Table of Contents

Accommodations and Strategies

Students with Special Needs

Note: Teachers should consult student Individual Education Plans (IEPs) for specific direction on accommodations for individuals.

Content

The content of this activity is related to the use of coordinate systems and their application in robotics. As the activity is exploratory in nature it can facilitate concept development and application from the most basic level to highly complex levels of thinking.

Teaching Strategies

1. Organize lessons around big ideas to help students see connections between concepts and processes. Connect the lessons to the students' personal experiences.

2. Post an outline for the day's lesson and activity.

3. Vary the format and length of each lesson. Divide the activity periods into shorter time segments if necessary, or allow for extra exploration time.

4. Review previously learned concepts prior to starting the activities.

5. State learning objectives clearly for the activity.

6. Teach new vocabulary as students engage in the activity. Encourage students with learning difficulties to continue to use the concrete descriptions, (4 steps right on the blue rod), as well as the correct mathematical terminology.

7. Read activity instructions aloud. Write them in short sentences using simple vocabulary and leave them posted for student reference.

8. Use structured questioning techniques to help students make inferences and construct knowledge. Model "inner dialogue" to guide thinking.

9. Check frequently for understanding.

10. Use a teacher assistant if available to give one-on-one assistance.

11. As a wrap-up to each the activity, review with students the concepts covered and the processes used. Encourage students to share their thinking out loud.

Cooperative Learning Strategies

Divide students into groups of mixed abilities, six students to a group with assigned roles:

1. the coordinator oversees the procedure and ensures that all members of the group have equal opportunity to use the coordinate marker, define instructions, make observations, record coordinates etc.

2. the materials handler gets and assembles all of the necessary materials and returns them to their proper place;

3. the recorder records coordinates;

4. the axis holders hold the ends of the dowels that represent the coordinate axis;

5. the coordinate marker mover moves the marker as directed.

Students should rotate through the roles, with special needs students assigned the roles with which they will have the most success.