From T.H.E. Journal... https://thejournal.com/articles/2021/08/12/4-keys-to-robotics-activities-for-young-learners.aspx
STEM Education
"4 Keys to Robotics Activities for Young Learners
Physical computing with
robots for young learners offers an engaging, collaborative, creative
and standards-based approach to any makerspace program.
As
more students return to classrooms in the fall, they will be looking
for the kinds of hands-on activities they couldn’t experience
during distance learning. Educators will also be looking for ways to
get students problem-solving, collaborating, and sharing ideas in
ways that couldn’t happen over Zoom. Making physical computing with
robots part of a makerspaces program addresses these issues and
re-engages students in learning.
In
my work with schools to design makerspaces and STEM programs, I’ve
found a few key features that help when introducing robots to young
learners. First, the activities should quickly engage students and
bring them into the learning process. Second, teachers should
consider time and space requirements for robotics activities to get
the most out of formal and informal learning opportunities. And
lastly, activities should be aligned to grade-level standards as much
as possible.
Starting
with the Robot
The
robots I’ve found most engaging for introducing pre-K–1 students
to physical computing are KIBOs
from Kinderlab Robotics.
Students are drawn to the tactile features — it has a wooden top
and thick plastic sides that make it approachable and easy for young
students to grip as they develop fine motor skills. It’s also
screen-free: Students program their robot with blocks that are also
made of wood, similar to building blocks.
Finally,
KIBO doesn’t have what I call a pre-made “personality.” Some
robots designed for young learners are already an animal or have
features that limit creative imagination. It doesn’t have features
that make it easy to fit into a gender, which avoids the biases that
can push girls out of STEM. Students quickly discover that their
robot can be anything they want it to be.
Storytelling
Hits All the Key Features
Once
students have been introduced to the parts and basic programming
features, like getting their robot to move, teachers can increase
engagement through storytelling. An introductory activity that I like
incorporates the book Move!,
by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page.
In
the makerspace, teachers read the story, which involves descriptions
of different animals and how they move. Students are asked to draw a
picture of an animal, either from the story or one they know about,
and tape it to the top of their robot. Then, students design a
program with motion blocks to have the robot move like their animal.
Having students work in pairs can promote productive talk, and
teachers will hear students reflecting on parts of the story as they
work to sketch and design the movement for their animal. An
assessment might involve interviewing students to find out why they
made a certain animal, how their computer program works, or how the
story influenced their project.
I
like this activity for other reasons, too. Depending on school bell
schedules, reading and drawing can be done one day and programming
the next. Drawings can be easily stored, which helps with managing
the activity. Students can work in defined areas of the makerspace
that don’t require a lot of room. The activity relies on simple
materials: paper, crayons, and tape. There’s potential to align it
with content standards, such as reading, talking, and writing. And
there’s a high ceiling for creative thinking. I once observed two
kindergarten girls imagine KIBO as a polar bear. They built an ice
wall with the wooden programming blocks and screamed with delight
when they got their program working and the bear smashed through the
ice wall!
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