Digital Literacy

Block Coding and Spheros

December 2, 2021

SPHERO DEMOS:

Magic 8 Ball
Massage
Simon Says
Mad Libs
What Am I?
Handout problems: Recreate this in Sphero Edu and run it on your robot or take the challenge and create your own program from scratch!

CREATE YOUR OWN PROGRAM!

On your Chromebook, go to Sphero EDU and join with your class account. Choose your name from the dropdown list from Tuesday. Confirm.

TOGETHER: We'll do one to test.
1. Go to My Programs and select the + sign to create your own program.
  - Name the program YOUR NAME (1st, last) so you can get credit.
  - Choose "Blocks"
  - Choose "Sphero"
  - Chosse "Create"
You'll notice that the "on start program" black block is already there to get you started. For the first one, re-create the Forever Spin program below and test it with your Sphero.
MAKE SURE TO SHARE IT WITH YOUR PEERS:

Click the top left arrow to go back to your program and then again to get to your list of programs.
SHARE with Classmates AND SHARE with Teacher
Ask a peer to verify they see your program and ask your teacher to also verify

YOUR TURN: Create your own program for your Sphero includig perhaps: Movement blocks, Lights blocks, and/or Sound blocks. You can make one of your own (RECOMMENDED) or recreate one from the examples provided. Some Sphero Programs for You to Try
TEST IT with your Sphero to verify it works the way you wish it to work.
You can change it as you wish as it's NOT right or wrong but "keep trying" until you are satisfied
TO GET CREDIT/POINTS: Make sure to choose BOTH "Share with Classmates" and "Share with Teacher"
Try out some of your peers' programs and some of those in the Resources area collected by your teacher that were demoed in class.

A list of Sphero Challenges from a classroom teacher in Georgia. Try some of these out....

Choose Drive/Touch Control (icon in purple square)
- Find and pair your device with your Sphero. Make sure to choose the correct Sphero and not someone else's
- Calibrate the Sphero by using Aim to aim the light on the Sphero toward you
- Use the remote control on your phone/iPad to move the Sphero and change speed, etc.
Choose Activities (icon in blue square) to explore activities that your teacher assigns.
Choose Resources (icon in green square) to try out one of the class programs shared with your class to run on your Sphero (e.g. WCU pride, Disco Dance Party, Magic Eight Ball)
Choose Programs (icon in red square) to create your own programs starting with a simple draw program and moving up to your own block coding

RESOURCES O' THE DAY:

A Great Educational Coding Website
https://www.codeforlife.education/

10 Free Coding Games Websites for Teaching Programming Skills
https://childhood101.com/coding-for-kids/

Videos on Computational Thinking and Coding:

Computational thinking: A digital age skill for everyone
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFcUgSYyRPg&t=1s

A Fabulous and Free Coding Website for Kids from MIT - Scratch
https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/editor/?tutorial=getStarted

Sphero