technical and ethical problems, and experiences in the community to enable personal relationships. Through learning the language of programming, says Bers, it is possible for diverse cultural and religious groups to find points of connection, put assumptions and stereotypes behind them, and work together toward a common goal.


Lifelong Kindergarten

Lifelong Kindergarten

Author: Mitchel Resnick

Publisher: MIT Press

Published: 2018-08-28

Total Pages: 203

ISBN-13: 0262536137

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How lessons from kindergarten can help everyone develop the creative thinking skills needed to thrive in today's society. In kindergartens these days, children spend more time with math worksheets and phonics flashcards than building blocks and finger paint. Kindergarten is becoming more like the rest of school. In Lifelong Kindergarten, learning expert Mitchel Resnick argues for exactly the opposite: the rest of school (even the rest of life) should be more like kindergarten. To thrive in today's fast-changing world, people of all ages must learn to think and act creatively—and the best way to do that is by focusing more on imagining, creating, playing, sharing, and reflecting, just as children do in traditional kindergartens. Drawing on experiences from more than thirty years at MIT's Media Lab, Resnick discusses new technologies and strategies for engaging young people in creative learning experiences. He tells stories of how children are programming their own games, stories, and inventions (for example, a diary security system, created by a twelve-year-old girl), and collaborating through remixing, crowdsourcing, and large-scale group projects (such as a Halloween-themed game called Night at Dreary Castle, produced by more than twenty kids scattered around the world). By providing young people with opportunities to work on projects, based on their passions, in collaboration with peers, in a playful spirit, we can help them prepare for a world where creative thinking is more important than ever before.


Coding for Kids in Scratch 3

Coding for Kids in Scratch 3

Author: Raj Sidhu

Publisher:

Published: 2019-01-03

Total Pages: 149

ISBN-13: 9781791955830

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Become a coding super-genius and create incredible projects with Scratch 3 - the newest version of the most powerful coding language for kids!This beautifully illustrated, hilariously written, and delightfully engaging step-by-step guide is designed for kids (ages 8+) to learn the fundamentals of coding and apply them to amazingly innovative projects. Readers will learn to use the incredible new features of Scratch 3 to build projects that not only teach them to code, but also inspire them to pursue today's most exciting frontiers of technology: Artificial Intelligence Video Game Bots Machine Learning Augmented Reality Multiplayer Computer Games The tried-and-true teaching methods featured in this book were developed by author Raj Sidhu and have been used to teach hundreds of thousands of children around the world how to code.