Who is doing what with robotics?

[Tim Cooper]

This is a pretty quiet group so I figured I will drum up some chat. What are people doing?

here is the story at Friends Seminary:
Lower School - the ls tech teacher incorporates lego mechanized machine in the earlier years then moves up to and intro to NXT programming in 4/5th - Kids participate in RoboExpo
Middle school - an robotics programming course using NXT - Kids participate in First Lego League
High School - afterschool robotics club using RobotC and Tetrix - Kids participate in First Tech Challenge. Programing class messes with Arduinos/Processing. Electronics class uses Arduinos extensively to hack together cool stuff.

[Erik Nauman]

Here at The Hewitt School, a girls' school in NYC, we start in the middle school with an after school class of 4-6th graders, typically about 5 students. Lately I have them using NXT robots with the NXT-G software. They participate in the local independent school event in the spring, RoboExpo. The curriculum is informal and loose. I let them explore projects on web sites and find their way through the programming and building. In the late winter we focus on the RoboExpo challenges, usually line follower and other sensor enabled

All 9th grade students take an intro to robotics class using Super Crickets and Cricket Logo. We introduce them to everything from program structure to variables and loops and they make vehicles, great LED projects, and integrate some sensors.

New this coming year is an advanced robotics elective for 10-12th grade students. We haven't chosen a platform yet, but it could be the RobotC and Tetrix combo Tim is using. Tim, I have to get over there and see what you do! I hope it's not all taken apart by now. I'm thinking these students could participate in RoboCup Junior next year.
Erik

[Melissa Wert]

Hi Erik,

I teach at a 5-12 girls' school in Nashville, TN. We introduce NXT robots and Lego Mindstorms software in 7th grade science. You say that your curriculum is informal and loose - do you have any specifics you can share, in terms of examples of programs they write; robots they build; final projects? I would love to hear what you are willing to share.

Thanks,

Melissa

[Erik Nauman]

For the afterschool class with 4-6th graders I keep it loose mainly because they loose interest and drop out of the class if it's too academic or demanding. In the beginning I have them follow tutorials on this site so they can quickly build and run some fun projects. Then I make them invent on their own once they know the basics. I have to guide them a bit on this site because some projects are really hard to build.

If you're using robots in science I think programming robots to gather probe data is a great application. A couple years ago my 7th grade programmed temperature probes with the RCX using MicroWorlds EX Robotics. Together we wrote a program that took a temperature reading each second, then in MicroWorlds converted the reading to F and printed the values to a text box, then exported the values to Excel when the readings are done. If you want a copy of that program I can send it or post it somehow.

[Melissa Wert]

Hi Tim,

You probably saw my recent posting on Erik's comments - I would like to hear more specifics about what your Middle Schoolers do in terms of types of programs they write; robots they build; etc. Do you have a formal curriculum? Thanks for any info you are willing to share.

Melissa

[Laurie Bartels]

Hi Tim
At Rye Country Day (co-ed k-12) our 6th graders take a one semester required Robotics course, and our 7th and 8th graders may sign up for a Robotics elective. Our MS electives run for a full year, with classes meeting twice a cycle (we have a 6-day rotation). We have various versions of this elective: Robotics and SketchUp, Robotics and Digital Video, and SketchUp and Digital Video, with the goal being to attract a varied group of students.

All of the courses are taught by our MS computer teacher, and at the moment (am writing from home) I do not recall the program he uses, though I think it is Lego Mindstorms.
~Laurie