After a restful winter break Rios students returned to school eager as ever to begin creating and designing projects in all academic areas. Our students begin using computer-programming skills as early as Transitional Kindergarten.   Our teachers design innovative projects that are cross-curricular, integrating computer science skills at every opportunity.

In trimester one, students created projects that allow them to apply the logic of Computer Science such as loops and sequences using physical blocks. They made the blocks in the real world – and then programmed them in Scratch.

As we entered trimester 2, our focus shifted from Scratch, onto Legos and Lego Robotics. Lego provides opportunities for listening, speaking, reading and writing. We apply our understanding of the logic of computer science to robotics – learning how to build and program models, and learning how to make different robots interact with one another. Plus we get to play with Legos! We are focusing on the idea of the joy of work and habits of mind – “we’re here to get some work done and have fun doing it”.

We will have Epic Builds in hands-on programming, robotics, and analog activities later this school year.

 

Maria Kehoe, Principal

Melanie Brandt & Erin Gassaway, Staff

Rios Computer Science Magnet School