EV3s Ready for 2nd Semester

Second semester base robots have been built by the students and are poised for another term of abuse. The greater my organization, the minimal harm to the robots and the greater the learning. From one semester to the next, my organization seems to steadily improve, but mostly by small increments. This semester however was different. A major reorganization of my classroom including: tearing out some wall-mounted table tops; installation of  a white-board wall; and the reorienting of the projector to face away from the door, produced an major organizational leap forward. I am excited about the time that will be saved. Here are some photos and bullet points describing my course.

• I color code everything! As you can see from the photos. 
• I use Carnegie Mellon's Robotics Academy EV3 Curriculum.  
• Kids use 2 computers. One with curriculum open and one with LEGO Mindstorms open.
• They watch curriculum videos using color coded earbuds.
• Earbuds are kept in color coded baggies, stored behind robot in parking spaces. 
• Color coded USB cables are stored in parking spaces. 
• Classes are 40-45 minutes long. Kids come in a get right work. 
• Kids that move through curricular challenges faster, completes others that I create or they create their own challenges. 
• They pseudocode only the final challenges for each module. 
• There are entrance procedures and exit procedures. 

 
Color coded robot parking spaces.

Color coded LEGO element toolkits.

       Whiteboard "wall-paper."

 

"How Close to the Edge?"- challenge.

One last thing. Every semester students evaluate their courses using an electronic "Student Feedback Intsrument." One question asks students whether or not the "Teacher integrates and uses technology in the course." As a reminder of the spectrum of perception on which middle school students can be, I give you these three responses:

• We use tech all the time.
• Not really.
• It's a robotics class. 

This made me smile. 

Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day.