Thursday, January 12, 2017

Sphero Golf!

Swanson Straits logo modified from Whistling Straits Golf Course.
If you have not explored Sphero Balls, today is the day to check them out! Sphero is a robotic ball that pairs with your iPad or Smartphone. Using a variety of apps, you can manipulate the ball's movement through coding, programming, or a simple finger swipe. I love Spheros because they are easy to use and content integration is totally accessible by teachers at all levels. Spheros emphasize the power of play in our classroom, something we're always looking for more of in our world!

We brought the joy of Sphero into our classroom today with another engaging collaboration day with Mike Mohammad and his BCHS students. Y'all may be tired of hearing about our days together, but we are definitely not tired of having fun together! Because of the size of our group (50 students) we decided to divide up the time together into two rotations.

ROTATION #1: SPHERO GOLF
Being a golf lover myself, this morning is definitely ranking up there as one of my favorites of the year!  Mike's students came to "Swanson Straits" a little early to turn our Library Media Center into a 10 hole mini golf course. Our 5th graders were divided into teams and spent the morning playing all 10 holes of golf with the Sphero balls. Even a few grown ups enjoyed "teeing off" and giving it a try. It is waaaay harder than it looks. The Sphero Golf app is fun because it allows you to choose your club, determine the distance needed, and then tee off. The kids didn't tell me that when I started playing, so I was using my putter for most of my hole....urrrghhh! I made up for it in future holes, don't worry! 



ROTATION #2: POLYGON NAVIGATION 
In addition to the mini golf, our students also explored the Lightning Lab app. This app allowed our 5th graders to program the Sphero ball to navigate around a series of polygons taped onto the floor of our Makerspace. As the students approached each shape, they had to use the app to program the Sphero to trace the edges of each polygon. Students quickly realized they had to adjust their team's programming, through trial and error, in order to correctly navigate the polygon path. They had to create roll combinations, including the direction, speed, and the number of seconds they wanted it to move. They had to repeat this for each edge of the polygon. This rotation was much more challenging for our students, but they practiced their perseverance and grit to work through the different polygons. 

Although we only dabbled with a few of the Sphero Apps this morning, there are ton of options out there for students. I know there are many more out there, but these looked fun to me. Feel free to comment below with other apps you've used in your classroom!Below is a list of apps your students may find enjoyable: 
  • Sphero
  • Sphero Lab
  • Sphero Golf
  • Lightning Lab
  • Sphero Draw N' Drive
  • Sphero Exile


What an incredibly fun morning! We can not tell you how much we value our collaboration days together. A HUGE THANK YOU to Mike and his students! No matter how much we rant and rave, they'll never realize how much we value this time together. Not only do we laugh and play and have ridiculous amounts of fun, these days spark an interest and curiosity in the minds of our 5th graders. Collaboration days introduce our students to passions they may not even realize they have. The enthusiasm in our space this morning was infectious, and none of us wanted the morning to end! We can't wait to bring our Sphero balls back out in our upcoming Geometry unit.

Until next time...

~ Kate

16 comments:

  1. imagine device in the world
    https://youtu.be/wUC9XI1JABE
    watch & subscribe

    ReplyDelete
  2. very cool device
    https://youtu.be/wUC9XI1JABE
    watch & subscribe

    ReplyDelete
  3. I find it really nice for children to teach team work.
    Team building write for us

    ReplyDelete
  4. Civil Law Assignment Help stands for the branch of law in which the law is not limited to things people and relationships that they may develop among them. It excludes not only the criminal law but also Commercial as well as Labour Law.

    Read More Blog : https://bit.ly/3ugJbCY

    ReplyDelete
  5. cricket tips 11.Instant Paytm Withdrawal Fantasy Power 11 Fantasy Cricket Best App Download Best Fantasy Cricket App in India & win Cash visit Fantasy Cricket Best Website know more Fantasy Cricket Tips. Download Fantasy Power 11

    ReplyDelete
  6. We know that most of people are very confuse to the blockchain Sometimes someone is troubled due to the error of the wallet of his blockchain, and sometimes due to the trouble of any related blockchain. but don't worry now we are available any time for blockchain support

    ReplyDelete
  7. Northeast Jobs website provided for Latest Employment News of State and Central Government Recruitment, Jobs in Guwahati and Assam Tech Info Vacancy

    North East Career

    ReplyDelete
  8. I found this article to be extremely helpful. Thank you. Twitch Giveaway is a highly competitive platform. At any given time, thousands of broadcasters compete to attract new viewers. You can encourage viewers to visit your Twitch Giveaway by offering a giveaway. best twitch giveaway set up guide 2021

    ReplyDelete
  9. Maden helt i top - fremragende vin - take away frederiksberg service perfekt. Alle spørgsmål blev besvaret. Stemningen på en varm fredag aften var som at være i Athen.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thank you for sharing this very fantastic blog, I’m extremely impressed with your auspicious writing skills and also with the layout on your blog. Thanks for sharing this informative post. Check how to purchase gaposa HND admission form

    ReplyDelete
  11. That is incredibly useful information, and I have never found it on a blog before. I was looking for something like that and found it on your blog. Several very famous games such as Starcraft and Warcraft have inspired this test. See this article on increasing your action speed. Action Per Minute Test

    ReplyDelete
  12. Very interesting, and very well written. Thanks for sharing the details. I would like to share the latest article with you about online mouse test Please comment with your thought after reading the article.Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I appreciate your article. I have a website on BitLife Mafia games that uses the same layout, and many people struggle with it. How to join Italian Mafia in BitLife Mafia game.

    ReplyDelete
  14. This blog in very informative for us

    ReplyDelete
  15. Fascinating insights! Your blog always delivers such thought-provoking content. This free auto clicker is like having an extra pair of hands for your digital tasks!

    ReplyDelete
  16. To contact Flair Airlines Teléfono México, call +1-888-370-4802. Our team can assist with flight bookings, changes, schedules, and other travel-related inquiries. We strive to provide reliable and efficient support for a smooth customer service experience. Contact us for any assistance you may need at +1-888-370-4802.

    ReplyDelete