Working With Robotics

I have spent some time working with the children creating robots using Lego WeDo. This product comes with software that shows a story about a model starring two Lego children, Max and Mia, and then instructions, displayed on screen, to create the model. When the model is completed the software shows the components needed to create movement for the model. The motors for the model are attached to a computer via a usb cable and sounds can be added to the movements.

The children chose to create a two part project, a pair of goal kicking legs and the goal with keeper to stop the ball. This project took place over two days, a Wednesday and Friday. A largish (6-8 at a time) group of children worked together, taking turns, to complete each of the robot models. The majority of the children participating were involved on both days. At the end of building the goal keeper we then really enjoyed setting up the two models (using two laptops) and using them together. Many of the children came to enthuse and join this part of the activity and helped the modelers to celebrate their achievement.

I observed a lot of conceptual language being used during the robot making process –

beside, under, match to, longer, shorter, middle, end etc. The children were matching – one to one, using discriminatory skills and comparison. We were comparing sizes – small, medium, large. Counting the number of ‘bumps’ on the Lego bricks and matching the shape of the bricks on the contents card. The children had two different visual cues to follow using a card showing all the pieces in the set and the picture on the laptop screen. Some of the children found looking at the pieces they needed on the screen easy to follow and others found me pointing to the pieces on the card an easier visual cue. Some of the children reversed what they saw on the screen as they put pieces together and found it hard to see the difference.

I found as the teacher that I was using a lot of rich language and did not need to be directional – I offered prompts, but the children were exploring for themselves. They were engaged and excited by what they were doing. The children watching were also helping and making suggestions, so everyone was feeling included. One child, because of his physical disability needed assistance to push the pieces together – all the other children did it easily.

There was a definite blend of literacy and mathematical skills used in the process. I had initially thought that it was a mathematical skill developing process, but observed the use of much literacy and this excited me.