Funding for this project will provide our school library with a set of Dash and Dot robots. These robots are perfect for our library’s needs because they are easy enough to use with kindergarten students, but versatile enough to challenge fifth graders. Throughout the course of this project, students in grades 3-5 will learn to use various coding apps to make the Dash and Dot robots complete activities including student created obstacle courses that will include launching, pushing, and pulling objects. Students will collaboratively create a set of challenges for others to complete. Using indoor recess time and enrichment time, older students will be trained to independently use the robotics in the MakerSpace and will be able to guide the younger students through these student-created challenges.
It is my hope that, through this project, students will show continued growth with collaborative skills. This project will also increase student problem solving skills. In order to create and complete robotics challenges, students must learn to anticipate problems and use reasoning and deduction to solve the problems that do arise. Older participants will develop strong leadership skills and will understand technology well enough to teach younger students to code and control the robots.
The broader impact of this project is that it will launch a greater sense of community at our school. The idea of using older students as role models and leaders is already in place. I plan to expand this idea to include older students as coaches and mentors. Having students from different age groups work together to complete challenges with robotics and Legos will encourage these new roles. I look forward to helping students learn from one another.
About my class
Funding for this project will provide our school library with a set of Dash and Dot robots. These robots are perfect for our library’s needs because they are easy enough to use with kindergarten students, but versatile enough to challenge fifth graders. Throughout the course of this project, students in grades 3-5 will learn to use various coding apps to make the Dash and Dot robots complete activities including student created obstacle courses that will include launching, pushing, and pulling objects. Students will collaboratively create a set of challenges for others to complete. Using indoor recess time and enrichment time, older students will be trained to independently use the robotics in the MakerSpace and will be able to guide the younger students through these student-created challenges.
It is my hope that, through this project, students will show continued growth with collaborative skills. This project will also increase student problem solving skills. In order to create and complete robotics challenges, students must learn to anticipate problems and use reasoning and deduction to solve the problems that do arise. Older participants will develop strong leadership skills and will understand technology well enough to teach younger students to code and control the robots.
The broader impact of this project is that it will launch a greater sense of community at our school. The idea of using older students as role models and leaders is already in place. I plan to expand this idea to include older students as coaches and mentors. Having students from different age groups work together to complete challenges with robotics and Legos will encourage these new roles. I look forward to helping students learn from one another.