Lego

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Lego Boost – A hands on approach to coding in the classroom!


Subject: Digital Technologies

Strand
: Design and Technology

Sub-strand: Design and technologies process and production skills

Bands: 3 to 7

 

 

Boost is Lego’s latest introduction of Lego robotics to 2017. Boost is a step up from Lego’s Mindstorms and WeDo 2.0 robotics kits, introducing movement to Lego. Boost gives students the opportunity to engage in the active learning process, whereby students construct their own learning. Boost is not only fun, but it’s also educational. Using the software available on the Lego Boost website, teachers can tailor learning experiences which are relevant, hands on and fun, while learning the fundamentals of coding and computational thinking.

 How?

Boost has over 60 different coding activities available. Teachers can select the activity they would like to incorporate into their learning experience from the Boost App, available for most Android and Apple devices. Coding with Lego is easy, students demonstrate their problem solving skills and ability to think critically by programming their Lego Boost creation to suit the learning task. Boost Lego has special bricks including a motor and sensors, which gauge surrounding colours and distance from objects in its path.

 

LEGO Boost isn’t available until August 2017, however children and adults are bursting to try this new technology!

Content Descriptors

Year 3 to Year 4

  • Generate, develop, and communicate design ideas and decisions using appropriate technical terms and graphical representation techniques (ACTDEP015)
  • Select and use materials, components, tools, equipment and techniques and use safe work practices to make designed solutions (ACTDEP016)
  • Plan a sequence of production steps when making designed solutions individually and collaboratively (ACTDEP018)

Year 5 to Year 6

  • Generate, develop and communicate design ideas and processes for audiences using appropriate technical terms and graphical representation techniques (ACTDEP025)
  • Select appropriate materials, components, tools, equipment and techniques and apply safe procedures to make designed solutions (ACTDEP026)
  • Develop project plans that include consideration of resources when making designed solutions individually and collaboratively (ACTDEP028)

Year 7 to Year 8

  • Critique needs or opportunities for designing and investigate, analyse and select from a range of materials, components, tools, equipment and processes to develop design ideas (ACTDEP035)
  • Select and justify choices of materials, components, tools, equipment and techniques to effectively and safely make designed solutions (ACTDEP037)
  • Use project management processes when working individually and collaboratively to coordinate production of designed solutions (ACTDEP039

General capabilities 

  • Literacy
  • Numeracy
  • Science
  • Critical Thinking and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social capability
  • Information and Communication Technology

 

Further Information

Lego Boost CNN Report

LEGO Boost Official Website

LEGO WeDo Official website

Bits and Bricks

Youtube – Boost LEGO in Education

Youtube – WeDo LEGO in Education

Lego Computer Coding Activities

 

 

By Emily Richardson

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LEGO Autobots, roll out!

Subject: Digital Technology

Year level: 3-6

Strand: Knowledge & Understanding and Processes & Production Skills

Sub-strand: Digital Systems, Investigating and Defining, Evaluating

Possible Curriculum Links:

Digital systems have components with basic functions and interactions that may be connected together to form networks which transmit different types of data (ACTDIK014)

Define a problem, and a set of sequenced steps, with users making decisions to create a solution for a given task

Develop collaborative criteria to evaluate and justify design processes and solutions

 

Link to the Resource:

https://www.lego.com/en-us/mindstorms

Cross curriculum priorities and general capabilities:

Critical and creative thinking

Personal and social capability

Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

Numeracy

Cross-curriculum links:

Mathematics

What is it:

Lego Mindstorms EV3 is a system that allows students to build, program and command which are easy and fun to used. The package comes with bricks, motors and sensors to create one of 17 types of robots that can shoot, drive, slam, crash and spin with control from a range of devices including smart phones and tablets. Students can also further program the robots with on computer coding program for more features. The robot can be deconstructed and formed into any of the other 16 models for more missions and actions.

https://www.lego.com/en-us/mindstorms/about-ev3

 

How to use it in the Classroom:

one example of how Lego Midstorms EV3 can be used in the classrooms is the students programming a robots to respond to the sense of touch through lights, sounds, colour and movement. the robot can be displayed in a public area, for example the front office or staff area, with a sign next to it “Do Not Touch”. The robot recorded data every time it was touched within a space of an hour. the students can then graph and analyse this raw data to investigate trends as well as self-control of adults.

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Ashleigh Miles: The Power of LEGO

I have recently been exploring resources to engage students in computational thinking using technology. I have found 2 great resources that are being widely used in Australian classrooms as they are both useable in a number of learning areas and even great for free play!

In this post I will introduce you to the magical building world of LEGO!

Resource: LEGO Education

Subject: Digital Technologies

Year level: suitable for all years

Australian Curriculum Strand: Digital Technologies and Design & Technology.

Australian Curriculum Sub Strand: Design and Technologies Processes and Production Skills

“Select and use materials, components, tools, equipment and techniques and use safe work practices to make designed solutions”.

2.5 Follow, describe, represent and play with a sequence of steps and decisions needed to solve simple problems

4.5 Define simple problems, and follow and describe the algorithms (sequence of steps and decisions) needed to solve them

6.5 Define problems in terms of data and functional requirements, and describe common characteristics and elements of similar problems

6.6 Follow, modify and describe simple algorithms involving sequence of steps, decisions, and repetitions that are represented diagrammatically and in plain English

Link to the Resource: https://education.lego.com/en-au/primary/explore 

Cross Curriculum Priorities and General Capabilities: Literacy, Numeracy, Critical and Creative Thinking, Personal and Social Capability

Links to other Learning Areas: English (reading and comprehending diagrams and data, recording observations), Mathematics (angles,sizes, shapes), Science (investigation, construction, data collection)

A Classroom Activity using Lego: This is a versatile resource that could be used to explore the STEM world in the classroom and at home. It can be used by all ages and is adaptable for simple free-play time or complex projects with multiple parts and sequenced steps.

LEGO allows students to apply logical reasoning, look for patterns, organise and analyse data, build models and run simulations, use computers to assist building and testing, and use algorithms to sequence actions. This hands on and digital resource activates students computational thinking, design thinking and creative/ critical thinking which relates to the central idea of the Australian Technology Curriculum.

Younger students (years K-1) can build very simple machines such as seesaws where students investigate balance, weight, levers through designing a mechanical toy.

Students in the middle primary years (years 1-4) also build simple machines investigating beers, wheels & axels, leavers and pulleys.

Upper primary students  (years 5+) build on their knowledge of simple machines through exploring powered machines such as a windmill and land yacht.

The website is packed full of lesson ideas accompanied with worksheets and materials needed in the kits. The resource also provides extension problem solving activities. Students have the opportunities to work individually or work collaboratively to build those social interacting skills and caters for all diverse needs through hands on exploring.

How to use this Resource:

Start by purchasing LEGO kits for your students (best to have a minimum of 1 per pair of students).

Install software on computers

Pick an activity available in the booklets in the kits or one online.

Explore the knowledge behind the machine prior to building through discussion, to activate thinking processes. Use LEGO online videos to explain concepts.

Assign students roles or time frames for class management, such as builder (picker, assembler), programer or documenter.

Students build models using provided instructions.

Evaluate models and the purpose of the concepts. Explore alternative results by changing minor materials (such as different lengths, directions and strengths of materials) and have students record and explain findings (written explanations, worksheets, video recording, photographs, drawings).

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LEGO MINDSTORMS Fix the Factory

Digital Technologies

Year 5

West Australian Curriculum outcome:

Digital implementation

Design, follow and represent diagrammatically, a simple sequence of steps (algorithm), involving branching (decisions) and iteration (repetition) (ACTDIP019)

Elaboration:

  • following a diagram of a simple method of sorting numbers or words
  • following, modifying and describing the design of a game involving simple algorithms represented diagrammatically or in English, for example creating a flowchart with software that uses symbols to show decisions, processes and inputs and outputs
  • experimenting with different ways of representing an instruction to make a choice, for example branches in a tree diagram or using an ‘IF’ statement (a common statement used to branch) to indicate making a choice between two different circumstances using a spreadsheet or a visual program
  • experimenting with different ways of representing an instruction to make a repetition, for example loops in a flowchart diagram or using a ‘REPEAT’ statement
  • designing the instructions for a robot vacuum cleaner to clean a room
  • using different design tools to record ways in which digital solutions will be developed, for example creating storyboards or flowcharts to record relationships or instructions about content or processes

 

Resource:  http://www.lego.com/en-us/mindstorms/games/fix-the-factory

Legocom. (2016). Legocom. Retrieved 4 August, 2016,
from http://www.lego.com/en-us/mindstorms/games/fix-the-factory

About the resource:
This resource is similar to many other, “coding to make your avatar move”, websites so it’s a great way to build fluency while varying the delivery method.

In this resource you need to provide a list of instructions to a robot before pressing play, with the objective being to get to the end.

The resource can be played via a web browser or downloaded onto iPads or androids.  One of the highlights of the resource is that it is free!

Lesson: 

By the end of this lesson students will diagrammatically write and implement simple algorithms to solve problems with robots.

Today we are learning to:  Write a flow chart for each Lego “fix the factory” game you play and check if it worked after playing it

I do:  Load up the Lego game on the smart board by going to the above referenced website.
Load up the first problem.
Model the flow chart on the non-digital whiteboard  as [->] [->] [⌂]
Then put that into the game and see if the robot makes it to [⌂]
If so tick the flow chart.
Repeat for the second exercise in the Lego game which requires turning.

We do:  Have students  write flow charts on mini whiteboards for the next two Lego activities on the smart board.  Correct students on the spot  Check that 80% of the students got it right before sending them in partners to work independently.

You do:  Students work independently in partners, creating flow charts, trying them on the game, ticking the chart if it worked, if not, writing a new flow chart till they do find one that works.

Using the program:

  • As soon as the app loads you simply press the play button and select the level you want to work at.
  • Following that you simply press the arrow button that you wrote down on your flow chart plan, and then press play when you’re ready to see how the Lego robot will go.

Video gameplay:

Posted by Mathew Jones

Student 10138258

LEGO® Movie Maker app

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Subject:  Technologies

Strand: Digital Technologies

Year Level: F – 2

Platforms: iPhone, iPad & iPod Touch app

Description: A dynamic and FREE app that allows students to create their own animated/ stop motion movies. Students are able to design, plan, develop and create customised movies individually or collaboratively. This app is a highly engaging resource that strongly links to English, promoting script writing and storyboarding. The app challenges students’ thinking and encourages them to create content (produce a movie) rather than just consume it. To support students, the app provides easy to understand guides and simple tools to film and edit their movies. It also provides a large variety of features which include:  editing tools, music & sound effects and recording, the ability to add & delete frames, filters, title cards & text and options to save to camera roll.

Benefits: The engagement factor! This app combines two things that students love…LEGO and movies! Students are excited to work with LEGO and bring their LEGO characters, stories and ideas to life. They are engaged to think, create and develop great work and demonstrate confidence and enthusiasm in presenting their final product to an audience. This fantastic app can also be used across the curriculum in subject areas including: MATHS and THE ARTS.

How to / Resource Links:

LEGO® Movie Maker App: Animation Tips and Tricks

  • Building Tips and Tricks

  • Storyboard & Editing Tips and Tricks

  • Camera Tips and Tricks

Sub-strands and Content Descriptors: 

Knowledge and Understanding

  • Recognise and explore digital systems (hardware and software components) for a purpose (ACTDIK001)

Processes and Production Skills

  • Create and organise ideas and information using information systems independently and with others, and share these with known people in safe online environments (ACTDIP006)

References:

LEGO® Movie Maker. (2016). Retrieved from https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lego-movie-maker/id516001587?mt=8

LEGO® Movie Maker Videos. (2016). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/user/LEGO/search?query=movie+maker

Technologies Curriculum Foundation to Year 2. (2016). Retrieved from Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority website: http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/technologies/digital-technologies/curriculum/f-10?y=F-2&s=DIKU&s=DIPPS&c=1&c=2&c=3&c=4&c=5&c=7&c=6&layout=1

Find App Here:

Apple iTunes Store: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lego-movie-maker/id516001587?mt=8

 

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Design and build lego cars

 Resource: Design and build lego cars

Year level: Year 1-2

Subject: Design and Technology

Strand: Design and Technologies Process and Production Skills

Substrand: Investigate (2.5), Generation (2.6), Producing (2.7), Evaluating (2.8) and Collaborating and managing (2.9)

Cross Curriculum Priorities and General Capabilities 

Literacy (LIT)

Numeracy (NUM)

Critical and Creative Thinking (CCT)

Link to other learning areas: Maths and Science

Analysis:
In the Lego car lesson the students are required to design and create a car that would be used for a specific purpose, e.g. for speed, for rocky mountains etc. The students engage in a learning experience that is hands on and both intrinsically and extrinsically motivating. Giving the students the freedom to choose what they want in their car design will allow them to critically analyse what it is they need in order to produce an effective product. To provide the student with the opportunity to extend on their problem solving, creativity, innovation and understanding will ensure that they are achieving the requirements of the curriculum. Students are given the chance to evaluate and identify problems so that they can make adjustments and alterations to improve their design. Allowing the students time to critique their product will expand their thinking and understanding of how technology is always improving.

This lesson is authentic and credible to educating students on the importance on technology in today’s society.