RoboticsRobotics

A New Generation of LearningA New Generation of Learning

Hands On LearningHands On Learning

Students learn best when they’re given the Students learn best when they’re given the opportunity to explore.opportunity to explore.

Actively constructing things deepens their Actively constructing things deepens their knowledge and gives them the power to knowledge and gives them the power to create solutions to difficult situations.create solutions to difficult situations.

These students who create their own These students who create their own solutions have that unique thrill of genuine solutions have that unique thrill of genuine achievement.achievement.

ChallengesChallenges

Students love being challenged, and when Students love being challenged, and when they are challenged and enthused in what they are challenged and enthused in what they are doing, learning becomes a natural they are doing, learning becomes a natural easy process.easy process.

The highest learning is reached when a The highest learning is reached when a student solves a challenging problem student solves a challenging problem matched to the student’s knowledge and matched to the student’s knowledge and skill level.skill level.

Lego MindstormsLego Mindstorms

LEGO MINDSTORMS provides this LEGO MINDSTORMS provides this challenge for students – it delivers optimal challenge for students – it delivers optimal challenges for all knowledge and skill levels.challenges for all knowledge and skill levels.

““The brain learns best and retains most when The brain learns best and retains most when the organism is actively involved in exploring the organism is actively involved in exploring physical sites and materials and asking physical sites and materials and asking questions to which it actually craves answers. questions to which it actually craves answers. Merely passive experiences tend to Merely passive experiences tend to attenuate and have little lasting impact.”attenuate and have little lasting impact.”

- Professor Howard Gardner- Professor Howard Gardner Harvard Graduate School of EducationHarvard Graduate School of Education

StandardsStandards

Lego MINDSTORMS is an excellent tool to Lego MINDSTORMS is an excellent tool to teach the fundamentals of math and teach the fundamentals of math and science, plus it meets many national science, plus it meets many national science, math and technology standards. science, math and technology standards.

ScienceScience

Scientific MethodScientific MethodResearchingResearchingPredictingPredictingCollecting and recording dataCollecting and recording data Interpreting resultsInterpreting results

MathMath

Number OperationsNumber OperationsAlgebraAlgebraMeasuringMeasuringCalculatingCalculatingTimingTimingGraphingGraphingProblem SolvingProblem SolvingReasoning and ProofReasoning and Proof

Cooperative LearningCooperative Learning

Another feature of this program is Another feature of this program is enhancing cooperative learning. Students enhancing cooperative learning. Students work together to solve challenging work together to solve challenging problems. This helps strengthen problem problems. This helps strengthen problem solving skills along with their social skills. solving skills along with their social skills. Creative thinking, communication, and Creative thinking, communication, and knowledge building are all sharpened in knowledge building are all sharpened in this process.this process.

ConstructionismConstructionism

Using LEGO MINDSTORMS in the Using LEGO MINDSTORMS in the classroom provides a constructionism classroom provides a constructionism (learning by making something) rather (learning by making something) rather than an instructionism (someone tells than an instructionism (someone tells someone what they should know) way of someone what they should know) way of learning.learning.

InstructionInstruction

A classroom providing LEGO A classroom providing LEGO MINDSTORMS instruction focuses on the MINDSTORMS instruction focuses on the 4 C’s4 C’s

CONNECTCONNECTCONSTRUCTCONSTRUCTCONTEMPLATECONTEMPLATECONTINUECONTINUE

CONNECTCONNECT

Students will increase their knowledge Students will increase their knowledge when they connect a new experience to a when they connect a new experience to a previous experience or when they are previous experience or when they are exposed to a stimulating first experience. exposed to a stimulating first experience. Real life examples and informational Real life examples and informational background help students connect.background help students connect.

CONSTRUCTCONSTRUCT

Constructing through explorations is a Constructing through explorations is a hands on experience of LEGO hands on experience of LEGO MINDSTORMS. The students use guided MINDSTORMS. The students use guided step-by-step instructions and construct step-by-step instructions and construct through open-ended problem solving to through open-ended problem solving to create their own investigations of unique create their own investigations of unique situations.situations.

CONTEMPLATECONTEMPLATE

The students take time to think about what The students take time to think about what they will build. After they have constructed they will build. After they have constructed something, they continue thinking something, they continue thinking deepening their experience. Together with deepening their experience. Together with their peers and their teacher they discuss their peers and their teacher they discuss the project, reflect, and see if they make the project, reflect, and see if they make things better or just different.things better or just different.

CONTINUECONTINUE

Students are naturally engulfed in this Students are naturally engulfed in this learning. They want to know more and are learning. They want to know more and are eager to continue. As they proceed with eager to continue. As they proceed with their challenges they will learn more and their challenges they will learn more and continue with increasingly difficult continue with increasingly difficult situations.situations.

Learning OpportunityLearning Opportunity

This unique learning opportunity has come This unique learning opportunity has come to our Marysville Elementary.to our Marysville Elementary.

The gifted program will begin using LEGO The gifted program will begin using LEGO MINDSTORMS this fall.MINDSTORMS this fall.

Basic instruction into the program will Basic instruction into the program will begin and students will have the begin and students will have the opportunity to explore and use their opportunity to explore and use their creative minds to unlimited lengths.creative minds to unlimited lengths.

GoalsGoals

A goal of this year is to host a regional A goal of this year is to host a regional tournament.tournament.

First we will begin small with a connection First we will begin small with a connection between the elementary and high school.between the elementary and high school.

Next we will collaborate with the high school Next we will collaborate with the high school to invite other schools to experience the to invite other schools to experience the excitement of a competition.excitement of a competition.

Finally we will prepare for the Open House Finally we will prepare for the Open House at K-State in the spring.at K-State in the spring.

ResourceResource

LEGO MINDSTORMS are a wonderful LEGO MINDSTORMS are a wonderful resource to provide math, science, critical resource to provide math, science, critical and creative thinking to the curriculum. and creative thinking to the curriculum. Although it does come at a high price.Although it does come at a high price.

Sets run around $200 a piece. For best Sets run around $200 a piece. For best results groups should only be about 3 to 4.results groups should only be about 3 to 4.

Additional resources such as supplies to Additional resources such as supplies to build sensors, relays and such are also build sensors, relays and such are also expensive.expensive.

SupportSupport

I encourage any support you can provide to I encourage any support you can provide to this venture, whether it be a contribution of this venture, whether it be a contribution of funds or talent of any volunteers.funds or talent of any volunteers.

Hopefully if we have a success of this first Hopefully if we have a success of this first year, we will be able to provide this year, we will be able to provide this opportunity to far more in coming years.opportunity to far more in coming years.

A future hope is starting a robotic club, A future hope is starting a robotic club, students may join and participate in after students may join and participate in after school.school.

AppreciationAppreciation

Thanks for your time and interest into this Thanks for your time and interest into this project.project.

To Be ContinuedTo Be Continued

Be listening for future events and Be listening for future events and excitement from our new ROBOTIC excitement from our new ROBOTIC VENTURE!VENTURE!