Implementing Crickets in the Elementary Classroom

1. Implementing Crickets in the Elementary Classroom Rorrie Fortier

2. Purpose Provide an overview of an emerging technology, Crickets, developed by the Lifelong Kindergarten research group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

3. BCPS Mission and Vision

4. What knowledge, skills, and attitudes will help students reach their potential as responsible, productive citizens?

5. Living in a Creative Society “In today’s rapidly changing world, people must continually come up with creative solutions to unexpected problems. Success is based not only on what you know or how much you know, but on your ability to think and act creatively. In short, we are now living in the Creative Society.” Mitchel Resnick, Director of the Lifelong Kindergarten Research group, MIT Media Lab

6. Crickets allow student to create. Creative Thinking Spiral Mitchel Resnick, MIT Media Lab

7. What are Crickets? • Crickets are small, programmable devices that can make other objects light up, spin, move, and make sounds. Students use the Logo programming language to write programs, download these programs to Crickets, and then integrate the Crickets into creations. • See a Video.

8. Educational Use in BCPS • Crickets support constructivist pedagogy. • Crickets support the MD Voluntary State Curriculum. • Crickets support Science Technology Engineering Math (STEM) initiatives in Baltimore County.

9. Advantages • Crickets integrate familiar objects (toys) and technology. • Crickets support a variety of learning styles. • Crickets provide opportunities for students to explore complex concepts such as how dynamic systems behave.

10. Proposed Timeline • Year 1: • Pilot Crickets in the six Title 1 schools that have STEM Resource Teachers as an instructional component to the after-school Extended Year Program. • Write a theme-based curricular unit which uses Crickets and integrates state math and science indicators as well as national technology indicators. This will require collaboration between the Office of Science, Office of Mathematics, and Office of Instructional Technology. • Integrate a Crickets engineering challenge at the six schools to be presented BCPS system-wide STEM Fair. • Year 2: • Pilot theme-based curricular unit at six Year 1-Title 1 schools and six additional Title 1 schools. Revise curriculum as needed. • Integrate a Crickets engineering challenge at the twelve schools to be presented BCPS system-wide STEM Fair. • Year 3: • Provide one Cricket kit for each elementary school in BCPS. • Provide professional development on the effective implementation of Crickets and the theme-based curricular unit.

11. Cost • Year 1: $18,000 • Materials ($6,000 for 6 Crickets kits) • Professional Development ($2,000 for after school stipends) • Curriculum Development ($10,000 for after school stipends) • Year 2: $8,000 • Materials ($6,000 for 6 additional Crickets kits) • Professional Development ($2,000 for after school stipends) • Year 3: $121,000 • Materials ($96,000 for 96 Crickets kits) • Professional Development ($25,000 for substitutes) Total Cost: $147,000 http://www.picocricket.com/workshop-kit.html

12. References Resnick, M., Martin F., Berg R., Borovoy R., Colella V., Kramer K., Silverman B. (1998). Digital manipulatives: new toys to think with. Retrieved March 25, 2009 from http://llk.media.mit.edu/papers/dig-manip/. Resnick, M., (2007).Sowing the Seeds for a more creative society. Learning and Leading with Technology. Retrieved March 25, 2009 from http://web.media.mit.edu/~mres/papers/Learning-Leading-final.pdf .