Armed with a $1,000 grant from Cox Communications, Iola Elementary School is primed to let its students’ imaginations run wild through a pair of new tools.
At first glance, the tools would appear at opposite ends of the technology spectrum.
But look closer, and you’ll see how connected they really are.
The first is a set of three new Dash Wonder Workshop Robots, named Dash (of course), Flash and Clash, which are capable of following simple commands from cell phones, or even by voice.
The second is a set of LEGOs.
Those simple bricks can provide the foundation to a world of creativity, noted Aubrey Westhoff, who runs a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) lab for IES fifth-graders.
“That’s one thing kids still love to this day is LEGOs,” Westhoff said. “It’s kind of crazy because I played with them as a kid and then you see them playing with them now, and it’s like a full circle moment.”
The LEGO BricQ Motion Essential set and LEGO Education SPIKE Essential Set have instructions to build everything from small houses to catapults.
Meanwhile, the small robots — which look like three balls stacked together on wheels — can work by themselves, or in cooperation with each other, to perform simple tasks. At least for now.
Through coding, the commands can become more complex.
“You can send them on quests,” Westhoff said.
They can even dance and sing.
The robots also have something of a puppy’s mentality. Wait too long to send a command, it will look impatiently in your direction.
The robots and LEGOs were delivered earlier this year.
Westhoff has allowed a few fifth-graders to help try out the devices.
“We’ve dabbled with them,” she said, with plans to implement some more elaborate projects for when students return after the summer break.
The idea for the robots came after Westhoff accompanied a group of students to the Southeast Kansas Education Service Center in Greenbush, where they worked on other robotic projects.
WESTHOFF is in her 12th year of education, the first nine of which were as a fifth-grade instructor.
