How do CA Math & Science K-8 CHALLENGE EVENTS differ from traditional robotics Tournaments?
1. Students do not compete against other teams.
2. They work, individually or with other classmates, to earn Badges, by solving the Project-Challenges.
3. They pass each Project-Challenge by “teaching” their robot to solve the challenge (Pro-bots for K-2; Botball for Grades 3-8)
4. Attendance is open through-out the Saturday morning so that students can attend the CA Math & Science CHALLENGE without giving up their weekend games or other events (they often show up in uniform).
5. The Project-Challenges are often challenges they have worked on in school or after-school robotics club but now EVERY CHILD gets to demonstrate mastery (which doesn’t always happen in the clubs or in-school robotics class), and earn their own button-badges!
Linda Vista teachers were ready to start the Math & Science Challenge program in 2020-2021. Then the pandemic hit. We home delivered robotics kits but our model of in-class and after-school coaching to prepare students for weekend Math Science Challenge Events…
is on hold while we wait for large events to be safe again. In the meantime we’re putting our energy into the STEM Stars Are Readers! online reading platform. Help us fund a classroom!
February at Dan Diego’s Teacher Training. Jeff also introduced Aerial Drones.
Join us at the Math Science Challenge Event at Rosa Parks Elementary this weekend.
Cheer on the students from the Hoover High STEM Cluster as they program and re-configure their Junior Botball robots to earn badges for solving challenges in • Programming • Problem-solving • Applied (Just in Time!) Mathematics • & Design-Engineering
Support the new STEM Stars Are Readers! initiative, as we introduce students to the secret language of computers: Binary Code, in the new children’s STEM book:
Thank You • KIPR • USD Engineering • Rotary Club of San Diego • Teachers, Volunteers, Students!
Students-Only! Coding Area- San Diego Botball Tournament @ USD.jpg
Jr Botball Area: Students 3rd grade and up Solve Challenges to Earn Badges
Jr Botball and Botball Arenas ready to go at USD!
SDFF is a great organization that has been helping San Diego children get access to technology for over 20 years. They held a wonderful STEMfest at Copley YMCA on March 23.
Intro to K-2 Robotics with Pro-Bot® “Racer” Robot
Intro to 3rd-8th Grade Coding in C and Engineering– with Junior Botball
The rainy season is perfect for indoor Saturday indoor Math & Science Challenge Events!
Math & Science Challenge Events are non-competitive “tournaments” that allow K-8 students to experience the excitement of working to solve robotics challenges in the Arena.
Today we held our second Math & Science Challenge Event of 2019. Thank you to Hoover High and Wilson Middle School for hosting.
And thank you for the ongoing support of the San Diego Rotary Club, the Hoover High Computer Club and Teacher Jack Wetzel, and Pam Pham and the other Hoover Cluster Elementary Teachers. They have worked together to create a fabulous early learning STEM culture for their students!
Rotary Club of San Diego have joined with school principals to promote robotics based STEM
Students attending the SD Botball Regional Tournament!
“We will be kicking off the School Year with a meeting of the School Champions on Thursday, October 4, from 4:30 to 5:30pm at Wilson Middle School ( 3838 Orange Ave., San Diego, 92105).. There will be familiar School Champions present, as well as some new Champions to meet, and it is always encouraging to have Rotary well represented at this initial meeting of the School Champions.
I view Rotary’s role as a facilitator for STEM projects, and some new projects will be presented to the Champions, as well as the popular Jr. Botball Robotics program.
Our Lead Coordinators this year will again be Phet Pease and Lily Vu Brown, and attached is Phet’s invitation to the School Champions and Principals to attend.”
Best of regards,
Doug Arbon
San Diego Rotary STEM Committee
Greetings Champions and Principals,
My name is Phet Pease and I teach STEM electives at Wilson Middle School. Over the past several years, Wilson has been working with the San Diego Rotary Club as part of their Rotary STEM Initiative, which makes a variety of STEM programs available to local schools. On behalf of the Hoover Cluster STEM leadership team, I would like to invite you to our STEM kick off meeting on Thursday, October 4th.
- WHO: Hoover Cluster STEM Champions (or those who aspire to become one!)
- WHERE: Wilson Middle School, 3838 Orange Ave, SD, CA 92105 in the library
- WHEN: Thursday, October 4th from 4:30 – 5:30 PM
- WHAT: Teaming up to provide more STEM opportunities for our students
- WHY: To provide a Support Group for STEM champions across the Hoover Cluster
Light food and beverages will be provided! Each participating Hoover Cluster school that is represented at the meet up will receive a free gift for your site!
- Please RSVP here through google forms!
- STEM Champions, please fill out this survey prior to the meeting to let us know how we may best serve you this year.
Please extend this invitation to other colleagues at your school site or anyone else who you think might be interested! Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks,
Phet Pease