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In a recent Science class unit, 4th grade students at Lancaster Mennonite School (LM) have been learning about electricity. They have also explored coding and robotics in their MakerSpace class to combine learning from their science class unit. The MakerSpace curriculum integrates STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics in an interdisciplinary and applied approach (learn more here: https://www.lancastermennonite.org/steam-overview/). Students have the opportunity each week to work through the design process as they collaborate, innovate, create, build, prototype, and work to solve real world problems.
Using what they had learned about electronics, coding, and robotics in their science and MakerSpace classes, groups of four students created, tested, and redesigned an interactive toy that could complete at least one action or task. After completing the project, they shared their work with other groups and demonstrated how their toys worked.
One group was discussing how to make their robot “run around the bases” of their baseball field. They worked together to use math to determine how to write their program. Members of the group knew that programming the robot to turn a unit of one made it turn a full circle. They also knew that a circle is 360 degrees, so they did the math to figure out that a quarter turn would result in a 90 degree turn.
STEAM and Fine Arts are two of Lancaster Mennonite’s established Curriculum Priorities, and we are proud to combine excellent math and science instruction with a flourishing arts program where students learn important skills to prepare them for the future.
Lesson plans from LittleBits and EdBot.
