Day to Night Scene — Scratch L1

This is the scene you complete and ship today — day backdrop on the left, night on the right, the cat yawning as night falls.

Learning Goals 3 min

By the end of this lesson you will be able to:

Build a 2-scene Hari Raya story from a blank Scratch project: kitchen day → kitchen night.
Use switch backdrop + wait + switch costume in one stack to take the cat from awake to sleepy.
Click the green flag and watch your finished story play in under 10 seconds.

Warm-Up 7 min

Over four lessons you have collected every piece — backdrops, costume swaps, waits, and scene reactions. Today you assemble the full kampung day-to-night story and ship it.

Quick-fire puzzle

Faridah built this 4-block stack and clicked the flag. The Stage starts on kitchen day. What does the cat look like at the very end?


when flag clicked
switch costume to [costume1 v]
wait (2) seconds
switch costume to [costume2 v]

Four blocks. The cat changes costume after a 2-second wait.

Reveal the answer

The cat is wearing costume2 at the end. Step 1 sets the cat to costume1. Step 2 pauses. Step 3 swaps to costume2. The whole thing takes 2 seconds. We'll combine this idea with backdrops today.

Project Brief — a Hari Raya kitchen at day and at night 15 min

Today's project: a tiny Hari Raya story. Aisyah's family kitchen is busy in the day with kuih on the table. Then night falls and everyone goes to sleep — including the cat. Two backdrops, one sprite, two costumes, one stack of about 7 blocks.

What you'll build

1 sprite — the cat.
2 costumes — costume1 (awake) and costume2 (sleepy). Use the default cat's costumes, or paint your own.
2 backdrops — kitchen day (a bright kitchen) and kitchen night (the same kitchen, dimmer).
1 script — a 7-block stack on the cat that drives the whole story.

The blocks you'll need (all already taught)

Block	Category	Role in this project
when flag clicked	Events	Starts the story.
switch backdrop to [kitchen day v]	Looks	Opens on the day scene.
switch costume to [costume1 v]	Looks	Cat starts awake.
say [Selamat Hari Raya!] for (2) seconds	Looks	Cat greets the audience.
wait (2) seconds	Control	A pause so the change feels real.
switch backdrop to [kitchen night v]	Looks	Night falls.
switch costume to [costume2 v]	Looks	Cat gets sleepy.

The finished project at a glance. Same kitchen, same cat — only the backdrop and costume change between scenes.

Why this project

Hari Raya is one of Malaysia's biggest moments — bright kitchens, family, kuih on every table. A 2-scene "day to night" piece is a familiar shape for a beginner story: open the scene, greet, pause, change, close. Once you can build this, you can build any festival story (CNY, Deepavali, Christmas).

Guided Build — step by step 15 min

Start a fresh Scratch project. The default cat is your sprite.

Stage plan for today's build. Script the cat sprite (see ✏️ badge). Day backdrop on the left, night on the right — the cat changes costume as the scene switches.

Step 1 — Prepare two costumes

Click the cat. Click the Costumes tab. You should see costume1 and costume2. Click costume2 and use the paint editor to make the eyes a thin line or close them — that's your "sleepy" look. (Optional: skip this and leave costume2 as is.)

Step 2 — Prepare two backdrops

Click the Stage card. Click the Backdrops tab. Add a backdrop from the library — "Room 1" works well. Rename it kitchen day. Right-click the backdrop in the list, Duplicate it. Rename the copy kitchen night. With the night copy selected, use the Paint editor to drop a dark blue rectangle over the whole scene (set the rectangle to ~50% opacity), or repaint the upper half deep blue.

Step 3 — Select the cat, Code tab

Click the cat in the Sprite list. Click the Code tab. Clear any old practice scripts.

Step 4 — Lay down the seven blocks

Build this stack in order, top to bottom. Take your time. Use the dropdowns to pick the right backdrop and costume names.

From Events: when flag clicked.
From Looks: switch backdrop to [kitchen day v].
From Looks: switch costume to [costume1 v].
From Looks: say [Selamat Hari Raya!] for (2) seconds.
From Control: wait (2) seconds.
From Looks: switch backdrop to [kitchen night v].
From Looks: switch costume to [costume2 v].

Step 5 — Test

Click the green flag. The story should play in this order:

0.0 s — Stage flips to kitchen day, cat wears costume1.
0.0 s → 2.0 s — Cat says "Selamat Hari Raya!".
2.0 s → 4.0 s — A quiet pause (2-second wait).
4.0 s — Stage flips to kitchen night, cat changes to costume2.

What changed: compared to the four backdrop lessons before, this is your first complete finished story — a thing you'd be happy to show your family. It is short, it has a beginning and an end, and the Stage really does feel like time passing.

The full assembled stack (your reference)


when flag clicked
switch backdrop to [kitchen day v]
switch costume to [costume1 v]
say [Selamat Hari Raya!] for (2) seconds
wait (2) seconds
switch backdrop to [kitchen night v]
switch costume to [costume2 v]

Seven blocks — 1 Events, 5 Looks, 1 Control. One block under the Level 1 cap of 8.

Extend the Project — three small variations 12 min

🟢 Easy

Goal: Add a goodnight line. After the night switch, make the cat say "Selamat tidur!" for 2 seconds. Your stack grows to 8 blocks — exactly at the L1 cap.


when flag clicked
switch backdrop to [kitchen day v]
switch costume to [costume1 v]
say [Selamat Hari Raya!] for (2) seconds
wait (2) seconds
switch backdrop to [kitchen night v]
switch costume to [costume2 v]
say [Selamat tidur!] for (2) seconds

Think: The story now ends with a proper farewell. Many real stories work the same way — opening greeting, middle, closing line.

🟡 Medium

Goal: Move the cat to a "bed" position at night. Use go to x: (-150) y: (-100) right before the costume change. This way the cat literally goes to bed at sundown. (You'll need to drop the goodnight line from the easy variation to stay under 8 blocks — or replace the say with a quieter think bubble.)


when flag clicked
switch backdrop to [kitchen day v]
switch costume to [costume1 v]
say [Selamat Hari Raya!] for (2) seconds
wait (2) seconds
switch backdrop to [kitchen night v]
go to x: (-150) y: (-100)
switch costume to [costume2 v]

Think: Backdrops change where the audience thinks they are. Sprite position changes where the action is on screen. Both at once feels twice as polished.

🔴 Stretch

Goal: Split the project into a driver script + reaction scripts (the L01-33 pattern). Move all the "after the switch" behaviour out of the main stack and into hat blocks that listen for each backdrop. The driver script becomes just 4 blocks; each reaction is 2 blocks. Cleaner and easier to extend.


when flag clicked
switch backdrop to [kitchen day v]
wait (4) seconds
switch backdrop to [kitchen night v]

when backdrop switches to [kitchen day v]
switch costume to [costume1 v]
say [Selamat Hari Raya!] for (2) seconds

when backdrop switches to [kitchen night v]
switch costume to [costume2 v]
say [Selamat tidur!] for (2) seconds

Think: Three short scripts beat one long one. To add a third scene later (sahur breakfast?), you'd add one new backdrop and one new reaction — without editing the driver.

Mini-Challenge — add a second sprite 5 min

"A second character at the table"

Add one more sprite to your project (e.g. an Owl, a child, or a plate of kuih). Give it its own reaction to the night backdrop using when backdrop switches to [kitchen night v]. The cat and the new sprite should both react when night arrives.

It works if:

The new sprite is visible in Scene A (day).
When the backdrop switches to kitchen night, the new sprite does something — hides, says "Goodnight!", shrinks, or moves to the side.
The cat's scripts from the Worked Example still work unchanged.

Reveal one valid solution — an owl that appears at night

Add a sprite called "Owl". On the Owl, add two scripts:


when flag clicked
hide

when backdrop switches to [kitchen night v]
show
say [Hoot!] for (2) seconds

The owl is hidden during the day, then appears the moment night arrives. The cat's existing script keeps working — both sprites now share the Stage's clock.

🚀 Mission — Sunset Polish & Ship

Before you share your project, add one small finishing touch so the scene feels complete. Then save it properly.

Step 1 — add a finishing touch. Make the cat yawn or say goodnight as night falls. Pick one:

Snap a say [Yaaaawn...] for (2) seconds block right after the night backdrop switch — the cat yawns as the lights go out.
Snap a say [Selamat malam!] for (2) seconds block at the very end — a warm Malay goodnight.
Switch the cat's costume to a yawning pose in the Paint editor, then switch it just before the night backdrop.

Step 2 — save your project. Go to File → Save to your computer. Scratch saves a .sb3 file to your Downloads folder. Keep this file safe — it is your finished project.

Step 3 — share (optional, 13+ or parent email required). If you have a scratch.mit.edu account, click Share at the top of the Scratch editor. Copy the link and bring it to class. If you are under 13, a parent's email address is needed to make an account — the .sb3 file is a perfectly fine fallback. Show the file in class instead.

✅ Done when: the scene moves day→night AND you have a saved .sb3 file (or a share link). Going further: write a one-line project note describing your kampung — click the "Instructions" field on your Scratch project page and type one sentence about the scene.

Recap 2 min

You just built your first complete Scratch story. Two backdrops named after times of day, one sprite with two costumes, one short stack of seven blocks. The recipe — backdrop, costume, say, wait, backdrop, costume — is the heart of every multi-scene project you'll ever build. Bigger stories will add sprites and broadcasts; the bones stay the same.

Scene: One moment of a story, with its own backdrop and sprite costumes.
Duplicate (Backdrops list): The right-click option that copies a backdrop. Handy when "scene B" is "scene A but darker".
Project: A finished Scratch piece — short, watchable, with a clear start and end. Today's day-to-night story is your first one.

Homework 1 min

Pick your own festival. Build a 2-scene story for a different Malaysian festival — Chinese New Year, Deepavali, or Christmas — using today's recipe.

Add 2 backdrops. Name them after the moment they show (e.g. cny lunch and cny firecrackers).
Keep your sprite simple — the default cat is fine, or pick something festival-appropriate from the library.
Write one script on the sprite. Use when flag clicked, two switch backdrop blocks, two say lines, and one wait.
Keep the script at 8 blocks or fewer.

Bring back next class:

A screenshot of your finished script.
A screenshot of each backdrop (two pictures).
Your written answer: "Which order works best — say-then-wait or wait-then-say? Why?"

Heads up for next class: SCR-L01-35 opens cluster F — Sound. You'll meet play sound [Meow v] until done, and the cat finally gets a voice.

This is the scene you complete and ship today — day backdrop on the left, night on the right, the cat yawning as night falls.

Learning Goals 3 min

By the end of this lesson you will be able to:

Build a 2-scene Hari Raya story from a blank Scratch project: kitchen day → kitchen night.
Use switch backdrop + wait + switch costume in one stack to take the cat from awake to sleepy.
Click the green flag and watch your finished story play in under 10 seconds.

Warm-Up 7 min

Over four lessons you have collected every piece — backdrops, costume swaps, waits, and scene reactions. Today you assemble the full kampung day-to-night story and ship it.

Quick-fire puzzle

Faridah built this 4-block stack and clicked the flag. The Stage starts on kitchen day. What does the cat look like at the very end?


when flag clicked
switch costume to [costume1 v]
wait (2) seconds
switch costume to [costume2 v]

Four blocks. The cat changes costume after a 2-second wait.

Reveal the answer

The cat is wearing costume2 at the end. Step 1 sets the cat to costume1. Step 2 pauses. Step 3 swaps to costume2. The whole thing takes 2 seconds. We'll combine this idea with backdrops today.

Project Brief — a Hari Raya kitchen at day and at night 15 min

What you'll build

1 sprite — the cat.
2 costumes — costume1 (awake) and costume2 (sleepy). Use the default cat's costumes, or paint your own.
2 backdrops — kitchen day (a bright kitchen) and kitchen night (the same kitchen, dimmer).
1 script — a 7-block stack on the cat that drives the whole story.

The blocks you'll need (all already taught)

Block	Category	Role in this project
when flag clicked	Events	Starts the story.
switch backdrop to [kitchen day v]	Looks	Opens on the day scene.
switch costume to [costume1 v]	Looks	Cat starts awake.
say [Selamat Hari Raya!] for (2) seconds	Looks	Cat greets the audience.
wait (2) seconds	Control	A pause so the change feels real.
switch backdrop to [kitchen night v]	Looks	Night falls.
switch costume to [costume2 v]	Looks	Cat gets sleepy.

The finished project at a glance. Same kitchen, same cat — only the backdrop and costume change between scenes.

Why this project

Guided Build — step by step 15 min

Start a fresh Scratch project. The default cat is your sprite.

Stage plan for today's build. Script the cat sprite (see ✏️ badge). Day backdrop on the left, night on the right — the cat changes costume as the scene switches.

Step 1 — Prepare two costumes

Step 2 — Prepare two backdrops

Step 3 — Select the cat, Code tab

Click the cat in the Sprite list. Click the Code tab. Clear any old practice scripts.

Step 4 — Lay down the seven blocks

Build this stack in order, top to bottom. Take your time. Use the dropdowns to pick the right backdrop and costume names.

From Events: when flag clicked.
From Looks: switch backdrop to [kitchen day v].
From Looks: switch costume to [costume1 v].
From Looks: say [Selamat Hari Raya!] for (2) seconds.
From Control: wait (2) seconds.
From Looks: switch backdrop to [kitchen night v].
From Looks: switch costume to [costume2 v].

Step 5 — Test

Click the green flag. The story should play in this order:

0.0 s — Stage flips to kitchen day, cat wears costume1.
0.0 s → 2.0 s — Cat says "Selamat Hari Raya!".
2.0 s → 4.0 s — A quiet pause (2-second wait).
4.0 s — Stage flips to kitchen night, cat changes to costume2.

The full assembled stack (your reference)


when flag clicked
switch backdrop to [kitchen day v]
switch costume to [costume1 v]
say [Selamat Hari Raya!] for (2) seconds
wait (2) seconds
switch backdrop to [kitchen night v]
switch costume to [costume2 v]

Seven blocks — 1 Events, 5 Looks, 1 Control. One block under the Level 1 cap of 8.

Extend the Project — three small variations 12 min

🟢 Easy

Goal: Add a goodnight line. After the night switch, make the cat say "Selamat tidur!" for 2 seconds. Your stack grows to 8 blocks — exactly at the L1 cap.


when flag clicked
switch backdrop to [kitchen day v]
switch costume to [costume1 v]
say [Selamat Hari Raya!] for (2) seconds
wait (2) seconds
switch backdrop to [kitchen night v]
switch costume to [costume2 v]
say [Selamat tidur!] for (2) seconds

Think: The story now ends with a proper farewell. Many real stories work the same way — opening greeting, middle, closing line.

🟡 Medium


when flag clicked
switch backdrop to [kitchen day v]
switch costume to [costume1 v]
say [Selamat Hari Raya!] for (2) seconds
wait (2) seconds
switch backdrop to [kitchen night v]
go to x: (-150) y: (-100)
switch costume to [costume2 v]

Think: Backdrops change where the audience thinks they are. Sprite position changes where the action is on screen. Both at once feels twice as polished.

🔴 Stretch


when flag clicked
switch backdrop to [kitchen day v]
wait (4) seconds
switch backdrop to [kitchen night v]

when backdrop switches to [kitchen day v]
switch costume to [costume1 v]
say [Selamat Hari Raya!] for (2) seconds

when backdrop switches to [kitchen night v]
switch costume to [costume2 v]
say [Selamat tidur!] for (2) seconds

Think: Three short scripts beat one long one. To add a third scene later (sahur breakfast?), you'd add one new backdrop and one new reaction — without editing the driver.

Mini-Challenge — add a second sprite 5 min

"A second character at the table"

It works if:

The new sprite is visible in Scene A (day).
When the backdrop switches to kitchen night, the new sprite does something — hides, says "Goodnight!", shrinks, or moves to the side.
The cat's scripts from the Worked Example still work unchanged.

Reveal one valid solution — an owl that appears at night

Add a sprite called "Owl". On the Owl, add two scripts:


when flag clicked
hide

when backdrop switches to [kitchen night v]
show
say [Hoot!] for (2) seconds

The owl is hidden during the day, then appears the moment night arrives. The cat's existing script keeps working — both sprites now share the Stage's clock.

🚀 Mission — Sunset Polish & Ship

Before you share your project, add one small finishing touch so the scene feels complete. Then save it properly.

Step 1 — add a finishing touch. Make the cat yawn or say goodnight as night falls. Pick one:

Snap a say [Yaaaawn...] for (2) seconds block right after the night backdrop switch — the cat yawns as the lights go out.
Snap a say [Selamat malam!] for (2) seconds block at the very end — a warm Malay goodnight.
Switch the cat's costume to a yawning pose in the Paint editor, then switch it just before the night backdrop.

Step 2 — save your project. Go to File → Save to your computer. Scratch saves a .sb3 file to your Downloads folder. Keep this file safe — it is your finished project.

Recap 2 min

Scene: One moment of a story, with its own backdrop and sprite costumes.
Duplicate (Backdrops list): The right-click option that copies a backdrop. Handy when "scene B" is "scene A but darker".
Project: A finished Scratch piece — short, watchable, with a clear start and end. Today's day-to-night story is your first one.

Homework 1 min

Pick your own festival. Build a 2-scene story for a different Malaysian festival — Chinese New Year, Deepavali, or Christmas — using today's recipe.

Add 2 backdrops. Name them after the moment they show (e.g. cny lunch and cny firecrackers).
Keep your sprite simple — the default cat is fine, or pick something festival-appropriate from the library.
Write one script on the sprite. Use when flag clicked, two switch backdrop blocks, two say lines, and one wait.
Keep the script at 8 blocks or fewer.

Bring back next class:

A screenshot of your finished script.
A screenshot of each backdrop (two pictures).
Your written answer: "Which order works best — say-then-wait or wait-then-say? Why?"

Heads up for next class: SCR-L01-35 opens cluster F — Sound. You'll meet play sound [Meow v] until done, and the cat finally gets a voice.