Level 3: Mandala

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

Create symmetrical mandala art using loops, cloning and coordinate math.

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 3

You Will Need

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Create a blank white backdrop.
2. Create a small petal or dot sprite at the center (0,0).
3. Use the Pen extension: add pen down to the sprite.
4. In a repeat [36] loop: move [50] steps, turn [10] degrees, draw a shape, return.
5. Each iteration draws one slice of the mandala.
6. Add color: set pen color to [ ] and change pen color by [10] per loop iteration.
7. Add layered rings by changing the step distance (50, 100, 150) in nested loops.
8. Add a variable for petals the user can control with a slider.
9. Add a clear button to erase and redraw.
10. Experiment with different petal shapes (triangles, stars, spirals).

Extension Challenges

Try these after completing the main project:

• Add animation so the mandala draws itself gradually.
• Let the user choose colors using Sensing ask blocks.
• Export your mandala design as inspiration for a physical drawing.

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.