What Does it Mean to Be Green?

Technology

• Install ScratchJr on tablets or iPads (1 per pair of learners)

Materials

• You will need anchor chart paper and markers

Before the lesson…

• Review key coding concepts and ensure you are confident describing them to your group
• Introduce the concept of poetry
• Introduce coding with ‘Do the Robot’ activity

Introduction

Ask: What does it mean to be ‘green’? (A: Making choices that are good for the earth)

Ask: How can we be ‘green’?

Write down key words from examples given. Feel free to give a more specific prompt, like “How can we keep our neighbourhood clean?”

Say: We are creating a poem about being ‘green.’

Modification for younger learners:

Instead of creating a haiku poem, use the key words to create a sentence with the class on how we can be green. Create an animation in ScratchJr based off of that sentence.

Say: (Review: What is a poem?) Before we start poetry, we need to know a few things about what it means to make a poem. There are different types of poems - ones that rhyme and others that just flow!

Ask: What is a syllable? How many syllables are in [name of learner]? (A: Teach learners how to figure out how many syllables are in a word by placing their hand under their chin and counting how many times their chin touches their hand while saying a word.)

Say: The poem we are creating today is called a Haiku. It doesn’t need to rhyme, but it does have a rule for syllables that we need to follow. The first line must have 5 syllables, the 2nd line must have 7, and the 3rd line must have 5.

Write numbers on anchor chart paper.

Say: A Haiku is a poem with 5, 7, and 5 syllables.

Co-create a Haiku with the class. Choose three key words or phrases from the brainstorm about being ‘green’. Work with learners to create a line in the poem about each word, while following the Haiku syllable rules.

Example keywords: Trash, Lights, Clean

Example Haiku:

Clean up the playground
Turn off the lights when you leave
Put trash in the bin

Say: With a partner, we will show what one of these actions looks like on our tablets/iPads with ScratchJr.

If new to ScratchJr ask: What is Scratch Jr? (A: An app for making games and stories)

Coding in Scratch

1. Pair up learners and hand out tablets/iPads with the ScratchJr app opened.
2. Give learners 10 minutes to freely explore ScratchJr.
3. Review blocks (see reference guide or learning tips). Blocks can also be printed and displayed.
4. Have learners create a new project.
5. Remind learners to choose one action in the Haiku to create in ScratchJr
6. Have learners add a background to fit with the part of the Haiku that they chose.
7. Add a green flag (trigger block).
8. Make Cat move
9. Make Cat talk → Make the cat recite a line from the haiku, or have learners record their voice reciting the line.
10. Stretch goal: Learners can add another sprite (character) to go along with Cat.

General Outcome

Learners will be able to use coding elements to create an engaging animation (multimedia product).

Specific Outcomes

Learner is able to communicate the action chosen from the Haiku (text or voice).

Learner is able to work with their partner to create ScratchJr animation.

Learner is able to use coding elements to create an engaging ScratchJr animation.

Assessment Tool

Summative Checklist

1. Older learners can animate the entire Haiku poem by creating a multi-page project .
2. Locate relevant objects in the classroom and use the camera to add items as sprites in the project. See these videos on "Using Your Own Photos In Scratch Jr." (Theresa Reedy) and “Editing Your ScratchJr Photos using Dragging Points”.
3. Continue learning about poetry through ScratchJr with “Rhyme Time”.

“Haiku Poetry: Using Adjectives in Writing” (video) by The Balanced Literacy Diet
https://youtu.be/b2jKzImitqs

ScratchJr Learning Blocks Reference Guide
https://www.scratchjr.org/learn/blocks

Blocks to be printed/displayed
https://www.scratchjr.org/pdfs/blocks.pdf

ScratchJr Learning Tips
https://www.scratchjr.org/learn/tips

"Using Your Own Photos In Scratch Jr." by Theresa Reedy
https://youtu.be/7rEcwePziMg?si=8o2zTtgACHxpWbiA

“Editing Your ScratchJr Photos using Dragging Points” by Canada Learning Code https://go.learningcode.ca/scratchjr-dragging-points

Inspired by Rhyme Time lesson by Jen Perry
https://www.canadalearningcode.ca/lessons/rhyme-time/

Teach lessons that are tied to your existing curriculum! https://bit.ly/CLClessons