Blog Archives

Learning Laser Cutting

11/4/2016

This week our 5th grade focus group became the first class to use the laser cutter. Each student created a simple design for our layout in CorelDRAW. Using the program we also selected which lines would be raster (engraved) or Vector (cut). We then loaded regular cardboard into the laser cutter and focused the machine by setting the appropriate distance between the cardboard and the laser. After adjusting a few settings in the printer setup such as the power and speed of the laser, we sent the print command and pressed the "go" button. We all watched in wonder as the laser began to engrave the shapes and cut the lines. The project came out as expected and each students got to take their cardboard object with them to share and spread the laser cutting excitement! We have big plans for the Innovation lab laser cutter especially in our upcoming prototyping and investing class. To have a machine that will cut and engrave a wide range of materials with precision is an amazing resource for our students.

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Little Robots, Big Learning

11/3/2016

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The sixth grade Robotics Focus Group is beginning to learn about programming robots using Ozobots. Ozobots are small robots that can read colored lines, flashes of light and code to move and blink lights. The sixth graders are using the color codes to make mazes and games for the Ozobots to follow.

"This makes me want to be an engineer," said one designer. "You have to think like a programmer," added another as she puzzled through codes to make the Ozobot jump from one path to another.

"Mine is entirely luck based. If you end up following this path you will go all the way back. But I am leaving that up to chance," the group groaned over that concept. One inventive designer shared that he wasn't just making a maze, he was making a whole Ozobot amusement park.

The focus and enthusiasm about the mini robots was infectious. Two class members left with the website address because they intend to ask for Ozobots for holiday gifts.

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Mock Election Online Voting

11/2/2016

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The 2016 GEMS Mock Election is officially underway! The Solving Problems With Design Thinking class is using the mock election as a way to test several solutions we designed to address the problem of decreased voter participation in our country.

Perhaps the largest component to our solution was the creation of an online voting system that would keep votes anonymous, but also keep the process secure. To address these needs, our class created unique codes that would be used to verify that each vote was cast by a GEMS Student according to the election rules while also allowing only one vote per student. The class also created a voting portal to access the online ballot. We then provided classroom teachers in grades 3-8 with slips of paper which included the voting code or PIN number, directions for accessing the portal, and a QR code to provide another access option.

The ballot is designed to be visual as well as informational with pictures of the candidates and some simple biographical information. In our class research, we learned that lacking accurate information about the candidates is sometimes a significant obstacle to voting. political advertisements and even news stories can be very confusing to many potential voters. By providing some basic information about the candidates, we were hoping to make the process more comfortable and increase participation.

In addition to online voting, the class also decided to hold the mock election over 4 days. Providing this flexibility to teachers and students was another attempt to get a high level of participation. Our system will accept votes through Friday, November 4th.

The class plans to publish our election results on Monday, November 7th, which will allow everyone to compare the mock election results with those of the general election on Tuesday, November 8th. Our class will next study the outcomes of the potential solutions we implemented and figure out how they might apply to larger scale elections.

With two more days of online voting to go, our solutions look promising. Stay tuned for the results!