5. Moving Things Around

This chapter is the first of eight chapters designed to teach you how to work with all of the code blocks that make up the Scratch programming language. This chapter’s focus is on demonstrating how to work with motion code blocks. Using these blocks, you will be able to create Scratch applications that can move sprites around the stage, rotate sprites, point them in different directions, change sprite location, detect collisions with the edge of the stage, and report on a sprite’s direction and coordinates. This chapter also introduces you to Scratch cards as a means for learning how to perform different types of tasks. You will also learn how to create a new virtual fish tank application.

The major topics covered in this chapter include:

• Learning how to move and rotate sprites

• Learning how to change sprite direction and location

• Learning how to change sprite location and to detect collisions with the edge of the stage

• Learning how to retrieve and report information about a sprite’s coordinates and direction