4th Grade Students at Tahoe Lake Elementary School certainly enjoy building and creating with legos. Who doesn’t?!? Through CS & AI in 4th Grade, students will have the opportunity to problem solve when learning about computer science and coding, robotics, AI and collaboration in an enriching hands on experience via Lego Education. Students will have the opportunity to venture into the world of robotics using the newest Lego Computer Science & AI Kit. These systems provide scaffolding and support from their online curriculum by helping make abstract physical science concepts come alive. Student will work in a safe, secure and supportive environment where teachers access lessons in a teacher portal. The units are structured to build upon one another and then students can accept to take on challenges. CS & AI in 4th Grade would help support access/exposure to robotics for students at Tahoe Lake Elementary School.
Students who will benefit from the CS & AI in 4th Grade at Tahoe Lake Elementary School. In the future, students will be able to bring this robotics knowledge into the STEAM Lab at North Tahoe School to better support their STEAM education. By building this prior knowledge and learning at the elementary level, students will be more experienced when continuing their Lego education program in the middle school.
Defining success of the CS & AI in 4th Grade program would start with students comfortably learning from scaffolded and supportive curriculum. Students then move to creating on their own and supporting one another challenges. That students understand learning takes place when their projects fail, they collaborate on ways to improve, and the need to reiterate to find success. Success would be that students feel comfortable exploring the world of robotics and coding (outside of the Lego education platform) and apply that knowledge in other facets of STEAM education inside and outside of school. Students might then be interested in continuing their education by taking engineering classes in high school and possibly joining a robotics club. CS & AI in 4th Grade will be a fun and engaging way to learn about engineering and robotics!
Implementation of CS & AI in 4th Grade will provide a new and supported stepping stone into the world of robotics. This program would start with the 4th graders. The Lego Education curriculum and the kits would provide guided practice throughout the supportive online curriculum. Students would then proceed into the extension lessons that are part of the system and, thus, move into more complex challenges.
Yes, Heidi Bushway Verkler, who was the previous STEAM Teacher at NTS, shared the "STEAMING with Legos" program with me that she started at NTS. She shared with me the importance of starting a robotics program with elementary students to help build foundational STEAM skills and critical thinking through hands-on and engaging play in a supportive environment! This desire and drive for robotics would feed right into the STEAM and Engineering pathway at North Tahoe High School.
Amount Requested- $4,610.46 Total (Please ignore the other amount- I cannot edit it)
Individual Budget Items(s)
$1,719.80- Computer Science & AI Kit 3–5 (4)
$2,579.00- Computer Science & AI 3-5 Classroom Bundle
The kits purchased with this grant would provide students with guided support and education to better support a comprehensive robotics program at the elementary level to then the secondary level at for students at NTS.