Bring Micro:Bit Programming to Life With CuteBots for Cross-Curriculum Experiences

Funded Feb 3, 2024

There are so many exciting aspects of our Gold Rush Miner Camp project both that the students recognized and enjoyed and our teaching staff appreciated in terms of personal growth for the kids! The project had three main components: programming Microbits to instruct our Cutebots to follow a black line around the "miner camp" and radio the song "Happy Trails" as the Cutebot explored the camp, 3D printing a horse to attach to the Cutebot to make it look like a horse-drawn wagon, and constructing miniature replicas of 19th century camps.

The freely mobile miner wagon (the Cutebot) brought an incredible layer of life to a history lesson. Part of each team was responsible for writing the code on a Microbit (mini-computer about the size of a credit card) and inserting it into the Cutebot (which is a compatible mobile robot). When presenting their part of the project to their fellow team members, there was a palpable excitement and pride to make it a featured part of their "miners' claims."

The team members who designed the 3D printed horses had to employ math skills to ensure their animal would be properly proportioned for the Cutebot. It needed to balance the robot as well as move about their camps without getting snagged on any of the constructed parts (e.g. tents, clotheslines, benches, firepits, etc.).

The students who designed the miners' claims had to build the camps to be authentic to the time period while considering the addition of our robot wagon and the clearance required for it to move freely. They also were responsible for designing the miner to "drive" the wagon and his/her wagon bed attached to the Cutebot with necessary mining supplies.

The teaching staff noticed the excellent teamwork demonstrated, independent problem-solving and creative-thinking necessary to construct a historically accurate representation of California gold rush claims that implemented current technology to animate their scenes. We are so grateful to give our students the opportunity to move beyond dull dioramas to put history in motion.”

With gratitude,

Ms. Turner