1. Proposal cover sheet
Project Title:
Bright Bricks: Bright Brains
Principal Investigator: Linda Hamilton
Organization: Linda Hamilton of Marshall University Math department and Nick J.
Rahall, II Appalachian Transportation Institute (RTI)
Address: 14 Dickson Lane
Barboursville
WV 25504-1111
Phone #: 304 696 3043 Math Dept.
304 696 7166 Red Rover Mars Station South Pole2 and SENSORS CITY
E-Mail: hamilton@marshall.edu
Total Budget: $6000
Request from the Consortium: $3000
Support from other sources: $3000
Signature and Date:
Bright Bricks: Bright Brains Abstract, goals and objectives
Add the little brain brick to the colorful LEGO bricks with which students are familiar
and their creativity can take them to Mars.
That is what happened this last year when Cabell County and area students successfully
built and programmed robotic missions on a simulated Mars terrain. Imagine what they
can do tomorrow. Math, science, and technology become personally internalized when
students are involved in building with their own minds and hands. The results from
previous funding have been great. I go into classrooms with boys and girls equally
recruited into the activities. All girl teams and teams with minorities were very successful
in FIRST LEGO League (FLL) International Robotics contest last year. Girls’ being
equally successful in computer programming and practical use helps them in their future.
The class rooms can teleoperate the little LEGO Red Rover at Davis Creek Elementary
Mars that is continuing operation since the first grant in 1998. There are also Mars Red
Rover Internet connections at Spring Hill Elementary. Nick J. Rahall, II Appalachian
Transportation Institute (RTI) has been so interested in the engineering education of the
robotics, especially the Red Rover Internet operation and hands on transportation robotics
building and programming, that they support the Red Rover site at Marshall University.
Chris Rogers, the RoboLab software developer, has included me in his SENSORS grant
so there is RoboLab programming and Internet data logging from the SENSORS CITY
available for any one in the world. So the LEGO City and Mars are resources freely
available for schools and students. The classes I have worked in and teachers I have
trained and worked with have students competent enough to talk to the Cabell County
Board members, parents and other students. However that has interested more groups in
using the engineering materials of LEGO robotics that do not have resources.
The goals of this project will be to deliver LEGO Robotics programs to fifth through
eight grade students in Huntington area schools. The primary objectives of the project
will be to engage the students in building and programming robots and actively learning
such things as team building, problem solving, creativity, and analytical thinking. During
these exercises, they will be exposed to key concepts of math, science, computer
technology, social studies, communications and other areas as directed by the West
Virginia State's Content Standards and Objectives. Another objective is to introduce
transportation and other engineering related careers to the students so they may consider
continuing their education in one of these many fields.
3. Methods to implement project.
Groups work on challenges including the FIRST LEGO League International Robotics
Challenge at appropriate times in class, after school, or Saturday enrichment programs.
Students will do programming and hands on building with engineering principles by
following and expanding on the student and teacher building instructions. Instructors
employed by the Nick J. Rahall, II Appalachian Transportation Institute (RTI) will
undertake to match this effort. RTI is a national University Transportation Center housed
at Marshall University. The methodology for program delivery is worked out on an
individual basis with each school. School visits are made weekly or bi-weekly either in
the classroom or after school. We find it is more effective to work with two to four
students at each session during a regular scheduled class to avoid disruption to teaching
schedules. As a math teacher I find it extremely easy to fit in a student hands on project
to the topic of the day I am at a class room. The LEGO Educational teacher materials
make it easy for classroom teachers to do the same. Once all the students have been
sufficiently introduced to engineering and the programming of LEGO robotics the entire
group works on building and programming large projects, such as cities. One or two day
workshops are effective in bringing in other classes and instructors and may be used as
well. The classroom actives will include graphing data, operating robotic vehicle over
the Internet from one room to another and at Marshall University Mars Station South
Pole and other Mars stations.
For the teams that want to go on to the West Virginia State FIRST LEGO League
contest, there will be an intense 8 weeks of parent, mentor and student involvement
outside of school time to prepare for the 10 missions of the International challenge. This
will also include a research topic that they present.
4. Project time line.
Register Robotics Teams before September.
Mid September the FLL International Challenge is announced.
Early fall order and purchase gears, motors, and other building materials and the team
sets.
Work out ways to accommodate other students in addition to those previously presenting
their interest.
This will include some after school projects in current schools and weekend Team Times
at the Marshall University Marrow Library public technology area.
Work with each group from September through December for building and
programming.
Assist with organization for the research presentation.
In mid October register teams going to State Tournament
November - present projects to principals, parents, and other classroom
December - go to tournament
Work with classes during school that are using the hands on tools of these LEGO
educational materials for covering specific objectives in math and science.
5. Budget.
Supplies and LEGO
Educational materials Team sets and extra motors
FIRST LEGO League and
Tournament registration
Software
Workshop registration
Salary and equipment from
RTI
Total
$250 for 5 groups
$1250
$150 for 6 teams
$900
Red Rover and RoboLab
$50 per student for 10 students
$350
$500
$3000
$6000
6. Evidence of supportive collaboration.
Using LEGO Robotics in TAG classes has been so successful that the Board of education
TAG director has added LEGO educational materials in two more classes.
School teachers in regular classes have appreciated me coming into their classes to add to
a graphing session or other math and science related topic.
The Red Rover Internet connections at Spring Hill Elementary Math and TAG classes are
because of the teachers, principal, and Cabell County.
Nick J. Rahall, II Appalachian Transportation Institute (RTI) supports the Red Rover site
at Marshall University.
Tufts University's Chris Rogers, the RoboLab software developer, has included me in his
SENSORS grant. He continues assist with RoboLab programming for SENSORS CITY.
The Planetary Society has me as a “Success Story” on their web and has me beta testing
the latest versions of Mars Stations Red Rover.
7. Evaluation method of project effectiveness.
Continuing the study of engineering and transportation related careers, Nick J. Rahall, II
Appalachian Transportation Institute will conduct a pre and post instrument to one group
and a control.
Students and teachers will be surveyed pre and post on computer use and science, math,
and technology interest. Where parents are involved they will be surveyed also.
8. Brief resumes of individuals involved in project.
Mrs. Linda Hamilton, B.S., M.A.
• Marshall University math instructor
• Parent volunteer at Davis Creek Elementary
• Director of LEGO Educational projects at Davis Creek Elementary
• Teacher of LEGO classes after school enrichment
• Math technology, science, and robotics teacher at Marshall University Continuing
Education Children's College
• Taught math, science, and elementary education in Ecuador, Pakistan, Rhode Island,
Montana, North Carolina, Florida
• 25 years experience building LEGO projects
• Bachelor of Science degree in Math Education
• Master of Arts degree in Mathematics
• Presenter to local, state, and national Math and Science Teacher Conventions
• Beta tester for Mars Stations Red Rover - a part of the Red Rover Goes To Mars project
of The Planetary Society, LEGO, and NASA
• Administrator at SENSORS, Science and Engineering NASA Site of Remote Sensing
of Tufts University, SENSORSCITY
9. Plans for publicizing project.
Newspapers and TV have been extremely generous in covering the ongoing activities and
final contests. As in the past I will go to WV State Science Teacher Convention and
maybe again to National. For completeness I post pictures and descriptions of each
activity on http://www.marshall.edu/LEGO.