5th Robotics Challenges

Fifth grade is really moving when it comes to robotics!  We have started using the computer software to program and code our Mindstorms to incorporate the sensors and movements together.  After learning about the most basic and useful programming block in the common palette, we took our robots through a series of challenges.  As we were successful with each challenge, we moved onto the next.  The first challenge moved our robot 3 feet forward, right turn, move ahead then come to a complete stop.  Once we were exactly 3 feet forward, we moved to the next level and had to get our robot to make a sharp-right turn.  That increased our awareness of another choice:  movement by degrees.  After each challenge we discussed what was happening with our robot and how a slight change in the program would affect it.  Toward the end of class, we applied all that we had learned to create some of our own programs.  Fun learning day in robotics!

Grades 1-3: Dr. DeBakey and Heart Dissection

Grades first through third have been learning about the fascinating life of Dr. Michael DeBakey, local pioneer heart surgeon. Dr. DeBakey's early ideas of doing open heart surgery were looked at skeptically by some of his colleagues in the field, but he felt it was doable and necessary.  We talked about a few of his early patients known as "blue" babies, who were born with a defect to the blood vessel connecting the heart to the lungs. With his heart-lung machine invention he was able to save so many lives and his surgeries  became world-renown. Dr. DeBakey continued to work long into his life; he was close to 100 when he died!  Our class learned some valuable lessons:  Be confident in your own ideas for innovation and just because it's never been done, doesn't mean that it can't be done!

Finally we were excited to learn about the human heart by dissecting a real pig heart. We were able to see how the parts of the heart, like the right and left atria and ventricles and various blood vessels, work together to circulate blood through our bodies. It's an amazing organ!

First grade was also part of the heart dissection and as I was working with them closely, I'm sorry I did not get any pictures!  They were amazing scientists-I do have pictures of their heart models and blood flow path below!

                                                                        3rd

2nd

1st

Max

Vanni

Ryan

Jack

5th Grade: Using Sensors 2-22-16

Today in robotics we added some of our sensors to our Lego Mindstorm and tested them to see if they were working properly.  We will use all of our sensors in unison to master future challenges!

Sound Sensor

Ultrasonic Sensor

Grades 1-3 Continues with Bill Gates and Coding

We have been studying powerful person Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft this week by looking deeper into computer science and coding.  Our class divided into groups and rotated through a number of STEM related activities that would help us learn more about how to code and its importance.  Our rotations this week included:  1.  Lego Story Visualizer (students created a Valentine's story with a beginning, middle, and end) using a lego digital storytelling app.  2.  Coding games and creating objects with Code Studio on the iPads   3.  Teacher Table:  Ozobot robot coding lesson  and  4.  iPad investigations.