Robotics and Math

This blog entry was authored in collaboration with 6th-grade students exploring the connection between robotics and mathematics.

Robotics makes math fascinating. Using robotics creates amazing opportunities to learn about geometry, measurement, and data. An example of learning about measurement is programming the robot motor to run for 3 seconds, stop for 3 seconds, and then run again for 3 seconds. To measure the accuracy of this program, we timed ten trials. We compiled the data and then analyzed it for the mode, median, mean and range. Learning about these mathematical ideas from data that we generated made the data more meaningful to us. This program also taught us about the importance of attending to precision. Initially, we incorrectly thought the program would always run for 9 seconds, but we found out something interesting. After 10 trials we realized that there was variance in how long the program ran. Another massive mathematical idea that we have learned through robotics is problem-solving. Not all of our programs worked the first time we tried them, in fact almost all of them did not work! We had to try a variety of ideas to determine how to adjust the program so that it would accomplish our goal. We also had to adjust the construction of the robot if it did not work the first time. The best part of using robotics to learn about math is that it makes learning absolutely more engaging.

Students collaborating on the design features of their robot.

Students explaining to our principal and a district administrator about the math they learned through robotics.

Students worked together to design a robot and learned about collaborative work.

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Ollies and Math

Thanks to generosity of Chevron through Donors Choose , my math class experienced a new mobile technology, Ollies! Ollies are programmable robots made by Sphero . We used the app, Macrolab to program the Ollies. I modified a lesson from the Sphero website to teach the concepts of measurement and data. The first day, we explored how to program the Ollies and how changing the variables in the program affected what Ollie did. The students recorded data to capture what they were seeing. On day 2 it was time to be more methodical with our data collection. Students only changed one variable at a time. This allowed students to discover the relationship between time and the distance that the Ollie traveled. The students changed the variable of the delay between the roll and stop commands to develop this understanding. There was definitely a lot of excitement and motivation to learn measurement. On Day 3, we analyzed the data recorded from each group. There were some noticeable differences

Roller Coasters

The students chose words to describe roller coasters. We recorded them using Answer Garden . I think it also describes what building roller coasters is like. There was a buzz of excitement as groups of students designed and constructed marble roller coasters. One of the student remarked, "This doesn't look like regular library time." He had just asked me if he could tape the roller coaster ramp to the wall and was shocked when I said, "Of course." The students were so engaged with their projects that they did not notice a visitor from the Hillsboro Tribune . Kathy Fuller came to learn about what was happening in our building this summer. We are proud that we will be featured in the newspaper. I will make sure to include the link in a future post. We will be continuing our roller coaster construction tomorrow. I am very thankful that our custodial staff is supportive of these messy projects. This video captures the feelings expressed in the wordl

Halfway

I am taking it as a positive sign that we are halfway through our summer program and there is still tons of positive energy. Mrs. Gonzalez and Ms. Ayala's phone calls resulted in 5 new students today! We are expecting even more new students on Monday. My hope is that we can bring the average daily attendance to 40 students. This article affirmed our purpose for the summer program and pushing the students to work on their math skills in addition to reading. http://www.vox.com/2014/7/13/5891583/summer-slide-achievement-gap-vacation I am looking forward to comparing their end of the year MobyMax math placement with their beginning of the year placement test score. Plans for next week... Model canoes, gardening, writing a Scratch character description and an art project

On the move

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