Spring SAVY 2017, Day 2- Robotic Programming

Posted by hallep on Monday, February 6, 2017 in Grade 1, Grade 2, SAVY.

Greetings!

Today was a fun day!  We began learning about coding.  I like to start by talking about how or brain works to give us a LOT of commands to do something as simple as standing up from a sitting position.  We talked about all of the commands that your brain has to give you and went through each part bit by bit.  Then, we compared this to programming.  One of the ways that I like to introduce coding is to play a game called “Programmer Says.”  It is like Simon Says, but it is a good lesson on how important it is to give every command that is needed. For instance, if the programmer says walk to the wall, but doesn’t tell you turn around or go around the table, you can get stuck.  They thought this was really fun, but they all became very aware that small step is important.  We were then ready to start writing code.

To practice writing code for the Spheros, we use a virtual sphero program on Tynker.  The kids have a series of challenges that they use a drag and drop programming system for, and it increases in difficulty each time.  One of the hardest challenges for gifted kids is to work on something that is difficult because they are often not used to not being able to find immediate solutions.  We talked about that today as they began to struggle, but one of the great lessons in this is that the struggle will help them grow.  They will learn to be resilient and persevere when they are appropriately challenged with a rigorous task, and the kids were experiencing that today.  Keep encouraging them and tell them how proud of them you are for working so hard!  They will figure out the solutions next week (Miss Lauren and I are right there helping them in the classroom), and there is no greater feeling of success than overcoming an obstacle that you had to work hard on.

We ended the day with some Sphero time, and they had fun driving the robots and experimenting with changing the colors, reorienting the directions, etc.  They love having the fun time after working so hard! 

Have a great week!

Dr. Mall