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Show CIMES October 14,2010 Building blocks of robotics Hill Field Elementary students build robots from LEGOs BY LEE ANNE HENSLEY Hilltop Times correspondent T he fourth through sixth grade students at Hill Field Elementary School have taken LEGO building and the board game "Operation" to futuristic levels through their newest science project. The students are building functional robots from LEGO kits, programming the robots via computer software, and building two obstacle fields that represent parts of the human body through which the robots will maneuver in board-game fashion; and they are accomplishing all this one day per week after school lets out. Their goal is to complete the robots and obstacle fields before January, when they will compete at the University of Utah's For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology LEGO League on Jan. 29. The two teams of 10 students from Hill Field Elementary will compete with more.than 50 elementary schools statewide to complete tasks on similar "Body Forward" themed playing fields. This opportunity was made possible for Hill Field Elementary students by grants from the National Defense Education Program, which awards funding for science, engineering and math education to elementary through post graduation studies in order to encourage new generations of scientists and engineers to apply their talents in the nation's defense laboratories, according to NDEP's official Web site. Hill Field Elementary Principal Paul Bryner was contacted by Judith Maughan, 75th Air Base Wing school liaison coordinator at Hill Air Force Base, who asked the principal if he was interested in accepting the two NEDP grants that would allow the school to compete in the First LEGO League (or FLL) challenge. "She didn't have to twist my arm to accept," said Bryner, who then asked Northridge High School Engineering and Astronomy teacher, Wayne Sumner, to help with this project. "It is certainly different from teaching high school students," said Sumner, "but I am having a great time guiding the kids as much as possible without taking over. The point is for them to learn and problem solve through teamwork." Sumner attended a workshop with Burke Becklund, the Hill ANTHONY SOUFFLE/Standard-Examiner (Above) Braden Maloney, center, troubleshoots a problem as he works on a robot along with Eric Gibson, left, and Cody Bringhurst during the robotics club. (Top right) Students guide a robot though a practice course cjuring the robotics club at Hill Field Elementary in Clearf ield, Utah. The students from Hill Field Elementary are preparing to guide a robot through a model of the human body when they go to the state competition at the University of Utah to compete with other schools from around the state on Jan. 29, 2011 in Salt Lake City. Field Elementary fourth grade science teacher who is coordinating the engineering project, at the University of Utah on Aug. 5 to learn about the statewide FLL challenge and try their hand at building and programming the robots as they learn to become more effective coaches for the students. Becklund found that the project was not as easy as it seemed on the surface, considering that the challenge included several instructional manuals that exceeded 50 pages in length. The students also found the project to be deceptively complicated after their first build day. "First, I thought this project would be easy," said sixth-grader Ceth Haney. "We were wrong," added sixthgrader Schuylar Thomas. Ceth and Schuylar have the added responsibilities of designing their team's logo, mascot, cheer^ T-shirt and pin, which will distinguish their team of 10 during the Jan. 29 competition. "We also have to get sponsors to help us get (the T-shirts and pins)," said Schuylar, "so we've listed some companies that we think would help us with this project. See ROBOT | page 13 FIREHOUSE TO FIREHOUSE RUN if- « MARY LOU GORNY/Hilltop Times Above, runners take off at the starting line for the Firehouse to Firehouse 5K and 10K on Oct 9 at Hill Air Force Base. The runners participating in the 10K were to return to the first firehouse, while the 5K runners finish line was located at the firehouse near Building 1100. Above left, Hill AFB Firefighter Lowman Breen gives a pre-race briefing. Winner of the race are Chad Allen for the Men's 5K at 18:31; Jacky Bower for the Women's 5K at 24:50; Brian Currie in the Men's 10K at 44:37; and Melody . Evans in the Women's 10K at 18:07 % |