K-2 ROBOTICS • “The Power of Project Trees”

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The Power of Project Trees

Early Learning Advantage It is well established that giving children an early introduction to music, mathematics, athletic games, or foreign languages gives them a life-long head start over those who start later in life. Two questions arose when we considered early learning robotics:

  • Can we introduce children in grades K-2 and 3-8 to such complex activities as coding, applied mathematics, and engineering design in a way that ensures they are actually learning?
  • Can we find a way to get children to fall in love with these activities, to choose to work on them, through sheer joy of learning? Becoming so absorbed in coding, troubleshooting, and problem-solving that they lose track of time and have to be reminded to go home?

The “Power of Project Trees”  The thing that allowed us to answer ‘yes’ to both questions, and to start a rigorous robotics-based Coding- Applied Math- Engineering Design curriculum at such a young age, was the  Project Challenge-Tree (a visual goal-setting & progress-tracking tool). You can learn more about Project Tree’s  revolutionary effect on the classroom— and about how to design your own Project Trees for any subject—  at this link:

#EarlyEd, #GirlsCanCode, #CSForALL

GoFundMe: STEM Programs for Underserved Youth

TEACHERS NEED HELP to get more kids playing the game of math and science.

Teaching is tough! Especially teaching STEM (Science-Technology-Engineering-Math). In fact a recent study identified significant obstacles elementary schools face when they try to create world class hands-on STEM programs.

To learn how you can help us train STEM Teachers, please visit my GoFundMe Campaign

What a year for CA Math & Science Challenge!

What a year it’s been for us at CA Math & Science Challenge. Our mission to empower teachers with effective sTEm curriculum has begun in earnest with schools throughout San Diego County.

For instance, Ms. Bolling, the new head of the robotics program at Innovations Academy Charter: using  a curriculum that included our Challenge Trees and Coaching/Assessment Checklists, Ms. Bolling helped every K-8 child  experience some level of robotics programming at Innovations.

We have continued to support the wonderful teachers in our Hoover Cluster as they strengthen their own robotics Robotics programs.

What started out as an after school robotics programs is starting to work its way into the regular classroom schedule as teachers experience student growth in independent problem-solving skills, coding, mathematics, and engineering. The 3rd-5th grade students at this cluster had two opportunities to participate in weekend Challenge Event Tournaments:

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Thank You KISS Institute for Another Great Global Conference for Educational Robotics!

Jeff Major Provided Live Commentary

This  year’s Global Conference on Educational Robotics (GCER) combined:

The 2018 Global Conference on Educational Robotics (GCER) was held July 25, 2018 – July 29 at the Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa in Indian Wells, California.

Check-in @ GCER International Robotics Competition

International Botball!

This  year’s Global Conference on Educational Robotics (GCER) combined:

2018 San Diego Botball Challenge @ USD!

Thank You to All Who Attended! ◊ A  few slides from San Diego’s Spring Botball Challenge:

Thank you to USD Engineering for hosting and to all teams and mentors and volunteers for another great San Diego BotBall Challenge!

Students from ages 6 to 18 spent the day solving coding, applied mathematics, and engineering problems…  time flies when you’re having fun!

⇒ Let’s get our kids in the game!

11 Jr Botball Challenges to Solve • Botball @ USD!

See you April 21st @ San Diego Botball & Jr Botball Challenge!

Time: 8 am – 2 pm • Location: University of San Diego  • Schedule (see below)

Jr Botballers: Get ready to teach your robot to solve these challenges!

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San Diego Jr Botball® 2017 Challenge • Hoover High

Thank You to All Students, Teachers, and Parents for A Great Day at Hoover High
Hoover Cluster: 10 Elementary Schools • 2 Middle Schools • 1 High School

  • Thank You  Hoover High Robotics Club & Students for Hosting the “Challenge”
  • Special Thanks to the San Diego Rotary Club STEM Committee for their support!

This Saturday we introduced the K-2 Challenges using the Probot® robot for younger children:

Early Learning Advantage!™ ⇒ Programming • Problem-Solving • Applied Mathematics!

Hoover High School is hosting a Junior Botball® Challenge event on Sat, November 11, 2017 at the small gym. This event will be free and open to the public → DIRECTIONS

  • Students: drop by to “Take the Jr Botball Challenge” any time between 9 AM & 12 AM.
  • This event is open to all registered Junior Botball® Challenge teams.
  • Registered teams do not have to pay an additional fee to participate, but each school’s Botball coordinator must complete the sign-up form for this event (link below).

There are 6 Challenges at this event: Challenges 1, 2, 5, 9, 11, & Dance Party Challenge.

Challenges 1, 2, & 5 are for the beginner level, Challenges 9 & 11 will be for the intermediate level & the 6th challenge will be a mystery revealed onsite.

  • JBC Challenge 2: Ring Around the Can (beginning)- The robot will drive out and around the can in circle 6, and return to the starting area.
  • JBC Challenge 1: Tag You’re It (beginning)- The robot will drive to the can in circle 9, touch it, and return to the starting area.
  • JBC Challenge 5: Dance Party (beginning)-

Dance Party participants will receive a completion award when the robot “dances” to the music provided by the students and completes all of the performance standards:

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