Welcome to

Robotics Technology 

Mr. Gary Monuteaux

Introduction to

Robotics Technology

Overview

Over this past summer, the Robotics Technology Lab received a complete make-over!   Ductwork and a half-wall from the former metals lab was removed.  A new ceiling and lighting was installed, new paint on the walls, and a new tile floor were installed.  During the past school year a BEF grant gave us two additional Robotic Stations.  The room looks beautiful and is warm, bright, and user friendly.  The kids love it.

In the “Rainbow Cluster” students meet everyday for 7 weeks.  This constitutes a “Quinta.” 

The Robotics Technology course is a "Project-based,"   "Hands-on" course where students are building prototype Robots with LEGOs , designing a software program and testing the prototype Robot.

As “Engineers” in the Robotics Technology class, students will have a minimum of 12 “Challenges” to design a program of functions and operations using the RoboLab software, develop, build a robot, test its performance, and make adjustments as needed to each “Challenge.”   Students work in groups of 2, on occasion 3 to a “Robotics Station” Team .  As time permits we will have the opportunity to come up with some novel and intriguing functions and vehicles to perform more complex tasks.

There is a lot of "Project Planning," and  “Critical Thinking” going on in the class.  It incorporates math skills, reading skills, comprehension skills, hand-eye coordination skills, and social-building and team collaboration  skills to name a few.  They have to get the Robot to do exactly what the Challenge wants it to do.  If it is not perform properly, they go back and evaluate, re assess, and rework the program & vehicle  to make it right.

In the Robotics Technology Lab the 6th and 7th graders are using our original "RCX" robots.  The 8th graders are starting to use our newest robots-- the "NXT" robots.

Robotics Club:This meets after school on Mondays from 2:30-3:30.

Robotics Competition Team: meets after school on Mondays from 2:30-3:30.  As time is needed we will meet more frequently before competitions.

THE "FLL" Competition: The  Robotics Competition Team takes part in several competitions through the school year.  The first and largest competition is the (First Lego League) FLL Competition held again this year at Roger Williams University on Saturday January 10, 2009.