The Scratch Day at MIT was held on May 17th. I offered to help think of ideas for the Faire/Carnival theme. Creating a sense of community around Scratch was a main focus but also the 4P's:
PROJECT(S):
The first project was a photobooth, and second project was a crepe paper wall decoration in the shape of a tent. The Tent would be where kids could put sticky notes of their thoughts and reflections of scratch. Both ideas would show kids and adults what scratch can do and enable them to think about the physical and emotional impact it has on learning.
For the photobooth, buying a polaroid camera was not feasible, but I remembered that Scratch can use the Webcam. Instead of creating a Photobooth app in Scratch I searched and found a number of them. I decided to remix this one and I added the Scratch Day Logo and changed the description, so others could find it too. You can view it here: http://scratch.mit.edu/projects/21463508/
My workflow for the photobooth was the following:
- Let person choose which outfit they wanted for the photo.
- Screen Capture save the region of the webcam and description box.
- Open image and Print it up on 4x6 inch photo paper for the kids to take home.
Below is a example photobooth printup.
PEERS
I could not have done any of this if it were not from the help and creative ideas of Linda Garmon and Lisa O'Brien. Both were critical in implementation and authorization of the photobooth and reflection wall.
Both projects were great for kids and adults. Also, the Scratch photo booth program is accessible worldwide for anyone to remix! The crepe paper tent allowed many kids and adults see what others thoughts on Scratch had been written. Below is a image of the Tent and the photo booth before the event started.
PASSION
The Crepe paper tent was a good place for kids to put their thoughts of scratch on the wall, it was also physically close to the photobooth so they could do both tasks. I would also ask them what projects they worked on while the photo was being printed, and then tell them to go to the wall and write what they liked about Scratch on the wall.
PLAY
Laughter was my measure for "Play" and there was alot! I printed about 120 photos, some with multiple people one photo. By the end of the event, there were around 30 sticky notes on the Tent Reflection Wall.
