Computer science lesson integration has become useful and necessary as our students begin to utilize more technology in the elementary classroom. Students can learn valuable program coding skills on an iPad or tablet, but being able to touch and see codes come to life in front of them through robots really drives home the students' level of understanding.
The Sphero robots are such robots that help students see the codes they write come to life. Students are able to create codes and control the Sphero robots through the free Sphero EDU app. I can teach a 90 degree angle to a student, but when they code the robot to make a 90 degree angle, they are able to visualize the angle and understand it on a deeper level.
Some of the activities that my students would work on include designing an obstacle course, with a variety of angles and objects to avoid. The students will then code their robots to move their way through from the beginning to the end. This is a fun lesson and the students would be committed and enthusiastic to complete it. They don't even realize that they are working on character skills like problem solving and fortitude, along with multiple mathematics skills. Another activity my students would work on is a mini-golf course. They would create different holes and challenges. Students will then rotate around to the different holes to complete the challenges, much like mini-golf.
I am in need of enough Sphero Mini robots to be able to divide the students into pairs or groups of threes. Receiving this grant would make activities, like the few detailed above, possible. I would be able to have more robots accessible to my students, along with other students in our school district.
About my class
Computer science lesson integration has become useful and necessary as our students begin to utilize more technology in the elementary classroom. Students can learn valuable program coding skills on an iPad or tablet, but being able to touch and see codes come to life in front of them through robots really drives home the students' level of understanding.
The Sphero robots are such robots that help students see the codes they write come to life. Students are able to create codes and control the Sphero robots through the free Sphero EDU app. I can teach a 90 degree angle to a student, but when they code the robot to make a 90 degree angle, they are able to visualize the angle and understand it on a deeper level.
Some of the activities that my students would work on include designing an obstacle course, with a variety of angles and objects to avoid. The students will then code their robots to move their way through from the beginning to the end. This is a fun lesson and the students would be committed and enthusiastic to complete it. They don't even realize that they are working on character skills like problem solving and fortitude, along with multiple mathematics skills. Another activity my students would work on is a mini-golf course. They would create different holes and challenges. Students will then rotate around to the different holes to complete the challenges, much like mini-golf.
I am in need of enough Sphero Mini robots to be able to divide the students into pairs or groups of threes. Receiving this grant would make activities, like the few detailed above, possible. I would be able to have more robots accessible to my students, along with other students in our school district.