Stations with a twist

Stations are a staple of most elementary classrooms and are great for getting students to work at different levels for different subjects. Here's a link to stations just in case you weren't sure what they are. This year I want to change up how stations work and also how technology is seen in the classroom. Instead of just an hour of code,  I want to devote 30 minutes a day Monday through Thursday and an hour on Friday to technology, design, maker, computer science and engineering. The following items are what I have and will implement this coming year as part of my station rotation. I'll follow this up with some hyperdocs for each!

Play-Doh Touch

​

Play-Doh touch-a great tool for creativity and design! Students will create characters using the molds provided but also can create their own characters and explore the Play-Doh world. See below for a flower to come to life!

​

Viewmaster VR

Tons of options with VR! Students can use Google Streetview to explore locations they normally would not be able to visit. Titans of space can let them explore the solar system and get an idea of how small we really are!

​

Micro:bit Go

​

A great little board that comes packed with tons of great stuff! It can be coded or programmed, plus it can sense direction when it is tilted! Oh and it has Bluetooth to interact with other devices!

​

Robots, robots, robots!

In total I have 4 Ozobots, 1 Sphero sprk, 3 BB-8s, 3 ollies and 3 spheros. This allows for a decent group of students to work one to one with robots, instead of having them work in pairs. It can be difficult to sit around waiting to get a chance to code, so instead they will work individually then group up to compare the robots they are using.


​

Makey Makey

​

A great tool for understanding how electronics work and unleashes creativity! Allows students to understand what will and won't conduct electricity, plus you can challenge students to create with your desired materials!

​

Snap Circuits

​

A great tool to get students interested in electronics, plus it allows for a lot of customization. Includes an idea book with 125 projects! Use a few of these to get students started, then let them make their own creations and figure out what works and what doesn't!

​

Marble Mania Skytrax

​

While not necessarily technology based, here is an opportunity for students to explore engineering. They can be challenged to build a track with only certain parts or work together to complete the Skytrax. 

​

Maze by Seedlng

Here the students create their own Labyrinth style maze. Once it can be solved, they can use the Maze app and convert it to a VR maze. It can be customized with pictures, traps and even questions that unlock the next section!

​

Bloxels
​

A really great and deep app, Bloxels allows students to create their own games! From character design, level layout, level appearance, enemy design and enemy AI, students are creating everything pixel by pixel. This can be pushed even further by implementing specific guidelines, such as having it be themed to a subject or holiday.

​

Piper computer kit

A DIY (Do It Yourself) computer kit that students and their teacher can put together, it comes with a Raspberry Pi computer. The awesome thing about this is that the computer comes preloaded with a Raspberry Pi version of Minecraft that is customized to teach students about electronics, computer science, engineering and more!

Flashforge Creator Pro 3D printer and Tinkercad
​

One of the best creation tools is a 3D printer and when a students takes their created item in hand, there is no better reaction to witness! With Tinkercad you have a 3D design platform that will run on anything from a Mac to a Chromebook.