Can you program a robot to put out a fire? This is the question that is driving STEAMwhiz’s Winter Semester. Yes, this is an exciting & fun challenge but the main goal of this challenge is to develop creative problem-solvers by exploring the world through an analytical & critical thinking lens.
How is this accomplished?
Using “The Art of Problem-Solving” SW students are breaking down this large, complex problem into manageable, bite-size pieces. Through this process, students have been introduced to programming using Scratch– a coding language with a simple, block-style visual interface that allows anyone to create games, animation, digital stories with their own, unique instructions. SW students will gain important strategies for designing projects, solving problems, and communicating ideas, not a prescribed “recipe” to follow. Through their Scratch coding practices & challenges, they will learn how to apply these strategies to their own, ultimate, coded STEAMwhiz Fire Robotic Arm.
Keep Thinking & Doing @ Home
Keep that “thinking & doing” spark alive at home. Sign-up for a free Scratch account @ https://scratch.mit.edu/. Click the “create” button and make that cat do something. Try adding new sprites or backgrounds. What happens when you create a variable for your game? Feeling stuck? Click on the “Tutorials” tab and learn how to Animate a Character or Code a Cartoon. Remember to have fun! Mistakes will happen, errors are inevitable, but it’s how you respond to those challenges that matter. Fail forward into success!
Got a little ‘thinker & doer’ @ home? Download the Scratch Jr. app from Google Play or the Apple App Store. This is a great option for pre-readers ages 5-7 years old.
