Trigger
The event that starts a script.
Topic Guide
Events and Commands
An event tells a program when to respond. Commands say what to do, and their order matters.
Why this matters
The green flag, a key press, and a robot's button are all triggers. Students connect each trigger to a short sequence, then change the order and watch the result change.
Beyond this topic
Press an elevator button and a sequence begins: record the request, move the car, stop at the right floor, and open the door. Games and robots arrange their responses the same way.
Math and logic
Sequence
The order in which commands run.
Cause and effect
A key is pressed, so the sprite jumps.
Specific commands
The program needs an action it can actually carry out.
Small examples
Green flag
Put a Scratch scene into its starting state.
Key press
Run an action when the player chooses a key.
Button input
Connect a physical press to a light or sound.
Message received
Begin one script when another has finished its job.
Program connections
Where this topic appears.
Active now
Scratch & Game Design
Students author games, animations, simulations, and strange interactive stories while learning how events, rules, and state fit together.
Active now
Robotics
Students write commands, wire simple circuits, read sensors, and trace physical cause and effect through the Sense–Decide–Act loop.
Coming later
Roblox Studio / Lua
A possible later step from visual programming into Lua, 3D objects, events, and larger game rules.
Common mistakes
Wrong order
The character moves before its position has been reset.
Missing trigger
The blocks are correct, but nothing starts them.
One event doing everything
A long script makes it hard to find which response failed.
Timing assumed
The next command runs before a movement or animation has finished.
Put the idea to work
Scratch & Game Design
Guided Project
Robot Hamster Command Centre
Send movement commands to a robot hamster as it crosses a small security map.
See how it works
Robotics
Guided Project
Button and Buzzer Alarm
Connect a button to a visible and audible alarm, then write clear rules for arming, triggering, and resetting it.
See how it works
Scratch & Game Design
Guided Project
Quiz of Questionable Knowledge
Build a quiz that checks answers, gives useful feedback, keeps score, and knows which question comes next.
See how it works