The slide deck below contains approximately three 50-60 minute lessons (grade 4 or 5), with the first focusing on learning how to use the Sphero and doing some basic coding with the shpero.edu app. All of the lessons attempt to get students to think critically about area and perimeter, and to reflect on their learning.
I have felt for a while that I have dabbled in using coding and robotics to support the core curriculum, but this is my strongest integration to date. After a casual conversation with Jen Lemery about using the Spheros to teach math, we sat down and did some serious planning to support the teaching of area and perimeter in grade 4. The first lessons have gone very well. The students are appropriately challenged by the activity, and have had some interesting insight so far. (See the photos below the presentation.)
