With the support of the Burlington Education Foundation, last year FWS started a Lego Robotics Club for grade 5 students.This turned out to be a wonderful experience for over 30 fifth grade students. High school students from the Lego Robotics Team work together wtht the Lego Robotics teachers to provide students with this creative experience that incorporates math, science, technology and teamwork.The Lego Robotics Club meets on Mondays from 2:45- 3:45 at FWS starting April 30. Interested students need to register by Friday, April 27.
Here are some comments from the teachers and high school students who particapted last year:
I had a wonderful
time teaching the kids about robots and problem solving, because I feel that
they really got something from this program and they all seemed really into it.
I had a great experience working with the kids, and was glad to pass on my knowledge
to the kids and help them further any interests that they had in robotics. The
kids looked up to me and it made me feel good to know that I was able to be a
role model for the kids. I feel that I have motivated the kids to continue on
with this pass time and turn it into a career someday. I hope that down the
line they will join in the high school robotics club and bring many great and
new ideas to engineering.
Matt Coleman
After meeting
with the fifth graders for Lego league, I feel that there is a bright future in
robotics in Burlington. The students we mentored were much like the younger
scouts in my boy scout troop, they came in everyday ready to continue their
projects and enjoying what they do. It was a pleasure to mentor these students,
and in the end I learned the programming aspect of the Lego Mindstorm kits.
Billy Ryan
Mostly I think
that mentoring the FLL at Francis Wyman was my most wise and enjoyable
investment of time throughout High School. I got to know more about another
branch of the FIRST program I have been in for three years and got to be part
of a great reciprocation, yes, I was just as much the learner as the learned.
As an experience, I like to call it the coup de grace of my early robotics and
technology career, I was able to take all of the strategies and ideas I had
learned and impart it with my love of the field while learning that any size
allows for a great perspective and the more perspectives the better. I wish I
had this when I was in elementary school and I hope that I've helped sow the
seeds for a field of dreams, a Burlington that rivals Boston in technology and
learning.
Gerry Pothier III
At the start of
this program my vision was to see how science with engineering and technology
could impact students at such a young age. I was increasingly and
pleasantly surprised as to how these 5th grade students dove into
their kits and powered through each week to get an end result that when I was
that age could never have imagined. To watch how the students were able
to work together as a team even when separated into different groups
periodically says a lot for these future engineers. This has been a
rewarding experience for me as a parent to watch the students and their mentors
who many I have known for years perform as young adults and excel
in a learning environment.
Roberta Pothier
We really enjoyed learning about Lego Robotics with the fifth graders. It was a new experience for us, as well as most of the students. We found the high school students to be great resources for not only the students, but to us as well. Everyone worked extremely well together and teamwork was a huge aspect of what not only the students, but we learned from this experience as well. We found that the students were problem solving teams,constantly revising their work. They also were able to reflect upon their experiences after each meeting. All of the students enjoyed building and programming their robot, and we enjoyed watching them explore and learn about Lego Robotics. It was a great experience for everyone involved.
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