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For the first time, Howard Phifer Middle School is offering robotics for a full marking period as a “related arts” class. The robotics program, taught by Mrs. Tracey McSweeney, is designed for students to explore, build, and program small LEGO NXT robots.

Students at Phifer Middle School are learning about robotics and engineering during a special class taught by Mrs. Tracey McSweeney.

Mrs. McSweeney encourages her students to reflect and collaborate on the learning process by using skills such as application of knowledge and problem solving. The lessons are cross-curricular in that they incorporate “STEM” or Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. For example, the students use mathematical strategies and teamwork to help engineer a solution to their robotics problem. Students utilize their collective problem solving skills to construct and program the robots to perform various tasks. Some tasks include programming the robot to travel a desired distance based on wheel circumference and also navigating through its environment with programmed touch, sonar, sound, and/or light sensors.

Robotics brings students the realization that working as a team helps them complete tasks faster and more efficiently. In addition, video clips, articles and current events are incorporated to show students the benefits of updating technology and utilizing robots to perform daily tasks that were once performed by humans.

To generate interest in the field of engineering, Mrs. McSweeney invited Mr. Aron Rubin, an engineer from Lockheed Martin, to speak to her class. On Friday, Jan. 23, Mr. Rubin excited the students with a presentation about humanoid robots and a helicopter drone project, which he is currently assigned. Mr. Rubin brought in different robotic hands for the students to manipulate. He also described his experiments with a military spy drone that would potentially be able to fly into a building opening at 20 mph, take a video of a room and quickly exit. The grand finale of Mr. Rubin’s presentation was a hexacopter, which he brought and allowed the students to fly in the classroom! Mr. Rubin’s wonderful presentation hopefully stimulated student interest in engineering and technology fields.

On Tuesday, Feb. 24, Mrs. McSweeney invited additional Lockheed Martin engineers, Joe Mirizio, Rebecca Cargan, and Eric Birkhead, to speak to her students for “Engineers Week,” a time of year dedicated to ensuring a diverse and well-educated future engineering workforce by increasing understanding of, and interest in, engineering and technology careers.

Mrs. McSweeney’s students are looking forward to learning about possible careers in engineering as well as performing an exciting rocket launch “STEM” activity that the engineers have planned.

Robotics is a fast growing technology field that is revolutionizing business, manufacturing, the military, the medical field, and our daily lives. The goal of this robotics program is to prepare students for tomorrow. The job market of the future will be more demanding of its applicants than ever. The best applicants will be able to apply their cumulative knowledge of science, technology, engineering and mathematics to perform their daily tasks.

Through this robotics course, Mrs. McSweeney hopes to spark an interest in her students about robotics so that they may possibly pursue a career in engineering.