Sphero Maze #Challenge Robotics rule:The Junior School Library #Makerspace https://t.co/6SPuMY7VyZ
— Julia Boulton (@julia_boulton) <ahref=”https://twitter.com/julia_boulton/status/660204810415681536″>October 30, 2015
Great to see the ‘Maker Space’ learning continue- this time with the Junior School students and Robotics. pic.twitter.com/LGCfsvKREX
— St Andrews Lutheran (@SALC_Principal) October 28, 2015
The students worked in groups to design a maze for navigating the Sphero.
This is what happened.
Read more about the Cubelets at the earlier Cubelet blog post.
Watch what the students go up to on the BeeBot Activity day for Prep, Yr 1 and Yr 2 students.
Read more at the previous post Bee Bots.
AIM: You and your team are challenged to complete the Sphero Maze.
As a team are trying to collect points along the way. You have a limited amount of time per group. The team with the most points wins. This is a game of challenge and strategy.
You will be given time as a team to consider the best approach to achieve the most points.
1) Is it better to collect points or complete the challenge in the fastest time?
2) Collaboratively decide on the best course of action. Assign a driver and support team.
Mazes sourced: Big Activities
Time Allocation: 1 MINUTE PER GROUP
TASK:
1) Read (or view) the story of The Hungry Caterpillar.
2) As each part is read navigate to the Bee Bot card on the mat.
OTHER RESOURCES:
TASK:
1) Read (or view) the story of Cinderella.
2) As each part is read navigate to the Bee Bot card on the mat.
TASK:
1) Using the Learner Profile cards ask the students which Learner Profile is being demonstrated
2) As each Learner Profile is identified navigate to the Bee Bot card on the mat.
OTHER RESOURCES:
TASK:
1) Launch the weblinks to World Facts or use Big Book.
2) Select a country or location to navigate to with the Bee Bot.
3) Read about the information about the country or location using the website or the Countries Big Book.
OTHER RESOURCES
Image source: (Clipartlord.com, 2013)
TASK:
1) Set up the pins and allocate points for each pin. Explain the rules.
2) Each student has one turn at ‘bowling”. The score is kept for each pin knocked down.
3) At the end of the time the student with the highest score wins (equal turns calculated).
Search for Bee Bot on the iPad.
Follow the directions to get the Bee Bot through the maze.
The focus for the JS Library Makerspace in Term 4 is exploration with robotics.
Students have access to the following robotic resources
In Term 1 some Year 1 students were able to learn with the Lego WeDo).
Additionally, we try to match the concepts to literature.
Photos of students at the initial mentor training session
The ICT Mentors (and friends) have learnt how to use the cubelets and the sphero in an introductory session in order to teach other students. These student were already competent in the use of Bee Bots.
As a part of the construct of the Makerspace, it is desired to have some permanent stations or activities for the students as well as ones that are temporary and supervised (led by a teacher or the ICT Mentors) in order to support the more complex programs and tasks.
Year 3 ICT Mentor in Training Mentoring Preps!
The Bee Bots will be available each day and at first break.
The Sphero will be able to be ‘borrowed’ by other students (with a trained student willing to support the other students in its use and to assist with trouble shooting).
In Week 4 students across the Junior School will have the opportunity to use these resources and will be set a collaborative challenge to complete.
See below more information about these challenges below (select thumbnail to view larger size).
Bee Bots in Action
Cubelets in Action
Sphero in Action and see Cathy Hunt’s iPad Art Room for more exciting ways to explore coding with the Sphero.
This term select students in Year 1 & 2 had the opportunity to explore with WeDo Lego robotics. Students explored the features of the software, developing problem-solving skills through experimentation with Lego and were exposed to what it means to think computationally through programming.
Students reflected on the experience -see the PADLET below.
Screenshots from the WeDo LEGO Robotics Program.
ROBOTICS FOR TEACHERS
Other Robotics News from SALC.
St Andrews hosted a Lego Robotics Day for teachers to explore the possibilities of robotics in the classroom. The day was well received. Thanks to the presenters Peter Kellett and Liz Polentas.
