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Concept Taxonomy

The 200 concepts in this learning graph are organized into 13 categories. Each category has a short TaxonomyID abbreviation used in the learning graph CSV and JSON files.

  • CTFD - Computational Thinking Foundations (20 concepts): The general problem-solving vocabulary of computer science — decomposition, pattern recognition, abstraction, algorithm design, precise instructions, and reflective practices such as planning, iteration, pseudocode, and the capstone/presentation concepts that close out the course.

  • INTF - Scratch Interface & Environment (16 concepts): The Scratch editor itself — the stage, sprites, costumes, backdrops, the block palette, the script area, and the eight block categories used in this course (motion, pen, control, operator, looks, sound, sensing, and the green flag).

  • SEQC - Sequencing & Scripts (14 concepts): How individual blocks snap together into an ordered script, how scripts run top to bottom, and how multiple scripts on a stage start, run, and stop.

  • MOTN - Motion & Coordinates (16 concepts): The coordinate plane, sprite heading, degrees of turn, and the motion blocks (move, turn, go to, glide) that position and orient a sprite.

  • DRAW - Turtle-Graphics Drawing (18 concepts): Using the pen blocks together with motion to draw lines, angles, and shapes — triangles, squares, stars, spirals, and regular polygons — the heart of this course's turtle-graphics theme.

  • LOOP - Loops & Repetition (14 concepts): Fixed-count and condition-based repetition, nested loops, loop counters, and the efficiency gained by replacing repeated blocks with a loop.

  • VARD - Variables & Data (16 concepts): Creating, naming, setting, and changing variables; variable scope; and basic data types (number, string, list) used to control drawings and logic.

  • COND - Conditionals & Logic (14 concepts): Boolean expressions, comparison and logical operators, if/if-else blocks, and the decision logic used to branch a script's behavior.

  • ABST - Custom Blocks & Abstraction (18 concepts): Scratch's "Make a Block" feature as procedural abstraction — defining, naming, calling, composing, and refactoring reusable custom blocks.

  • PARM - Parameters & Generalization (10 concepts): Adding typed parameters (number, text, boolean) to a custom block so one procedure can generalize across many situations.

  • EVNT - Events & Interactivity (14 concepts): Event blocks that trigger scripts — the green flag, key press, sprite click, and broadcast/receive messaging — plus keyboard and mouse input handling.

  • DBUG - Debugging & Testing (14 concepts): Reading and tracing a script, predicting versus observing behavior, isolating and diagnosing errors, and testing incrementally.

  • BRDG - Python & Turtle Bridge (16 concepts): Mapping Scratch's blocks to Python's turtle module functions (forward(), left(), right(), penup(), pendown()), and the conceptual bridge from block-based to text-based programming.