Student FAQ

Error messages sometimes contain numbers to let us know what sort of problem is occurring on the website. Other times a blank screen might be a sign that the website is overloaded or “busy.” In either case, these displays indicate that something “fishy” is happening. Here's what you can do to try and fix the issue.

1. Try refreshing the page you are on. The refresh button is located in your browser and looks like a circle with an arrow at the end:refresh
2. Try closing the current window you are in, opening a new one, and signing into CS First again.
3. Try a different browser. CS First works best with the Chrome browser.
4. Check with your teacher to see if you are running the most current version of your browser.
5. If none of these things work, have your teacher visit g.co/csfirst/contact. Please note that only teachers should fill out that form.

Don't worry. This can be fixed! First, it's always good to let your teacher know this happened. Then, you can delete your "teacher" account by following these steps:

1. Click on the Teacher button (top right).
2. Click on Profile.
3. Scroll to the bottom of the profile page and click Delete my CS First account.
4. Try signing in again, but this time ensure you select I'm a student upon logging in.

Try these steps to see if they might help.

1. Pay close attention to whether the password has capital or lowercase letters, and/or perhaps the letter “O” might actually be the number “0.” Once you've closely reviewed your class code, try typing it again.
2. Check with your teacher about which student account type you are using. If you are using your school Google account, use the same password you use whenever you sign in with this account in other applications or programs, like Google Classroom. Please note: if you are using a personal gmail account, please tell your teacher to contact us (g.co/csfirst/contact), because a personal gmail account will not work for CS First students.
   
   If you are using a CS First student account, ask your teacher if they might have a record of your username and password. If they have it, try entering the password they provide you.
   
   If you are using a CS First student account, and your teacher does not have a record of your username and password, ask them to reset your password. They can find instructions for how to do this below.

This stuff happens. Please try the following steps to see if they help.

1. Pay close attention to whether the class code has capital or lowercase letters, and/or perhaps the letter “O” might actually be the number “0.” Once you've closely reviewed your class code, try typing it again.
2. Ask your teacher to visit their CS First dashboard, click on your class, and click on the share iconshare next to the class code. Ask your teacher to click on Copy URL, and then share that url with you. The url may look something like https://csfirst.withgoogle.com/signin/aBc12gz. Once your teacher has shared the url with you, try visiting the url and signing in that way.
3. Ask your teacher if your class is connected to Google Classroom.
   
   If your class is connected to Google Classroom, there will not be a class code to enter. Instead you should see an invitation to accept once you sign in to CS First using your student Google Workspace account. If your teacher has any questions about this, have them visit g.co/csfirst/contact. Please note that only teachers can fill out that form.

Don't panic. Here are some steps you can take to try and resolve this issue.

1. Visit the Projects page on your dashboard.
2. Select the project with the missing sprite.
3. In the Scratch for CS First editor, click Edit then Restore Sprite to bring back the deleted sprite.

As long as you do the following two things, your project will appear on your teacher's CS First dashboard.

1. Be sure you are signed in to the CS First website.
2. Make sure you are saving your project. Projects should automatically save every ~30 seconds, but you can also click File > Save Now at any time to avoid losing any work.

If your teacher has connected their CS First class to Google Classroom, you will be able to share your CS First project with Google Classroom as well. To do this, follow these steps.

1. Be sure you are signed in to the CS First website.
2. Click on the green Share to Classroom button at the top of the Scratch for CS First editor and follow the instructions.
3. Your teacher should now be able to view your project in Google Classroom in addition to their CS First.

Here is a workaround you can try.

1. In the Scratch for CS First editor, click on File > Save to your computer (this will download a copy of the project as a file).
2. Then, in Google Classroom, click on the assignment that is due.
3. Click on View Instructions.
4. In the Your Work section on the right side, click on + Add or create.
5. Select File and add the file you saved from the Scratch for CS First editor.
6. Click Turn in.

Right now, there is no way to share a project with your friends and family unless you download it to your computer then upload it to scratch.mit.edu. Please only do this if approved by your teacher or a parent and/or an adult at home.

We would love to hear from you! The best way to share your feedback is to let your teacher know and then ask them to contact us to share the details. Your teacher can contact us by visiting g.co/csfirst/contact. Please do not fill out the contact us form yourself as it is intended for teachers only.

CS First is accessible to everyone. If you want to check out other lessons on your own, check with your teacher first, and if approved, you can see all of the CS First lessons at g.co/csfirst/curriculum.

Ask your teacher to visit g.co/csfirst/contact and we will work with them to get you the help you need. Please do not fill out the contact us form yourself as it is intended for teachers only.