Scratch Belts

CoderDojo Malahide is introducing belts and gradings so that our ninjas can assess their level of ability as they progress with Scratch.

We plan to have gradings three times a year. Ninjas must present their projects to the mentors for assessment. Guest mentors from other dojos may also be included, especially for the higher belts. The belts which we award are wristbands with the CoderDojo logo and the words “CoderDojo Malahide” and “Scratch”.

The following are the levels through which a ninja will progress:

Yellow Belt

In order to be awarded a yellow belt, ninjas learning Scratch must be able to demonstrate that they can complete the following 11 challenges:

  1. Whenever you press the B key, the sprite gets a little bigger. Whenever you press the S key, the sprite gets a little smaller.
  2. Whenever the sprite hears a loud sound, it changes color.
  3. Whenever the sprite is in the top 25% of the screen, it says “I like it up here.”
  4. When the sprite touches something blue, it plays a high note. When the sprite touches something red, it plays a low note.
  5. Whenever two sprites collide, one of them says: “Excuse me.”
  6. Whenever the cat sprite gets near the dog sprite, the cat turns and runs away from the dog.
  7. Whenever you click on the background, a flower appears at that spot.
  8. Whenever you click on a sprite, all other sprites do a dance.
  9. When the score reaches 10, the scene (background) changes.
  10. The sprite falls as if controlled by gravity, but stops when hits the green ground.
  11. The sprite follows the mouse-pointer, but it never gets too close to the mouse-pointer.

Orange Belt

To get an orange belt, a ninja must create an animation with multiple sprites, backgrounds, sounds, and dialogue. Clicking on sprites must make things happen.

Orange Checklist

  • Animation or Game with a clear “Game Start” and “Game Over”.
  • Multiple Sprites / Characters
  • Changing backgrounds
  • Sounds
  • Dialogue
  • Clicking on sprites makes things happen

Blue Belt

A blue belt can be awarded to ninjas who create a maze game with multiple levels (screens). The sprite is controlled by the cursor keys and must be moved from the start to the finish.

Blue Checklist

  • Playable animation or game with a clear “Game Start” and “Game Over”.
  • 5 or more levels or screens that are transferred to automatically as levels are completed (Mentors: the code should be scalable to add levels rather than repeated for each level).
  • Sprite / Game character controlled by cursor keys.
  • Sprite must be moved from a designated start point to a finish point in the animation or game.

Green Belt

To be awarded a green belt, a ninja must create a platform game with gravity, sounds and multiple levels (screens). The keyboard can be used to move and jump. The player must avoid other moving sprites and a score must be displayed. Note that a different project which has a comparable level of complexity will be accepted.

Green Checklist

  • Animation or game with a clear “Game Start” and “Game Over”.
  • Gravity
  • Sounds
  • Multiple levels or screens that are transferred to automatically as levels are completed
  • Sprite / Game character controlled by keyboard to move and jump
  • Avoiding other sprites
  • Score displayed

Brown Belt

Brown belts are the second highest level of award.  At this stage we expect our ninjas to be spending some of their time mentoring others as well as contributing content to help develop the dojo.  It’s likely but not necessary that they’ll have moved beyond to other coding interests so our criteria reflect more how our ninja is participating and assisting the dojo.

If a ninja is interested in applying for a brown belt they should approach one of the mentors for advice and support.

Checklist (not all need apply)

  • Must have a prior green belt but not necessarily in Scratch
  • May have represented Malahide CoderDojo at an outside event
  • Must be occasionally mentoring of other ninjas during the dojo sessions
  • Contribution of content.  Creation of sushi sheets for any coding area, starting a new coding interest group

Support across 3 or more adult mentors for the awarding of the brown belt.


Black Belt

Black belts are the highest level of award.  To achieve black the ninja must have been awarded brown belt as well as demonstrate a high level of positive influence on the work of Malahide CoderDojo and/or the work of the foundation.  If a ninja is interested in applying for a black belt they should approach one of the mentors for advice and support.

Checklist (not all need apply)

  • Must have a prior brown belt for at least 6 months.   (Mandatory)
  • May have presented or spoken at a dojo event or a foundation event.
  • Must be regularly mentoring other ninja’s during the dojo sessions.
  • Contribution of content. Regular creation of new sushi sheets for any coding area,
  • Starting a successful new coding interest group. (Success is more than 4 regular members of the group for 3 or more months or 6 dojo sessions)
  • Contributing to materials for our website.
  • Any other activity that has proven helpful to Malahide Coderdojo in achieving our aims.
  • Support across 3 or more adult mentors for the awarding of the Black Belt.  (Mandatory)

Please note the following about our grading system:

  • Where a ninja applies for a specific belt, and the mentors decide that the criteria have not been met, a decision may be taken to award a lower belt.
  • CoderDojo Malahide reserves the right to adjust the criteria for the different belts from time to time as required.