how Can WEDO™ transform your classroom?Elementary school classrooms across the world are adopting WEDO Robotics as a STEAM solution. Easily integrated into your current curriculum, there are a variety of lessons spanning the curriculum of grades 2-5 that you can do to tranform your teaching and students learning.
What is WEDO Robotics? Are you writing a grant for WEDO Robotics? Make sure you are a member of our LEGO Education Grant's Listserv. You can register to receive monthly listing of grants that you could possibly apply for. |
Thank you for this wonderful video!
Thank you Beaufort Elementary! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all! |
WeDO™ resources for New Users
Tips for managing your kits
Anytime you have more than a couple of sets in a classroom setting you are going to have to integrate some sort of management system. Here are a few tips and suggestions for a organized well managed program where the students maintain the working order.
Remember good housekeeeping of the materials is a great way to teach young students how to be responsibe, organized leaders!
1. Laminate the top card inside the kit. It will last longer.
2. Take inventory.
a. Print one set of the WEDO Set Inventory Sheets below for each kit.
You may want to laminate these.
b. Have students place the bricks on top of the picture of the brick on the printed pages. This will allow you to do an easy and quick visual inventory. If something is missing students can circle the item on the sheet
3. Label your boxes with a unique number. Use a sharpie marker to label all of the following items associated with the kit with the matching number
b. Label all four sides of the box
c. Label the top of the box
d. Label the top card inside the box
e. Label the inside tray
f. Label the motor
g. Label the sensors
h. Label the USB cord
i. Label your laminated inventory sheets
4. Remove the following items from the kits. These are the items that are most expensive and have a tendency to grow legs and walk away. Keep them in a separate box and pull them out when needed.
a. Rubber bands
b. String with studs on the ends (These cost 5.00 each!)
c. Minifigures (people)
5. Always assign students to groups that use the same number kit. If they know what kit number is theirs they will be more likely to take care of it. They should retrieve and put away their kits at the begining and end of each class.
6. Come up with an attention grabber that will get the students directed toward you. It could be a clapping pattern, hands in the lap, etc. The idea is to get their eyes, ears, and hands on what you are saying.
7. Teach the students that when they drop a part on the floor, you say “LEGO Down”. All the students will stop what they are doing and look down for the part. When it is found the student says “LEGO Found” and the students may resume their work. Parts should not be on the ground if they follow this simple rule.
8. Just in case, keep a box at the front of the room for misplaced pieces found on the floor. If a student finds a piece on the floor it may or may not belong to them. So it should go in a “LOST PARTS” box at the front of the room. That way when the team that is missing the piece realizes they are missing it they know where to go to find it. If a team puts the part from the floor into their kit, you may never know who has that "extra" piece without doing inventory on all the sets.
9. If the student thinks a piece is missing, I will ask my partner to double check inside our kit before asking the teacher for access to the “LOST PARTS” box.
10. Always clean up before you share or reflect at the end of class. Assign one student to verify the cleanup.
11. You will need to have clear building “engineering time” and “programming time”. When you are engineering your kit can be open, when you are done building your prompt to let the teacher know is that your kit has the top on it and it is under your seat or on the shelf, somewhere out of the way.
13. Always assign one picker and one builder when building. The picker must also double check to make sure the builder is correct. They can switch jobs in between.
Remember, these are special LEGO Bricks, they are tools for learning and must stay in the toolbox at school.
If you ask that the students take care of these sets, if you are consistent with your expectations and manage your time, they will last a very long time.
Got a recommendation or Best Practice to add? Email me and I will pass it along!
Remember good housekeeeping of the materials is a great way to teach young students how to be responsibe, organized leaders!
1. Laminate the top card inside the kit. It will last longer.
2. Take inventory.
a. Print one set of the WEDO Set Inventory Sheets below for each kit.
You may want to laminate these.
b. Have students place the bricks on top of the picture of the brick on the printed pages. This will allow you to do an easy and quick visual inventory. If something is missing students can circle the item on the sheet
3. Label your boxes with a unique number. Use a sharpie marker to label all of the following items associated with the kit with the matching number
b. Label all four sides of the box
c. Label the top of the box
d. Label the top card inside the box
e. Label the inside tray
f. Label the motor
g. Label the sensors
h. Label the USB cord
i. Label your laminated inventory sheets
4. Remove the following items from the kits. These are the items that are most expensive and have a tendency to grow legs and walk away. Keep them in a separate box and pull them out when needed.
a. Rubber bands
b. String with studs on the ends (These cost 5.00 each!)
c. Minifigures (people)
5. Always assign students to groups that use the same number kit. If they know what kit number is theirs they will be more likely to take care of it. They should retrieve and put away their kits at the begining and end of each class.
6. Come up with an attention grabber that will get the students directed toward you. It could be a clapping pattern, hands in the lap, etc. The idea is to get their eyes, ears, and hands on what you are saying.
7. Teach the students that when they drop a part on the floor, you say “LEGO Down”. All the students will stop what they are doing and look down for the part. When it is found the student says “LEGO Found” and the students may resume their work. Parts should not be on the ground if they follow this simple rule.
8. Just in case, keep a box at the front of the room for misplaced pieces found on the floor. If a student finds a piece on the floor it may or may not belong to them. So it should go in a “LOST PARTS” box at the front of the room. That way when the team that is missing the piece realizes they are missing it they know where to go to find it. If a team puts the part from the floor into their kit, you may never know who has that "extra" piece without doing inventory on all the sets.
9. If the student thinks a piece is missing, I will ask my partner to double check inside our kit before asking the teacher for access to the “LOST PARTS” box.
10. Always clean up before you share or reflect at the end of class. Assign one student to verify the cleanup.
11. You will need to have clear building “engineering time” and “programming time”. When you are engineering your kit can be open, when you are done building your prompt to let the teacher know is that your kit has the top on it and it is under your seat or on the shelf, somewhere out of the way.
13. Always assign one picker and one builder when building. The picker must also double check to make sure the builder is correct. They can switch jobs in between.
Remember, these are special LEGO Bricks, they are tools for learning and must stay in the toolbox at school.
If you ask that the students take care of these sets, if you are consistent with your expectations and manage your time, they will last a very long time.
Got a recommendation or Best Practice to add? Email me and I will pass it along!
WEDO Model Inventory Sheets
|
WEDO Set Inventory Sheets
|
Resources on the Web
These are a few of my favorite WEDO™ related WEBsites
1. WeDo training videos are available online for free for teachers:
http://aux.legoeducation.us/WeDoMastery/
2. WEDO Bots: The unofficial website for WEDO Robot Designs
http://www.wedobots.com/
3. Dr. E’s WeDo Challenges: Tufts University released four LEGO Education WeDo challenges, tasking classrooms around the world to create, innovate, and share their unique solutions with one another.
https://wedo.dreschallenges.com/
4. Ms. G's Technology Workshop: she has some great open ended design challenges on this page. http://ems.elginisd.net/quick_links/teacher_web_sites/ms_Gs_workshop
If that link doesn't work try this one: http://www.curriki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Coll_MsG/LEGORobotics
If tghis
http://aux.legoeducation.us/WeDoMastery/
2. WEDO Bots: The unofficial website for WEDO Robot Designs
http://www.wedobots.com/
3. Dr. E’s WeDo Challenges: Tufts University released four LEGO Education WeDo challenges, tasking classrooms around the world to create, innovate, and share their unique solutions with one another.
https://wedo.dreschallenges.com/
4. Ms. G's Technology Workshop: she has some great open ended design challenges on this page. http://ems.elginisd.net/quick_links/teacher_web_sites/ms_Gs_workshop
If that link doesn't work try this one: http://www.curriki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Coll_MsG/LEGORobotics
If tghis
SCRATCH Users
You can use Scratch to interact with the LEGO® Education WeDo™ robotics kit. The following webpage provides an introduction and ideas for using Scratch 1.4 with the LEGO® WeDo™. Scratch is a free software for download from MIT Media Lab.
http://info.scratch.mit.edu/WeDo
WeDO resources from the Scratch Development team
http://scratched.media.mit.edu/resources/wedo-and-scratch
You tube “HOW TO” Video series
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OO2HzSNRU-A&feature=related
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuMxc6zieSw&feature=related
Part 3: Hopefully coming soon!
Karen Brennan’s page has lots of great getting started activities for WEDO with Scratch.
http://scratched.media.mit.edu/resources/wedo-project-ideas
The Learning Technologies Center supports learning through creative and meaningful applications of digital technologies. Classes and workshops allow learners to be creative designers. You can view their projects with WeDo and Scratch here….
http://www.smm.org/ltc/wedo
Thomas Cooper – Comp Sci teacher at The Walker School in Marietta Georgia. You can find his resources for WEDO with Scratch on his website here. https://sites.google.com/site/cooperscomputersciencecourse/cs-documents
http://info.scratch.mit.edu/WeDo
WeDO resources from the Scratch Development team
http://scratched.media.mit.edu/resources/wedo-and-scratch
You tube “HOW TO” Video series
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OO2HzSNRU-A&feature=related
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuMxc6zieSw&feature=related
Part 3: Hopefully coming soon!
Karen Brennan’s page has lots of great getting started activities for WEDO with Scratch.
http://scratched.media.mit.edu/resources/wedo-project-ideas
The Learning Technologies Center supports learning through creative and meaningful applications of digital technologies. Classes and workshops allow learners to be creative designers. You can view their projects with WeDo and Scratch here….
http://www.smm.org/ltc/wedo
Thomas Cooper – Comp Sci teacher at The Walker School in Marietta Georgia. You can find his resources for WEDO with Scratch on his website here. https://sites.google.com/site/cooperscomputersciencecourse/cs-documents
Get Outside of the BOx!!!
Here are some Other ideas that you can incorporate
Integrate Literacy - read these books and design robotic solutions!
1. Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
Seeing a museum statue above the tall crowds
2. Shiloh
Building a pen to keep a dog safe
3. Hatchet
Making a shelter that will stay warm at night
4. City of Ember
Catching the mayor stealing food
5. Mouse and the Motorcycle
Helping the mouse escape from the garbage pail
6. Walter the Farting Dog
Design a device Walter can use to alert the sleeping family of a home emergency
From Windmills to Whirligigs
Meet Vollis Simpson and see how his windmill-powered whirligigs connect science with art using the power of wind. Then try making your own whirligig or other WEDO contraption!
http://www.smm.org/sln/vollis/
Robotics Design Studio
Wellesley College's Robotic Design Studio introduces liberal arts students to the essence of engineering.
http://cs.wellesley.edu/~rds/
Build it Yourself
http://www.build-it-yourself.com/
Midevil Times
On a recent visit to AB Combs Elementary in Raleigh NC I witnessed students working on a project to go with their history unit on midevil times. Students had to desing a bridge to go over a mote that would keep invaders out but allow community members in. They had design specifications that they had to meet as far as size of the mote etc.
Tell me about your outside of the box project!
1. Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
Seeing a museum statue above the tall crowds
2. Shiloh
Building a pen to keep a dog safe
3. Hatchet
Making a shelter that will stay warm at night
4. City of Ember
Catching the mayor stealing food
5. Mouse and the Motorcycle
Helping the mouse escape from the garbage pail
6. Walter the Farting Dog
Design a device Walter can use to alert the sleeping family of a home emergency
From Windmills to Whirligigs
Meet Vollis Simpson and see how his windmill-powered whirligigs connect science with art using the power of wind. Then try making your own whirligig or other WEDO contraption!
http://www.smm.org/sln/vollis/
Robotics Design Studio
Wellesley College's Robotic Design Studio introduces liberal arts students to the essence of engineering.
http://cs.wellesley.edu/~rds/
Build it Yourself
http://www.build-it-yourself.com/
Midevil Times
On a recent visit to AB Combs Elementary in Raleigh NC I witnessed students working on a project to go with their history unit on midevil times. Students had to desing a bridge to go over a mote that would keep invaders out but allow community members in. They had design specifications that they had to meet as far as size of the mote etc.
Tell me about your outside of the box project!