This is a two-day event taking place Wednesday and Thursday, August 12 and 13, 2020 from 8:30 AM – 11:30 AM

Do you have Hummingbirds in your classroom (or access to them) and find yourself wondering how you might be able to use them in a virtual or hybrid teaching experience? Are you considering adding creative robotics to your curriculum to fill out your hands-on, STE(A)M learning?

Join Kelsey Derringer from BirdBrain Technologies, makers of the Hummingbird Robotics Kit, along with a host of other teachers and mentors to learn the basics of coding, building, and teaching with Hummingbird in any environment or classroom Grades 4-12.

This will be two 3-hour sessions.  Office hours will also be hosted on August 14th from 9 – 11 AM to provide more personalized support for those who are interested. Contact Colleen Smith: cms64@psu.edu for more information

WHAT TO EXPECT: 

  • How to code and build cardboard robots with the Hummingbird Robotics Kit. 
  • How to teach with Hummingbird virtually and in hybrid classroom environments.
  • How to use video platforms like Zoom to their full advantage when teaching creative robotics remotely.
  • How to use Hummingbird with laptops, Chromebooks, or tablets
  • How to integrate Hummingbird into any lesson or topic
  • How to teach with Hummingbird in a physical classroom with example lesson plans and projects
  • Where to find resources on the BirdBrain website like:
    • Free Professional Development course videos
    • Video tutorials for coding and building
    • Printables, lesson plans, project ideas, and assessment guides

Using Zoom as the video conferencing platform, breakout rooms will be created to discuss, learn, and code. This will be a session that both uses and teaches using the best about teaching well online. 

CALL FOR MENTORS: We will also be seeking 13+ mentors. These mentors will be in breakout rooms monitoring and acting as Lead Learners as participants learn and work, and ideally will: 

  • Have some experience using Hummingbird 
  • Have some experience troubleshooting Hummingbird 
  • Have some experience with Hummingbird and MakeCode 
  • Be comfortable using Zoom tools like Screen Share 
  • Be available and willing to answer questions in breakout rooms