Course Number: | EDU 5515 C47 |
Instructor: | Karen & Scott McCalla |
Location: | In-person at Mill River Union High School & Online. In-person sessions at Mill River on July 24, August 10 & September 30, 9-4 each session. |
Dates and Times: |
July 24 - September 30, 2023 |
Credits: | 3 Graduate Credits |
Tuition: |
$2,456 Cost includes $1,192.58 in required materials, all reusable: Spike Prime EDU set ($494.95), Spike Prime Expansion Set ($297.63) and FIRST registration (season challenge kit and curriculum access) at $400 |
Want to get your students involved in STEAM learning that’s impactful and fun, but don’t know where to start? In this course educators will develop a plan for implementing Lego Robotics in their classroom, afterschool program or as an extracurricular activity. FIRST Lego League (FLL) provides a robust framework for STEAM engagement. Course participants will develop a customized plan for implementing a robotics program, while learning all they need to know about coaching a Lego team for competition or using the FLL framework for achieving classroom STEAM goals. No technical, engineering or coding experience is required for this class. Course registration includes a Spike Prime kit plus a FLL season competition kit, so you’ll have everything you need to start working with students in the fall and beyond. We’ll teach you everything you need to know, and anyone who loves working with kids can coach or teach FLL robotics! Three in-person meetings will provide ample time for supported exploration and learning, while asynchronous online work will guide participants through creating their own plans for implementation. Leave class with a solid plan for a competition season, afterschool program or classroom integration.
Audience: Educators working with students aged 9-14 in the classroom, afterschool or in an extracurricular or club
Instructors: Karen and Scott McCalla have successfully coached FLL robotics for more than 10 years, reaching more than 200 kids with high-quality STEAM experiences on FLL teams, including two trips to the World Championships and two trips to the Legoland International Invitational. The 2022 Vermont Teacher of the Year, Karen is the Teacher Librarian at Mill River Union in North Clarendon. Scott has been named the Vermont FLL Coach of the Year twice and helps to lead FIRST in Vermont, a non-profit focused on increasing equitable access to high-quality STEAM education for all Vermont students. Scott is also the FIRST Senior Mentor for Vermont.
Participants will become familiar with building and programming basic Lego robots, understand the relationship between the Research Project, Robot Game and Core Values in FLL programming and build a useful implementation plan tailored to their instructional situation.
Course Objectives:
I can build an operational basic Lego robot, including a drive train and one mechanism.
I can program my Lego robot to move around the game field with efficiency.
I can program my Lego robot to manipulate at least one item on the game field.
I can develop an implementation plan for my situation that takes into account scheduling, expectations, fundraising, parent development, and other factors.
None.
Karen McCalla
(802) 779-4242
(802) 779-1413
(802) 468-1325