Level 1: Find the Bug

Official Raspberry Pi Project

This lesson is based on the official Raspberry Pi Foundation project. Open it alongside this guide to access the starter project, step-by-step instructions and community remixes.

How to use it: Click the link above, then click See Inside on the Scratch project to explore the finished version. Use Remix to get your own copy to edit.

What You Will Build

Build a timed game where players click a hidden bug sprite to score points.

What You Will Learn

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

• Use Events blocks to start scripts and respond to clicks
• Combine Motion, Looks and Sound blocks to create behaviours
• Use variables to track game state and scores
• Apply the specific Scratch concepts introduced in Level 1

You Will Need

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Create a garden or forest backdrop.
2. Add a small bug sprite (draw your own or use a Beetle from the library).
3. Use go to [random position] inside a forever loop so the bug keeps moving.
4. Add a wait [1] secs so it doesn’t teleport too fast.
5. When the bug is clicked (when this sprite clicked), play a sound and add 1 to a score variable.
6. Create a timer variable. Use a repeat until (timer = 0) loop that decrements every second.
7. When the timer reaches 0, stop all scripts and display the final score.
8. Add a start screen with a say [Click the bug to score!] message.
9. Test and adjust the bug’s speed to make the game fun.
10. Add a high score variable that only updates when beaten.

Extension Challenges

Try these after completing the main project:

• Add decoy bugs that deduct points when clicked.
• Make the bug shrink as the timer runs out.
• Add different bug types worth different points.

Reflection Questions

1. Which Scratch blocks did you use most in this project?
2. What would you add or change if you had more time?
3. How could you reuse the ideas from this project in a different context?

Share Your Work

When your project is complete, click Share in Scratch and post the link to your class or the Techbase community.