I really like discovering inventive methods to include STEAM into Bodily Training. STEAM stands for Science, Expertise, Engineering, Arts, and Math. I used to be at my daughter’s Open Home for her enrichment class in Bayport the place she was exhibiting me how her class was utilizing Ozobots to follow coding. I used to be instantly intrigued by these little coding robots. I instantly observed how the scholars’ faces lit up with pleasure as they defined to their mother and father all of the capabilities you would carry out with them. Instantly I assumed: what if we mix health actions with coding? What a good way to narrate to the coed’s pursuits and get them enthusiastic about health!
In case you are not conversant in Ozobots, they’re little robots with sensors that mean you can program the behaviors you need the Ozobots to carry out. Ozobots transfer by detecting the colour of the road beneath it. They observe the traces utilizing a back-and-forth movement. The Ozobots additionally detect a mixture of colours that are programmed for extra advanced instructions comparable to “flip round,” “turbo velocity,” “backward stroll,” and many others. Examine right here for more information on Ozobots.
My inventive juices had been flowing! These coding robots are such highly effective instruments to have interaction college students in hands-on studying. I knew I needed to get my palms on some Ozobots instantly. I went to high school the subsequent day and reached out to my co-workers to see if anybody had something they’d permit me to borrow. My librarian and one of many Kindergartner lecturers emailed me again instantly. I immediately had twelve that simply wanted to be charged they usually had been able to go.
One of many models I educate in kindergarten via 2nd grade is Pathways and Ranges in PE. I educate pathways immediately after my locomotor unit. Locomotor expertise are expertise that transfer your physique from one place to a different comparable to skipping, galloping, leaping, hopping, slide stepping, leaping, strolling, jogging, operating, rolling, crab strolling and bear crawling. As soon as the scholars are conversant in these locomotor expertise, I can have them follow them whereas studying concerning the 3 completely different pathways (straight, zigzag, and curved), transferring at completely different ranges (low, medium, excessive), and transferring at completely different speeds ( quick, medium, sluggish). The Ozobots could be a fantastic supplemental materials to reinforce my college students’ studying pathways, speeds, and ranges attributable to the truth that the scholars can program.
Ranges #1
I began by educating the scholars methods to first learn a map whereas they grew to become conversant in the three pathways they might transfer in. First, I used Michael Beringer (PE-4-kids) Pathway Problem . I printed out a map for every youngster and I had them observe the completely different pathways on the map utilizing a particular locomotor talent. Each minute I might name out “Change.” Right now, college students would change their maps with a good friend and I might change their locomotor expertise. This exercise helped the scholars grow to be conversant in zig-zag, straight, and curved pathways and helped me assess who nonetheless wanted to work on explicit locomotor actions.
Ranges #2
In Stage #2, I launched coding and the engineering design course of. Coding is the method of making steps/directions that computer systems can interpret and carry out. The engineering design course of is a collection of steps (7 steps) that engineers use to discover a resolution to an issue. I really like having college students use this course of as a result of it lends itself to a progress mindset and encourages college students to see failure as a step towards studying.
At this stage, pupil A was the programmer and pupil B was the pc who adopted the coded pathway. I gave every pupil a clean piece of paper they usually needed to create and code their very own Pathway map. The stipulations had been that every one 3 pathways needed to be represented, use at the least 3 locomotor expertise, and specify how lengthy they’d be performing every locomotor talent (ie, 5 steps, 5 seconds). (See image under). We used the engineering design course of to create our maps. My college students realized that first, now we have to outline the duty (create a map utilizing all 3 pathways, a minimal of three locomotor expertise, and the size of every talent), generate concepts for our map design, plan it out, create it on paper, take a look at the map design utilizing a peer, make wanted enhancements, retest with a peer, and share outcomes.
As soon as the scholars completed with the preliminary design, they’d change maps with a good friend and take a look at out one another’s designs. College students would then mirror on their map. Did their friends discover it straightforward to observe? Do any adjustments must be made? College students would then make the wanted design adjustments and have a pupil strive their course once more. After, they’d collect suggestions and make any extra adjustments.
Stage #3: Construct the Mario Impediment Course
In Stage #3 we dove deeper into the engineering design course of as a result of the scholars needed to design an impediment course primarily based on their interpretation of a Mario motion map I created. The scholars had been instructed that they needed to recreate the map utilizing any of the tools within the fitness center and transfer via it identical to Mario.
For instance, originally of the map the place you see Mario leaping in a zig-zag 6 occasions from tunnel to tunnel, the scholars may even have to leap in a zig-zag sample 6 occasions. Now, since we do not have tunnels within the fitness center, the scholars might use any of the tools within the class to interpret the Mario map. Among the tools I positioned out had been poly-spots, cardio steps, cones, trampolines, steadiness beams, stepping stones, hula-hoops, and many others. The scholars had been instructed to be inventive when deciphering their maps. For instance, on the map, Mario begins by leaping zig-zag throughout the tunnel 6 occasions. A few of my teams used hula-hoops as tunnels, different teams used cardio steps to zig-zag bounce throughout and others used trampolines. After they constructed their interpretation of the map, they obtained to check it and make any adjustments they wanted to. Then they tried out the opposite group’s Mario map interpretation. The scholars liked it!
Stage 4
Within the fourth stage, robotics was launched. First, I demonstrated methods to activate and off the Ozobots and methods to code the trail with markers and paper. The scholars needed to design a pathway map, on paper from scratch, for the Ozobot to interpret and observe. Once more, the trail needed to comprise the three completely different pathways, at the least 3 completely different locomotor expertise, and three completely different ranges. As soon as the trail was created, that they had the Ozobot observe the coded path. As soon as the Ozobot was profitable, on to half 2!
The scholars now needed to engineer an impediment course just like the one they coded for his or her Ozobot. They had been free to make use of any of the tools within the fitness center. As soon as the impediment course was created, they’d race their Ozobot via the course, (The Ozobot raced the trail on the paper and the scholars raced the Ozobot via the impediment course whereas performing the coded locomotor expertise). The scholars had been so excited on the alternative to race a robotic! Plenty of my college students expressed that it was their favourite PE day ever!
I discover video games like this problem our college students to assume critically, discover completely different design concepts, acquire information, permit alternatives to mirror on execs and cons, and have time to revamp to have a larger lasting influence on studying. College students study that failures and errors are crucial steps to studying. It additionally permits us a educating alternative to debate coping methods our college students can use in occasions of frustration thereby bettering their resilience. These are classes that may stick with them ceaselessly.
