Day 102: CODE Robotics Inquiry Launch at Prodomax

Scratch Dance Pad

The CODE Robotics Project is an opportunity for elementary students, from 13 participating schools, to engage in learning through robotics, leading to opportunities for the development of interactive, collaborative, entrepreneurial and problem solving skills.

To launch our inquiry we brought together a group of educators and co-op students, from the participating schools, for a day of hands on learning around robotics, STEAM and coding at Prodomax in Barrie. The teachers and co-op students were challenged through a series of gamified exploration spaces including: a WeDo coding table, EV3 coding space, robot maze with Dash and Dot, a Sphero Pollock Art activity, a virtual reality table (with Google Cardboard), Bayblade building battle with WeDo, a Scratch Dance Pad and a building station. After completing a challenge at one of the hands on learning stations, educators could award themselves a badge and check out their progress on the summary board.

Prodomax by @HT_Library08

We also had an opportunity to go on a tour of Prodomax and see real world examples of robotics in action. We would like to thank Prodomax for welcoming us today into their environment, which inspired our learning and gave it context. A special thank you to Jane McPherson, Bill Richardson and Marc Lemieux for sharing their knowledge with us, helping the day run smoothly and for the engaging tours!

In the afternoon we learned more about the EV3 robots through an interactive series of activities led by Ramy, Chris and Paul from Logics Academy. We were challenged to problem solve and think critically while exploring and creating with the EV3. With great support, we soon felt confident that we could take our robotic skills to the next level and creating our own programs!

See a Storify summary of the Tweets from our day of learning: CODE Robotics Inquiry Launch Tweets.

For SCDSB educators, check out our CODE Robotics Learning Story.

Follow #SCDSBbot on Twitter and our website http://scdsbbot.blogspot.ca/ to learn more.

Tyler Cave, Amy Szerminska, Chris Gilewicz, Marci Duncan and Pat Miller

Day 46- Coding and Simple Circuits Come Alive Through the Arts

Join us throughout the day today at Nottawa Public School as we explore artbots, coding Spheros to complete tasks and collaborative art pieces...and a whole lot of STEAM fun with grades 1 -6!

Block 1 : Artbots- Gr.4/5/6 - 50+students 

With a quick lesson on simple circuits, and a reminder about forces causing movement, these Grade 4,5&6's were ready to rock and roll with their artbot prototypes. Iteration was key and embraced whole-heartedly as they worked through the design cycle / creative process to solve problems and step up to their challenge.

The challenge:

I find it essential to not show a prototype or exemplar of what an artbot could look like. We're not looking for replication, but rather inspiring creativity and innovation by presenting a challenge and the tools required to create it. It never ceases to amaze me how different each and every artbot can be when left to the creative genius of the group. Cue #theartoflettinggo

Some vibrate, some squirm, some spin...but they all dance and make their mark on the world. It is a great reminder for students that we can all be so different, yet accomplish tasks in our own way and leave a positive and unique mark on the world...just like our artbots. Teachable moments make the most of any design challenge as students are directed to think and extend upon their own schema in math, science, technology, engineering and the arts.

What's an artbot without a dance battle? #bettertogether has never been truer!

After prototyping, students were invited to create a collaborative art piece, contemplating the concepts of colour, balance and line while composing the collective piece. A masterpiece was born!

Block 2: Coding Spheros with the 'Tickle' App- Grade 3&4

If you're going to learn to code, let's add some movement! None of these kids had coded before, but before long they were coding like pros and make their Sphero's perform planned tasks! These kids were fully engaged in learning how to use the technology as a tool and not just a toy...although that doesn't mean that a whole lot of fun wasn't to be had as well!

What we did:

Step 1- visual intro to scratch/blockly style coding ( it's just like Lego!)

Step 2- mini lessons on degrees and speed vs. time variables

Step 3- Code the teacher! Be silly and have them recognize how precise commands need to be to execute a simple task, like walking a straight line 90 degrees to your right that is 5 meters long.

Step 4- predict what some sample lines of code will allow their Spheros to do by 'acting it out'. It's a drama technique, a math strategy, a kinesthetic learning technique and yep...a STEAM strategy too.

Can you act out this code? Try it! A lot of body awareness and geometry was happening to determine that this code makes a square.

Step 6: Code your sphero to follow a line or shape in the tile on the floor! How fun! And all in 50mins ;)

Block 3: Jackson Pollock inspired art created by coding Spheros to colour mix- Grade 1/2

This may have been the highlight of my day. I'll be honest with you, I have grandiose ideas at times and tend to trust that something amazing will happen...even and especially if it doesn't all go according to plan. But a plan I had. Where it goes is up to the students... and that is always the best part of the adventure!

Grade 1's, non readers, never coded before, paint, end of the day and robots. What could be more exciting to take a leap of faith into!!!

What we did:

1. Leaving our mark: write your name and draw a picture that represents who you are anywhere on the paper with markers- 5mins.

2. Learn to code- act it out. 

The pinnacle highlight of my day was when a little girl who recognized me from when I had worked with her in summer school this past summer (great difficulty with reading, writing and paper/pencil tasks in general), explained that if we had to code our teacher to walk a square, 'they need to take 4 steps because the other side was 4 steps and all the sides of a square have to be the same number of steps". I almost cried. Amazing right! If we hadn't given that child the opportunity to express their mathematical learning in a different way, we would never have known how much they really knew and understood. Yay for movement integration in all that we do!

3. Use the Tickle app code template and change the variables of time or speed or rotation to change the trajectory of your sphero.

Next...add paint of course!

I must thank my husband for suggesting the garden hose as a sphero fence...brilliant! And a BIG thanks to Chris Gilewicz for picking up a drop sheet and dropping in to play with us at Nottawa this afternoon!

As I sit here wrapping up this blog and tidying up for home this evening, I can hear the kids in YMCA homeport showing their parents the art that they made today just down the hall. I'm pretty sure mini motors and Spheros are on a few Christmas wish lists in Nottawa this year. ;)

Day 41: Coding in Kindergarten

Today a group of kindergarten students at Lions Oval Public School explored with Dash the Robot (who they affectionately named Dunk)!

It didn’t take long before these curious kinders were wondering… How fast does he go? Will he dance? How far will he go?  Using the Go App to drive Dunk, they tested his speed. Then they decided to guess how far Dunk would go by estimating and then counting the number of steps he moved from the iPad.

The laughter could be heard down the hallway as they used the Blockly coding app to teach Dunk how to dance!

If you’re intersted in learning more about coding or how to get started in your classroom, check out our SCDSB coding blog: http://scdsbcode.blogspot.ca/.

Thank you to Elodie, Charmaine and Melisa for welcoming Dunk and I into your classroom!

Follow or connect with their class on Twitter, or read their blog KinderWonders118.blogspot.ca.

Day 20 - Popsicle Stick Autonomous Robot (Technological Education)

Computer Engineering - The Popsicle Stick Robot

Nathan Fisher, Bradford District High School

     Often when thinking about trying a robotics project the main factor of intimidation preventing people from getting started is how to create a robotic chassis to hold all of the electronics, sensors and motors that make a robot function.  A metal platform requires machining and metalworking tools, plywood and wooden platforms still work best with access to a shop to create custom cuts and wood materials can still be cost prohibitive for an initial learning experience in a classroom.  That's why I decided to link craft stick crafting and robotics together.  All that is required to shape the structure is a pair of snips to cut the craft sticks and hot glue to reliably assemble the robotic platform.  It is a low-cost and highly creative 'canvas' for robotics solutions.

     Below is a final result of one of the craft stick robots working autonomously.  It encounters obstacles with the bumper sensors.  Depending which bumper circuit was completed, it will turn away from the obstacle it encountered.

Design Process

*Image from: Ontario Technological Education Curriculum 2009 , Page 23

     The creative design process is an integral part of Technological Education.  Creativity, design and innovation are all built into each and every technology course offered in SCDSB. As a teacher, it is a learning experience each and every time a project is assigned since every student can have a different take on how to accomplish the same task.  When we analyse the final design effectiveness, there is never one 100% perfect solution and all solutions have some merit which is very rewarding for students to see.  Creating a project is about maximizing merits while minimizing demerits of design concepts to create the most effective solution for a particular problem.  Different problems benefit from different design concepts being emphasized.

For this project there are 4 specific areas emphasized in the creative design process.

• Robotic platform design
• Bumper Sensor
• Bumper System
• Autonomous Algorithm

Students had to design a bumper mechanism using salvaged supplies that that would connect a circuit when an object is encountered. The main problem to overcome is getting the connection to break again after the bumper is hit.  One solution was to cut a spring from a dried out/broken pen or mechanical pencil. Another solution was to use foam that would expand again after the the circuit bumper was placed.  Finding out whether a bumper was fully functional on a wide range of obstacles took a lot of of testing and adjusting.  If a bumper was hit a certain way it wouldn't trigger, requiring the spring or contact to be adjusted.

Bumper sensor pictured on left.

     The design of the bumper system was another challenge for students.  Functional requirements of the bumper system required it to be held in place and be able to slide back and forth with a low amount of friction while having a wide range of contact to prevent the robot from getting stuck.

Bumper system pictured on right.

The final stage of building the robot is to program the micro controller which controls the input and output.  It is was set to constantly read the bumper switches, and adjust direction away from the object it encountered.

PicAxe microcontroller system pictured on left.

The Learning Experience

     As with all Technological Education classes there is valuable learning for both the teacher and the student. Trying out new projects that will be approached with new ideas or students having innovative takes on old projects that have not been seen before.  The number of potential solutions is near limitless, and we need to enable students' creative problem solving processes by giving them manipulative and constructive opportunities to solve authentic problems.  This is what technological education is. Thus the importance of Technological Education as a physical and practical learning experience for all students from K-12 is clear. And the opportunity to share this experience with students as a Computer Engineering, Computer Science and Robotics teacher is extremely enlightening and rewarding.

Day 13: Library Evolution

Today I had the privilege of visiting the library at Baxter Central Public School. Last spring I had corresponded with the librarian, Andrew Morrison, about transforming part of his library into a 'Makerspace.' 

Makerspace has become a bit of a buzzword in the last couple of years; many people are curious about them and wondering how they can create one in their school. Our teacher librarians have a key role to play in this venture as we see many 'learning commons' being transformed into multi-purpose spaces, and Melissa Jensen has been doing a phenomenal job sharing her expertise with all of our librarians as they consider their changing roles in our schools. The arrival of the green screens in schools last autumn was probably one of the first indications that our libraries were becoming key locations for students to engage in hands-on creation.

After our short exchanges in the spring, I was thrilled to hear that Andrew had decided to dive into the murky waters of Makerspaces head-first this fall. The list of opportunities that students are being offered in the library at Baxter Central is extensive:

• 2 puppetry / stop motion lego stations with green backdrops
• Electricity Snap Circuitry station
• Builder Station (variety of building supplies with principles about structures and design)
• Junior Coding Station with CanaryMod / Minecraft on four tablets, also serves as GAFE station
• Junior/Intermediate Coding Station with two Raspberry Pi devices
• Examination Station with microscopes, magnifying glasses, and various items
• Inventor's Booth with materials and guidelines on invention process (taken from Quirky.com)
• Deconstruction station where there are a variety of devices that the students can take apart.  Using a camera, they'll take pictures as they take items apart to document their findings.

Upon my arrival in the building this afternoon, I announced to the office staff that my destination was the library. I was immediately told that the library was 'the place to be' and that it was fast becoming students' favourite place to spend time. 

When I arrived in the library, it was buzzing with activity. The makerspace area was jam-packed with students working on a variety of projects. Students were disassembling coffee makers and computers, experimenting with a sonic motion sensor, analyzing body organs taken from plastic models, working on plans for inventions, creating green screen stop-motion videos with LEGO minifigures, and observing slides under a microscope. Sound like chaos? It was. The room was electric. Students were engaged, and reluctant to leave their projects when lunch time arrived.

 

After lunch I had the pleasure of sticking around to observe a grade 2 class experiment with a Roominate set. (You'll notice it's branded for girls, but any girl knows that branding shouldn't be a limitation for creativity...right, LEGO?) With no instructions students built buildings and furniture and figures out how to create circuits including lights, switches and motors. Students shared their newfound knowledge with their peers, saying things like 'You need to switch the wires so that red goes with red.' and 'If you add a button then you can switch the light on and off; let me show you!' Their enthusiasm was fabulous and it was a delightful way to end my first visit.

Andrew is calling his Makerspace the 'STEAM Room.' Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math were all happening in the STEAM room, but, more importantly, the essence of a STEAM program was alive in that room. Students were collaborating, making decisions, performing research, communicating with peers and with a wider audience, asking deep questions about their tasks, and engaged in authentic tasks. All of this with minimal guidance. Baxter Central is proof that, with appropriate provocations, students will create their own learning opportunities that are guaranteed to produce deep understanding of the world around them.

If you're thinking about STEAMing up your library or classroom, keep your eyes open for our STEAM inquiry. Every SCDSB school will have a chance to participate in this learning opportunity, and we can't wait to see how it will transform your buildings.

So, what are you going to make this year? Keep your eyes on this blog for more about our SCDSB Makerspace trailblazers!