Operation Manual

USB connection. The latter is supported by the Raspberry Pi. Simply connect it to a free USB port or a port on a USB hub
connected to the Pi, restart Scratch, and you’ll be able to use its various functions within the Scratch interface.
Details on the PicoBoard can be found at http://www.sparkfun.com/products/10311.
Robotics with LEGO
In addition to add-in sensor modules, it’s possible to control an external robotics system through Scratch. The LEGO Education
WeDo robotics kit is designed to connect motors, distance sensors, and speed sensors to a computer—all of which can be
controlled using specialised blocks found in Scratch.
For children, the WeDo kit is an excellent way to get started with robotics: the components clip together just like regular LEGO,
and there are no risks of receiving an electric shock should anything be badly connected. The WeDo kit boasts compatibility with
regular LEGO and LEGO Technik kits, too, meaning it’s possible to build large projects quickly and easily.
More information on using a LEGO Education WeDo kit with Scratch can be found at
http://info.scratch.mit.edu/WeDo.
Further Reading
Although this chapter serves as a brief introduction to Scratch, it’s far from exhaustive. It’s also a little verbose for younger
readers, who tend to learn more quickly when their lessons are accompanied by lots of colour pictures.
The Support section of the official Scratch website, hosted by MIT at http://info.scratch.mit.edu/support, includes a
link to a Getting Started Guide in PDF format. The guide describes how to work with Scratch in a colourful, child-friendly
manner, and is a great educational tool. This learning experience can be enhanced even further when combined with Scratch
Cards, which are downloadable flash cards containing explanations for each of the block types found in Scratch.
MIT also runs a user forum for Scratch, allowing enthusiasts of the software to learn together and share solutions for common
problems. Membership is free, and the site works well using the Midori web browser included in the Debian distribution for the
Raspberry Pi. The forums can be accessed at http://scratch.mit.edu/forums/.
The easiest way to advance your Scratch skills, however, is to play. The name Scratch has its roots in turntablism: when a DJ
spins a record, the needle creates a scratching sound. Just as DJs remix existing songs into something new, Scratch enthusiasts
are encouraged to submit their creations to the official website for others to download, examine, modify and remix. The official
Scratch site currently hosts more than 2.5 million Scratch programs, making it a perfect source for learning how Scratch is being
used to create projects and for sharing your own ideas with others. A list of the most recently shared projects can be found at
http://scratch.mit.edu/latest/shared.