GATE Students at Hardeman Experience Sphero BB8

Learning took place that was "Out of this World"! After 4th and 5th grade students shared their interest in learning about Robotics and coding at the beginning of the year, I introduced them to the Sphero and BB8. I learned about these robotic toys while researching extensions they could work on outside of class. I challenged them to learn about them both, what they were, how they worked, and how they could be integrated with our Learning Concepts of Structures in 4th grade, and Power in 5th grade. After they continued to show passionate interest, I purchased a BB8 with the intent of providing the students with a complex, strategic, problem-solving opportunity. Working together students created a structure that could be powered by the BB8. Following the basic expectation that the structure had to be designed independent of the BB8 and that power used had to move the structure 5 feet in a certain amount of time with various amounts of weights, the Engineering Design Process was underway. It is still a work in process but it is work that emphasizes meaningful, problem-based learning that promotes the sharing and demonstrating of new knowledge. I can't wait to see where they take it!

Merritt Dobecka, M.Ed.
Advanced Academic Specialist
Hardeman Elementary