North Thurston Public Schools Robotics Programs Solve Human Problems

north thurston robotics
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By Alyssa Ramsfield

north thurston roboticsScience classrooms across North Thurston Public Schools are teaching students about robotics. We aren’t talking about robots like Transformers or Wall-E, but instead students are learning the science behind the technology we see around us every day.

“All of us use technology – but where does it come from?” Chinook Middle School Teacher, Jennifer Goin, has taken the lead in the robotics course offered at the middle school level and asks this of her students. Her syllabus for the course states, “Technology is about solving human problems, whether that means allowing us to talk to people far away, travel long distances safely and quickly, remotely explore distant planets, or live healthier lives. Inventing new technology requires hard work, open-mindedness, courage, and curiosity, and this class will require no less.”

“Robotics started in our district with the Chinook Middle School Robotics Club in the fall of 2011,” explains Goin. “A parent of a student approached me wondering if I would be interested in supervising an afterschool club, and the adventure began there.  That first year we had an after school club in the fall and spring, participated in the FIRST LEGO League and in an invitational competition involving more than a dozen local high schools and middle schools.”

north thurston roboticsRobotics quickly evolved from a club to also including a full-time enrichment program. “In the 2012-2013 school year we continued with the CMS Robotics Club, but we also added an enrichment class that blended robotics and language arts.  This year, our school altered the enrichment class to provide a semester-long robotics-only class.  Similar enrichment classes are offered at Komachin this year, and next year all of North Thurston Public School middle schools will be offering the enrichment.”

Students continue their learning at North Thurston High School in a robotics club led by Kevin Hall.  They bring those skills out into the community, participating in events such as the Lacey STEM Fair and the Lacey Spring Fun Fair.

Students learn a variety of skills from the course. “The class uses curriculum adapted from a collaboratively grown curriculum developed by Randy Steele of the Olympia School District,” explains Goin. More than 800 teachers are registered users of this curriculum and we use about half of it in the course of a semester.  Students learn basic computer management skills, build a wide variety of functional machines out of LEGOS, learn to program using a graphical programming language, and combine all of these efforts to complete specific challenges that explore the most basic principles of robotic technology and engineering.  We also have a ton of fun, competing in several school-wide events, as well as building and programming robots to participate in our school’s community math night, special assemblies, and other community events,” adds Goin.

north thurston roboticsStudent reaction to the program has been overwhelmingly positive. “Students love this program,” exclaims Goin. “Competition for the after school club has been fierce, and hopefully we will be able to expand the number of club teams we support to accommodate the huge interest. Nearly every day a student finds me in the school and asks how to join the class or club.”

Chinook students have pointed to robotics as a way to help them prepare for the future. One student said, “Robotics club is helping me prepare for a future as a programmer.” Another robotics member said, “Robotics club has helped me work together as a team rather than by myself.”

This innovative Robotics course is encouraging students across Thurston County to understand current technology and begin creating for the future.

 

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