North Bay students learn STEM though coding Lego robots
North Bay Catholic school students are learning about coding and robotics while using Lego. It's part of an innovation project that includes science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
Students are split into teams to create a project about a real-world crisis and how they would solve it while also building and coding a mini Lego robot to solve the challenging missions.
"What we've been doing is building custom parts for the robot,” explained Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Elementary School student Cooper Morrow.“We built a bin and sort of ‘T’ to drop stuff."
Using computers, the Lego robots are programmed by the students to perform specific tasks, like knock into things, carry objects and push them. If a task is complete, that robot's team scores points.
"The whole class can participate rather it being an extra after school or weekend program," explained Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic District School Board Technology Enabled Learning Facilitator Peter Anello.
These projects started at the beginning of the school year. New this year to the curriculum, the ‘First Lego League Class’ pack program allows participating teachers to partner with First Robotics Canada and lead a 12-week program design course.
“I find it really interesting and fun to do. It's cool how you can code something like that to do whatever," said Morrow.
The project's theme is ‘Superpowered’ and focuses on exploring energy and how it's stored and delivered. Isabella Castiglione and her team focused on trying to find ways to use solar panels at night.
"They store the energy from the sunlight but it just doesn't work throughout the whole night,” explained the Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Elementary School student. “If we have an outlet they can plug into, then they can work in the night."
This robotics competition is taking place in four different schools and eight classrooms. It started this week and runs until next Wednesday. The team with the highest amount of points from their project and competition from each classroom will go to the regional competition in December.
"It's really a nice resource for teachers to be able to open up a program, make some tweaks and deliver it,” said Anello. “We're hoping to keep this program running for years to come."
The goal of this course is to keep students engaged in science and math in a way that's engaging and fun.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.