Scratch

Intermediate

60 mins

Teacher/Student led

+125 XP

What you need:
Chromebook/Laptop/PC or iPad/Tablet

Username Generator

In this lesson you will create a robot that first asks you some questions and then generates a username for you based on your answers!

Teacher Notes Lesson Files

Warning: Your screen size is quite small for viewing this. Rotate your device into landscape mode if you can.

1 Create a new Scratch project
2 Add the Retro Robot sprite
3 Create a 'user name' variable
4 Say the instructions
5 Get the first letter of their name
6 Get their favourite animal
7 Get the year they were born
8 Animate the robot
9 Say the generated username!
10 Test it out!
11 Challenge!
Quiz

1 - Create a new Scratch project

Create a new Scratch project and delete the cat sprite.

Scratch: How to create a new project

Go to the Scratch website using the link below and click on the 'Create' link in the blue bar at the top.

By default, each new project starts with the cat sprite already added. To delete the cat click on the x in the blue circle beside the cat in the sprite list.

https://scratch.mit.edu

👇 Mark your steps as done as you complete them.

+5 XP

2 - Add the Retro Robot sprite

We're going to use a robot sprite to ask you some questions. The answers to these will help make your username!

Once you've added the 'Retro Robot' sprite form the library, drag it to the middle of the stage area.

Scratch: How to add a sprite from the library

To add a sprite from the sprite library follow these steps:

Put your mouse over the Choose a Sprite button
Click on the magnifying glass
Find the sprite you want in the library
Click on your chosen sprite

You can use search box or the filter links (Animals, People, Fantasy etc) to locate your sprite.

👇 Mark your steps as done as you complete them.

+5 XP

3 - Create a 'user name' variable

We will need to create a variable called 'user name' to store the text of our username as we build it.

When you create a variable, a small orange rectangle appears in the stage area that displays the current value of that variable. We don't need to this display so we're going to add the following code to hide it:

when green flag clicked hide variable [user name v]

Scratch: How to create a variable

In the Variables palette, create a new variable by clicking the 'Make a Variable' button.

Once you click this button a box will appear asking what you want to call your variable. Give it a name that reminds you what you will be using it for. For example, if you wanted to keep track of your score in a game, you would create a variable called 'score'.

+10 XP

4 - Say the instructions

Our robot is going to give the instructions for using the username generator. Add the following code at the bottom of the 'when green flag clicked' blocks of code:

when green flag clicked say [I am the random username generator robot!] for [5] secs say [To get a username, answer these questions...] for [5] secs

Teacher Notes

Instead of typing the text "I am the random username generator robot!" and "To get a username, answer these questions...", students can select the text and copy & paste it into the blocks to save time if they wish.

+10 XP

5 - Get the first letter of their name

The start of the username is going to be the first letter of the person's name. We can get this by asking the person what their name is and then taking the first letter of their answer. Add the following code at the bottom of the when clicked blocks of code:

when green flag clicked say [I am the random username generator robot!] for [5] secs say [To get a username, answer these questions...] for [5] secs // insert the new code below here ask [Whats your first name?] and wait set [user name v] to (letter (1) of (answer))

+10 XP

Unlock the Full Learning Experience

Get ready to embark on an incredible learning journey! Get access to this lesson and hundreds more in our Digital Skills Curriculum.

Get started

Copyright Notice
This lesson is copyright of Coding Ireland 2017 - 2025. Unauthorised use, copying or distribution is not allowed.

Scratch is developed by the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab. It is available for free at https://scratch.mit.edu

Your Answer or Description of Your Work

Project URL This can be a link to your project (e.g. a Scratch, Microbit, Arcade or CodePen URL link).

Upload File

You must be logged into Scratch to share your project, otherwise the link will not work.

To get the URL link of your Scratch project:

Make sure you're logged into Scratch.
Click on the Share button in the project editor.
Click on the Copy Link button.
Click on the Copy Link link. This will save the URL of your project page into your clipboard.

To get the URL link of your Microbit project:

Click on the button in the project editor.
Click on the Publish Project button.
Click on the Copy button. This will save the URL of your project page into your clipboard.

To get the URL link of your Arcade project:

Click on the button in the project editor.
Click on the Publish Project button.
Click on the Copy button. This will save the URL of your project page into your clipboard.

To get the URL link of your CodePen project:

Make sure you're logged into CodePen.
Open your project in the editor.
Click on the Save button at the top of the editor.
Copy the link from the address bar in your web browser (e.g. https://codepen.io/Jane-Smith/pen/gOVXxBQ)

Username Generator

Teacher Class Feed

1 - Create a new Scratch project

Send your work to your teacher

2 - Add the Retro Robot sprite

Send your work to your teacher

3 - Create a 'user name' variable

Send your work to your teacher

4 - Say the instructions

Send your work to your teacher

5 - Get the first letter of their name

Send your work to your teacher

Unlock the Full Learning Experience