Metro Reflection

👾We Do 2.0👾 

Activity:

Students will create their own objects and situations to use the mechanical hand model with. They will work through their problems using the provided program. As a facilitator, I will support students in decision-making and will offer solutions when frustration arises. I will also help students navigate algorithms that will be made using the We Do 2.0 program. 

1. Read the opening prompt for students 

The human hand can perform several different movements. When combined, these movements present a whole range of possible motions and actions. These important movements are finger flexion and extension (closing and opening), thumb flexion and extension (closing and opening), thumb rotation, and wrist flexion, extension, and rotation.

2. Show the video listed on the Lego Education website  and ask questions 

What are some of the different movements that you can do with?

What is the role of the muscles in your hand?

What are some machines that help move objects in real life?

3. Tell students they are going to first build the pieces they will be picking up with the mechanical hand using Legos.

4. Explain to students the vocabulary: 

Flexion - closing 

Extension - opening 

Thumb Flexion and extension - Ex: pinching

wrist flexion, extension, and rotation: moving the wrist around

5. Tell students that they will be using the mechanical hand to pick up and place the objects they've created. 

6. Open the we do 2.0 application 

7. Hand printouts of programming block descriptions to the students. 

Go through each coding action within the program and show students how they can set the duration for each interaction. 

8. Show students an example of how to use the program 

9. Let students build code so that the hand is working 

( Having a working code as an example for frustrated students ) 

10. Let students practice grabbing and placing objects with the mechanical hand.

11. Conclusion: Ask students about their process 

- What was challenging 

- What problems did they run into 

- What was the solution 

- Is the program user-friendly 

- What could be changed to make the program easier to use 

- Would you like to use this activity for future lessons?

💭Reflection💭

Standards:

5.1.a - Set professional learning goals to explore and apply teaching strategies for integrating CT practices into learning activities in ways that enhance student learning of both the academic discipline and CS concepts.

In order to make this activity successful. My partner and I had to learn about coding, robotics, and how to fly drones. Not only did we have learning goals for the students at Metro, but we also had learning goals and obligations for ourselves. When looking at the code behind the movements of the robotics at Metro, students got to see our CT skills by connecting the sequence of code to the movements of the hand.

5.1.d - Develop resilience and perseverance when approaching CS and CT learning experiences, build comfort with ambiguity and open-ended problems, and see failure as an opportunity to learn and innovate.

During our activity, Raeleen and I experienced some technical difficulties with the robotic hand. Thankfully, we had videos of it working on our blog. I also have a real-life example of what robotics is capable of. I have a friend who has a robotic arm. The sensors on the arm track the flexion of his upper arm; depending on how he flexes, the hand will imitate finger movements and allow him to adjust how push pressure he applies on an object. We also allowed the kids to look at other tables so that they could see all the different creations made with robotics and code. Although we had some issues, we used our own CT skills to think on our feet and persevere through the event.

Other WeDo 2.0 groups we visited

5.1.e - Recognize how computing and society interact to create opportunities, inequities, responsibilities, and threats for individuals and organizations.

Using my real-life example video really helped to explain how robotics is already in our society. It also helped me to explain that science is more than just observing and measuring. CS helps us in our everyday lives. When I asked my students whether they liked science or not, both of them said no, but after working with drones and robotics and explaining that these activities are considered science, too. They were energetic. Hopefully, that changed their perspective on science just a little bit.

5.2.b - Construct and implement culturally relevant learning activities that address a diverse range of ethical, social, and cultural perspectives on computing and highlight computing achievements from diverse role models and teams.

With technology growing at faster rates than before, this activity is definitely culturally relevant. I think it's important for students to see the many uses of technology in general since they will be growing up around a constantly growing society that implements technology every day.

💫Drone Blocks💫

Activity:

Students will participate in a drone flying activity and will learn about the program used to make it work. Students will have opportunities to learn about coding vocabulary and will have a chance to refactor our premade code.

1. Sign into Tello and drone blocks and connect the drone to the applications.

2. Find an area for the drone.

3. Establish a flying area and boundaries for the students.

4. Fly our premade demonstration code and discuss the flying motions of code using printouts of code blocks.

5. Allow students to add to existing code.

6. Conclusion - show what drones can do using the video Raeleen took.

7. Have a discussion about what they have enjoyed about the activity, and ask if they have seen drones in action somewhere else.

                                                       💭Reflection💭

Standards:

5.1.c - Leverage CT and CS experts, resources, and professional learning networks to continuously improve practice integrating CT across content areas.

For this Activity, Raeleen and I had to learn how to make code for our drones. Using a Drone blocks simulator helped us get a feel for what we should do prior to visiting Metro.

5.2.b Construct and implement culturally relevant learning activities that address a diverse range of ethical, social, and cultural perspectives on computing and highlight computing achievements from diverse role models and teams.

Drones are surprisingly useful and can be seen during sports games, in our military, in documentaries, filmmaking, vlogging, picture taking, etc. Drones allow us to see from places that we can not get to. This activity is culturally relevant, and Raeleen brought her own video so that students can see drones being used for everyday events that they enjoy, like football.

5.4.d - Create CS and CT learning environments that value and encourage varied viewpoints, student agency, creativity, engagement, joy, and fun.

All the students had fun at this event. Our group loved the drones; they were amazed at how a simple line of code caused the drone to zoom, flip, and fly around. While showing the video of the Longhorns game. They were amazed at how many drones were present and that they could make a longhorn symbol in the sky only using code like the one we presented, and they got to experience a side of science that they may have been unaware of.

5.4.cGuide students on the importance of diverse perspectives and human-centered design in developing computational artifacts with broad accessibility and usability.

Although my group said they did not enjoy science, they got to see firsthand what science entails. Computer science was a perspective of science they were unaware of. Students got to design and create their own code, and they were excited to do so after we molded our code in active flight. Directions were provided and explained so that students could build their desired code. Showing them that something so complex can be made interesting and simple once they are knowledgeable about the basics is how many grow to love all the different perspectives of science.

💬Overall thoughts 💬

This was a great activity not only to introduce CS and CT skills but It was also a great way to practice teaching culturally relevant material. Technology is something we must educate our students about, and this was a great way to foster understanding and background knowledge for young students. Although we had some issues with the drones, we managed to keep the integrity of the activity by looking at what other groups made for the activity. 

One thing that I liked about the activity was the number of kids in one group. Raeleen and I only had two students, and for this activity, I felt it was the perfect amount so that we could ask questions and explain thoroughly. I do think having a slightly larger group for the I-hero assignment would be good, too. 

One obstacle we faced was with the WeDo 2.0 activity. The sensors on our robotic hand did not want to work during our activity at Metro. I'm not sure if it was the sunlight or the sensors, but I could not get out, grabbing hand robotic to move. Thankfully, we were quick thinkers and went to other groups to further model what robotics can do.

As a facilitator, it was nice to have moments where the students explored the activity. It was a nice way to practice allowing the students to participate in inquiry, and I got to support them by answering any questions or thoughts they had. The only thing that threw me off was the change in vocabulary that I needed to have while working with 4th and 5th grade, but I quickly caught on and used it as a learning opportunity. When flying the drones, I would use words like elevation and follow behind it with a simple term like height.

This was a really fun experience, and I can't wait to visit Metro again at the end of the term.