This just in, from Parkside Elementary science teacher Ronnie Thomas:
Who said elementary students can’t build robots? It wasn’t principal, Dr. Phillip Luck and the Robotics club sponsors at Parkside Elementary. The RoboPandas Robotics team was formed during the 2009-2010 academic school year to challenge students to think about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) concepts through building and programming LEGO robots. The initial club consisted of two coaches and eighteen students in grades 2-5 and has grown to include six coaches, two parent liaisons and 50 students!
Parkside’s STEM initiative also offers rocket and amateur radio clubs as well as the opportunity for fourth- and fifth-graders to attend NASA Space Camp in Huntsville, Ala. These 21st century approaches have increased student achievement and interest in core academic areas. For additional information regarding the Robotics program, visit www.usfirst.org or our student-created website www.robopandas.webs.com.