Codologie Current Events
January 2019
New Year, New Hardware
Wow, January has flown by so quickly! Our Ross, Jefferson, Ponderosa, and Stoddard 6th graders have been very busy in Codologie. They've already learned about 3 new topics: Pulse Width Modulation, Servo Motors, and Ultrasonic Sensors.
Watch the video below to hear students explain the Ultrasonic Sensor, which uses echolocation just like a bat to calculate how far away something is.
https://youtu.be/_vk4j1hSUjA
Ancient Civilizations at Play|Code|Compete
Teams are just getting started designing their projects for some big events coming up in about 10 weeks. First, they'll have a showcase, where they'll invite parents and other classes to see their work. The following week, judges will come in and choose a finalist from each class. Each finalist will be invited to compete against all the others at this year's Play|Code|Compete, formerly known as the Scratch-Off.
The theme for the Codologie project this spring is aligned with 6th grade's Benchmark Unit 7, which asks, "Why do we consider certain civilizations 'great'?" Teams are choosing an ancient civilization, like China, Egypt, Rome, Greece, or the Inca Empire, to research. Then, they will create a model of something from that civilization and make it interactive using LEDs, motors, buttons, and ultrasonic sensors, all programmed with Python on Raspberry Pi.
Here's last year's winner: a Great Wall of China from Mrs. Wilson's class at Betsy Ross Elementary. As "enemies" move closer to the wall, the ultrasonic sensor detects them and lights up first one "torch", then another as they get closer, until all four are lit. We're challenging our students to make something even better this year!
Written by Heather Boling
Heather is AESD's Bytes & Bots Digital Learning Coach. She write curriculum, plans events such as Play|Code|Compete, works with mentors and teachers, and much more! She has recently also taken on Code Campus and AESD's new eSports curriculum, Nurturing Positive Competitors.
Email: hboling@anaheimelementary.org
Website: https://sites.google.com/anaheimelementary.org/codologiestudent/home
Location: Digital Education Services, 313 S. Melrose St. Anaheim, CA
Phone: (714)517-7532 -- 4191
Twitter: @hcboling