I teach 7th and 8th grade students and have them for 2 years (loop with them). Since I have just gotten basic understanding of LEGO Robotics and Toolblox, I'd like to teach LEGO Robotics to 7th grade and Toolblox to 8th so that by the end of their 8th grade year, they'd know both. LEGO Robotics is more applicable for me to 7th graders because I think it'd go well with speed, force, motion and position. Toolblox is more applicable for my 8th graders because I teach chemistry, food webs and energy and I think they can really get creative with that. This page will help me to create a timeline over the course of the year so that my students gain the knowledge and skills to use Toolblox.
September - 1. Fastest way to enter the classroom (traffic jam theory), 2. What is a model? Why is it useful? (Draw first, make prototype), 3. Using instructions to communicate (programming), 4. Using symbols to communicate (video game "X" button means act/do in all systems, have students think about common symbols that have same meaning everywhere, in classroom, school), 5. Creating a program on paper for a task or game (getting through a maze).
October - 6. What is computer programming? 7. Universal systems model: goal, inputs, processes, outputs, feedback, 8. Intro to Scratch 9. Human robots (create large signs to use as an activity), 10. Scratch Challenge 1. 11. Scratch Challenge 2. 12. Scratch Challenge 3. 14. Intro to Toolblox
I am in the process of designing lesson plans that build this into a year long Engineering/Technology section in my Science class. Each # identifies a new lesson.
Starting with a starter game, have students modify a game to create a model or game that demonstrates understanding of a Science Standard.
Life Science, Standard 15: Explain how dead plants and animals are broken down by other living organisms and how this process contributes to the system as a whole.
Life ScienceStandard 16: Photosynthesis....
Physical Science 14: Recognize that heat is a form of energy and that temperature change results from adding or taking away heat from a system.
Physical Science: Explain the effect of heat on particle motion through a description of what happens to particles during each phase.
Check out the starlogo tng middle school science unit - there are a bunch of models there we'd be glad to help you convert to toolblox: http://education.mit.edu/starlogo-tng/learn/middle-school-science-activities
whuangpha 11 years, 3 months ago
Let me know how I can help. I'd love to see how you do this year and to see you at the BPS Robotic Olympics.
char 11 years, 3 months ago