Taking Advantage of Scratch Cards
One resource available to Scratch programmers is Scratch cards. Scratch cards are PDF files that you can print, cut out, glue together, and then use as a quick reference for performing certain tasks. You can download Scratch cards for free at http://scratch.wik.is/Support/Scratch_Cards, as shown in Figure 5.11.
Figure 5.11. Scratch cards serve as quick reference for performing specific types of tasks.
The front of each Scratch card identifies the type of task that the card is designed to show you how to perform, and the back of the card provides detailed instruction on how to perform the task. As of the writing of this book, a dozen Scratch cards were available. The PDF file for each of these Scratch cards is descriptively named to identify the task that the card teaches you to perform. The list of available Scratch cards includes:
Change Color
Move to a Beat
Key Moves
Say Something
Glide
Follow the Mouse
Dance Twist
Interactive Whirl
Animate It
Moving Animation
Surprise Button
Keep Score
Figure 5.12 shows what the PDF file for the Key Moves Scratch card looks like. As you can see, the left-hand side of the Scratch card demonstrates the movement of the sprite, and the right-hand side of the card provides an example of the code blocks needed to move the sprite in each of the four demonstrated directions. In addition, each Scratch card includes an extra tip that helps you further enhance the task being performed.
Figure 5.12. The Key Moves Scratch card demonstrates how to move a sprite around the stage using the keyboard arrow keys.
Tip
There are five Scratch cards that provide information specific to moving sprites around the stage. These Scratch cards are briefly described here:
Key Moves. Demonstrates how to move a sprite around the stage using keyboard keys.
Move to a Beat. Demonstrates how to create an animated dance sequence that moves to a drum beat.
Moving Animation. Demonstrates how to animate the movements of a sprite using an alternative series of costumes.
Glide. Demonstrates how to move a sprite around the stage from one point to another in a smooth motion.
Follow the Mouse. Demonstrates how to script the movement of a sprite so that it follows the movement of the mouse-pointer on the stage.