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Learning Lab Highlight: Oh My! Cross Curricular Technology Integration

“Everybody in this country should learn how to program a computer …because it teaches you how to think.” - Steve Jobs

Are you looking for a way to integrate technology into your classroom learning??

At the Science Mill we recognize the importance of learning coding languages in educational settings. “Whether you’re trying to make a lot of money or whether you just want to change the world, computer programming is an incredibly empowering skill to learn,” (Hadi, the creator of code.org). The struggle for all educators then becomes how can I incorporate programming and technology into my day without taking away from my instructional minutes? We have a solution to your problem - our Oh My Ozobots Learning Lab!!

In this 45 minute lab, students work in pairs to complete a series of challenges with their tiny (and cute!) ozobot which incorporates approachable coding and programming concepts in a cross-curricular fashion. Combining student interest, classroom curriculum, and coding and programming creates a robust learning experience that highlights the relevancy of technology that allows students to envision how they could use this technology in future endeavors.

First, students use critical thinking and observation skills to figure out how their ozobot “reads” code.  Next, they learn how to program their ozobot in colorful fashion.  Using markers, pairs create a series of color-coded moves for their ozobot to read and follow. Students select a challenge for their teams and are asked to create a map for the bot to follow. Pairs are asked to have their ozobot explore a food web, tell a picture story, travel a map, create a timeline and code the ‘bot to walk the course of events, or create their own adventure!

If you‘d like to continue this technological journey in your classroom, the ozobots are for sale in our gift shop in the main lobby. This approachable teaching tool can be used to add a layer of technology to your student’s classroom experience!

Book your field trip experience and add an Ozobots Learning Lab now.

Science Mill at Central Texas MiniCAST

Come visit Science Mill staff at the upcoming Central Texas MiniCast! Stop by our booth to find out how to get the most out of your field trip experience or attend our session, Learning Lab: Zipping Towards STEM Careers, which will be held during the second session from 10:30am to 11:20am.

If you are searching for a new way to authentically get your kids interested in STEM, this is the session for you! During this lab, teachers will experience one of our most popular Learning Lab activities, Zip Away! Create a gondola for your zipline and engineer a braking mechanism to keep your ping pong ball passenger safe! Use the engineering design process to solve challenges, re-imagine, and improve your zipline and gondola design on this 4 second journey. As part of the experience, teachers will be provided the time to connect their learning to classroom content and STEM careers.  This class will stand as an example of how to get the most out of any field trip or lab experience. The Science Mill’s mission is to ignite the curiosity, creativity and problem-solving potential of future generations of learners and allow them to imagine themselves as STEM professionals through immersive, real world challenges.

Central Texas MiniCAST

Date: Saturday, January 28th, 2017

Location: San Marcos High School

Address: 2601 E. McCarty Ln, San Marcos, TX 78666

Time: 8:30 am to 4:00 pm

Buy Admission Tickets