Begin the lesson with a discussion about different ways a ball moves. Ask the students, "What happens when you throw a ball? How does it move when you dribble it on the ground?"

Guide the conversation to focus on the idea of bouncing, emphasizing that today, they’ll be programming a basketball to bounce just like it would on a real court.

Selecting the Background:

• Instruct the students to choose the basketball court background from the Scratch Jr. library. This will set the stage for their basketball dribbling project.

Inserting the Basketball Sprite:

• Guide the students to add a basketball sprite to the scene by selecting it from the character library. Make sure the basketball is placed near the starting point where Scratch the Cat will begin dribbling.

Adding Scratch the Cat:

• Have the students also add Scratch the Cat to the scene, placing him next to the basketball as if he’s about to start dribbling.

Creating the Bounce:

• Demonstrate how to use the movement blocks to make the basketball move up and down, simulating a bouncing motion. Show them how to create a sequence that moves the ball up slightly, then down, repeating this action to mimic bouncing.

Adding Movement:

• Next, guide the students to add a forward movement block to the sequence, so the basketball not only bounces but also moves forward across the court.

Using Parallel Coding:

• Explain that to make the basketball bounce while moving, they’ll need to use parallel coding. Show them how to create two sequences: one for bouncing and one for moving forward. Both sequences should start with the green flag block so they run simultaneously when the project starts.

Have the students create a sequence for Scratch the Cat that matches the movement of the basketball. Use the same forward movement blocks.

Encourage the students to press the green flag and observe how Scratch and the basketball move together. If the timing is off, prompt them to adjust the sequences until Scratch dribbles the basketball smoothly down the court.

Setting Up the Shot:

• For students who finish early or want an additional challenge, instruct them to add an extra step to their project: making the basketball move toward the basket at the end of the dribble.

Programming the Shot:

• Guide them to add a new sequence of blocks that will move the basketball upward towards the hoop after Scratch reaches a certain point on the court. They can use a combination of movement blocks to simulate the ball being shot into the basket.