Robotics for Young Children: STEM Activities and Simple Coding

160 Pages·2017·29.47 MB·English

by  Ann Gadzikowski

Robotics
for Young Children
STEM Activities
and Simple Coding
Ann Gadzikowski
Published by Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court
St. Paul, MN 55117
www.redleafpress.org
© 2018 by Ann Gadzikowski
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise noted on a specific page, no portion of this publication may be
reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photo-
copying, recording, or capturing on any information storage and retrieval system, without permission
in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a critical article
or review to be printed in a magazine or newspaper, or electronically transmitted on radio, television,
or the Internet.
First edition 2018
Cover design by Jim Handrigan
Cover photograph by Monica Kass Rogers
Interior design by Percolator
Typeset in FF Tisa Pro
Interior photography by Monica Kass Rogers and Ann Gadzikowski
Printed in the United States of America
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Gadzikowski, Ann, author.
Title: Robotics for young children : STEM activities and simple coding / Ann Gadzikowski.
Description: First edition. | St. Paul, MN : Redleaf Press, 2017. | Includes bibliographical references. 
Identifiers: LCCN 2017023634 (print) | LCCN 2017041119 (ebook) | ISBN 9781605545455 (ebook) |
ISBN 9781605545448 (paperback)
Subjects: LCSH: Robotics—Study and teaching (Early childhood)—Activity programs. |
BISAC: EDUCATION / Teaching Methods & Materials / Science & Technology. |
EDUCATION / Preschool & Kindergarten. | EDUCATION / Teaching Methods & Materials /
Mathematics. | EDUCATION / Computers & Technology.
Classification: LCC TJ211.26 (ebook) | LCC TJ211.26 .G33 2017 (print) | DDC 372.35/8—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017023634
To Beth Dirkes and Leslie Morrison, my crackerjack teammates at the
Center for Talent Development, in appreciation for your insights,
encouragement, and inspiration

C ontents
Acknowledgments xi
Introduction 1
Simone and the Evil Robot 1
Why Robotics? 3
The Innovation Economy 5
Computer Science as a Core Subject Area 5
Computer Science Framework 6
Powerful Ideas 6
Computational Thinking 7
Constructivism and Developmentally Appropriate Practice 8
Preparing to Teach Robotics 10
Give Me Back My Caps! 12
Basic Terms and Concepts 14
How to Use This Book 15
The Hundred Languages of Children 16
Chapter 1: What Is a Robot? 19
The Important Thing about Robots 19
Activity 1.1 Famous Robots 20
Activity 1.2 Machine Faces 22
Activity 1.3 Make a Robot Face 24
Activity 1.4 Talk Like a Robot 26
Activity 1.5 Robot Dance Party 27
Activity 1.6 Robot Picture Books 28
Activity 1.7 Take Apart a Machine or Robot 30
Activity 1.8 Clay Robots 32
Activity 1.9 What Is Metal? 33
Activity 1.10 Magnets—Is It Metal? 35
Activity 1.11 Build with “Metal” Blocks 36
Activity 1.12 Robots in Real Life 37
Activity 1.13 Be the Boss of a Robot 39
Activity 1.14 Is This a Robot? 39
Activity 1.15 Robot Dramatic Play 41
Activity 1.16 Questions about Robots 42
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Chapter 2: How Do We Build Robots? 45
Thinking Like an Engineer 45
Hexbugs: A Robot Case Study 45
Activity 2.1 Robot Free Play 46
Activity 2.2 Real or Robot? 47
Activity 2.3 Compare Robot to Robot 49
Activity 2.4 Robot Hospital 50
Activity 2.5 Robot Take-Aparts 51
Activity 2.6 Electron Game 53
Activity 2.7 Power Conversations 55
Activity 2.8 Things That Light Up 56
Activity 2.9 Circuit Sets 57
Activity 2.10 Simple Machines 58
Activity 2.11 Daisy’s Wild Ride 60
Activity 2.12 Ramps 60
Activity 2.13 Marble Runs 62
Activity 2.14 Wheels 62
Activity 2.15 Study a Bicycle 63
Activity 2.16 Gears 64
Activity 2.17 Design Thinking 66
Activity 2.18 The Most Magnificent Thing 67
Activity 2.19 Kinesthetic Machine—Car Wash 67
Activity 2.20 Water Table Car Wash 68
Activity 2.21 Car Wash with Blocks and Pipe Cleaners 69
Activity 2.22 The Domino Effect 69
Activity 2.23 Rube Goldberg Contraption 70
Activity 2.24 Troubleshooting with Rosie Revere 70
Activity 2.25 Mistake Party 71
Chapter 3: How Do We Tell Robots What to Do? 73
Developing Spatial Intelligence 73
Activity 3.1 Checkerboard Play 74
Activity 3.2 The Big Grid 75
Activity 3.3 Follow the Arrows 76
Activity 3.4 Map Books 77
Activity 3.5 Meet the Bee-Bots 78
Activity 3.6 Bee-Bot Hokey Pokey 81
Activity 3.7 Turn Round and Round 83
viii CONTENTS
Activity 3.8 Create a Path 84
Activity 3.9 Meet a Friend 85
Activity 3.10 Invent a Programming Language 86
Activity 3.11 Synchronize! 88
Activity 3.12 Bee-Bot Dance 90
Activity 3.13 DIY Grid 91
Activity 3.14 Meet Cubetto 92
Activity 3.15 The Cubetto Function Line 95
Activity 3.16 Code-a-pillar 96
Activity 3.17 Robot Turtle Board Game 97
Activity 3.18 People Patterns 98
Activity 3.19 Pattern Blocks 99
Activity 3.20 Arrow Maps 101
Activity 3.21 Program Your Parents 102
Activity 3.22 Rebus Stories 103
Activity 3.23 Daisy the Dinosaur 105
Activity 3.24 Kodable 107
Activity 3.25 ScratchJr 108
Activity 3.26 Other Coding Apps 109
Activity 3.27 Build Your Code 110
Chapter 4: How Do Robots Help Us? 113
Imagining a Better World 113
Activity 4.1 Robot Helpers 114
Activity 4.2 Robot Pets 115
Activity 4.3 Robot Doctors 117
Activity 4.4 Robot Arm 117
Activity 4.5 Yuck! 119
Activity 4.6 Robot Car 120
Activity 4.7 Fast and Faster 122
Activity 4.8 Robot Directions 123
Activity 4.9 Brave Robots 123
Activity 4.10 Robot Friends 124
Activity 4.11 Sensors—How Robots See 125
Activity 4.12 Flying Robots 126
Activity 4.13 What Is a Drone? 127
Activity 4.14 Swimming Robots 127
Activity 4.15 Robots in Space 128
Activity 4.16 Robot Wishes 129
CONTENTS ix
Chapter 5: How Can We Learn More about Robots? 131
Robotics and Computer Science in Elementary School and Beyond 131
Activity 5.1 Scratch Animation 131
Activity 5.2 Hopscotch 132
Activity 5.3 Digital Game Design 132
Activity 5.4 Hour of Code 133
Activity 5.5 Code.org Code Studio 134
Activity 5.6 Hello Ruby 134
Activity 5.7 Web Design and App Invention 134
Activity 5.8 Lego WeDo, EV3, and VEX 135
Activity 5.9 First Lego League 136
Activity 5.10 Makerspaces 136
Activity 5.11 Ready, Set, Design 137
Activity 5.12 Interview a Robot Expert 138
Activity 5.13 Visit a Science Museum 138
Activity 5.14 Visit a Robotics Lab 139
Activity 5.15 Follow a Robot Blog 139
Activity 5.16 Girls in STEM 140
Recommended Resources 141
STEM Resources 141
Robotics Resources 141
Coding Resources 142
Resources for Families 142
Recommended Robotic Devices and Kits 142
Picture Books Used in Activities 143
Glossary of Key Terms 144
References 146
x CONTENTS
Acknowledgments
I’m grateful to the many educators and experts who have helped me learn about
robots and understand the potential of computer science in early childhood edu-
cation. Many thanks to Frances Judd for first introducing me to the term “tangible
tech” and to Brian Puerling for showing me that technology can be a powerful tool
for intentional teachers. Thank you to Chip Donohue, Tamara Kaldor, Amanda
Armstrong, and the Erikson TEC Center for all the fantastic resources and profes-
sional development opportunities.
I’m indebted to the many robotics and computer science instructors at the
Center for Talent Development (CTD) who have informed my work. Years ago, Eric
Simon was the first robotics teacher I ever observed. I watched his fourth graders
struggle to build and program a LEGO Mindstorms robot that would open a door.
None of them were successful, but it was one of the most powerful and challeng-
ing learning experiences I had ever seen. From “How Things Work” instructor
Tony Perry I learned the value of taking machines apart. I learned about Scratch
programming from Brian Myers, Stephen Blood, and David Green. More recently,
when we began piloting robotics and coding courses in the early childhood class-
rooms of the CTD summer Leapfrog program, I benefited from the feedback and
ideas I received from teachers like Amanda Burns, Nina Diehl, Tess Heerema, Leah
Johnston, Amy Lindgren, Victoria Livingston, and Kathleen Mercury. Thank you,
also, to the Northwestern University faculty members on the Leapfrog Advisory
Committee, in particular Dr. Michael Peshkin for robotics and mechanical engi-
neering expertise, Dr. Michael Horn for his understanding of thoughtful uses of
emerging technologies, Dr. David Uttal and Kinari Atit for insights on spatial cog-
nition and symbolic representations, and Dr. Alexis Lauricella and Sarah Pila for
expertise on the impact of media technology on young children. And, of course,
I’m very grateful to the young children I taught and observed as I developed and
piloted the activities in this book. They were my best teachers.
Thank you to my editors and friends at Redleaf Press, including David Heath,
Laurie Herrmann, Kara Lomen, and Christine Zuchora-Walske. And finally, thank
xi