🌟 Phase 1 · Getting Started
🟢 Beginner
MODULE 04
Create a Story
Your progress in Phase 1100%
🎯 What you'll learn: How to use multiple sprites together, how to change backdrops for different scenes, and how to use the powerful Broadcast system to coordinate your characters — making a real interactive story!
Section 1
Planning Your Story
Great Scratch stories start with a plan! Before touching the computer, think about your story in scenes. Each scene has a different backdrop (background) and might have different characters doing things.
🌳
SCENE 1
The Forest
Cat and dog meet in the forest. They say hello!
🏰
SCENE 2
The Castle
They discover a mysterious castle. The dragon appears!
🌟
SCENE 3
The Ending
The dragon is friendly! They all become friends. The End!
✨
Story Planning Template
Scene 1: Who is here? Where are they? What happens?
Scene 2: What's the problem or adventure?
Scene 3: How does it end? Happy or cliffhanger?
Scene 2: What's the problem or adventure?
Scene 3: How does it end? Happy or cliffhanger?
Section 2
Backdrops — Change the Scene
A backdrop is the background image behind all your sprites. In a story, you switch backdrops to show different locations — just like a stage play changing sets between acts!
switch backdrop to ForestInstantly changes the background picture
switch backdrop to Forest and waitChanges the scene AND waits for backdrop scripts to finish
next backdropFlips to the next backdrop in your list
🖼️
How to add backdrops
Click the Stage (bottom right corner of the screen). Then click the Backdrops tab at the top. Click the ➕ button to browse Scratch's backdrop library — there are forests, cities, space, castles, and much more!
Section 3
Broadcast — The Secret Signal System
The Broadcast system is Scratch's most powerful tool for coordinating multiple sprites. It works like a radio signal — one sprite sends a message, and other sprites can listen for it and respond!
HOW BROADCAST WORKS
Sprite 1: when 🚩 clicked
→
say "Hello!" for 2 secs
→
broadcast [scene2]
when I receive [scene2]
→
switch backdrop to [Castle]
→
Sprite 2 appears and speaks!
broadcast message1Shouts a secret signal that every sprite can hear
broadcast message1 and waitSends the signal AND waits until everyone finishes reacting
when I receive message1A hat block — starts this sprite's code when the signal arrives
📡
Think of it like a walkie-talkie!
One sprite says "Over!" (broadcast) and all other sprites hear it. Any sprite with
when I receive [message] will react — even if it's hidden or far away on stage. Super useful for story scenes!Section 4
Build: Three-Scene Story
Let's put it all together! Here's the full code for a 3-scene story with 2 sprites and 3 backdrops.
1
Set up your project
Add 2 sprites and 3 backdrops. Name your backdrops "Scene1", "Scene2", and "Scene3" so they're easy to find in the broadcast blocks.
2
Create your messages
You'll need 3 broadcast messages: "scene2" and "scene3" (scene1 starts automatically when the flag is clicked).
3
Code Sprite 1 (the hero)
Sprite 1 controls the story flow — it starts each scene and broadcasts to trigger scene changes.
4
Code Sprite 2 (the companion)
Sprite 2 listens for broadcasts and reacts when their scene arrives.
🦸
Hero
Two separate scripts on this sprite
when 🚩 clicked
switch backdrop to Scene1
go to x: -100 y: 0
show
say I'm going on an adventure! for 2 seconds
play sound Jungle until done
broadcast scene2 and wait
🎬 Scene 1: "The hero appears on the left, announces the adventure, plays a jungle sound, then sends the secret signal scene2 to start the next scene!"
when I receive scene3
switch backdrop to Scene3
say We made it! What a journey! for 3 seconds
say THE END 🌟 for 3 seconds
🏁 Scene 3: "When the hero hears the signal scene3, the final backdrop appears and the story ends!"
🐰
Companion
Starts invisible — waits for its cue!
when 🚩 clicked
hide
🫥 Script 1: "As soon as the story starts, the companion hides — like an actor waiting backstage!"
when I receive scene2
switch backdrop to Scene2
go to x: 100 y: 0
show
say I found something amazing! for 2 seconds
say Look at this castle! for 2 seconds
broadcast scene3
✨ Script 2: "When the signal scene2 arrives, the companion pops out on stage, speaks, then sends signal scene3 for the finale!"
Section 5
Lesson Summary
✅Backdrops are the background images of the stage. Add them from the Stage → Backdrops tab.
✅Broadcast sends a signal to all sprites. Any sprite with
when I receive will react.✅Use
broadcast and wait when you need the story to pause until the next scene is ready.✅Use
hide and show to control when sprites appear on stage.✅Great stories have 3 parts: Set-up → Problem/Adventure → Resolution.
🏅
Phase 1 Complete!
You've mastered the basics of Scratch — sprites, talk, sound, and stories. You're now ready to dive into Animation Skills in Phase 2!
🧩 Knowledge Check — Lesson 4
Final quiz for Phase 1 — 5 questions!
1. What is a "backdrop" in Scratch?
2. What does the "broadcast" block do?
3. Which block makes a sprite invisible without deleting it?
4. Where do you add backgrounds (backdrops) in Scratch?
5. What is the difference between "broadcast" and "broadcast and wait"?
Scratch Challenge — Lesson 4
Phase 1 Final Project · Beginner Level
This is your Phase 1 final project — your best work yet!
Challenge: Your Own Mini Cartoon 🎬
Create a 3-scene interactive story with the following requirements:
✅ At least 3 sprites in total across all scenes
✅ At least 3 different backdrops (one per scene)
✅ Use broadcast to switch between scenes
✅ Each sprite must say at least 2 lines of dialogue
✅ Include at least 2 sound effects or background music
✅ Use hide/show to control when characters appear
Theme ideas: Space Adventure · Fairy Tale · School Day · Sports Game · Superhero Story
Create a 3-scene interactive story with the following requirements:
✅ At least 3 sprites in total across all scenes
✅ At least 3 different backdrops (one per scene)
✅ Use broadcast to switch between scenes
✅ Each sprite must say at least 2 lines of dialogue
✅ Include at least 2 sound effects or background music
✅ Use hide/show to control when characters appear
Theme ideas: Space Adventure · Fairy Tale · School Day · Sports Game · Superhero Story
💡 Show hints if you're stuck
- Plan your scenes on paper first — who says what and when!
- Name your broadcast messages clearly: "scene2", "scene3", "theend"
- Start all sprites with
when 🚩 clicked→hideexcept Sprite 1 in Scene 1 - Use
broadcast and waitat the end of each scene's code - Test each scene one at a time before connecting them all
Finished this lesson?
Mark it complete to track your progress.
Module 04 of 16Phase 1 — Getting Started