Robotics is a popular and effective way for teachers to cover important areas of their science, technology, engineering and maths curriculum in a fun, engaging and hands-on way.  Students learn to design, program, and control fully functional models that carry out life-like automated tasks.

We follow each build with programming. 

We use is the LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT software, which enables students to program their NXT robots and download programs to the NXT via USB or Bluetooth (wireless) connectivity. The drag and drop software, powered by National Instruments LabVIEW, comes with building instructions and programming guides to easily begin constructing and programming with MINDSTORMS NXT robots.

Interdisciplinary Approach

How will we integrate other courses into our curriculum?  Our students work with:

Engineering: developing solutions, selecting, building, testing and evaluating

Science: investigating energy, forces and speed, power relationships and the effect of friction

Math: measuring, using coordinate systems, conversion and applied maths

Technology: programming and controlling input and output devices, using wireless communication, researching and sharing information via networks

STEM Robotics also offers:

 

ü      Hands-on, minds-on and real world collaborative group work.

o       Measured activities that are hands on and problem based

o       Testing and written reflection for each challenge

 

ü      Use of the design/brainstorming process in collaborative groups to solve challenges.

 

ü      Guidance on how to incorporate science, math, reading and writing in all activities.

o       Students gain understanding of how all content areas come together to assist in the problem solving and design process.

                         Robotics Club

I am also one of the Robotics Club sponsors.  This year, we will participate in two* robotics contests: 

1.  October 2008.  SABEST (Boosting Engineering, Science, and Technology).  See http://www.sabest.org/ for more information.

2.  March 2009.  First Tech Challenge.  See http://usfirst.org/ for more information.

* Possibly more, but we are planning just two for now.