(Futurelab.co.uk) Computer games and learning handbook

• Aimed at teachers and those interested in using games with an educational intent, this handbook aims to provide some useful anchoring points for educators to make sense of the area and to develop practical approaches to the use of computer games as a medium for learning. 
• It is assumed by some that the models games employ lead to learning, as young people effectively learn how to play without necessarily being explicitly taught, doing vast amounts of reading or interacting with others; while others see games as boring, tedious, time-consuming, and repetitive. 

Computer Games and Learning

Scratch Animating for Year 2 Children

This is the Scratch Day animation for Year2 and Year 3 Children on the day. They will have lots of fun making this and chanting the song.

If we have time we'll put their faces in to the animation rather than Mr. Squirrel and Mr. Lobster.

Hope you enjoy it too.

Part 1

The complete file is here

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part  5

Part  6

Part 7

Part 8

Part 9

Part 10

Part 11

Bee-bots and Scratch to introduce programming to children under 7 - LOGO ICT

Scratch and control as an ICT skills boost.

This term (February 2011) we are running a school wide control and programming topic that I feel is missing and entirely necessary to boost the attainment of ICT skills across the age range. Why am I doing this? The cohort I have inherited has such a wide ranging set of skills and inthe most part, poorly attaining children that we need to boost their awareness of what they can create with ICT. The way I envisage in doing this with Scratch from Year 1 to Year 6.

In the break between Christmas and Chinese New Year there is short half term that has seen the Year 3 children (who are my lowest achievers) realy take their learning into their own hands for te first time this academic year - and has prompted me to re-evaluate the path of the attainment for the rest of my year groups.

So this is ths plan:

To integrate scratch projects across the school from Year 1 to Year 6 with video accompaniment which should allow me to support the less confident children in my classes.

The first of the resources are as follows

Children work from within the scritpt area and follow the tasks set in the script area. The code blocks are there for them to follow with an open task at the end. Use the arrow keys

Learn more about this project

Downloadable Scratch resources.

Children's Scratch introduction template

Children's Scratch template

Teacher's Scratch Template

Children who need help to make the ICT Challenge - Basic grid game with several backgrounds