Florida Primary STEAM Day
Author: Resolute Foundation
On the 15th and 18th of October, the Resolute team hosted a STEAM Day for all the Grade 4 learners at Florida Primary School in Roodepoort.
On the 15th and 18th of October, the Resolute team hosted a STEAM Day for all the Grade 4 learners at Florida Primary School in Roodepoort. With the help of the teachers at the school, each STEAM Day was split into three one-and-a-half-hour sessions, each catering to 20 - 25 students at a time.
The day started off with an introduction to the world of Robotics and how it can affect learners’ lives today and in the future. Next, learners took turns trying their hand at programming the Micro:bit. The learners felt uneasy at first, but once they had their first scripts running they couldn't wait to try coding on their own. This exercise helped learners grow accustomed to working in the MakeCode environment. They particularly enjoyed the “shake” function, where they shook the Micro:bit to display a name or an icon or to clear the screen.
For the final activity, learners programmed the Micro:bit Car to autonomously follow a line on a track provided to each team. This activity was a big step up from introductory programming, but all teams were able to successfully program the car to follow the line.
Our STEAM Day presenters reported that the Grade 4 learners at Florida Primary School were the most well-behaved learners they’ve ever hosted. Thank you Florida Primary School!