Full STEAM Ahead: Introducing Dash and Dot to Kindergarten Students

Kind Words for Friends: Introducing Dash and Dot to Kindergarten

Lesson Plan for Kindergarten

Prepared by Mrs. Davis

OVERVIEW & PURPOSE

We will explore how to use our words to encourage and be a friend to others by programming Dash and Dot to say kind words to each other. This is an introductory lesson to basic coding and understanding of robotic care.

EDUCATION STANDARDS

1. 21st Century communication skills
2. 21st Century collaboration skills
3. K.L.1.2. Science concept of “life”

4. ISTE Student Standard: Creative Communicator Students communicate clearly and express themselves creatively for a variety of purposes using the platforms, tools, styles, formats and digital media appropriate to their goals.

5. ISTE Student Standard: Computational Thinker Students develop and employ strategies for understanding and solving problems in ways that leverage the power of technological methods to develop and test solutions.

6. Recognition of the need to encourage the soft skills of empathy and problem resolution

OBJECTIVES

1. Learning to use kind words with others
2. Discovering God’s desire for us to affirm each other
3. Learning to be respectful of our words
4. Problem solving real world things that hurt our feelings and how to respond

MATERIALS NEEDED

1. 8 Ipads
2. 4 Dash and  4 Dot robots for student pairs to use.

VERIFICATION

• How did the problem make you feel?
• Did you always feel like being nice to the person?
• What did you do?
• What did you learn?
• What questions do you have?

ACTIVITY

Students will be broken into pairs and taught how to program both Dash and Dot to speak. Students will then be given various scenarios that might cause conflict and they will program their robot to say something that would be an appropriate thing to say and then the other person would create an appropriate response to what is said.

1. Pretend like Dash and Dot have never met. What would be the polite way for the two robots to meet each other? Have them introduce themselves and say “hello.”
2. You can tell Dot has had a hard day and has been crying, what can Dash say that would let Dot know that he cares? What would be a good thing for Dot to say back to Dash?
3. Dash is often rude in class and mean on the playground. Most people do not like to play with Dash because of this. What could Dot say to Dash to be a friend? What would be a good thing for Dash to say back to Dot’s kind words?
4. Dot is embarrassed because he didn’t use his manners and burped in class. What is something nice Dot could say when this happens? What could Dash say to make Dot feel better?
5. Dash just seems mad today. What Could Dot say to help Dash get in a better mood? What would be the correct thing for Dash to say back to Dot?
6. Dash will not listen in class and is making it hard for Dot to hear instructions. What is a nice way Dot can ask Dash to make better choices? What would be the correct way for Dash to respond to Dot’s request?
7. Dot can tell that Dash feels left out. How can Dot make Dash feel more a part of what is going on? What should Dash say for being included?

As we continue to discuss the importance of friendships in the kindergarten classes, we were able to introduced our new Dash & Dot smart robots during their STEAM period. This was an introductory lesson to basic coding and understanding proper robotic care.  We used the GO app which is a very friendly age appropriate app, for our kindergartners and learned how to program the robots say kind words to friends. .  

To start the lesson, we reviewed critical steps the students must follow when using their robots. It is important to show them how to properly pick up the robots, such as by the legs and not the head; as well as, how to choose the correct app and sync their robot.  

In groups, the students were to take turns programming the robots to say kind things to friends given different situations.  For instance, what would you say to a friend who is sad, or what would you say to a new friend you have never met before.  The students loved it!  I have received a lot of positive feedback from the parents about how much their students loved this activity!