This student found success in choosing the correct parameters — either up and to the right, up and to the left, or straight up — to make a character jump.
Codespark Coder
07 Apr 2022 Leave a comment
in 36K, code/coding, computer lab Tags: codespark academy, parameters, The Foos
Demolition Derby
07 Apr 2022 Leave a comment
in 36K, STEM Tags: soap box derby
We built them by hand, and crashed them by cabinet!
Code Cards to Code Code Mouse
07 Apr 2022 Leave a comment
in 36K, code/coding, computer lab, programming Tags: code n go mouse, colby robot mouse
We programmed the robot mouse to run the maze.
Bristle Bots
07 Apr 2022 Leave a comment
in 36K, robotics, STEM Tags: bristlebot, robot, toothbrush
My one suggestion is to figure out a better way to attach the motor’s wires to the battery – this was the weak spot in the activity.
More photos of students and bristlebots below
Chairs, meet Floor
01 Apr 2022 Leave a comment
in 36K, computer lab Tags: chairs, crisis
Excitement in the computer lab at the end of the day.
 
The intended target avoided injury. Can’t say the same thing for my arm.
Comprehensive Injury Report
22 Mar 2022 Leave a comment
Well friends, after 29 years in the DOE, a student hit me with intent to injure.
Here are what injury report forms look like in the DOE. There are three parts.
Notice that Parts B and C still refer to the “Department of Education” as the “Board of Education” (a change made in 2002).
Interestingly, in Section 23 Causal Agent, there is no option for “student.” I had to list “99: Other.” Then in Section 24: Causal Agent: Person, the option I had to put is 3: Other Student (as if I were also a student completing this form).
New York City Department of Education Comprehensive Injury Report Part A: Fact Sheet
New York City Board of Education Comprehensive Injury Report Part B: Injury Description
New York City Board of Education Comprehensive Injury Report Part C: Witness Statement
Geoboard Art
11 Mar 2022 Leave a comment
in 36K, art, math Tags: geoboard, Mathigon
More art with geoboards.
Mathigon and Polypad Explorations
11 Mar 2022 Leave a comment
in 36K, computer lab, math Tags: Mathigon
My last period “guinea pig” class tested out a couple of “math as art” programs, using the polypad section on the mathigon.com website.
Kodable Progress
09 Mar 2022 Leave a comment
in 36K, code/coding, computer lab Tags: Kodable
After about seven sessions, this is the progress for a group alternate assessment 7/8 graders working on Kodable. The plan is to continue with this program for another 3-4 weeks, then switch to 3D deisgn using Tinkercad and handheld printers.
Scratch Spiralizer with Students
09 Mar 2022 Leave a comment
in 36K, code/coding, computer lab Tags: scratch
The last period class on Mondays is in many ways my favorite. They are young yet mature. When I want to use a group of students for guinea pigs, they are my go-to’s. We have done chrome music lab, mathigon’s polypad, online robots, code & go mouse robots, scratch jr. (the “unofficial” desktop software version), and now the online version of scratch.
Here is a (speeded-up) sampling of student work on the spiralizer, which is just about the coolest introduction to scratch there is. (click to see video)
Here is the script for spiralizer:
Occasional Observations of Traveling Technology Coach 