JLCS Discovery LAB

The Discovery Lab has been bustling with activity over the past few months, starting with the Coding Unit where we marked Computer Science Week of Coding in December. Our students, from PreK to 6th grade, engaged in various coding activities, including unplugged games, web-based programs, and coding our robots in Discovery Lab. The students were thrilled to learn this essential skill through highly interactive activities.

Next, we created Multimedia projects, where we used various creative ways to present information. Our students had a chance to be inventive and have fun using tools such as iMovie, greenscreen, stop motion, and Google Slides.

Additionally, several grades marked the arrival of spring in unique ways. For instance, the second-grade students learned about plants and cultivated lettuce in our hydroponic garden. Similarly, the fourth-grade students created an informative presentation about our Hempstead Plains Garden, which they shared with our kindergarteners.

Using iMovie and green screen technology, the sixth-grade students developed their own film productions 🎥. They worked in teams and picked topics that intrigued them, researched those topics, wrote a script, and filmed their creations. All the productions were shared with their class. Following this, the 6th graders undertook a new project using TinkerCad app to design keychains that were later printed using the MakerBot 3D printer available in the lab.

The fourth-grade students have been actively studying the Hempstead Plains garden that was established behind our school last year, and they plan to present their findings to the Kindergarten students. The garden holds significant importance as it serves as a memorial for Arshiya Kooner. This spring, the Kindergarten students will be releasing butterflies in the garden.

The third-grade students had an exciting time with the robot DASH during their coding lessons. They were taught to program DASH using block coding and worked collaboratively to complete coding challenges. As a final project, the students created obstacle courses that DASH had to navigate through using their coding skills. The students demonstrated their creativity while also learning about coding, making the experience enjoyable for everyone involved.

In the Discovery Lab, second grade students furthered their understanding of plants by planting lettuce with the aid of our very own hydroponic garden. They patiently waited for the lettuce to grow and were pleasantly surprised by the weekly progress. Ultimately, the students harvested the organic lettuce, which was then served in the JLCS cafeteria for all to enjoy.

Using Coding Awbie was a delightful experience for the first graders as it provided them with an interactive and enjoyable game to learn the fundamentals of coding. Through a block-based programming language, the game effectively taught them concepts like sequencing, loops, and conditional statements.

Additionally, the first graders explored animation by crafting stop-motion videos using basic materials such as playdoh, legos, and toys. They learned to capture individual frames one at a time and then assemble them to bring their characters to life.