What components
does the kit contain?
Although you can build Scratch Tactile in your own way, we recommend that a kit has the following components as a minimum. You can download 3D and 2D designs of the main components here.
Boards
Two grid-shaped boards of different difficulty levels, one with 3x4 squares and the other with 4x6 squares. The boards can be joined together to create a larger stage.
The board or stage is the place where characters or objects (sprites) come to life.
The perforated grid allows you to place a standard A4 sheet of paper (Europe) or Letter Paper (USA) underneath to create the background for your scene.
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Characters and Supports
Characters (sprites) are the protagonists of your projects and stories.
You have two 3D printed characters:
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the butterfly
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Scratch's famous cat.
We encourage you to design and 3D print your own characters and share them with the Scratch Jr Tactile community.
In addition, we have designed 4 types of supports that will allow you to let your imagination fly and create your own characters quickly and easily using coloured plasticine or clay (or paper or cardboard... or other types of materials). A 100% manipulative experience!
TIP : To make characters accessible by touch, it is recommended to make them 3D, rather than flat.
Programming blocks
Scratch Tactile incorporates different types of programming blocks (event, movement, control, sound, appearance, etc.) inspired by the ScratchJr application. These 33 blocks will allow you to bring characters to life by programming them.
We have selected the blocks that make the most sense in the tangible world. You can discover the different blocks and their respective functions in the blocks guide .
All designs are available in both 3D (for 3D printer) and 2D (for laser cutter) in the download area.
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Other elements
Tactile elements
Incorporate tactile elements with different textures to cut and paste, or natural objects to create endless activities that, in addition to being fun, will be more accessible for people with blindness or low vision.
Whether you have students in your class with a visual impairment or not, environmental elements or recycled materials are very useful for creating new tactile experiences and activities.
Mask
To carry out awareness activities about visual impairment in sighted students, use the blindfold.
You can start any activity by covering your eyes and trying to recognize the different blocks and characters. Are you able to create your project or program it without seeing? This way you can put yourself in the shoes of a person who cannot see and empathize with the difficulties they face.
Mobile app "I have low vision"
We recommend the mobile app "I have low vision" to perceive your world as if you had different visual disabilities, through your mobile camera or VR glasses. Download it for Android or iOS . You will put yourself in the place of thousands of children in the world.
Got it! Now how do I get started?
You can draw the background, add new characters, obstacles or objects...
Rescue animals from pollution, build a shelter for victims fleeing war, visit your friends or become a superhero helping people in need. The limit is your imagination!
On the Learn page you will find suggested activities to get you started.
Is there anything else? The story 'The Planet of Fire'
It's great to integrate reading stories with values using Scratch Tactile. In the original kit in Catalan you will find the story The Planet of Fire, which you can also find for free as a virtual book accessible here, in Spanish, English and Catalan here, along with 3 related Teaching Units.
'The Planet of Fire', written by Martí Olivella, is a book full of reality and metaphors that, although it seems to be a children's book, makes adults reflect as well.
Reading Planet of Fire makes us reflect, challenges us and invites us to ask ourselves in depth: "What are we doing?" and above all: "Can we do it differently?"
The union of conscious reading, the inclusive approach, computational thinking, 3D printing (or the use of other technologies) and the SDGs (UN Sustainable Development Goals) proposed with Scratch Tactile, is a multidisciplinary proposal that can be easily incorporated into the educational practice of schools and other environments.
This proposal allows students not only to develop academic skills necessary to move in today's world, but will also help generate a culture of peace, solidarity, empathy and respect for others and the environment.