Monday, May 21, 2012

Lego Engineering


For the students in grades 1, 2 and 3 at Memorial School Legos become more than just a toy. Students here use these familiar tools to learn about engineering and teamwork. The Lego Engineering curriculum begins in first grade when students are introduced to the engineering process and use this knowledge to construct a wheelbarrow and a motorized car.  Then in second grade they not only continue building with Legos but become computer programmers. They learn how to use Robo Lab, simple programming software, to control the speed and distance of their motorized car. They make predictions, measure distances and draw conclusions. By grade 3 students combine all of their first and second grade knowledge to build mechanical alligators and create complex programs to make their alligators move.