Dash-ing Through the Library

Our Robot Bins

This month, in the Library, I introduced Dash to our third graders.  Our robotics unit typically takes 5-6 class visits and ends with a culminating event. 

Planning & Preparation

Before I begin the robotics unit, I complete an inventory of our robotics materials, making sure we have what we need to get started. I update all robots and make sure they are fully charged. This is also a great time to make sure everything is labeled properly and returned to their correctly numbered bins. As seen in the picture above, all bins are numbered. Each item inside the bin is also numbered. For example, shown above is the bin for Team #14. Every item inside bin #14 is labeled with a #14 using a sharpie marker. This is extra work at the beginning but will save you LOADS of time later as you work through your robotics activities and things get CRAZY. Fun...but CRAZY nonetheless.

I also add an active link to our library website so students can easily access Blockly. Blockly is the free web-based application from Wonder Workshop students use to program Dash and Dot. Blockly is also available in the App Store and Google Play for students using tablets. Since we are 1:1 with chromebooks, our students simply use the web-based platform and connect via Bluetooth to their robots.  

Staying Organized

The images below show you how I keep out little friends organized and charged. I purchased inexpensive shelving from Walmart and small caster wheels from Amazon. When possible, I keep furniture mobile, ensuring that our Library space is as flexible and utilitarian as possible. I used a drill to make small holes in the back of each storage bin. I ran the charging cables through the holes and plugged them into multi-port USB hubs that I attached to the back of the storage units using Command Strips. The USB hubs were plugged into outlets I have in the floors. The shelving units are backed together (to hide the cables) and the casters are locked for safety.

Instruction

During our first lesson, students are grouped into pairs. We review rules and expectations when using Dash and Dot.  I demonstrate how to access Blockly using our library website. I rely on the  "I do→You do" teaching strategy a lot during this first lesson. For example, I open Blockly now YOU open Blockly. I walk them step-by-step through Blockly to open a blank workspace. I then explain how robots initially know nothing until a human tells them what to do. It's our job to help Dash and Dot complete challenges and overcome obstacles.  I introduce students to the Blockly workspace and show them the basics of snapping together the blocks to create simple lines of code.

Blockly Workspace

Students are shown how to connect their chromebooks to their robots. This is also a good time to talk about troubleshooting in case our robots don't connect on the first try.

Depending on the time left in our first lesson, I allow students to connect to their robot and complete our first challenge card. The first challenge only requires a chromebook and a robot so we typically are able to complete this first task.

Challenge Card 1.1

Challenge Cards & Curriculum Guide

The challenge cards can be found in the Learn to Code Curriculum Guide ($80, hard copy), or Coach Success Pack ($50, digital version).  There are other options available too. Visit Make Wonder to see all available choices.

The remainder of our robotics unit has students working through several other challenge cards in order to prepare for our culminating event. Here is a glimpse at the challenge cards that we focus on during our subsequent library visits, although there are dozens more that you can use to extend or enrich your own robotics unit.

                  

Challenge Cards

Curriculum Guide

Culminating Event

Our culminating event is based on the book entitled Balloons Over Broadway by Melissa Sweet.  Since I only meet with my students once in every six day cycle, it is impossible to have our culminating event before Thanksgiving. Instead of rushing through our robotics skills, some flipped learning is required. Students are assigned to read the book or watch the story from KidLit TV on their own or with their classroom teacher. I post the assignment and link in each Google Classroom. If you are an EdPuzzle user, there are already many teacher-created EdPuzzles that you can assign to your students that include comprehension checks. You can then also use this as an assessment (two birds, one stone).

I ask students to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade to gather inspiration. When they return from break, teams will be working to design and create a parade balloon. They will work to transform Dash into their balloon and program him to travel down "Broadway" (aka the hallway). This is a great way to spend the last week before school ends for the Christmas holiday!

Stay tuned for results!