Wink was born on Kickstarter in November of 2015 by the folks at Plum Geek Robotics. The Wink Robot is unique in that it bridges the gap between coding robots using block coding platforms such as Scratch and coding more sophisticated robots which might use Python or C/C++. Wink is programmed using the Arduino platform which is a fairly simple programming language and great for entry-level coding. Plum Geek has done a great job of packaging some lesson plans with companion code which are well worth using with students.
The premise of my project was to introduce Wink into our high school Makerspace as a way for students to learn to code using the Arduino programing environment (rather than using the breadboard which is already available in the Makerspace). However, students enter the Makerspace at will and often without a whole lot of time or willingness to devote a great deal of time to learning something that might feel like work. So I decided to use a few of the lessons provided by Plum Geek Robotics and offer an abbreviated version of those codes to students as a starting point for remixing, in the hopes that they would quickly become engaged enough to spend more time coding. I’ve created one page (2 sided) sheets which will be laminated and in the Makerspace for students to pick up with instructions on how to remix the code and with more information and/or a challenge on the back. Here are examples of the first two:
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| Lesson Card #1 Back |
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| Lesson Card #1 Front |
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| Lesson Card #2 Front |
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| Lesson Card #2 Back |
I created the following intro video in an effort to entice students to try coding Wink. We will see how that works!
The standards I believe are addressed with this project are the following:
Computer Science:
- CPP.L2-08 Demonstrate dispositions amenable to open-ended problem solving and programming
ISTE NETs:
- 1.b Creativity and Innovation - create original works as a means of personal or group expression
- 4.a Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision Making - identify and define authentic problems and significant questions for investigation
Resources:
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Love it, thanks for introducing me to this new robot kit.
ReplyDeleteLove it, thanks for introducing me to this new robot kit.
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