Coding a Scoring Invention: Exit Ticket or Data Tracker
Introduction: Coding a Scoring Invention: Exit Ticket or Data Tracker
In this guide, you'll learn how to make your own data tracker by creating multiple switches and a counting system in Scratch. This can be used to track data as you wish. You might create a system for seeing how many students per grade level visit the library, or you might want to see how well your students felt about a concept you just covered in class. This whole guide is inspired from a conversation on Twitter where a teacher wanted to make her own exit ticket system.
I've created two different versions for two types of classrooms. One is a "data tracker" for libraries and the other is an "exit ticket" for classrooms. I've included two ways to code this system in Scratch and two different ways to make switches. Feel free to remix and hack this idea and make it your own!
A special thanks to Mrs. <PERSON> for letting me set up and test the data tracker in her library and Mrs. <PERSON> for letting me set up and test this exit ticket system in her classroom.
Step 1: Create Variables in Scratch You Want to Track
In Scratch, create a new game, and go to the Data palette and click "Make a variable" to create a variable for each item you want to track.
For the library data tracker, I created a system to track the type of people that come into the library: Students, Teachers, Parents, Mentors, Others. Then the teacher librarian asked me to change the variables to the grade levels: Kinder, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th. (This is something I love about this project, it's so easy to change the variables and track new data everyday!)
For the classroom exit ticket, I created a system to track how well the students learned a concept. The variables I've included are: "Great lesson! I totally get it", "Good lesson. 242
I think I'm good" , "I still have questions" , and "I need more practice."
The best part about creating your own variables is you can make them anything!
Once you've created variables, make sure you've set all the variables to "0" and have each variable show by adding these blocks to a "when the green flag clicked" block.
Educator Tip:
If you are teaching students how to make these, make sure you talk to them about triggering events and setting the variable to zero when starting a game. Ask them questions about creating these variables. Example Questions:
"If you don't set each variable to 0, what do you think will happen?"
"What are other events that might set the variable to 0?"
"How else could you use a variable in a game?" (Hint:This is how you create scoring in Scratch!)
Step 2: Trigger Events: Change Variable by Key Press
In Scratch there are two ways to change the variable by a key press.
For the library data tracker, I'm using a "When key pressed" block (from events) and a "change variable by _" block (from the data palette) to track each library participant. This means that whenever someone presses the right arrow, the data tracker for "1st" will increase by one. When someone presses the left arrow, this trigger will change "2nd" by one. To account for students pressing longer on one of these handmade switches, attach a "wait 1 secs" block. The timing in this block is also adjustable. You might want to adjust to "wait .5 secs", just test it out on your students and change as needed.
For the classroom exit ticket, I'm using if/then statements nestled inside a forever loop. This is similar to the above code, but a little more realistic in terms of programming, all of the events will be triggered by if statements and key sensing. To make Scratch consistently check for this, you need to place all of the "if statements" inside a forever loop and attach it to the "When green flag pressed" block. Also, since this code is still sensitive, you will want to add a "wait 1 sec" variable and adjust it accordingly as your students tap their exit ticket. Without the "wait 1 sec" block, your data tracker will register too many clicks. (See video to view the difference without a "wait 1 sec" block.)
Educator Tip:
This is a fun way to bring coding into the classroom to survey or track real live data! Have students create lunch time polls, favorite character polls, and more!
Here is the Scratch Data Tracker for the library for you or your students to remix and hack.
Here is the Scratch Exit Ticket for the classroom for you or your students to remix and hack. 149