Learning Goals 3 min
By the end of this lesson you will be able to:
- Drag the say [Hello!] for (2) seconds block from the Looks category.
- Tell the difference between the sticky say (last lesson) and the timed say (today).
- String three timed says together to perform a short three-line dialogue.
Warm-Up 7 min
Last lesson (Arc 1/7) your cat learned to speak — the bubble stuck until you cleared it. Today's say block clears itself — like a timer that hides the message for you. Arc 2/7 starts here.
Quick-fire puzzle
Wei Jie snapped these blocks together and clicked the flag. How many bubbles did he see, and for how long each?
when flag clicked
say [Hi!] for (1) seconds
say [Bye!] for (1) seconds
Reveal the answer
He saw two bubbles, each lasting 1 second. First "Hi!" for 1 second — then it disappears all by itself — then "Bye!" for 1 second — then it disappears too. The whole script takes 2 seconds.
The timed say is its own little timer. You don't need a separate wait block. You don't need an empty say to clear the bubble. The block does it all.
New Concept — the timed speech bubble 15 min
The timed say is like a polite guest at a party — it talks, then it leaves on its own. The sticky say (last lesson) is more like a sign you nailed to the wall — it stays until you take it down.
Blocks reference
| Block | Category | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| say [Hello!] for (2) seconds | Looks (purple) | Puts a speech bubble up. Waits N seconds. Clears the bubble. Today's block. |
| say [Hello!] | Looks (purple) | Sticky — same bubble, but stays forever. Last lesson's block. Here for comparison. |
Sticky vs timed — side by side
Both blocks live in the Looks category. They sit right next to each other. Read the block carefully — does it have a for (___) seconds input on the end?
- Has
for (___) seconds→ timed. Clears itself. - Does NOT have
for (___) seconds→ sticky. Stays until you clear it.
when flag clicked
say [Hello!] for (2) seconds
Why it matters
Most dialogue in a Scratch project uses the timed say. Quick lines of speech ("Hi!", "Selamat datang!", "Watch out!") clear themselves so the Stage doesn't end up covered in old bubbles. The sticky say is for labels and titles that should hang around. Pick the right tool for the job.
Worked Example — Faiz's Cat says three lines 15 min
We'll build a three-line greeting. Click the flag → cat says three short lines in a row, each bubble lasting 2 seconds.
Step 1 — Set up
Open Scratch. Rename your cat to Faiz's Cat using the Sprite Properties panel. Centre it: x = 0, y = 0.
Step 2 — Drag the hat block
From the yellow Events category, drag when ⚑ clicked.
Step 3 — Drag the first timed say
Open the purple Looks category. Find say [Hello!] for (2) seconds — the one with two inputs (text + seconds). Snap it under the hat. Change the text to Apa khabar?
when flag clicked
say [Apa khabar?] for (2) seconds
Step 4 — Add the second line
Drag a second timed say below the first. Change the text to Saya sihat. Leave the seconds at 2.
Step 5 — Add the third line
Drag a third timed say. Change the text to Jumpa lagi! Leave the seconds at 2.
Step 6 — Click the green flag
Watch the cat have a full conversation. "Apa khabar?" → bubble clears → "Saya sihat." → bubble clears → "Jumpa lagi!" → bubble clears. The whole thing takes 6 seconds.
What changed: compared to last lesson's sticky say (which needs a wait + empty say to clear each bubble), today's timed say does the clearing for you. Three blocks instead of nine for the same effect.
The full assembled stack
when flag clicked
say [Apa khabar?] for (2) seconds
say [Saya sihat.] for (2) seconds
say [Jumpa lagi!] for (2) seconds
Try It Yourself — three small builds 12 min
Goal: Make the cat introduce itself in one short line.
when flag clicked
say [I am Faiz's Cat!] for (3) seconds
Think: One block, one bubble, 3 seconds. Compare with the sticky say from last lesson — that bubble would stay forever. This one disappears all by itself.
Goal: Talk and walk. Make the cat say something for 2 seconds, then move 100 steps.
when flag clicked
say [Watch me go!] for (2) seconds
move (100) steps
Think: The move block waits for the say to finish. The cat stands still during the 2-second bubble, then moves. Sequential running — one block at a time.
Goal: A countdown. Make the cat count down "3… 2… 1… Go!" with quick 0.5-second bubbles, then walk away.
when flag clicked
say [3] for (0.5) seconds
say [2] for (0.5) seconds
say [1] for (0.5) seconds
say [Go!] for (0.5) seconds
move (200) steps
Think: Four say blocks at half a second each = 2 seconds of countdown. Decimal seconds are allowed. Try shorter (0.2) for an even snappier countdown.
Mini-Challenge — Tour of the Stage 5 min
"Step, talk, step, talk"
Build a script where the cat walks across the Stage in three jumps. Between each jump it pauses and tells the audience where it's going. Use today's timed say plus move blocks from earlier lessons.
It works if:
- The cat starts somewhere left of centre (set x in the Sprite Properties before running).
- Clicking the flag once triggers the whole tour.
- Between each move, a timed bubble announces the next stop (e.g. "Going right!", "Almost there!", "Made it!").
- By the end, every bubble has cleared on its own — no leftover speech on the Stage.
Reveal one valid solution
when flag clicked
say [Going right!] for (1) seconds
move (80) steps
say [Almost there!] for (1) seconds
move (80) steps
say [Made it!] for (1) seconds
Stack size: 6 blocks. Well within the Level 1 cap of 8. Notice we did not need a single empty say or wait — the timed say handles both jobs.
Recap 2 min
Today you met the timed say block. It puts a bubble up, waits N seconds, then clears the bubble — all by itself. Use timed for dialogue and short lines; use sticky (last lesson) for labels that should stay. The next block in your stack waits for the say to finish.
- say [Hello!] for (2) seconds (block)
- The timed say. Shows a bubble for N seconds, then clears it. Most dialogue uses this version.
- Timed (block style)
- Any block that takes time to finish. The script waits for it before running the next block.
- Sequential
- The script runs blocks one at a time, top to bottom. Each block must finish before the next starts.
Homework 1 min
The market visit. Make your cat visit a Malaysian pasar (market). Use four timed say blocks in a row to tell a tiny food story.
- Open Scratch. Drag a green-flag hat.
- Snap four say [...] for (2) seconds blocks in a row. Suggested lines: "I'm hungry!" → "Let's go to the pasar." → "Nasi lemak, please." → "Sedap!"
- Click the green flag and watch the whole 8-second story play out.
- Take a screenshot of your Script Area.
Bring back next class:
- Your screenshot.
- Your written answer: "Why didn't you need any wait blocks or empty say blocks in this homework?"
Heads up for next class: SCR-L01-25 introduces think bubbles — the cloud-shaped cousin of say. Your cat will be able to think out loud, both sticky and timed.