• CODING

    At our Coding Club we use the program called Scratch that was developed by MIT. This program teaches the basics of programming. We meet everyday after school with students ranging from 2nd grade to 5th grade.

    In this club we get to solve challenges that involve various advanced math concepts such as: x and y values on a coordinate plane, angles, vectors, and variables in a way that is easy and fun. Students get to apply their problem solving skills every time we code a program.

    Every year we participate in different events or competitions. We have won many prizes in the past placing our teams in the top 5. As a school, we have hosted our own competitions to help promote Coding.

    Our sponsors from Schlumberger have organized different events for our students. In 2016, our students got to meet one of the most important members of the LOGO Foundation, Michael Tempel in person!

     

    ROBOTICS

    During our Robotics sessions, the students build a robot that can be programmed using the software LEGO Mindstorms. This software is used mostly by High Schools and Engineering college students. In the past, we have participated in the annual NASA Space Challenge, Waltrip High School and numerous events or competitions.

    Robotics uses the same principles as coding except that the students get to see the end result with an actual robot built by them. This requires some knowledge of Physics such as the use of degrees for left and right turns, distance measures, understanding of rotations, speed, and power, etc. Challenges range in the level of difficulty but they are also very fun to work on. The robots also have different sensors and the students get to learn about the infrared, light, ultrasonic, touch and gyro sensors and how the input affects the output of the program.

    Our students are able to use all of their knowledge and skills and apply it so that their robots can accomplish the “mission” whether it is making its way out of a maze or picking up lunar rock samples from the moon!

    Club Sposor: Karla Ramirez

    KRAMIRE6@houstonisd.org