Doing the Sphero Olympics has allowed us to use a Google Suite for Education App that we don't normally use very often in elementary school. Google Sheets allows us to look at numerical data to compare sets of numbers. For the Sphero Games, we used a spreadsheet to keep track of each group's time for the Mile Run - four times around our 10' by 6' track.
We also talked about conditional formatting - how we can highlight the fastest time (smallest number) in green, the slowest time (largest number) in red, and then have the middle time (median) in yellow.
Finally, we talked about how we could use a formula to find the fastest time and put it in a row by itself at the bottom so we could easily find out who was the fastest in all of 3-6th grade!
Check out our spreadsheet of results below!
22 February 2017
08 February 2017
Sphero Olympics 3 - Programming with SPRK
Hello Families!
The Sphero Olympics is still going in full force in the STEM Classroom. For those of you that might not be aware, we have STEM every other day in the four-day rotation. Our class lasts around 25 minutes long, so we have to use every moment to our advantage.
We are using a Chrome App called SPRK Lightning Lab to program our Sphero Robots. SPRK uses block-based (and text based) programming to control the Spheros. We used block-based programs. We used a block that looped the code over and over again to make the Sphero go around our track four times.
Here's an example of one of the programs:
The Sphero Olympics is still going in full force in the STEM Classroom. For those of you that might not be aware, we have STEM every other day in the four-day rotation. Our class lasts around 25 minutes long, so we have to use every moment to our advantage.
We are using a Chrome App called SPRK Lightning Lab to program our Sphero Robots. SPRK uses block-based (and text based) programming to control the Spheros. We used block-based programs. We used a block that looped the code over and over again to make the Sphero go around our track four times.
Here's an example of one of the programs:
Each group had to figure out how fast, how long, and in what direction to point their robot. It took a lot of trial and error! We talked about how we can determine which angles to use by thinking about a circle - 360 degrees! We figured out that adding a 'delay' block in between each 'roll' helped the Sphero make better corners. So much great thinking!
Check for the next post to see some of our times for the mile run!
31 January 2017
Sphero Olympics
We are continuing to work on our Sphero Olympics projects!
Our first event is the Olympic opening ceremony, where each group's Sphero Athlete needed to walk around the arena one time.
Here are some videos of our athletes entering the stadium!
Our first event is the Olympic opening ceremony, where each group's Sphero Athlete needed to walk around the arena one time.
Here are some videos of our athletes entering the stadium!
20 January 2017
Sphero Olympics Hype!
In 3rd-6th Grade, we are currently doing a unit called "Sphero Olympics."
Spheros are spherical robots which can be controlled using an iPad or Computer. We started to get a taste for the Spheros by driving them around our classroom. Here's a little video from last year when we started the first time:
For the the JWP version of the Olympics, we paired up and each pair of students picked a country that participates in the Olympics from this list. Students then researched the country, learning the population, what money they use, athletes from the country, and how far they had to travel to get to Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 Summer Games.
Students then designed a paper doll athlete from their country, choosing colors based on the outfits that the athletes wore in the Parade of Nations. I think they look pretty good!
Our Olympic Village is taking shape! Here are our Sphero Athletes from many nations! #mncodes #SpheroOlympics pic.twitter.com/G4TwFHEYVu— Rachel J. Pierson (@RPiersonEdu) January 19, 2017
Our first event will be the Parade of Nations where the athletes will walk into the games, and then our first competition will be a "running" race around the track on the floor in our room. The students will have to use a block programming app called SPRK Lightning Lab to program the Sphero Robots to accomplish these tasks. Look for the second January blog update with the results!
30 December 2016
Computer Science at JWP (Part Two!)
This month, we have focused nearly all of our time on Computer Science. In the last post about Computer Science, I focused on what the younger students were working on, while mentioning what the older students were about to start.
I think we have some budding computer science enthusiasts on our hands!
I'd like to show you some of the products of our work in CS First and "Gumball's Coding Adventure!" Click the green flag to start running each program.
I think we have some budding computer science enthusiasts on our hands!
09 December 2016
Morning Announcement Video Success!
Halfway through November, we ordered a green screen for the STEM Classroom.
We've been having a great time every morning making video announcements for the elementary students!
The students plan the script, find the backgrounds, and use an iPad app called Touchcast to record. Touchcast allows them to use a teleprompter to read their script while they are recording.
Any 6th grader is welcome to sign up for helping with the announcements on our Google Doc that's shared with everyone in the class. We meet at 8:00 every weekday but Tuesdays.
Check out our playlist of past videos here:
Can't wait to use our new green screen for announcements! Thanks for the help with set up, @JeremyErler #isd2835 pic.twitter.com/4QKGbX1kEe— JWP STEM Stars (@JWPSTEM) November 14, 2016
We've been having a great time every morning making video announcements for the elementary students!
The students plan the script, find the backgrounds, and use an iPad app called Touchcast to record. Touchcast allows them to use a teleprompter to read their script while they are recording.
Any 6th grader is welcome to sign up for helping with the announcements on our Google Doc that's shared with everyone in the class. We meet at 8:00 every weekday but Tuesdays.
Check out our playlist of past videos here:
30 November 2016
Computer Science for K-6 at JWP
Hello, Bulldog family!
We've had the immense privilege the past couple weeks to start diving in to Computer Science in our STEM time.
Younger students have been focusing on sequencing, algorithms, and short programs by utilizing the websites code.org and kodable.com. Both these sites have great tools for pre-readers and emerging readers. It's been amazing seeing the way that kids help each other, support each other, and have a growth mindset! Here's a great short video featuring a couple 1st graders in action!
The middle and upper elementary students used Lightbot and Code Combat to get a taste of coding, and now we're jumping in to the CS First lesson, Gumball's Coding Adventure, which uses a tool called Scratch. (Scratch is made by the great people at MIT.) When we're done with the step by step introduction to Scratch from the lesson, students will be given the opportunity to create their own programs! I'm looking forward to seeing all the creative things that will come out of it!
Computer Science in Education Week is coming up from December 5-11. I want to make sure that all the students here at JWP get a taste of what it's like so that they may be able to take up the opportunity to learn more if it interests them. Here's some Minnesota statistics from code.org:
We've had the immense privilege the past couple weeks to start diving in to Computer Science in our STEM time.
Younger students have been focusing on sequencing, algorithms, and short programs by utilizing the websites code.org and kodable.com. Both these sites have great tools for pre-readers and emerging readers. It's been amazing seeing the way that kids help each other, support each other, and have a growth mindset! Here's a great short video featuring a couple 1st graders in action!
— Rachel J. Pierson (@RPiersonEdu) November 22, 2016
The middle and upper elementary students used Lightbot and Code Combat to get a taste of coding, and now we're jumping in to the CS First lesson, Gumball's Coding Adventure, which uses a tool called Scratch. (Scratch is made by the great people at MIT.) When we're done with the step by step introduction to Scratch from the lesson, students will be given the opportunity to create their own programs! I'm looking forward to seeing all the creative things that will come out of it!
Computer Science in Education Week is coming up from December 5-11. I want to make sure that all the students here at JWP get a taste of what it's like so that they may be able to take up the opportunity to learn more if it interests them. Here's some Minnesota statistics from code.org:
Thanks for being a supporter of learning for your children! Ask them about the projects we're working on, and let them wow you!
Excellence without excuse!
Until next time!
Edit: Sorry for forgetting to tweet the link yesterday!
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