Some schools, school boards, and states have written their own standards but if teachers don’t have a required set of learning standards, there are many resources available. But what exactly are the fundamental and critical skills that we should be teaching? A set of core guidelines can help teachers to develop computer science curriculum that introduces the fundamental concepts, engages students to develop an interest in coding, and fosters computational thinking, creativity, perseverance, collaboration, and all the other valuable skills that programming provides. So now we’re committed to the value of computer science in our classrooms. The appearance of robotics in classrooms, coding clubs, and graphical, block-based programming languages such as Scratch, ScratchJr, and Blockly allow even primary students to develop an interest in being builders and creators of technology. Schools have recognized the need for students in all grades to develop a foundation in programming. This has in turn generated a specific interest in computer science and programming as an essential component of the technology curriculum. We recognize the need for students to develop computer literacy but more than just being confident users of technology, we want to encourage a culture of innovation. The focus on science, technology, engineering, and math not only prepares young people for the jobs of tomorrow, but also builds the vital skills of design, logical thinking, problem solving, and trouble shooting. When you place it in front of multiple sequences, it will activate all of them.As educators, we agree that STEM education matters. It makes far more sense to click once, and run everything. If you have multiple lines of code, you have to activate each block separately. When you press the green arrow block, it only runs the code sequence that it’s directly attached to. This is a really efficient way of building your code when you want the smarthub to execute more than one instruction. To start the sequence, swap the green arrow block for the keypress block. Second, notice that the light on the smarthub is changing colour? That’s a separate piece of code. In this project, there are two sequences we want to run. This code is really useful for lots of different projects, so you’ll see us use it all the time. It’s pretty straightforward, so Liam used the app. To code your windmill, you can use the Lego WeDo app or Scratch. Importing the custom blocks for Lego WeDo lets you combine them with standard Scratch blocks to extend what you can do. Scratch is a block-based coding platform, which has the ability to integrate with a wide range of hardware options including Lego WeDo, Mindstorms and Boost, BBC microbit, and Makey Makey.

If you want to start coding more complex actions, consider using Scratch instead. There is limited complexity that can be achieved within the WeDo app, as it’s designed for simple instructions and getting started. In terms of outputs, the motor can activate, a display can show on your devices screen, or the colour of the light on the smarthub can change. A range of inputs can be used, including from the tilt sensor, motion sensor, noise sensor (from your devices microphone), or from the ‘go’ button. The platform is very simple to use, with blocks aligned side-by-side in the sequence you want your project to execute the instructions. The Lego WeDo 2.0 kit comes with an app for pictorial coding, which lets you get your projects up and running quickly. Get the FREE INSTRUCTIONS here! Using the Ledo WeDo 2.0 app vs Scratch for coding You could also decorate the front of the smarthub and motor with a cool design. If you have longer bricks and want to make your windmill taller, that’s a great idea! Or maybe change some colours so it’s nice and bright. Keep in mind that substitutions are ok with any of the pieces. If you prefer a different colour of brick, or you like to mix-and-match, get into it. Now, into the fun part… building! The best thing about this project is that you can design the windmill blades however you like. The app is a very big download, just under 500MB, but once you’ve got it installed, it’s very easy to set up and get started. For us, a big benefit of having the project instructions within the app is that they’re all in one place, and they can’t get lost or damaged. The app contains instructions for heaps of WeDo projects, and an image-based coding platform that communicates with the smarthub via bluetooth. As you would expect, it’s compatible with all the standard Lego and Technic components.Īlongside the kit comes the Lego WeDo 2.0 app. The core kit comes with a smarthub, motor, tilt sensor and motion sensor, plus a range of gears, wheels, axles and bricks to create a wide range of projects. Lego WeDo 2.0 is Lego’s entry-level robotics & coding kit, designed for the education space.

Lego wedo 2.0 and texas teks