We are having fun this week learning about robots. Here are some things we've done and good resources we've run across in the process:
Today after trying to tie a shoe blindfolded and then with splints and pliers, Matty designed a robot that can tie shoes. He's putting the design in his "Robot" Lapbook. We'll post a pic later. He named it, the "ShooTier"
Our field trip will be on May 9th from 10-2 at the Woodlands Children's Museum. Kids that have been in the robot classes, E.A.R.L.Y., RoboVenture, and LegoMindstorms, will be competing their robots in challenges for all to see. We'll be there checking out what kids are doing with robots.
This link is an online Interactive that teaches about uses and functions of robots. Interactive lets you build different robots to complete various tasks and then shows real life examples of robots doing those exact tasks. (Like searching for gold underwater, or collecting rocks on Mars). This site helped get us really thinking about what robots can do and need to have to be able to work. We used the guidelines (looks, sensing, movement, manipulation, energy, and intelligence) to design the "ShooTier".
This site had fun Ideas for teaching about robotics:
This is a link to Asimo. Asimo is a cool android helper robot, think 3CP0 in a space suit. The site has fun activities (like the shoe tying one) for teaching about beginning robotics and engineering:
http://asimo.honda.com/downloads/pdf/Classroom_Learning_Experiences.pdfFun books we've read:
Robots Slither, by Ryan Ann Hunter, (Bright and rhyming, but also shows real robots- good combo!)
Robot Dog, Monkey See, Monkey Do, Robots Everywhere!, Robots-What They Are, What They Do
What we'd be doing this week if we had access or unlimited funds...
http://mindstorms.lego.com/
Other fun: robot dance to techno music, robot tag, assembly line cookies,
Also this week:
Spelling words- when went said was and get, (wrote in air, wrote two times, spelled with eyes closed, used in sentence/story), and studied long a sound "ai" pattern (in contrast to a_e, and ay)
Math- money/time/basic fraction review
Scriptures-For Little Friends activity from April Friend, and Old Testament Jacob
Reading- He gets a sticker for every book he reads to me and when he fills his chart (100+ books) he gets a prize. He's been reading two or three a day.
Swim Lessons- safety, jellyfish, back float, kick technique