During the ‘Moving Our Learning’ inquiry, we exposed ourselves to a wide range of scientific and technical articles during our reading time. Our Kākā reading group read Amazing Algorithms within the Connected reading series. It allowed us to understand and explore what an algorithm was and create a simple algorithm using Scratch.
Reading superstar video here
Indie: I can make a simple algorithm that tells my sprite to meow.
Danielle: I used the lessons we had on making algorithms and then was able to make my own. I made letters think and had others use my voice to say things.
Wiki: The scratch lessons helped the story make more sense as they gave me something to relate it to.
A challenge was to share their learning with another reading group by teaching them how to create simple algorithms. This involved practising, demonstrating, explaining while teaching each step to another student. Proving their own understanding of algorithms.
Reading rockstars Dani and Joseph mini teachers
Reading rockstars Wiki and Tane mini teachers
Reading rockstars Indie and Brooke mini teachers
Scarlett: Blake got most of the steps pretty quickly and was inspired to continue after our session had finished.
Danielle: Joseph needed me to go over some steps twice so that he was able to follow them. This helped me to remember the actions required to complete each task.
Wiki: With my help, Tane made the letters in his name spin, pop, change colour, and grow.
Indie: I loved being a teacher. It was fun.
Kiwi and Tui reading groups read an article about international robot-building competitions. They designed and created their robots in our school robot competition. In teams of four to five students, students were given the challenge to create a robot that could collect milk bottle lids, then drive along and put them in the drop-off zones. It is only early days into their design and creation process, and we already have some outstanding designs.
Tepou trial and error
Trend designing and building
Te Pou: I can’t wait till our bot is going completely. So far, we have a bucket that we can move, and it can collect things. We have to work on the program to make it move once we have finished building it.
Trend: We have a crane at the back and a bucket at the front. This will enable us to move more lids per turn.
Caleb: We are going to win our competition.
Dane: Our design will prove to be the best once we get it going.
There are three different teams in this competition. They have until the end of week 10 to have it working, tested and ready to battle. The results will be available in a Seesaw, so keep your eyes open.
Keywords: algorithm Scratch Connected, Robots, Prove it
