LA Practice C3: Create an interactive expository composition (Activity)
< Back to Building BlockExpository writing can take many forms, but for this project, you will focus on advancing an argument by creating a public service announcement on Scratch which you used previously. If you skipped the introductory building blocks on Scratch, now would be an ideal time to review Algorithms project 3-5. For this project, you can come up with a new PSA topic, but we encourage you to think of a mentor expository essay or student exemplar you already use in class to turn into a Scratch PSA. Having a clear sense of a thesis, evidence and analysis will support structuring your PSA's hook, message, and facts and allow you to focus on coding a public service announcement.
A public service announcement (PSA) is a short video or graphic meant to raise public awareness on an important issue or topic. PSAs can take many forms such as a poster, radio ad, TV commercial or in this case a Scratch project! Yet all strong PSAs follow the following rules of thumb:
- Hook: Grab your audience's attention through comedy, shock, emotion or compelling data
- Message: Make your message and any call to action clear and concise
- Facts: Use humor, visuals or music to hook your audience but always research a topic first and present factual information
- Short: To keep an audience's attention for more than 60-90 seconds might prove difficult, make important points but don't lallygag
If you'd like to read more about creating effective PSA, read PSA Research Centers' “Creative Considerations – 10 Helpful Tips” at CREATIVE PSA CONSIDERATIONS
Think about the important components of a PSA (hook, message, facts, and short) as you review the following Scratch PSA created by students. You may want to search the Scratch website for other PSA projects.
Scratch is an open community that encourages remixing and re-using projects. Don't be afraid to remix entire Scratch projects or borrow code or images from existing projects; just make sure to cite any projects under the Notes & Credits section of each Scratch project.
Before you move to Scratch, do some planning to brainstorm ideas. You can use a storyboard template or sheet of paper to jot ideas around a PSA message, hook, facts, and how to keep it short.
Spend the next 5-10 minutes planning a Scratch PSA. You can use the iCT Scratch storyboard template found here.
The following items might be helpful when planning your storyboard:
- Characters (Scratch sprites)
- Scenes (Scratch backgrounds)
- Sound effects and soundtracks (Scratch sound blocks)
- Dialogue spoken by character (Scratch look blocks)
- Text appearing on screen (making Scratch sprites with text)
- Approximate time (Scratch control blocks)
Below are more examples of student storyboards:
- Blogger post provides a few (Larsen's Classroom Blogger Post)
- Video Game TSA example (Google Site)
- ScratchGrid Worksheet (ScratchEd)
Now that you have a storyboard outline, you will head to Scratch to program your PSA.
If you are familiar with Scratch or another programming tool like Twine, please go at your own pace to complete your PSA. After completing your PSA, go to step X in this project.
If you would like more guidance to complete your PSA, log in to your Scratch account in a different tab then follow the next steps on this page as you build your PSA on Scratch.
The following videos from the Google CS First project Pitch Your Passion: PSA will walk you through how to add dialogue and characters (sprites) in Scratch. Watch to learn new blocks and try them out in your project.
The following video from the Google CS First project Pitch Your Passion: PSA will walk you through how to add and change scenes (backdrops) as well as add a title page in Scratch. Watch to learn new blocks and try them out in your project.
The following videos from the Google CS First project Pitch Your Passion: PSA will walk you through how to add movement and change costumes (appearance of sprites) in Scratch. Watch to learn new blocks and try them out in your project.
The following videos from the Google CS First project Pitch Your Passion: PSA will walk you through how to add sounds in Scratch. Watch to learn new blocks and try them out in your project.
The following video from the Google CS First project Pitch Your Passion: PSA will walk you through how to add more advanced movement blocks in Scratch. Watch to learn new blocks and try them out in your project.
You can check any of the following resources if you need more support with completing a PSA or adding extensions to your project:
Google CS First Pitch Your Passion: PSA
As you prepare to share your project, consider the following questions:
- Does your project reset? That is when you click the green flag does everything start from the beginning?
- Does your project have a title?
- In the project page are there directions on how to interact with your project?
- Have you clicked the orange Share button on the top left hand side?
Reflection
☞ Link your Scratch Project in your Design Journal.
☞ Reflect on your experience storyboarding a PSA then creating it on Scratch. Does building a Scratch project help students become clearer and more persuasive communicators? How?
☞ Do you see yourself using any of these approaches in the classroom? Why or why not?