Module 2: Catch the Dots

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

Develop a game to catch randomly appearing dots with scoring.

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 Module 2

You Will Need

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Create a colourful backdrop.
2. Add a catcher sprite (a basket or hand) controlled by the mouse or arrow keys.
3. Add a dot sprite. Make it appear at a random x position at the top and fall down.
4. When the dot reaches the bottom: subtract a life, reset to top.
5. When the catcher touches a dot: add 1 to score, reset dot to top.
6. Add multiple dot clones that fall simultaneously after score > 5.
7. Add dot colour coding: gold dot = 3 points, red dot = lose a life.
8. Add increasing speed as the score grows.
9. Add 3 lives and a game over screen.
10. Add a high score tracker that persists between games.

Extension Challenges

Try these after completing the main project:

• Add a magnet power-up that attracts dots to the catcher.
• Add wind effects that push dots sideways.
• Create timed levels with a set number of dots per level.

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.