Lesson 2 of 8 · 30 min · Grades 6–8
Hello, Python — talking to the screen
Every morning the school notice board shows one message at a time: date, event, reminder. print() is your notice board. Whatever you put inside the brackets is what a human (or a log file) will read. Until you print, the program may have calculated a brilliant answer in silence.
School notice board
print() is how your program speaks.
You will be able to
- ✓ Use print() to show text and numbers
- ✓ Mark text as a string with quotes
- ✓ Print several values on one line with commas
print is an instruction, not a decoration
print is a function: a named tool. The round brackets hold what you want to show. Think of a loudspeaker: print("Sports Day") is you speaking into it.
Beginners often write a calculation and forget to print it. The computer did the work — and showed nothing. If you cannot see it, you cannot check it.
Strings wear quotes
Hello without quotes is a name Python will hunt for in memory (a variable). "Hello" is a string: a packet of characters. Quotes are the wrapping paper that says “this is text, not a name”.
You may use double quotes "like this" or single quotes 'like this'. Pick one style and stay consistent in a file. If the text itself contains an apostrophe, double quotes are easier: "Asha's bag".
Several things in one print
Separate values with commas. Python inserts a space between them: print("Score", 10) shows Score 10. This is how you mix a label (string) with a number.
Each print ends by moving to a new line. Three print calls give three lines on the notice board — useful for assembly messages that must be readable from the back of the hall.
Label plus number
print("House points", 120)
print("Captain", "Meera")
Words that matter
- String
- Text in quotes — a sequence of characters.
- Function call
- A name followed by brackets, like print(...).
- Output
- What the program shows on the console.
Common mistakes
Avoid: print(Hello) without quotes.
Do this: print("Hello") unless Hello is a variable you already created.
Avoid: Forgetting the closing quote or bracket.
Do this: Count pairs: every " needs a matching ", every ( needs a ).
Example program — Morning assembly message
Run it, then change the name and the event. The notice board should still make sense.
Edit the example, press Run, then Build if you want a compile check.
build
Press Build to compile.
Your turn — Write a welcome banner
Print a line that includes the word Welcome (for example Welcome, Blue House).
Edit the example, press Run, then Build if you want a compile check.
build
Press Build to compile.
Self-assessment
Check your understanding before you mark the lesson complete.
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