The students worked in groups to design a maze for navigating the Sphero.
This is what happened.
Category Archives: ICT Mentors
Cubelets in Action
Read more about the Cubelets at the earlier Cubelet blog post.
Robotics Rule:Sphero
SPHERO MAZE CHALLENGE
TASK:
- Design a maze for the sphero to travel through.
- Consider the ways that the other teams can gain or lose points.
- Challenge another team to complete your maze.
- Use any of the sphero apps on the iPad to complete this challenge.
- Instructable: How to draw a maze
SPHERO YR 5 & 6 MAZE CHALLENGE
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.
Consider the below:
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
Will you take the challenge?
Cubelets: ICT Mentor Led Sessions
SELECT 3 CUBELETS (one from each category)
- THINK block
- SENSE block
- ACT block
Q: What does this cube do and when connect a ____?
What happens?
CUBELET YOUTUBE PLAYLIST
Select the link to play all the videos tagged as “cubelets”.
MORE RESOURCES
DIIGO CUBELETS LINKS
YEAR 3 PROGRAMMING WITH APPS
Programming with Apps
On Monday 27th April, select students from Year 3, with the support of the Year 6 ICT Mentors participated in a PROGRAMMING WITH APPS session.
The students were introduced to the following concepts:
- What a program is
- How a computer ‘thinks’
- Computer languages and visual programming
They experimented with following instructions and thinking computationally through the use programmable Bee-Bots and the Bee-Bot app. These tools are excellent for reinforcing directional and procedural language.
Through the use of visual programming apps, the students also learnt to create simple programs. Apps like Daisy the Dinosaur and Kodable support students to learn to code by solving puzzles. The ability to problem solve is a critical and creative skill for students to develop.
The students were now ready to create their own program using Scratch Jnr. This app has a drag and drop interface designed specifically for programming with younger children.
The students were given the task to collaboratively design a simple story, selecting an appropriate setting and writing an interaction between characters. This task made connections between the story writing process and computer literacy through programming. The ICT Mentors supported and directed the younger students exceptionally well at this stage.
All these apps are available for free. More apps can be found at Programming for Primary Students.
If you would like to learn more, read some of our blog posts about programming on the JS Library blog or come and see the Bee-Bots in action during first break in the JS Library.
Green Screen: It’s not just for superheroes or movie stars
A group of Year 3 students have been experimenting with the green screen as a means to share their learning this term. These students have been considering ways to evaluate, reflect and report on reading.
These green screen movie reflections were created using a variety of apps on the iPad (using the video, camera, drawing and green screen apps).
- Touch Cast
- Green Screen by Do Ink
- Doodle Buddy
This is what the students have thought about the process so far…
See below for two reviews they have created. When the students create their next review (in Term Two) they will direct this (almost) independently, with the aim to become experts for the other students in the class, teaching how to use the green screen and its associated apps.
These reviews are not polished presentations but have been created in a short time frame as a tool to engage and enhance the learning experience.
Book Reviews
Today the students were introduced to the concept of a book hook to ‘sell’ the book to another reader.
See “How to write a book hook” wiki how with pictures.
The Treasure Island: A Fun Map
The students shared why someone should ‘read’ this map.
As the students become more confident and self reflective, the presentations will become more diverse and ‘professional’.
Finally, students are presenting for an authentic audience.
Show me how!
Year 6 have been learning the process to create a presentation using the Show Me app or the Explain Everything app. These are excellent tools that will be useful to help prepare for the Exhibition later this year.See below for the first two students who have submitted their tutorial or presentation.
See the ICLT4ME Student Reviewed Apps for more examples.
More will be added to our WONDER WALL(s) in the JS Library as the students complete them.
These display spaces in the JS Library are Showcasing student work and reflections, or support resources for the UOIs. They are activated by QR codes and the Aurasma app.
PREZI
THE YEAR SO FAR…
ICT Mentors’ Explorations, AC and Digital Technologies
Today I had an ICT Mentor meeting with students who have nominated to be involved in this leadership group.
The students have been tasked with the role of introducing Beebots to the students and supporting the younger students inquiry. The students will work in pairs to teach and support the younger students learn about basic programming using the Beebots.
We have purchased a variety of ‘maps’ to support this inquiry, as well as the Beetbots and iPads with the Beebot app.
Street map
World map
and we have a ‘blank’ map with 15x 15 size squares. Sparkle Box has many fantastic resources for the blank map.
Later in the term these students will work with the younger students to use the Beebots. One possible approach to conducting these sessions is to connect with a picture book and then use the Beebots as a supporting tool.
1) Students will read the book (or use a video of it being read).
2) Students teach the basics of the Beebots and the commands.
3) Students use the blank map to explore the concepts further.
For example, adapt the ‘I went shopping’ game and turn it into ‘One day the Hungry Caterpillar ate _____’.
This photo below has the templates for The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.
Looking forward to this!
Additional note:
These skills and processes not only connect to developing students’ leadership skills, they also support the Learner Profile and Attitudes of the IB Primary Years Programme. From the teacher perspective this will link into many curriculum areas. Finally, it provides us with ways to introduce the TECHNOLOGIES curriculum (for Digital Technologies) to students and staff before implementation in 2014.
Specific to the Digital Technologies curriculum
Digital Technologies processes and production skills
Foundation to Year 2 Content Descriptions
Follow, describe and represent a sequence of steps and decisions (algorithms) needed to solve simple problems (ACTDIP004)
Year 3 and 4 Content Descriptions
Define simple problems, and describe and follow a sequence of steps and decisions (algorithms) needed to solve them (ACTDIP010)