Here is our new video on how to set parental controls on your child’s devices.
Dear Student,
Technology has changed our world, allowing us to accomplish tasks in much simpler ways. Instead of riding a horse long distances to school, we can now get there much quicker on a bus. Instead of writing a letter that a mailman’s hand delivers to another person’s mailbox, we can send a text message that instantly arrives on a cell phone. In the field of science, our lives are simpler and more efficient in a variety of ways because of robotics. In fact, the bus or car you take to school was probably built by robots working along an assembly line.
Consider how robots have changed our world. One small invention can completely change how we live or interact with each other. No matter how large or life-changing an invention is, it starts with a very small concept: an idea. Every great invention started as a thought in someone’s head. Many inventions have resulted from ideas generated by kids! Kids thought of better ways to do things, and they were able to put their ideas into action. You are the next generation of innovators! What are some problems that you would like to solve with an invention?
Since you are the future of our world and will shape the world of tomorrow, you will be given the opportunity to work with a team of students to determine a problem or need that you feel needs addressing. Your challenge is to create a Lego Mindstorms robot that will:
-
- be used for space.
- be used to improve life.
- be used to explore unknown areas.
- be used to explore museums virtually (see this explanation).
- solve a unique need (create a robot that will be useful to your community).
During the last week of this competition, your team will submit a video of your robot to be evaluated. Your team may also choose to prepare a report or digital presentation on how your robot solves your problem. Once the judges evaluate all of the robotics, based on the project rubric, the winning team will be announced!
Good luck! Happy inventing!
For full information – CLICK HERE
The festive season will no doubt see a rise in the number of our young people who have access to internet enabled devices with many techy gadgets and games at the top of their Christmas lists.
Check out the latest blog from CEOP with some good advice for parents and carers.
The CyberFirst Girls Competition aims to support girls interested in a career in cyber security.
Registration is now live for the CyberFirst Girls Competition 2020.
What is the CyberFirst Girls’ Competition?
Set up by the National Cyber Security Centre, the CyberFirst Girls’
Competition is an annual UK-wide competition to introduce young
female-identifying students to the world of cyber security – and the
skills that could start an incredible career.
Through rounds of puzzles and challenges, the Year 8* girls form
teams of up to four, to take on challenges that train them in the skills
they need to defend our digital world.
Don’t forget that you have until the 21st January 2020 to register your teams for this competition. The qualifier round begins on the 13th January.
You can find full rules and regulations for the Girls Competition here on the NCSC website.
- Teams are made up of up to four female students in Year 8, S2 or Year 9 (NI).
- Teams need to be supported by a responsible adult appointed by the school who is aged over 18 years and who can act as the team guardian.
- Team guardians do not need to have any cyber knowledge or be an IT or computer science teacher. Their role is to register the teams and facilitate access to the competition.
- Schools can enter as many teams as they like if they fit the qualifying criteria (see above).
Register for the Girls Competition here.
Yesterday we held our annual First Lego League Regional Tournament. We all had a fabulous day.
We’ll post more pictures soon, but going to Bristol to represent South Tyneside at the National Finals are … Harton Puzzlers. Congratulations to them, and huge thanks to everyone who took part.
Please be aware that a site called “Omegle” is now becoming popular in South Tyneside and the area.
This chat site’s catch phrase, “Talk to strangers!”, says it all. Omegle is rated at 18, and is definitely not for kids. The site puts two strangers together in a chat room. Though chats start out anonymous, users often ask for and share personal information. Exchanges of photographs, video files and video streaming are also facilitated by the site. Language is uncensored, and sexual come-ons and requests for email addresses are common. There is an app which has the same basic functionality.
DanceParty-Updated!
This years Hour of Code resources from Code.Org sees an update to the popular Dance Party activity. Hour of Code: Dance Party inspired tens of millions of students in classrooms around the world to dance and code last year, and we can’t wait for you to discover all the exciting new updates this year!
There are new songs, backgrounds and a new character. You can code your own dancing sloth! this will no doubt be a huge hit with the students!
Hour of Code – Artificial Intelligence
Computer science is about so much more than coding! Learn about artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, training data, and bias, while exploring ethical issues and how AI can be used to address world problems. Enjoy Code.org’s first step in a new journey to teach more about AI.
When you use the AI for Oceans activity you are training real machine learning models.
Our new video supporting parents with e safety has gone live. It covers a number of ways to report when something has gone wrong.
Last year, the Hour of Code theme of creativity inspired students globally to create technology using computer science. On Code.org alone, students have created over 55 million projects!
Starting this year, the Hour of Code will continue inspiring student creativity with a new theme: Computer Science for Good. #CSforGood
CS Education Week, December 9th – 15th 2019, we hope you’ll join us!
Inspired by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Hour of Code will highlight how we can all use computer science to make a positive impact on our world, from writing apps to solve a local problem, to using innovative ideas in data science to address global challenges.
Sustainable Development Goals are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice. The Goals interconnect and in order to leave no one behind, it ís important that we achieve each Goal and target by 2030.
Some contents or functionalities here are not available due to your cookie preferences!
This happens because the functionality/content marked as “Google Youtube” uses cookies that you choosed to keep disabled. In order to view this content or use this functionality, please enable cookies: click here to open your cookie preferences.