Additional information
by Marina Umaschi Bers (Author), Mitchel Resnick (Author)
ScratchJr is a free, introductory computer programming language that runs on iPads, Android tablets, Amazon tablets, and Chromebooks. Inspired by Scratch, the wildly popular programming language used by millions of children worldwide, ScratchJr helps even younger kids create their own playful animations, interactive stories, and dynamic games.
The Official ScratchJr Book is the perfect companion to this free app and makes coding easy and fun for all. Kids learn to program by connecting blocks of code to make characters move, jump, dance, and sing. Each chapter includes several activities that build on one another, culminating in a fun final project. These hands-on activities help kids develop computational-thinking, problem-solving, and design skills. In each activity, you'll find:-Step-by-step, easy-to-follow directions
-Ways to connect the activity with literacy and math concepts
-Tips for grown-ups and teachers
-Creative challenges to take the learning further By the end of the book, kids will be ready for all sorts of new programming adventures The ScratchJr app now supports English, Spanish, Catalan, Dutch, French, Italian, and Thai.
Author Biography
Marina Umaschi Bers is a professor in the Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study and Human Development and adjunct professor in the Computer Science Department at Tufts University. She heads the Developmental Technologies Research group where she studies innovative ways to promote positive childhood development through new learning technologies. She is also the creator of KIBO, a robotics platform for children 4 to 7, which allows young builders to learn programming and engineering skills without screens.
Mitchel Resnick is the creator of Scratch, the wildly popular programming language used in thousands of schools and homes worldwide, with nearly 4 million users. He directs the Lifelong Kindergarten group at the MIT Media Lab and was awarded the McGraw Prize in Education in 2011 for his creative learning technologies.
