Jack Abrams STEM Innovation Lab Fun

Fifth graders had fun learning about the world of physical computing through a Lego robotics unit in the Jack Abrams STEM Magnet School Innovation Lab. Physical computing involves students creating interactive systems by combining hardware, including sensors, motors and lights with programming software.

The youngsters investigated three sensors: the yaw (detects angles in degrees), color and distance. When using these sensors students learned about the power of conditionals, events, loops, and operations.

Each sensor the students worked with had a specific real world challenge incorporated into the program, such as:

Yaw Sensor: Students learned how to rotate a robot a specific degree in order to safely navigate a racetrack. This was done through the use of conditionals and operations. After getting their robot down the track they investigated how speed would change the accuracy of their program. Students connected their findings to driving in the real world and how the faster you go, the harder it can be to turn accurately. The same occurred with their programs, allowing for deeper connections.

Color Sensor: Students used color to create events using the rules of the road. When the sensor detects red, the robot will stop. When the sensor detects yellow, the robot will slow down. When the sensor detects green, the robot will speed up. Students also had to incorporate the yaw sensor into this activity to continue to reinforce the new sensors.

Distance Sensor: Students became firefighters and were tasked with collecting a person near a burning building and bringing them to safety without touching the flames! They programmed the distance sensor to detect the burning building (a wooden block) and stop when it was five inches away. They used a claw-like attachment to close down on the person and bring them to the safety.

The STEM students also enjoyed these experiences:

• Robotics License: Students took a driver's test after successfully completing the three sensor challenges. They received a robotics license that they had to show at the innovation lab door in order to enter!

• Culminating Projects: Students became detectives and used code tracing (the process of following the program line by line to determine what it is doing and why) to debug (fix) a program designed to navigate their robot down the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade route. The parade incorporated the three sensors to celebrate and reinforce all the learning done this unit.

• After debugging the program, students decorated balloons and watched their hard work pay off.