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Scratch Maths

Scratch platformer jumps maths mission

A practical mini-mission using platformer jumps to practise measurement through questions, examples and child-friendly challenges.

Quick answer

By using Scratch to create a platformer game, you can learn how to measure and compare distances, heights, and jumps using numbers and simple maths.

Learning outcome

By the end of this page, you will be able to measure and compare jump distances in a Scratch game, using numbers and simple maths to make your character jump higher or further. Success signs:
  • You can count how many steps your character jumps
  • You can compare how far two characters jump
  • You can use numbers to make your character jump higher or lower
  • You can measure the height of platforms using Scratch

Why this matters

When you play platformer games like Super Mario or Sonic, you need to jump over obstacles and land on platforms. In Scratch, you can make your own platformer game and learn how to measure and compare jumps. This helps you understand how far things go, how high they are, and how to make them move in a fun way. It's like being a game designer and using maths to make your game better!

How it works

In Scratch, you can make a character jump by changing its position on the screen. When your character jumps, it moves up and then comes back down. You can measure how high or far it jumps using numbers. Here's how it works step by step:
  1. Choose a character (like a cat or a robot)
  2. Make it jump by changing its y position (up and down)
  3. Measure how high it jumps using numbers
  4. Compare jumps to see which is higher or further
  5. Use Scratch commands to make it jump more or less

Examples you can see

Let's imagine your character is a kangaroo jumping on platforms. Each platform is 10 steps high. If your kangaroo jumps 3 times, it goes up 30 steps. Here's a table to show this:
Jump Number Height Jumped (steps) Total Height (steps)
1st jump 10 10
2nd jump 10 20
3rd jump 10 30
In this example, your kangaroo jumps 10 steps each time and goes up 30 steps in total. This shows how addition helps us count jumps.

Try it as a mini adventure

Adventure: The Jungle Jump Challenge! You are a brave explorer in a jungle and need to jump across platforms to find a treasure. Your character can jump 5 steps at a time. You need to jump across 4 platforms. How many steps in total do you jump?
  1. 1st platform: Jump 5 steps
  2. 2nd platform: Jump 5 steps
  3. 3rd platform: Jump 5 steps
  4. 4th platform: Jump 5 steps
Now, how many steps in total did you jump? You can count on your fingers or use a number line to help. Mini Challenge: Try jumping 3 steps at a time for 6 jumps. How many steps did you jump in total?

Common mistakes

  • Mistake: Thinking that jumping 5 steps 3 times is 5 + 3 = 8 steps
    Why it happens: Confusing addition with multiplication
    Fix: Remember that jumping 5 steps 3 times means 5 + 5 + 5 = 15 steps
  • Mistake: Using the wrong direction for jumping
    Why it happens: Not understanding how y coordinates work in Scratch
    Fix: Use y position to make jumps go up and down
  • Mistake: Forgetting to measure the height of each jump
    Why it happens: Not paying attention to numbers
    Fix: Always check how many steps your character jumps each time

Parent and carer guide

To help your child with this Scratch mission:
  • Encourage them to count how many steps their character jumps
  • Ask questions like "How far did your character jump?" or "Which jump was higher?"
  • Use real-life examples like jumping on a trampoline or climbing stairs
  • Let them experiment with different jump heights
  • Ask them to compare jumps using words like "higher", "lower", "further", or "closer"
This is a fun way to learn measurement and simple maths. Don't worry if they make mistakes – they're part of learning!

Practice questions

  1. How many steps does your character jump if it jumps 4 steps 5 times?
  2. If one jump is 6 steps and another is 9 steps, which jump is higher?
  3. How many steps do you jump if you jump 3 steps 4 times?
  4. What is the total height if your character jumps 7 steps 3 times?
  5. If your character jumps 5 steps and then 8 steps, how many steps in total?
Answers:
  1. 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 + 4 = 20 steps
  2. 9 steps is higher
  3. 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 12 steps
  4. 7 + 7 + 7 = 21 steps
  5. 5 + 8 = 13 steps

FAQ

What is a platformer game?

A platformer game is a game where you control a character that jumps over obstacles and lands on platforms. Examples include Super Mario and Sonic games.

How do I measure jumps in Scratch?

You can measure jumps by using numbers to show how far your character moves up or down. In Scratch, you can change the y position to make jumps.

Can I use this to learn multiplication?

Yes! If your character jumps 5 steps 4 times, that's 5 × 4 = 20 steps. This helps you learn multiplication in a fun way.

What if I want to make my character jump higher?

You can change the numbers in your jump command. For example, if you change 5 to 10, your character will jump higher.

How can I make my game more interesting?

You can add more platforms, change the jump heights, or add obstacles. You can also make your character move faster or slower.