Get information on our upcoming research study! 

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Scratch Encore is a collaboration between the University of Chicago, University of Maryland, and the Chicago Public Schools (CPS).

Phase 1: We created a curriculum, Scratch Encore, intended for 4th-8th grade classrooms. Our goal was to equally support students' technical development (through scaffolded projects) and engagement (through themed scaffolded projects and open-ended projects). Scratch Encore provides three theme choices for every structured project so teachers can choose the project they think their students will enjoy and identify with the most.

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Phase 2: We have created resources for teachers so they can customize the example Scratch Encore projects for their own classrooms. From a military town in New Jersey, to a rural town in Montana, to a community in urban Chicago, teachers are encouraged to brainstorm what would appeal to their students. We then give them resources, including either guided worksheets or Conjuror, an interactive generative AI tool, to create customized Scratch projects and student-facing materials.

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What have teachers made? A Thanksgiving and St. Patrick's Day projects just a few days before class, a project about a local festival, and many more!

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Our generative AI tool, Conjuror, is available for use to teachers who participate in our research study. It generates custom projects to substitute for existing Scratch Encore projects.