Robotics, Coding & Computational Thinking
The Robotics, Coding and Computational Thinking (RCC) immersion program takes place on three campuses in Clear Creek ISD: Bauerschlag Elementary, League City Elementary and Ward Elementary. This program, which began in the 2022-23 school year, is for all students in Pre-K through 5th grade and does not require an application to participate.
Features of the program include content-rich experiences to enhance the regular curriculum while focusing on learning various computer science skills. Students engage in these areas as they develop and demonstrate their understanding of key content and concepts from math, science, reading, writing, and social studies.
Robotics
Robotics is used in a variety of ways on campus. VEX 123 is a robot used to teach basic programming skills for PreK – 2nd grade. VEX Go is a system where students begin to build and program basic robots to complete various tasks. VEX IQ is used in fourth and fifth grade to help students have a deeper experience building robots, using sensors, and creating lift mechanisms. The library Makerspace also has many different robots like Sphero bolts, Ozobots, and unplugged coding activities to provide a well-rounded experience.
Coding
Students experience coding in a variety of ways through integration into core content areas. Code.org is used as a baseline curriculum to provide an overview of coding skills. The Scratch and Scratch Jr. platforms are utilized to give students a playground to try to apply coding skills to creation of content. For example, in Social Studies class students may be learning about the American Revolution. One of the products they may create to demonstrate learning is a Scratch project that highlights key areas in the timeline. They could also create a math game to teach another child how to simplify math expressions.
Computational Thinking
Computational Thinking and the understanding of how an algorithm works is taught as part of the core curriculum, but also using Minecraft EDU. Students practice math by creating structures in Minecraft EDU where other students must use perimeter and area to measure. Ten frame world is also popular for math practice. Upper grade students might create a room to show inferencing skills of what a certain character in a book might like or build a habitat in a biome to show the in-depth knowledge they have gained from studying an animal. The possibilities are endless.
