The post Hispanic Heritage Month 2020: Someone to Celebrate for Every Letter in STEAM appeared first on Ozobot.

Check out the free K–12 lessons for our beloved STEAM subjects below… and more! With each lesson, we’ve outlined recommended grades, which of our two ways to code students will use (Color Codes or OzoBlockly visual programming), whether the lesson requires Evo or if Bit and Evo both work, plus a brief description. Click a lesson title to find more information plus classroom handouts in our Lesson Library.

S (Science):

Space Exploration Ozobot Game

OzoBlockly
Grades 3–9

This lesson calls out Bit specifically, but Evo would also work in this NASA-inspired lesson! Students will design a game board with events in the history of exploration of space, create game rules, and then program their bot to travel the timeline in chronological order.

T (Technology):

Drive to School with Ozobot
Color Codes
Grades K–12

Both Evo and Bit can participate in learning to drive to school! A great introduction to the technology within Ozobots and the concepts of programming, students will use Color Codes to direct the bots to solve the maze and find the route from home to school.

E (Engineering):

Ozobot Obstacle Course

Color Codes
Grades 3–12

In this lesson, use Evo or Bit to engineer, construct, then solve an obstacle course. Afterwards, celebrate the success of beating the challenge! Extensions to dive deeper are also provided.

A (Art):

Evo Bright Art

OzoBlockly
Grades 7–12

Solely for Evo because of the multiple bright LEDs, students can create art similar to what we used to make with Lite-Brite! Evo light, Evo bright, first Evo I see tonight… students use a canvas to draw out their inspiration and then code it using OzoBlockly. One time-exposure photo later as Evo runs through the program in a dark room, and voila! An EvoBright masterpiece.

M (Math):

100 Centimeter Ozo-Dash
OzoBlockly
Grades K–12

For use with Bit or Evo, students will design a race track that measures at least 100 centimeters. With instructions included for both beginners (grades K through 5) and more advanced rules (for 6 through 12th), snap on a racer skin and get coding!

t (technology again):

Evo’s Force Field
OzoBlockly
Grades 6–12

Deep dive into all the technology packed into pocket-sized Evo with this lesson! Explore how Evo’s proximity sensors, programmable LEDs, sounds, and color sensors all work together to make creative coding possible.

e (engineering again):

The Snow Plow, or OzoPlow!
OzoBlockly
Grades 5–8

In some states, snow season is right around the corner, so students can use Bit or Evo to get prepared now with this lesson. You could also re-theme this as the OzoRake with leaves for fall, or OzoPlow as in harvesting crops after the summer growing season!

m (math again):

Geometry Task Cards II
Colors Codes
Grades 6–12

Last year we featured Geometry Task Cards, so this year we bring you GTC2! Students will create paths for either Bit or Evo to follow that incorporate geometry vocabulary and skills.

b (both bots!):

Allow us a little creative freedom here, but we think you’ll agree it’s not too far of a stretch to include a computer science- and art-focused lesson that works wonders for using both Bit and Evo!

Write Your Name with OzoCodes
Color Codes
Grades K–2

Great for the early months of the school year (and reminding students to always write their name at the top of their paper), comes a lesson that makes programming personal! First students will draft their name with lines that Ozobots can see, then use Evo or Bit to trace the letters from beginning to end, left to right.

e (engineering for the last time):

Construction Set OzoBlockly Programming Challenge
OzoBlockly
Grades 6–9

Brought to you by Featured Educator, Richard Born, this lesson has students finding the most “elegant” code solution to tell Bit to move radioactive waste and brick blocks to their respective drop off zones. Here, elegant means creatively engineering functions to avoid repetitive code.

r (‘rithmetic):

For the letter “r”, we’re throwing it back to our Three Rs: Reading, ‘Rithmetic, and Robots, with a final math lesson!

Ozobot Quadratics Project
Color Codes
Grades 9–12

Math graphing made fancy with codes! For use with Evo or Bit, students will create a poster chart paper of a quadratic equation and use Ozobot to identify the key features including solutions, axis of symmetry, points of reflection, and vertex. This lesson aligns with Math academic standards.

Please share your Ozobot lessons and creations with us on social media. Just tag us @Ozobot and use #OzoSquad, and check out the Lesson Library for more fun activities and coding challenges for everyone.  We’re excited to learn what other subjects Evo and Bit explore in STEAM-tember!

The post 11 Exciting Lessons for Every Letter in STEAM-tember appeared first on Ozobot.

We originally connected with Ken when he reached out to us about an exciting project for which he is leading the charge… Which involves the charging up of Ozobots for use completely offline in a whole other country… but more on that later!

As we began conversations with Ken about that particular case study, he let us know about this other awesome project he did with high school students as their main work with Ozobots this past school year. We LOVE multi-subject, cross-departmental, STEAM-and-beyond collaborative lessons, and this endeavor checked all those boxes. 

First, watch the story entitled “The Icing on the Cake,” then read on to learn more about how it came together!

Tell us about yourself! What has been your chosen career path thus far?

I’m a special educator and have been at Byram Hills High School for 22 years. I formerly taught in New York City for 8 years, so I have been working within the education system for about 30 years now. 

What made you want to become a teacher?

Well, years ago, when I was working in real estate, I did some volunteer work with the Literacy Volunteers of America. It’s a program that taught adult illiterates and I did that volunteering for a couple of years. Actually, the director of the program came up to me one night and said, “What do you do for a living?” I said, “Well, I work in real estate,” and he says, “You should be a teacher.” So I said, “Okay, let me think about it,” and I thought about it, then slowly changed career paths and segued into the education field.

How did you think of creating this project?

It was a great collaborative project. The woman who was instrumental in developing the stories is Kourtney DeRosa. She was a partner of mine in the project, and our students had a story writing unit in their class with her. I had seen online that somebody had the Ozobot go through a story on a piece of paper and someone narrated it. I was actually going to get some props from the theater department and we were going to film with props. 

Then, I was chatting with a gentleman named Michael Chuney who runs our film classes and he was the one who first gave me the idea. I told him I was just going to animate the stories with markers and paper, then he said, “No no no, I’ve got a better way for you to do this,” continuing on to say he’d set us up with a green screen and we could go from there. He brought me upstairs and showed me how the green screen works. It was a mini green screen, so we lit it, took a test sample down to another gentleman named Brian Melso, our resident editor at the local TV station at the high school called Bobcat TV. He worked with one of the students involved in the project and they edited it together. 

This project was a total collaborative effort with a number of different people. I just want everyone to know that projects like this are cross-disciplinary. Kids did the film-making, got help editing, recorded voice overs; everybody had a role to play and it just turned into a great final product.

How did you first learn about Ozobots or start getting into coding yourself?

I taught a science elective class with a co-teacher several years ago called Science Technology Society, phased into four different units including forensics, a medical technology unit, etc. Then one year after we’d done it for a number of years, we decided to do a robotics unit. We utilized the VEX robots, which are sort of higher-level; you build them and code them using script coding. I think they used Panther or Java, one of those. So, I had a lot of success with that. Then, with some of my students in other programs I teach with learning differences, I wanted something a little more entry-level. They utilized Ozobots at our elementary school level, and one of the teachers there introduced me to them. 

I really liked, first of all, the ease and simplicity of the entry into coding, which is the color-based understanding of coding, and then we segued from there with my class into the block coding and went through a number of the online lessons. 

Then, at the end of every unit that I teach in my learning differences program, I like to have a big finish. So as I mentioned, their English teacher, Miss DeRosa, had them working on writing stories, and that’s when I said, “Why don’t we animate them with the Ozobots?”

In addition to having a blast with Ozobots, what do you want educators and kids who may recreate your project to know about it?

I had lessons designed in my mind to get my students to the point where they understood the functionality of the Ozobots. Then it was, “Okay, now you know how they work. Let’s do something with them.” That’s how the process went. So by the time we had filmed the videos, they were functional on the Ozobots, both with color coding and Ozoblockly coding. Then we added in the storytelling aspect.

There’s a sort of simplicity to this project. If I was going to tell someone how to go about it, I’d say it’s a collaborative project with the English department at whatever level you’re at. Develop storylines. Recognize the functionality of the Ozobots and what they can do. Discuss with your film department for the utilization of a green screen. Understand the editing process. Then finally, work with recording the voiceover to put it all together. 

Besides creating with code, what is your favorite hobby or interest to geek out about in your free time?

I am a Star Trek fanatic. I’ve watched every episode of anybody that’s ever worn a Star Trek uniform, whether TV show, movie, etc. Now, I sit with bated breath waiting for the Picard unveiling of 2020. So there you have it, my geek-nerd admission!

Have you told any other stories with your bots? 

I just started working with Ozobots one year ago and this was our major project for the year. Next year, I’m going to get more into the block coding, because the new functionality of being able to input the code through Bluetooth as opposed to the flashing system from before has made things much much easier. The flashing wasn’t always 100% successful with some of our Chromebooks, but this new way with the iPads is much better.

To end on a note that we couldn’t have put better ourselves, allow us to conclude with this direct quote from Ken –

“Students of all abilities, all learning styles, can benefit in one way, shape, or form from the utilization of Ozobots, whether they have a strong foundation coding, or whether they have literally no concept of what robotics or coding is. It offers an amazing entry point for people to enter the robotics world with little other necessary tools. You don’t need iPads, don’t need laptops, don’t need wifi – you don’t need anything other than paper, markers, and your imagination. Once you get that, you can do a lot of different things, cross-disciplinary too. I think there are a hundred different ways you can use these. It’s just a matter of laying the foundation for the understanding of their functionality, and once you do that as an educator, start looking around and saying, ‘Where else can we do this? How else can we learn from this?’”

We’re grateful to Ken for inspiring creativity and coding in his high school students! Stay tuned later this fall to see more of Ken’s students’ Ozobot creations coming up. And remember…

Coding is Creative!

Tech skills alone don’t spur big ideas—creative visions do. That’s why education at home and in the classroom should span science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math (think STEAM, not STEM). Whether you see yourself as a future artist, astronaut, or entrepreneur, our goal at Ozobot is to kick start your creativity and coding skills with playtime that strengthens your whole mind.

To learn more, explore Ozobot’s 2 Ways to Code:

OzoBlockly >

Color Codes >

For Educators and Students:

OzoBlockly Basic Training >

Color Codes Basic Training >

150+ STEAM Lessons >

Educator of the Month – Official Rules

The post August Educator of the Month: Ken Kaplan and the Green Screen Coding Machines appeared first on Ozobot.

A new school year holds sentiments of both excitement and nervousness. Will classmates get along? Do I have enough supplies? Will I get to introduce Ozobot Classroom to my students? (Let us know if that’s your jam and we’ll help get you set up!)

One thing teachers can do to address both the excitement and anxiety of the first day is to facilitate an icebreaker activity! Icebreakers help both students and teachers get to know each other a little better, open the lines of communication, encourage participation in those who may tend to remain silent, and foster rapport needed for future collaborative group work.

Read on to discover our new Icebreaker Questions activity and our further recommendations for lessons to start the STEAM learning off well this year! One very important fact to note: with our Basic Training compilations for both Color Codes and OzoBlockly, we’ve organized them by grade levels. So, all you have to do is find your grade’s lessons and then you’re off to the races with how to get your students up and running on our 2 ways to code!

Evo Icebreaker Questions

OzoBlockly
All grades!

As we mentioned, icebreakers are a great way to start the classroom culture off on the right foot for the year, and what better way to break the ice than with our little engaging Evo! Download the PDF, print it out, load up the premade OzoBlockly program per the PDF’s instructions, and get to know your students! This activity is best when performed in groups!

Basic Training: Color Codes

Color Codes
Grades K – 8

Introduce any age of student to Ozobots with the first of our two ways to code: Color Codes! We split lessons up by grade groups so that the basic training caters to your classroom’s level of understanding, while learning the principles of color coding. Once kids have completed their grade’s lessons, they can move on to a couple of board game activities – Mission to Mars and then Mission to Neptune!

Basic Training: OzoBlockly

OzoBlockly
All grades! 

Similar to the structure of Color Codes, the OzoBlockly Basic Training has lesson series for groupings, and, there’s even a lesson on how to teach OzoBlockly for teachers! After the Basic Trainings, you can have your students move through the “Skills” lessons by number, to learn a couple of things from our “Shape Tracer” game, then some about pair programming and coding accurate movement through the blocks.

Remember to share your August back-to-school creations with us @Ozobot and use #OzoSquad for the chance to be featured on our social channels or our Favorite OzoThings monthly blog post!

The post Ozobot Icebreaker Questions And Other Back-to-School Activities appeared first on Ozobot.

Allow us to introduce our two Educators of the Month for July: Matt Schachtel and Loreli Stochaj. Matt is an Elementary Technology Coach (and an Ozobot Certified Educator) and Loreli is an Elementary Media Specialist (Librarian) in New Jersey. Together, they have an awesome deconstructed makerspace approach to sharing Ozobot with their students!

In addition, Matt and his District’s Supervisor of Technology, Doug Orr, presented at ISTE 2019 on their Grade 1-5 Coding and Robotics Initiative, which we couldn’t think was any cooler!

Read on for more from Matt and Loreli, and we’ll continue to cheer them both on from afar for the 2019-2020 school year.

Tell us about yourselves! What are your jobs and what inspired you both to get into the careers you have?

Loreli – I was a classroom teacher for a number of years. The library called to me because I liked the aspect of melding books, research, and technology with all grade levels. I think the library can be the cornerstone of the school community. 

Matt – I have always enjoyed coaching and helping others learn and accomplish things through teaching or training, along with enjoying technology and the possibilities it can create. These passions led me to education and my current role as a technology coach helping integrate technology with both staff and students. Introducing students to coding and design is truly amazing and so rewarding when you witness those “Ah ha!” moments!

How did you think of creating the project?

Loreli – The technology coaches and the librarians had been working together for a few years to infuse coding and robotics in the curriculum. It was kind of random and not very sequential. When the technology coaches proposed a first through the fifth-grade curriculum for coding and robotics, I was all in.  The different devices were important to the entire curriculum.

Matt – With my Supervisor of Technology, Doug Orr, our team created the idea of developing a full scope and sequence for grades 1-5 coding and robotics initiative that could be led by our media specialists with training and support from the technology coaches. This approach allows the coaches to integrate what is being done in the media center into the classrooms and content areas to further support learning!

Can you share with us an example of how your projects have combined creativity and coding?

Loreli – I have two projects that are good examples. Project one was for the 1st-grade students to work in small groups to make tracks for their Ozobots for a race. I loved watching them time their Ozobots on the tracks and try to figure out what codes to use. They had to use three different color code sequences! Project two was for the 2nd-grade students to work together to create an Iditarod trail for their Ozobot to follow. They had to include some obstacles for the musher (aka Ozobot) to encounter and go around! 

Matt – A 4th-grade project involved students using Ozoblockly to program their decorated Ozobot between destinations on a giant USA map on the floor. They recorded the journey and then edited together a “travel agent” video discussing important facts about their destinations. 

How else do you use STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) in everyday life?

Loreli – In the library/media centers, we infuse STEAM into daily practice through research, problem-solving, and reading.  

Matt – As a technology coach, I am always trying to find and create a cross-curricular idea, like with one project where we are trying to combine our 3D modeling/printing in art with our coding and robotics initiative for a community unit in social studies that would involve engineering and math as well!

What are your favorite Color Codes? Did the kids use them in their creations?

Loreli – The kids love nitro boost and tornado. They love to watch them go fast and to do cool moves. I usually tell the students they must use four codes but I let them pick the ones they think will work best in their project.

Matt – As a technology coach who gets to first introduce Ozobots to staff and students frequently, I love showcasing U-turn at the end of a line. While exploring what an Ozobot is and how it works, I enjoy listening to and watching staff and students as they question or make guesses as to what will happen when the Ozobot gets to the end of a line. I also enjoy line jumps because they never expect the Ozobot to travel over white space to find the next line!!

In addition to having a blast with Ozobots, what do you want kids who may recreate your projects to take away from the experience?

Loreli – That robots, such as the Ozobots, are only as smart as the human behind them. For example, if you write code in the wrong color order it will not work. 

Matt – In addition to what Loreli shared, I want kids to know that in addition to programming the Ozobot, they have the ability and power to create something new that does not even exist yet!

How do you see your projects being used in the future in different ways? 

Loreli – I really see for myself trying to make connections to our curriculum so the teachers will incorporate Ozobots into their own classrooms and not have them just used in the library. 

Matt – I think the idea of creating a full curriculum that works for our district and is led by our media specialists is a powerful way of approaching coding and robotics. We are taking the same approach with 3D modeling/printing with our art teachers. This allows us to have dedicated staff and time with curriculum instead of just pockets of teaching. And then the technology coaches can further integrate concepts and learning into the classrooms and other content areas.

How did you first hear about Ozobot and/or first start learning to code?

Loreli – I had been doing some coding in the library with Hour of Code. Then I saw Ozobots at a workshop and I thought they might be the next step. The technology coaches also helped to infuse their use in the library.

Matt – I was first introduced to Ozobot at your booth in the expo hall at FETC in 2016. I was greatly impressed with the technology to first start teaching about coding and immediately shared this with my team! Shortly after we started piloting them in our district!

Besides creating with code, what is your favorite hobby or interest to geek out about in your free time?

Loreli – Read!!!!! 

Matt – I love playing, watching and coaching sports…and music!

How would you describe Evo’s or Bit’s personality? 

Loreli – Spunky! 

Have you told any other stories with your bots? 

Matt – We have tons…Ozobot bowling with our Special Ed classes, acting as tour guides for an Ozoblockly journey across a giant USA map of destinations, and more!

We so appreciate Matt and Loreli for inspiring creativity and coding in their elementary school students! Follow Matt and Loreli on Twitter to see more of their students’ Ozobot creations. And remember…

Coding is Creative!

Tech skills alone don’t spur big ideas—creative visions do. That’s why education at home and in the classroom should span science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math (think STEAM, not STEM). Whether you see yourself as a future artist, astronaut, or entrepreneur, our goal at Ozobot is to kick start your creativity and coding skills with playtime that strengthens your whole mind.

To learn more, explore Ozobot’s 2 Ways to Code:

OzoBlockly >

Color Codes >

For Educators and Students:

OzoBlockly Basic Training >

Color Codes Basic Training >

150+ STEAM Lessons >

Educator of the Month – Official Rules

The post July Educators of the Month: Curriculum Collaborators on a Mission appeared first on Ozobot.

Thinking… thinking… think, think, think… AHA! Where better to go on Independence Day than one of the most patriotic cities of our nation – Philadelphia!

Evo researched the great city of Philly, and found numerous touristy things to do. 

There’s the possibility of grabbing a tasty cheesesteak, but the Whiz probably wouldn’t agree with Evo’s high-tech insides. Food for thought and food for bots don’t always mix!

What else could Evo do in Philadelphia? What about the most essential stop to make on a quest for a celebration of our nation’s independence… Independence Park! That’s it!

With a thirst for knowledge and a desire to roam through the streets of history, Evo checks the map and arrives at Independence Park this morning. 

While strolling – erm, rolling around the sidewalks, reading some historical markers here and there, Evo noticed a long line of people headed into one building in particular. 

Overhearing snippets of conversations with parents pumping up their kids’ interest, best Evo could tell, this building housed “one of the top five things to do according to TripAdvisor.” Whatever that is!

It looks large and impressive, but definitely not intimidating for a confident little bot such as Evo.

Evo decides to join the throngs of tourists to see what all the fuss is about. After going inside, Evo practices patience and good citizen etiquette by waiting in line without following too closely, even though it’s hard to contain the excitement buzzing. Did someone say we’re all here to see a “Liberty B-”… a liberty what?

Finally, Evo’s queue approaches the great big metal thing that everyone has been talking about. Is this… wait… is this Liberty thing-a-magig actually a… Liberty Bot? Is that what I’ve been hearing? 

Rolling closer, Evo sees the dome-shape and some metal pieces sticking out of the bottom. Are those its wheels? Is the Liberty Bot just like me?

Evo looks more closely and notices something HORRIFYING. A giant, spreading… CRACK! Oh no! Maybe some well-meaning coder accidentally dropped the Liberty Bot off of a student desk and broke it!

I’ve got to find out what happened! Evo scootches closer to the rail just as a tour guide begins to speak about the significance of, what Evo now hears is, The Liberty Bell.

A bell-toll calling the lawmakers together who would set up our country’s system of freedom, and a symbol of fighting for independence for multiple movements throughout history, Evo thinks, Maybe even though it’s not a bot, the Liberty Bell may not be so different from me after all.

Hearing the end of the tour guide’s information, Evo focuses on the inscription of the bell. “Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants thereof.”

Evo can’t wait to tell everyone about celebrating the Fourth of July with the Liberty Bell, and creating a message of its own:

“Proclaim freedom to create with code throughout all the classrooms of life unto all the students and potential programmers thereof!”

Images from:  NPS (National Park Service), public domain

The post From One Signal of Liberty to a Symbol of Coding appeared first on Ozobot.

Unfortunately, the eclipse won’t be visible to us at Ozobot HQ (or anywhere in the U.S.), but we can celebrate the only total solar eclipse of 2019 virtually with this lesson below with Ozoots Evo or Bit!

First, you may ask, “What exactly is a total solar eclipse?” Make sure to check out our previous post on the Total Eclipse of the Evo to learn more as you observe the phenomenon today!

Next, head to our Lesson Library to download the full plan for “Eclipses and Celestial Mechanics”. Ideal for students on summer break between grades 2 through 12, you can use both of our 2 Ways to Code—Color Codes and OzoBlockly—within this coding exercise. Explore how programming helps us model the precise movements of the planets, moons, and stars, which is exactly how astronomers at NASA can give us location calculators like this one that know the path of the eclipse before it happens!

Lastly, make sure to check out live streams of the eclipse to watch while you complete the activity, and share all of your celestial creations with us on social media by tagging @Ozobot and using #OzoSquad!

We already have some awesome creative coders to give a shout out to at the Whitman County Library, who held a STEAM session in June on the Magic of Eclipses. Fantastic summer learning all!

The post Ozobot Lesson for “The Great South American Eclipse” Today! appeared first on Ozobot.

One such popular summer pastime is going to an amusement park! Roller coasters, in particular, aim to impress with their death-defying feats of STEAM engineering.

Ozobot HQ is based in California, so we thought we’d feature an Educator of the Month exploring the physics of coding coasters on the opposite coast in Pennsylvania.

Join us as we congratulate Mr. Drew Arena and his makerspace students for their amazingly-engineered Ozobot Roller Coaster creations! Read on to get inspired for your own creative coding projects this summer.

Tell us about yourself! What is your job and what inspired you to get into the career you have?
I am currently the Elementary Makerspace Facilitator in the Eastern Lancaster County School District.  I serve all K-6 students in the three elementary schools (Blue Ball, Brecknock, and New Holland).  The Makerspace special takes the place of Library for the learners once every three weeks since I travel between all three buildings.  Prior to serving in this role, I was a 4th-grade teacher at Blue Ball Elementary for four years. I loved my time as a 4th-grade teacher, but the opportunity to impact every learner in the district was too great to pass up.  As a 4th-grade teacher, I recognized the importance of providing engaging and fun learning opportunities for my learners and strived to make learning fun for all my learners. As a Makerspace Facilitator, I love that I get the opportunity to introduce new and fun technology to my learners and provide them with exciting learning experiences.  

How did you think of creating the project?
I got the idea of an Ozobot roller coaster from seeing a tweet from Benjamin Daly in October of last year, and I thought it looked like a really fun project to try out!  I liked how it incorporated the Ozobots plus building with simple materials, allowing the students to develop their coding skills along with their engineering skills.  

What was the most challenging part about making it, and how did your students overcome the obstacle?
I think the learners struggled most with finding the precise angles that allowed the Ozobot to drive up or down the track.  If the hills were too steep, they either failed to climb them or would descend too quickly and fall off the track. Students overcame this challenge through trial and error.  The importance of testing and redesigning throughout the project was stressed heavily throughout the project.

Can you share with us an example of how your project combined creativity and coding?
Students had to be creative because they weren’t provided with directions for building their roller coasters.  I started by showing them an example I made and explained that their roller coasters could not look like mine. The learners had to work as a group to develop their roller coaster designs which required an incredible amount of creativity and teamwork.  They were also asked to add at least one Ozobot code to their design, which brought in the coding piece.

What is your favorite Color Code? Did your students use it in their creation?
My personal favorite Color Code is Backwalk.  Unfortunately, that code doesn’t lend itself well to most of the roller coaster designs, so none of the learners used it.  Most students used the speed codes in their creations. They used the fast codes to help them get up the hills, and the slow codes to keep them from going too fast down the hills and falling off the track.

In addition to having a blast with Ozobots, what do you want kids who may recreate your project to take away from it?
I hope kids who recreate this project will learn the importance of developing a growth mindset.  You will fail, probably multiple times, when attempting to make an Ozobot roller coaster.  It’s a very difficult challenge to complete, but with hard work and perseverance, it is possible.     

Is there a challenge you’d like to issue to the Ozobot community to take your work and do something new based upon your template?
I’d love to see kids taking this project to the next level by incorporating more color codes and expanding the size of the roller coasters!  

How did you first hear about Ozobot and start learning to code?
I first learned about Ozobot at STEM Camp EDU this past summer.  That was also where I first started to really learn how to code.

Have you named your Ozobots?
Personally, no.  We have a set of 18 at each building so that would be a lot of names to remember.  Some of the learners have though. For some reason, they usually give them old man names like Jerry or Fred.  

Any other of your creations we should check out?My Kindergarteners and 1st graders created “Ozo Towns” that were really neat!  I provided them with the directions below and they had a blast! You can check out some pictures and videos of their awesome creations on my Google site.

Ozo Town

Build an Ozobot town that has:

• At least 3 stop signs (Pause code) red, blue, red
• At least 5 turns
• At least 5 buildings (1 school)
• 1 School Zone in front of the school (Slow code) red, black, red
• 1 Farmer’s Field (Tornado code) red, green, red, green
• 1 Highway (Turbo code) blue, green, blue

A big thank you to Drew for inspiring creativity and coding in his makerspace! Follow Mr. Arena on Twitter to see more of his students’ Ozobot creations. And remember…

Coding is Creative!

Tech skills alone don’t spur big ideas—creative visions do. That’s why education at home and in the classroom should span science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math (think STEAM, not STEM). Whether you see yourself as a future artist, astronaut, or entrepreneur, our goal at Ozobot is to kick start your creativity and coding skills with playtime that strengthens your whole mind.

To learn more, explore Ozobot’s 2 Ways to Code:
OzoBlockly >
Color Codes >

For Educators and Students:
OzoBlockly Basic Training >
Color Codes Basic Training >
150+ STEAM Lessons >

Educator of the Month – Official Rules

The post June Educator of the Month: Roll to the Coding Coast this Summer appeared first on Ozobot.

…wait for it…

National Internet Safety Month. Why is this cause for celebration? Ozobot believes that bringing awareness to cyber safety and being a good digital citizen can make a huge positive impact. After all, about 24 hours of the average person’s week are spent online! So, as you (web)surf this summer, keep web safety and digital citizenship in mind.

Join us in hanging ten, dudes, by surfing the activities and lessons we’ve collected below! Whether you’re a teacher with class still in session, a father looking for something fun to do with your child at home this summer, or you’re anyone else with an Evo or Bit, we’ve got you covered.

Evo the Troll

OzoBlockly
Grades 5-8

In the spirit of Summer Web Safety, use Evo to explore how to behave on the internet as an important piece of any good Computer Science education. Learn what makes someone an internet troll and why that’s not a good character to be, then Evo will flip the script on trolling and become a helpful, protective troll companion!

The Dancing Ocean with Crafterina

Color Codes
Grades K – 5

Celebrate the Big Blue with our little bots! This STEAM activity advocates for marine conservation and comes with papercraft cutouts that transform your bot into a dolphin, shark, swimmer, and more. Download the PDF and explore the surf!

Ozobot Light Trails

Color Codes or OzoBlockly
Grades 2 and up

For something “light” (pun intended) to do in the frenzied final days of school or as a home summer project, try this lesson. Use Evo or Bit to create art (and maybe even a Father’s Day card!) with just a camera and some OzoBlockly programming or Color Codes. Kids and parents can marvel at each others’ rainbow-colored pieces and beam with pride.

Ozobot Dance Party!

OzoBlockly
Grades 1 and up

What better way to celebrate that school’s out for summer than with a dance party? Use OzoBlockly block programming to design a dance routine for Bit or Evo, then watch them spin around with glee for Summer Web Safety!

Don’t forget to share your June creations with us @Ozobot and use #OzoSquad for the chance to be featured on our social channels or our Favorite OzoThings blog post!

Images:Surf Photo by Filios Sazeides on Unsplash

The post 4 Ozobot Activities to Surf Safely this Summer appeared first on Ozobot.

Did you know that telling stories increases self-esteem? It makes sense when you think about it: through storytelling, we increase vocabulary and therefore communication skills. We improve our memory for retaining knowledge and lessons learned through the story’s moral. We grow in empathy for the characters and translate that capacity to our real-life relationships.

As soon as we spotted a certain Ozobot-tagged tweet, we knew it would be perfect to feature for our May educator. Rachel Kaplan’s students shared stories with Bit as the star of different scenarios, and increased their coding confidence through storytelling.

Join us in celebrating Rachel Kaplan and her classroom’s Ozobot Journey Project below!

Tell us about yourself! What is your job and what inspired you to get into the career you have?
My name is Rachel Kaplan, and I am a coding teacher at Moorestown Friends School, for Preschool to 5th grade. I have always had a strong interest in the impact technology has on society’s lives. Since I was a kid, I have loved playing and creating with gadgets and computer programs. In high school, I took engineering and architecture-type electives to learn more about what I can make with technology. Unfortunately, I became intimidated by being the only girl in the classes, and I did not pursue any technology focus in college. Rather, I studied elementary education, because learning is a gift I want to continue and share throughout my life.

As an educator in NY, I had five years after receiving my bachelor’s to complete a master’s degree. I very much enjoy learning and wanted to find something I could become passionate about. I researched several different master’s programs, but knew I found the perfect match when I read class descriptions for an Educational Technology degree.

Edtech takes my love for teaching and technology and creates the ideal blend for me. I ended up becoming an educational technology coach for several years, collaborating with classroom teachers on meaningful ways to integrate technology into their lessons. During that time, the Hour of Code started and I was an instant believer. I began encouraging teachers to integrate coding lessons into their math and science curriculum, hosting all school Hour of Code events and started an afterschool Scratch club. Coding was and still is my favorite edtech focus. When I moved from NY to NJ and was in search of a new job, I found a job description where I would be teaching coding full time… jackpot! I found a job made for me. This has become a great opportunity for me to foster student creativity through coding concepts.

I have aimed my coding class to focus on five skills: tinkering, designing, creating, problem-solving, and collaborating. These are valuable skills to apply in coding and beyond.

Having a coding class gives me the space to share a diverse range of successful innovators, and I hope that this helps every student feel like they can accomplish big dreams. I wish for students to feel confident in their interests, rather than let intimidation set them back like it had when I was younger. I want students to know they can create techy things instead of only using what’s already made.

How did you think of creating the project?
I enjoy the fact that Ozobot (we use Bit) can be used with Blockly coding. The OzoBlockly program is wisely divided into different levels for students to code with. I appreciate how OzoBlockly is simple enough for beginner readers to use, and does more than the average programmable and kid-friendly robot (move forward, backward, left, and right).

Coding games are fun, but I believe the real learning takes place when the student gets to make their own coding challenges and goals to reach. OzoBlockly gave me the opportunity to use an open-ended tool with my class, where students could design their own plans and see it come to life with Bit.

The second-grade students I have are very imaginative and love to tell stories: understanding my students’ strengths inspired me to give them a chance to tell stories using code. The idea behind the Ozobot Journey project, was for students to think of a place for Bit to go. The very first thing students did was tinker with OzoBlockly to see how it works, and what is possible with Bit.

After understanding how OzoBlockly coding works, students worked with partners to brainstorm different ideas of destinations for the robot. The range of their ideas was wide, and so much fun (examples: “Ozobot Goes to Outer Space!”, “Ozobot Goes to the Beach”, “Ozobot Goes Down the Trash”, etc.). Partners then had to compromise on one place, and collaborate on how they could make a story with this destination broken up into three scenes for Bit to travel through. They had to plan how they wanted Ozobot to travel through the scenes as well (for example: light up a certain way, move a certain way, etc.), and plan a relevant costume for Ozobot to wear. This project gave students a chance to explore their imaginations, practice decomposition to break down their stories and figure out what they needed bit by bit (no pun intended), collaborate on ideas and problem-solving, and I think they had a great time in the whole process! By the time everyone was ready to share, they did so proudly. h

What was the most challenging part about making it, and how did your students overcome the obstacle?
The most challenging part for the students was being patient. Uploading the code onto Bit took time, and every time students made a change, they had to upload again. We tried several troubleshooting steps with Bit to overcome this, and students added only a few commands at a time to help them debug if needed. Students discovered that if they added too much code all at once, it took a long time to go back and forth uploading code while trying to find the bug. If they used a few commands at a time, it was easier for them to debug their programs.

How else do you use STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) in everyday life?
STEAM is my life! It’s what I do throughout the day every day at school.

In personal practice, I always have a STEAM type of project going on at home. Whether it be home improvements, crafty photo or video projects, or mixing my own beats – I constantly find STEAM-y ways to express myself.

What is your favorite block of code in OzoBlockly?
I like the firework code because it’s fun and encourages many different types of stories.

In addition to having a blast with Ozobots, what do you want kids who may recreate your project to take away from it?
I want kids to use it as an outlet to tell stories in a different way than they may be used to. May this new storytelling lead to imaginative paths that may have not been possible in other storytelling formats.

How did you first hear about Ozobot and/or first start learning to code? I discovered Ozobot at ISTE!

I first started to learn code in basic coding classes in college. I ended up making websites for some friends, and trying to learn how to code animations on my own.

Besides creating with code, what is your favorite hobby or interest to geek out about in your free time?
I love creating family videos with my GoPro, and editing them with music and highlights of the year! We are travellers/adventure seekers in my family, so I make a ton of videos as our “live digital photo keepsakes”. It brings our memories to life in a more fun way than still photos can.

Have you named your Ozobot(s)?
Students name their Bits based on their stories.

Have you told any other stories with your bots? Any other videos of your creations we should check out?
Last  year we had a very similar project for a different class (click for the video), but used Color Codes with markers instead of OzoBlockly.

A big thank you to Rachel for inspiring creativity and coding in her classroom! Follow Rachel on Twitter to see more of her students’ Ozobot creations. And don’t forget…

Coding is Creative!

Tech skills alone don’t spur big ideas—creative visions do. That’s why education at home and in the classroom should span science, technology, engineering, the arts, and math (think STEAM, not STEM). Whether you see yourself as a future artist, astronaut, or entrepreneur, our goal at Ozobot is to kick start your creativity and coding skills with playtime that strengthens your whole mind.

To learn more, explore Ozobot’s 2 Ways to Code:
OzoBlockly >
Color Codes >

For Educators and Students:
OzoBlockly Basic Training >
Color Codes Basic Training >
150+ STEAM Lessons >

Educator of the Month – Official Rules

The post May Educator of the Month: Stories for Self-eSTEAM appeared first on Ozobot.