Bodacious Brainstorm 1: STEM Hands on Learning in Remote, Hybrid, F2F Classrooms

aarmau@gmail.comJuly 28, 2020Uncategorized

This was an hour long conversation where myself and several other amazing educators from the US LEGO Master Educators group came together to brainstorm ideas, share thoughts, and basically just see where the convo would lead us.

The beauty of this chat is that many ideas were shared, new thougths generated, and excitement for more sessions in the future. Below are topics shared in case you want to get right to the part of interest.

Leave a comment with any new ideas, thoughts, or questions you have to further build the conversation.

AND AND AND…..

If you want to join the next live call and provide insight to what we discuss and explore there are two forms at the end of this post for you to fill out!

Don’t miss out on the fun!

 

00:00 – 12:00 – Participant Introduction

 

  • Aaron Maurer – STEM Lead for Mississippi Bend in Bettendorf, Iowa
  • Bruce Nelson – Robot Design Teacher in Indianapolis, Indiana for grades 1-6
  • Dan Thomas – 7th Grade Technology Teacher in New York
  • Michele Rogers – STEM/Science educator in New Jersey for grades 3-5
  • Aly Hethcoat – Elementary Virtual teacher in Kansas

Agenda 

Here is a Google doc version of the notes below if you prefer that!

All times are hyperlinked in the video if you want to go to a specific spot. Check the shownotes in YouTube for time stamps.

12:00 – How do we move our F2F instruction/learning to online/hybrid?

14:00 – How do we balance half of the students in class while other half is at home

  • Use recyclable materials while at home – cardboard gears, spaghetti tower, robotic arms, while using robots while in class to make gears, mechanisms, etc.
  • Use code.org while at home and more hands on/discussion in the classroom
  • Makecode – amazing online(free platform) to teach coding and online simulators
  • https://microbit.org/ – contains lessons and projects, be sure to explore Micro:bit Classroom to lead online teaching for coding
  • Scratch programming can be used from home
    • teach coding online and when in person build the hardware to go with the projects if you have 
  • Student could explore digital safety lessons like Interland
  • Not mentioned in video, but Google Applied Digital Skills course/lessons is another place for lessons on digital/online skills/safety

20:00 – What if your school has someone else teaching computer science?

  • Digital notebooks
  • Rapid prototyping
  • Understand how to explain ideas to someone else and understanding design process
  • Comic book creation

22:30 – Shark Tank Project to blend rapid prototyping, speaking, building, skills, and combination of subject areas such as business, literacy, etc.

24:00 – Three project ideas using LEGO bricks from home

26:40 – Develop ideas where the materials become irrelevant

27:00 – Educators model being lifelong learners by sharing, recording, and presenting our own learning process, build process, code build, etc.

28:45 – POWER IDEA – Helping students see the world differently. Change our perspective

  • “What if I don’t have a cardboard box?”

30:00 – Two more projects

  • Seismograph project
  • Create an instrument

32:00 – Nerd Tip – Black ink on Amazon box is conductive

33:00 – Use laundry to create a picture

34:15 – How to clean LEGO?

38:00 – How much screen time is too much screen time and issues with screen time?

40:00 – How do we weave in our work when the core content classes are the focus?

52:00 – Online Minecraft Educator Meeting in Minecraft

  • Reach out to Aaron if interested

 

General Resources/Ideas

  • Tinkercad 

 

Next Steps

 

 

 

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