In the Classroom: The Eagles

 

As spring begins and After School students start spending more time outdoors, the technological learning that began in the colder months does not stop. If anything, the Eagles (and Hawks) are more fascinated than ever in both robotics and 3D printing and drawing.

           

In robotics, students have been working with ultrasonic sensors to be able to detect walls and other objects using a form of sonar. These sensors are attached to car bodies that they construct. They then learn the necessary programming to make their robot move and interact with the world.

           

In 3D printing and drawing club students have been doing just those two things! So not only are they printing small plastic figurines, gears, and Lego parts, they’ve also been introduced to using a computer to draw and manipulate 3D objects. This includes changing the view around an object, zooming in and out, rotating, moving, and scaling. 

 

Students are also learning the ins and outs of using the 3D printer, which has its own special set of practices to get it to work correctly. These young engineers and artists are experimenting with sculpting (starting with a sphere) in three dimensions on the screen.

 

Some of the more advanced students have gotten very good at it, crafting virtual faces and animals. Here, Lauren is working on a brain she fashioned.

 

So, even though soccer balls and jump ropes are coming into more use than desktop computers and Legos (as they should), technology in Stucco continues to hold everyone’s attention and spark their creativity. It’s probably time again to discuss an all-terrain robot, one fit for outside.