For the past three years our sixth grade students have moved beyond "The Hour of Code" and have explored the basics of computer coding for 4-6 weeks. With four class sessions per week, we have the time to dive into the problem solving mindset of a coder as the kids program using code.org, Hopscotch, and Scratch. We create simple games, brainstorm apps ("Could this be the next Flappy Bird?"), and bring science presentations to life using interactive animations coded in Scratch. The kids love this unit but everything they code and create is stuck on a flat screen.
My students need tools that will allow them bring their work out into the 3D world they live in, a world where code controls most of what we interact with every day. Drones, robotics, Arduinos - we have lofty goals to build a stable of supplies that will give our students the opportunity to apply their coding skills to real world situations and allow them the freedom to create at the intersection of imagination and engineering. The Sphero Sprk+ is a great tool to begin with. A spherical robot controlled by student-written directions using "drag and drop" code on the iOS app, the Sphero will allow us to make deep and authentic connections between engineering, technology, and math. From the precise measurement, planning, and teamwork required to navigate a simple maze on the classroom floor to analyzing accelerometer data for graphing speed and acceleration, the Sphero provides a wide range of access points for learners of all levels. If funded, these will be the first tools that allow our students to collaboratively code solutions to design and engineering challenges that aren't merely computer simulations. (Note: As a Chromebook school the iPods are necessary to code and control the Spheros.)
About my class
For the past three years our sixth grade students have moved beyond "The Hour of Code" and have explored the basics of computer coding for 4-6 weeks. With four class sessions per week, we have the time to dive into the problem solving mindset of a coder as the kids program using code.org, Hopscotch, and Scratch. We create simple games, brainstorm apps ("Could this be the next Flappy Bird?"), and bring science presentations to life using interactive animations coded in Scratch. The kids love this unit but everything they code and create is stuck on a flat screen.
My students need tools that will allow them bring their work out into the 3D world they live in, a world where code controls most of what we interact with every day. Drones, robotics, Arduinos - we have lofty goals to build a stable of supplies that will give our students the opportunity to apply their coding skills to real world situations and allow them the freedom to create at the intersection of imagination and engineering. The Sphero Sprk+ is a great tool to begin with. A spherical robot controlled by student-written directions using "drag and drop" code on the iOS app, the Sphero will allow us to make deep and authentic connections between engineering, technology, and math. From the precise measurement, planning, and teamwork required to navigate a simple maze on the classroom floor to analyzing accelerometer data for graphing speed and acceleration, the Sphero provides a wide range of access points for learners of all levels. If funded, these will be the first tools that allow our students to collaboratively code solutions to design and engineering challenges that aren't merely computer simulations. (Note: As a Chromebook school the iPods are necessary to code and control the Spheros.)
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