getting started with scratch

Motion

Glide to an Object and Back

Tip: When you drag a sprite on the Stage, the motion blocks that use x and y coordinates update in the Motion blocks menu. The current x and y coordinates are show in the Sprite pane.

Rotation

You can also change the direction that a sprite is pointing in. This changes the direction that the sprite will move in if you use a move block. It may also change the rotation of the sprite’s costume depending on the rotation-style setting.

When you add a sprite, it will be facing right (90 degrees). You can change this in the Sprite pane or using code blocks.

Sprite Direction

The direction of a sprite controls how much it is rotated.

When you add a new sprite it points to the right which is a direction of 90 degrees.

Direction	Degrees
Up	0
Right	90
Down	180
Left	-90

You can change the direction of a sprite in the Sprite pane. Click on the direction number and move the arrow that appears, or type a number.

You can also use the point in direction block:

The sprite’s direction is used by the move block. Changing the direction of a sprite may also change the rotation of the sprite’s costume depending on the sprite’s rotation-style.

Stop a sprite going upside down

When you add a sprite, its rotation-style is set to all around. If you make the sprite point left (-90 degrees) then the sprite costume will go upside down when the sprite rotates!

Sometimes this is what you want, but if you have a sprite that moves left and right then you often want the sprite to point left or right depending on the direction it is facing.

Click on the Left/Right icon in the middle to change the rotation style to left-right to stop a sprite turning upside down:

There’s also a code block that you can use:

Spin around

Spinning bat: See inside

This code makes a sprite spin when the green flag is clicked:

In a turn block within a forever loop, change the number of degrees to 1 and your sprite will appear to spin.

Tip: If you do not add a move block, your sprite will spin in the position that it is in.

Move in a circle

Moon orbit: See inside

This code makes a sprite fly in a circle when the green flag is clicked:

Bouncing

Bounce across the Stage

Girl moving across the Stage: See inside

This code makes a sprite bounce on the left-hand and right-hand edges of the Stage. Because the sprite rotates horizontally, it appears to flip when it changes its direction when the green flag is clicked:

Bounce up and down the Stage

Girl jumping: See inside

This code makes a sprite bounce up and down the Stage when the green flag is clicked:

Bounce at an angle

Football bouncing: See inside

This code makes a sprite appear to rotate randomly when the green flag is clicked:

Using coordinates

You can also change and set the x and y coordinates and get their values to use in other blocks:

Scratch coordinates

I can’t see any Motion blocks

If you have the Stage selected then you won’t see any Motion blocks, because the Stage can’t move.

Click on a sprite in the Sprite pane and then click on the Code tab to see the Motion blocks.