1. Fostering Creativity in the Classroom
By: Becca Flesher
Robert L. Bland Middle School

2. WV State Tech Conference
Opening Speaker: Kelly Reddin—Global Master Trainer—LEGO Education
Tuesday Session: Engaging Students Through Educational Robotics—Todd Ensign—NASA
Thursday Session: Coding Clubs—Rachel Burkett—Hampshire County BOE
Closing Speaker: Brent Frey—Director of Education Development and Professional Learning—Apple, Inc.

3. LEGO Education
Use the LEGO bricks provided to make a duck, you have 1 minute.

4. READY, SET, GO!!!

5. Does anyone have the same exact duck?
TIME IS UP!!!!
Does anyone have the same exact duck?

6. What skills were just used?
Problem Solving
Creative thinking
Vocabulary
Critical Thinking
Productivity
Engineering

7. Why use LEGOS? 98% of 3 year olds have a genius-level of creativity
By the age of 5, 80% are using their creative potential
At the age of 12, only 2% of kids are thinking as creativity as they should be
WHY?

8. What is your role?
Are you partly responsible for getting students to think creatively?

9. With a partner, use the pieces you have to make a tree.
LEGOS in the classroom
With a partner, use the pieces you have to make a tree.

10. What new skill?
COLLABORATION

11. Anyone can be creative…
Trapper—Age 2
Taya—Age 4
Carter—Age 3
Gentry—Age 4

12. What are some ways you can incorporate LEGOS into your classroom?

13. Coding I’m SCARED! Don’t make me do it! I’m not a computer teacher…
WHY?!
It’s fun
Its addicting
Students don’t know they are learning
Building useful skills

14. Code.org Curriculum based coding website
Variety of courses for all grade levels
Teacher training course
FREE

15. Why teach coding? Brent Frey—Apple, Inc.
500,000 computer science jobs open last year
Only 48,000 computer science graduates
Each graduate could have 11 jobs!
Don’t you want this opportunity for your students?

16. What skills? Problem solving Critical thinking Collaborating
Persistence
Are these critical to be successful in life, no matter what job you have?

17. Let’s Explore

18. How can you incorporate coding into your classroom?

19. Robotics in WV NASA in Fairmont FREE Teacher training (3-6 hours)
FREE Student training (25 at a time)
FREE $20,000 kits after training (borrowed only)

20. Robotics Skills
STEM
Engineering based challenges
Computer programming
Young Learners: guess and check to program robots to go 25cm (ratios)
Middle Learners: Program robots to go forward 3 rotations and measure (3 rotations=1080 degrees=51cm
Older Learners: gear ratios

21. Competitions
Monroe County Robotics Club won World Championships last year
Program robot to fly in Space station on August 12

22. Interested in starting a club?
Student Workshop
(304)
Teacher Workshop

23. Minecraft Here is the information I have, if you would like to explore
I AM NOT GOING THERE!
But, the possibilities are endless for creativity
Model Cell
Model Heart
Plantation
Here is the information I have, if you would like to explore
Needs Windows10
Mark Moore, WVDE
Remember: exploration is the best way to learn new technologies!

24. Thank You!
Questions, Comments, Concerns?