For Immediate Release

Monday, June 18, 2018

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

Rockland Elementary Students Learn How to Program with Ozobots

ROCKLAND — Superintendent Dr. Alan Cron is pleased to announce that students at Rockland elementary schools have recently participated in hands-on programming with Ozobots, tiny robots that teach students computer programming.

“The world revolves around science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics, and we seek to provide our elementary school students with the foundation and skills they need not only to succeed later in school but also in life,” Superintendent Cron said. “The careers of the future are in STEAM.”

Students combined the physical and digital world by drawing lines on paper that the robots followed using on-board light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The Ozobots translated combinations of color blocks into instructions on how fast and which direction to go. They were also able to perform tricks like spin around, zig-zag, and walk backwards.

The Ozobots were funded through a generous $40,000 grant from the Rockland Education Foundation to expand STEAM programs in the district. 

The grant includes Ozobots, Sphero spherical robots, iPads to program the robots, and FOSS science, technology and engineering kits.

“The Rockland Education Foundation is delighted to partner with Rockland Public Schools on such innovative technology in the area of STEAM,” said Regina Quirk, President of the Rockland Education Foundation.

Rockland Public Schools has been investing in its STEAM program over the last several years. The elementary STEAM program is being expanded to K-4 next year and students will be working with robots, engaging in engineering challenges, learning to code, and developing digital literacy skills with school Google accounts and other online tools.

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