Renee MacDermott macdermottr@wantaghschools.org - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Renee MacDermott

macdermottr@wantaghschools.org www.wantaghhorizons.weebly.com Twitter: @WantaghHorizons

Hands-on Experiences in the Elementary Classroom

Contact information for a littleBits representative...

Allison Vannatta: allison@littlebits.cc

Elementary Gifted Program (Grades 3-6)

• Grades 3-5

○ lessons are taught once each 6 day cycle ○ During Makerspace time (60-90 minutes) ○ Over a period of two months ○ Students incorporate littleBits into other areas of instruction too

• Grade 6

○ using the arduino module for our Rube Goldberg design

LITTLE BITS… IN OUR CLASSROOM

We currently own:

• 5 Premium kits
• 5 Deluxe kits
• 6 Synth kits
• 4 Gizmos and Gadgets kits

We mix and match bits depending on their needs. Approximately 40 students are currently using them (working in groups of 2)

Ratio of littleBits to Students:

Professional Development

littleBits offers STEAM PD:

http://littlebits.cc/steampd

• 6 hour online course

○ littleBit Introduction ○ Inventing with littleBits ○ STEAM and the Invention Cycle ○ Managing the littleBits Classroom ○ Developing Your Next Move

Teachers also receive a Gizmos and Gadgets kit

common core

• Real-world problem solving and critical thinking
• Project based learning
• Develop key 21st century skills.

Next Generation Science Standards

3-5-ETS1-1. Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost. 3-5-ETS1-2. Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem. 3-5-ETS1-3. Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.

Why We Love Little Bits

• NO PROGRAMMING
• NO WIRING
• NO SOLDERING

Why We Love Little Bits

Offers…

• low level of entry (provides easy ways to get started)
• with a high ceiling (supports complex projects)
• and wide walls (appeals to a variety of people)

Why We Love Little Bits

“Play is the highest form of research” ~Albert Einstein

littleBits ...

• Fosters inquiry, innovation and invention
• Encourages risk-taking and learning through Play
• Teaches iterative nature of design (Design Cycle)

Why We Love Little Bits

Provides opportunities to develop:

• Creativity
• Critical Thinking
• Collaboration
• Communication

and … it teaches us to FAIL WELL

STEAM projects help to make learning meaningful and engaging by connecting to real-world topics and by fostering students's skills in collaboration, problem solving, creativity, and design thinking, while addressing content standards.

Fostering Creativity

Fluency: the ability to generate a number of ideas Elaboration: the ability to add to, embellish, or build on an idea Originality: the ability to create fresh, unique, or different ideas Risk-taking: the willingness to be courageous and daring Imagination: the ability to dream up and conceptualize new ideas Curiosity: asking questions and digging deeper

Check out this great way to organize your littleBits while you work with them!

The littleBits Placemat

Get it here! https://s3.amazonaws.com/Education- CaseStudies/littleBits-Placemats-(Print-email). pdf

Task 1: Exploration

• Challenge Cards

to learn about each bit

Task 2: Toy Inventions

Students improve a common toy by using littleBits

• The modified toy must be

more entertaining and safer than the original toy

Task 3: Design Something That

Does Something Students select from various challenges

• design something that you can use while

camping

• design a flashlight
• design something that will surprise

someone

• design something that will help someone

Step 3: Designing for a Client

Now that you are a design expert, you are being hired by a Character from the Minions movie. You must interview the client to empathize, then define that character’s needs/wants.

Designing for a Client

You can host a littleBits Creativity Competition!

Sphero

Sphero

3rd and 4th Grade Students:

• Learn to control and manipulate the robotic ball

5th Grade and 6th Grade Students:

• Program the Sphero to perform design challenges
• After being exposed to code.org lessons and

beginning Scratch design

3 Sphero Balls for each class (8-14 students in a class)

common core

• Real-world problem solving and critical thinking
• Project based learning
• Develop key 21st century skills.

Check out this article: “Coding Meets Foreign Language Requirement” http://bigthink.com/ideafeed/high-school-students-will-soon-be-able-to-learn- computer-languages-in-lieu-of-foreign-languages

3-5-ETS1-1. Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost. 3-5-ETS1-2. Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem. 3-5-ETS1-3. Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.

Next Generation Science Standards

And it is WATERPROOF

Translucent Sphero... see the inner mechanisms

And it is WATERPROOF

Meet Sphero’s cousin, Ollie.

App Enabled Robot Controlled with numerous devices (iphones, ipads, windows tablets, android devices, etc.)

Sphero Operation

Large range of ability- based options. Some sphero app require no coding and allow the user to just manipulate the robot by using a device.

Sphero Operation

• Tynker app for coding…

Visual programming language

• looks similar to code.
• rg and scratch

Sphero Operation

• Macros app-

○ Create a linear string

• f bytes that is

processed from beginning to end

• Other languages-

○ Orb Basic & Oval

Sphero Operation

Sphero Lessons

Macro Lab Lessons:

• Time/ Speed/ Distance
• Mean/ Median/ Mode
• Geometry
• Patterns/ Colors
• Percentages
• Assistive Devices
• Next Gen Robots
• Ocean Research
• Percent Error

Orb Basic Lessons:

• Variables
• If / Then
• Sensors/ Random

STEM Lessons:

• Chariot Challenge
• Bridge Building
• Hydro Hypothesis
• Maze Mayhem

LESSONS PROVIDED BY SPRK (School, Parents, Robots, Kids)

Sphero Lessons