Sharing Tips & Project Notes

Learning Goals 3 min

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

1. Point to the Instructions and Notes & Credits boxes on a scratch.mit.edu project page.
2. Write short, clear instructions so a friend can play your project without asking you.
3. Save a project as a .sb3 file to share by email when an online account isn't available.

Warm-Up 7 min

Last lesson you learned to plan on paper. Today you'll learn the other half of finishing a project: writing the notes that go with it, so other people can enjoy what you made.

Quick-fire puzzle

Wei Jie shares his catch-the-roti-canai game with Priya. Priya clicks the green flag — nothing happens. She moves the mouse — nothing. She presses keys — nothing. Wei Jie wrote no instructions. What blocks might Priya need to know about?

when [space v] key pressed
go to [mouse-pointer v]
        

New Concept — the project page on scratch.mit.edu 15 min

When you share a project on scratch.mit.edu, it gets its own page with two text boxes underneath the Stage. These boxes are the bridge between you and the people who'll try your project.

The two boxes

A mock-up of the project page

The project page has the Stage at the top with the green flag and a "See inside" button. Just below sit the two boxes side by side:

Three rules for great instructions

1. Tell them how to start — usually "Click the green flag". Never assume.
2. List the controls — every key, every mouse action. One line each.
3. State the goal — "catch 10 roti canai", "watch the story", "answer the questions".

Two rules for Notes & Credits

1. Say who made it — your first name and class is plenty.
2. Credit art and sounds — if a sprite or sound came from the Scratch library, say so. If you drew or recorded it, say so. If a friend helped, thank them.

Signing up to share

To use the Share button on scratch.mit.edu, you need a free account. Under-13s need a parent's email to sign up — that's a Scratch rule, not ours. Ask a parent or your teacher to help with the form. The username can be anything — pick one you'll remember.

Worked Example — project notes for "Catch the Roti Canai" 15 min

Open the catch-the-roti-canai project from SCR-L01-43 (or your version of it). We'll write proper Instructions and Notes & Credits, then save the project to disk.

Step 1 — Test the project as a stranger

Click the green flag. Pretend you've never seen this project before. What questions do you have? "How do I move the cat? How do I catch the roti canai? When does it end?" Each question is something your instructions must answer.

Step 2 — Write the Instructions

Four short lines is enough. Type these into a text editor, or write on paper first:

<code>Click the green flag to start.
Move the mouse to slide the cat left and right.
Catch each falling roti canai for 1 point.
Get 10 points to win!</code>

Notice: every line is under 10 words. Every line tells the player one thing.

Step 3 — Write the Notes & Credits

Three lines, this time:

<code>Made by Aisyah for Scratch Level 1.
Sprites: cat from Scratch library; roti canai drew by me.
Sound effect: Pop (from the Scratch Sound library).</code>

Step 4 — If you have an account, paste them in

On scratch.mit.edu: open your project, click the project name to go to the project page, click into the Instructions box, paste your lines. Repeat for Notes & Credits. Click Share in the top-right corner.

Step 5 — If you don't have an account, save the .sb3

In the Scratch editor: click File → Save to your computer. A file called Project.sb3 downloads to your Downloads folder. Rename it to something useful: catch-the-roti-canai-aisyah.sb3.

Step 6 — Email it (offline-friendly way)

Compose an email to your teacher or your friend. Paste your Instructions and Notes & Credits into the body. Attach the .sb3 file. Send. The recipient opens the file in their own Scratch editor with File → Load from your computer.

What changed: last lesson you had a working project in your editor — but only you knew how to play it. Now anyone can pick it up, read four lines, and start playing.

Your finished setup

On paper or in your project's Instructions box, your Instructions should read like the four-line version above. Your Notes & Credits should name you, your sprite sources, and your sound sources.

Try It Yourself — three sharing exercises 12 min

For each task, open one of the projects you've built in this level. Don't write code — write words.

when flag clicked
forever
  point towards [mouse-pointer v]
  move (5) steps
end
          

when flag clicked
switch backdrop to [open-house v]
say [Selamat Hari Raya!] for (2) seconds
switch backdrop to [night v]
          

when flag clicked
set [score v] to (0)
forever
  if <key (space v) pressed?> then
    change [score v] by (1)
  end
end
          

Mini-Challenge — share one project today 5 min

"Make one project shareable end-to-end"

Pick your favourite project from this level. Produce all three sharing artefacts:

1. A finished Instructions box.
2. A finished Notes & Credits box.
3. Either a Share button click (if you have an account) OR a saved .sb3 file ready to email.

It works if:

• A classmate sitting next to you can open your project and play it without asking you anything.
• Your Notes credit at least one sprite or sound source.
• You can name where the .sb3 file is on your computer (or paste the scratch.mit.edu URL).

<code>Click the green flag to start the quiz.
Type your answer when the cat asks a question.
Get 5 right answers to win.</code>

<code>Made by Imran for Scratch Level 1.
Cat sprite from the Scratch library.
Quiz questions about Malaysian states — checked with my dad.</code>

Recap 2 min

Today you learned to finish a project, not just build it. A scratch.mit.edu project page has two boxes: Instructions (how to play) and Notes & Credits (who made it, what's borrowed). If you don't have an account yet, save your work as a .sb3 file and email it — the Scratch editor opens it on any computer.

Instructions box

The left text box under the Stage on scratch.mit.edu. Tells players how to start, what to do, and what the goal is.

Notes & Credits box

The right text box under the Stage. Names the maker and credits art or sound that came from somewhere else.

Share button

The button in the top-right of the editor that publishes your project to the internet. Needs a scratch.mit.edu account.

.sb3 file

A Scratch project saved to your computer. Use File → Save to your computer. Open with File → Load from your computer.

Remix idea

A one-sentence suggestion in your Notes inviting others to build on your project. The friendly side of sharing.

Homework 1 min

Share one project for real. Pick any project from your Level 1 portfolio. Write its Instructions and Notes & Credits in your notebook. Then either:

1. If you have a scratch.mit.edu account: paste the boxes into the project page and click Share.
2. If you don't have an account yet: save the project as a .sb3 file with a clear name (e.g. cat-chase-aisyah.sb3). Email it to your teacher with the Instructions and Notes pasted into the email body.
3. If you'd like an account: ask a parent to help you sign up at scratch.mit.edu — Scratch will email the parent's address to confirm.

Bring back next class:

• Either the project URL OR the saved .sb3 file.
• Your written Instructions and Notes & Credits.
• The name of one classmate (or family member) who tested your project, and one thing they said about it.

Heads up for next class: SCR-L01-48 is the Level 1 Recap. You'll look back at every block category, list your favourite projects, and write your own "Level 1 Credentials Card" — proof of what you can build now.