How to use Scratch to Teach Ethical Computing Principles

📚 Introduction to Ethical Computing with Scratch

This lesson plan outlines how to use Scratch, a block-based visual programming language, to introduce ethical computing principles to students. The goal is to foster responsible technology use and critical thinking about the impact of code.

🎯 Objectives

• 💡 Understand basic ethical principles in computing.
• 💻 Apply ethical considerations to Scratch projects.
• 💬 Discuss the social impact of technology.

🛠️ Materials

• 💻 Computers with internet access.
• 🌐 Scratch accounts for each student (or pairs).
• 📄 Handouts with ethical scenarios (examples provided below).
• whiteboard or projector for group discussions.

Warm-up (5 minutes)

Activity: Ethical Dilemma Quick Poll

• ❓ Present a simple ethical question related to technology (e.g., Is it okay to share someone else's password?).
• 👍 Have students vote (thumbs up/down) and briefly discuss their reasoning.

Main Instruction (35 minutes)

Part 1: Introduction to Ethical Computing (10 minutes)

• 🗣️ Explain the importance of ethics in computing. Cover topics like privacy, security, and responsible use.
• 🖼️ Show examples of ethical and unethical computing practices.

Part 2: Scratch Project: "Ethical Choices Game" (20 minutes)

Task: Students will create a simple game in Scratch where players make ethical choices and see the consequences.

• 👨‍🏫 Guide students through the basic steps:
  • 🎨 Create characters and a backdrop.
  • ✍️ Write a script that presents ethical dilemmas (e.g., "You found a USB drive. Do you plug it into the computer?").
  • ➕ Program different outcomes based on the player's choice.
• 💡 Provide sample code snippets for decision-making and branching scenarios.

Part 3: Group Discussion (5 minutes)

• 💬 Have students share their projects and discuss the ethical considerations they included.
• 🤝 Facilitate a discussion on the potential impact of their choices.

Assessment (5 minutes)

• ✅ Observe student participation in discussions.
• 📝 Review Scratch projects for ethical considerations.
• ❓ Ask students to write a short reflection on what they learned about ethical computing.

Example Ethical Scenarios for Scratch Projects:

1. 🔑 Finding a USB drive and deciding whether to plug it into a computer.
2. 🔒 Receiving a phishing email and deciding whether to click on the link.
3. 📢 Deciding whether to share someone else's personal information online.

Sample Scratch Code Snippets:

Decision-Making:

when green flag clicked
say "You found a USB drive. Plug it in? (yes/no)"
ask ""
if answer = "yes" then
 say "Warning! The USB drive contained malware!"
else
 say "You did the right thing!"
end

Branching Scenarios:

when sprite clicked
say "Do you share the password? (yes/no)"
ask ""
if answer = "yes" then
 broadcast "bad_outcome"
else
 broadcast "good_outcome"
end
when I receive bad_outcome
say "Your friend's account was hacked!"
when I receive good_outcome
say "You protected your friend's privacy!"