Our teachers are on a mission to foster adaptive thinking skills among our 3rd and 4th-grade students, utilizing modern technology, particularly the Fable Robot System. This system provides modular, durable, and scalable learning tools that captivate and engage students. The robots are operated through software, enabling students to construct block code and achieve interactive results. As students gain experience they naturally transition to coding in Python. 

These robots also possess the capability to gather data on students’ interactions, enabling continuous improvement in the learning experience over time. It’s important to note that the data collected is encrypted, non-attributable to individual students, and is restricted to the duration of students’ lessons with the robots.

Last week, two 4th graders, Griffin and Frankie, showcased their coding during the all-school meeting. Griffin shared, “We put in a lot of effort into developing the code, and although it didn’t work perfectly when we demonstrated it, we remained determined and made the necessary adjustments to the code. Coding the robots requires determination and focus.” So far, students have learned how to wake up the robots, practiced programming their eyes and facial expressions, and experimented with making them speak. They have also dabbled in basic movements.

During the closing circle last Friday, two groups presented their morning programming projects. One group programmed their robot to toss a ping pong ball into a box, while the other group programmed it to move forward, spin in place, and return to them. Campbell enthusiastically shared, “All the children are thoroughly enjoying experimenting with various functions and are eager to continue their learning journey!”