Spheros in the Classroom

The Honor Credit Union generously donated a sum of $600 to be used for the purchase of a classroom set of Spheros. A sphero is small, white ball that is a robot. It connects via bluetooth to your smartphone or tablet and is supported by over 30 free apps available in iTunes or the Google Play Store.

Recently John and I took our new toys into Stephanie Lear's 3rd grade classroom at Brown Elementary in St. Joseph. Her class had used the sphero in small groups for a few days to understand how you could drive the robot before we arrived. We introduced the app Orb Basic and the coding language behind sphero. Her students had written some code and begun to learn about the properties of code using the website Purple Mash to celebrate the National Week of Code.

Once the students were organized in small groups and had received their sphero and iPad, John and I shared the first program with them to write. We used the Orb Basic Lesson One found on the Sphero education pages.

The students copied and then executed the first program which made the sphero roll forward at speed 50 (of 255) for two seconds, then roll back at a speed of 50 for two seconds. Now that the students had a greater understanding of the basic code commands we challenged them to adjust the code jump one of the ramps we had brought with us. As a final challenge we set up a small maze that we asked students to code their way through. While no one was able to complete the task it was really powerful to see the kids engaged, working together, and learning. We look forward to bringing this type of learning to your building!

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Getting Started with 3D Printing: Part 1

By now, it is likely that you have seen or heard of the concept of 3D printing. The easiest way to think of it is taking a 3D model off of the computer and turning it into a real life product. 3D printing is an additive manufacturing process so there is very little waste when you make objects.

When you decide to get started yourself, it can be VERY overwhelming trying to figure out which 3D printer to buy and how to even begin. In this series of blog posts, I intend to share some first hand tips on how to make that process easier and help you avoid some mistakes that I have made.

Finding a Printer

Congratulations, you have examined your educational goals and figured out that a 3D printer would be a good fit for you and your students! Expect that you will need to have a budget of approx. $700 to $1000 to get started. That would include the cost of the machine, and a spool of filament.

Here at the RESA we have a RoStock MAX v2 ($1000 for the kit) and a Polar 3D printer ($600.) There…

Google My Maps

You may have noticed that 'Google My Maps' have shown up in your google drive. I was able to attend a session at MACUL's Googlefest this past month and picked up some great tips from Kelly Kermode, a technology coach for Forest Hills Schools.
Below is an overview on how to import data into a Google My Map. Once you have mastered this skill there are numerous practical uses to explore! ______________________________________________________________________________
Here is what the finished map looked like based on the data that I imported. I was alerted that there were several rows unable to be mapped - I went in and checked for grammar and was able to resolve this issue. I could also have chosen to place the pins manually by selecting one from above and placing it where I wanted. _________________________________________________________________________

Google My Maps provide a great tool for building geographic awareness. Students could create a walking tour of thei…

How one C.I. Classroom approached Robotics - and What I Learned from Them

I learned today that the state of Michigan has 411 teams registered for the just launched FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) robotics season. California is in a distant second place with 258 teams. The robots these teams create are designed, built, and tested by students to complete a challenge while competing against other teams. They are impressive to see in person. Maybe too impressive.

I think that teachers often hear the term 'robotics' and believe they do not possess the skills needed to teach students this concept. Some see a shiny finished product and forget the process involved. Some are afraid to learn alongside their students. And some just do not know where to start. Hopefully this post will give you some ideas.

Steve Swenson and Cindy Chaney teach a cognitively impaired classroom in Berrien Springs Middle School. They reached out to Berrien RESA inquiring about materials we had to support robotics. I sat down and talked abo…

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