分类: CodeJoy - iCreate iLearn

Creative Robotics Design Thinking Project - Wk 1

3/13/2026

This week designers started their team Design Thinking Project for our Creative Robotics Unit. This is the first time that teams have had choices of what they would design - Robot Mini Golf, Robot Petting Zoo, or Robot Arcade. I found that using the Forward Education Design Journal really helps facilitate multiple projects at the same time.

Design teams need to ground their design in both a Sustainable Development Goal as well as Define the Problem that they are addressing. This week teams focused on research using multiple sources as well as conducting an interview with another team to help guide the final project. Lastly teams were given the criteria and constraints and started their brainstorm.

Next week will be a whirlwind of building a prototype

Instructional Slides

Wk 1 Creative Robotics Design Project by Karie Huttner

Creative Robotics with Hummingbird - Mechanisms and Sensors

3/6/2026

This week designers explored more complex parts of the Hummingbird robotics kit by building mechanisms and learning about sensors with an Edpuzzle of Kelsey from CodeJoy.

Design teams selected their final project - Robot Mini Golf, Robot Petting Zoo, or Robot Arcade and started the Design Thinking Process using the Forward Education Design Journal. First teams identified a Sustainable Development Goal aligned with their project ideas and defined the problem that they will be researching and interviewing their target audience about starting next week.

Student Work

Instructional Slides

Wk6 Creative Robotics and Hummingbird by Karie Huttner

Creative Robotics and Intro to Hummingbird

2/27/2026

This week designers were introduced to my favorite creative robotics tool the Hummingbird. It was with the Hummingbird that robotics and programming really gave me the opportunity to be creative.

I was fortunate enough to learn from some of the best instructional leaders - Kelsey and Matt, CodeJoy with Infosys Pathfinders Summer Professional Development. CodeJoy has a way of empowering the learner to understand and try creative inputs and outputs.

This week designers worked in teams using the Edpuzzles from Kelsey and Matt that I had downloaded from the Birdbrain site so that teams could progress at their own rate and understand the important concepts about LEDs, Tri-LEDs, and servos. I was then able to move around the room and support teams who struggled while other teams continued at their own pace.

The joy that the Hummingbird robotics kit and CodeJoy instruction bring into the room is just one of the greatest parts of this creative robotics unit.

Instructional Slides

Wk5 Creative Robotics and Hummingbird by Karie Huttner

CodeJoy Robot Garden Student Show

1/13/2026

Today designers in period 1, 5, and 7 were able to experience the virtual learning integrating creative robotics and coding that CodeJoy's Kelsey and Matt have graciously provided for our students.

These 45 minute interactive shows engage our designers in coding with a focus on a story that they help program the robots to move. CodeJoy donated 4 shows to our school which normally cost $300 per show.

Click on the picture above to find out all about Robot Garden and the making of this amazing show as well as learn more about CodeJoy.

Trombone Shorty and SDG 3 Good Health and Well-Being

1/9/2026

This week designers in 6th grade focused on how music and technology play integral roles in our own personal good health and well-being. Using the design thinking story - Trombone Shorty, we started out the week learning about an artist who continues to share his love of music. Using Code.org's Music Lab Jam Session, designers learned how music and programming can create original music.

After learning about gestures on the micro:bit from Kelsey at CodeJoy in an edpuzzle, teams started to create their own music using the micro:bit and the charge to go with a cardboard instrument. Check out the amazing designs that teams created below.

Instructional Slides

Grade 6 Trombone Shorty by Karie Huttner

AI for Good (MakeCode and CreateAI)

11/14/2025

This week designers started to build an understanding of how to help the micro:bit "Think" in the focus of Sense, Think, Act using MakeCode and micro:bit CreateAI.

Using CodeJoy's video of MakeCode that was created for teachers, I adjusted the video in an Edpuzzle to introduce MakeCode to my designers who used split screen or two tabs to watch and apply the instructional video at the same time.

They had the option to work with a table partner or alone depending on their learning preference. Many designers who opted to work with a table partner enjoyed the experience of learning with a partner instead of alone. After watching the Edpuzzle, designers selected from Level 1 - Use a tutorial in MakeCode, Level 2 - Modify the code from last week's learning activities, or Level 3 - Create a program to solve a problem.

The second day of instruction designers focused on how the micro:bit can be used with AI through the program CreateAI. This learning activity is a little more difficult so table partners were required to work together to use one of their devices to run the edpuzzle and one of their devices to run micro:bit CreateAI to learn about how to use the program.

After learning through the use of the Edpuzzle instructional support, each designer was then challenged to use CreateAI to answer the question - "Do all people wave the same?", "Can CreateAI be trained to notice the difference between how you wave and how your table partner waves?", "How can you edit the code in MakeCode to recognize and show who is waving?".

Designer Reflections

Teaching Resources

Micro:Bit AI for Good Wk 2 by Karie Huttner

AI for Good (Micro:bit Introduction)

11/7/2025

This week started our new unit focusing on AI for Good using the micro:bits and Forward Education resources like the Charge. After attending Amanda Jeane's CodeJoy presentation at the Micro:bit Live Conference in Virginia, I returned to the classroom with some well designed introductory stations for the micro:bit.

I took these activities as a starting point and designed them into Edpuzzle learning activities that introduced a key feature of the micro:bit, introduced the activity, and included a reflection about what was learned by each designer in the learning activity.

Day 1: Stations (Intro to Micro:bit, Simple Compass, and Bird Calls)

I was going to do all 6 stations at once and then I realized that these three were the best for everyone to experience before the next three.

These three introduced important concepts like the parts of the micro:bit, the buttons, music, and more. It was fascinating to see many students experience the compass rose and cardinal directions for the first time.

Day 2: Stations (Garbage Counter, Step Counter, and Sensor Circus)

With the second set of stations, we needed more room to move so three of my classes were able to do the activities in our library. Of course, the trash counter had to be switched to finding pencils.

The last class of the day we used our commons and outside to have a nice large space to learn and apply the different activities. These learning activities from CodeJoy were a big success with all of the designers and may have won over a few who thought the micro:bit wasn't that interesting.

Teacher Resources

Micro:Bit AI for Good Wk 1 by Karie Huttner

Creative Robotics with Hummingbird Servos and Sensors

5/15/2025

After learning about single color and tri-color LEDs, designers learned about the different types of servos (positional and rotational) using CodeJoy's Kelsey and Matt instructional edpuzzles.

With more difficult content, using the Edpuzzles allows design teams to go at their own pace while I move around the room to reinforce key concepts like black to negative and making sure the code matches the Hummingbird components.

After learning about servos, designers jumped into learning about the four sensors that come with the Hummingbird kit - light, dial, sound, and distance.

Once again teams used Kelsey and Matt's instructional videos as an edpuzzle to follow along and monitor comprehension as well as application.

Creative Robotics, CodeJoy, and Hummingbird - Week 1

5/2/2025

After having experienced the CodeJoy student show, designers were excited to start to use the same robotics kits as they had seen in the show. Our classroom is extremely fortunate to have Hummingbird Robotics kits that have been funded partially through grants so that teams of 2 each have a kit to use. As an educator, I have greatly benefitted from summer PD offered through Infosys Pathfinders around both the micro:bit and Hummingbird kit.

I am constantly returning to my Pathfinders account to rewatch instructional videos from Kelsey to help better develop my understanding of what I am teaching using the Hummingbird and Snap.

Week 1

This week designers learned about Snap as well as how to setup the Hummingbird. The second day of instruction was focused on LEDs and Tri LEDs using Edpuzzles from CodeJoy. Teams were paired up so that one designer could run the Edpuzzle for the team to learn with while the other designer could run Snap and follow the video.

Student Reflections

Micro:bit Radio Fun

4/25/2025

One of my favorite micro:bit features is the radio network because it provides wonderful opportunities to use the micro:bits in a very active way.

This week designers started with Chris Lovell's Red Light, Green Light activity using Forward Education's CHARGE for the micro:bit. I used the activity to introduce the radio network and then designers learned with Kelsey from CodeJoy using an edpuzzle.

In the next class, designers applied what they were learning about radio to create a treasure hunt for an opposing team. I've included my instructional slides.

Each team programmed two receivers and two transmitters. They then choose a team to challenge. Each opposing team had a different section of the recess area to be able to hide their transmitters or eggs with micro:bits in them. They had to write clues for the other team.

Each team was given two minutes to hide their eggs, return to the group, and then five minutes using the other team's receivers and clues to find the hidden eggs of their opposing team.

Instructional Slides

WK 2 Creative Robotics - Micro:bit by Karie Huttner

Micro:bit Sensors with CodeJoy

4/18/2025

This week designers learned more about the sensors that are part of the micro:bit. The Sensor Circus activity was a big hit with lots of screaming and clever ways to find readings on our outside journey.

We learned with Kelsey about temperature, light, and sound using her video for Infosys Micro:bits in the Wild that is available for any educator to learn and use with their students.

I love sharing CodeJoy with my students because they are a team that I continue to learn with on a monthly basis and during the summer PD offered by Infosys.

Our Sensor Circus in Action

CodeJoy Interactive Shows - Launching Our Creative Robotics Unit

4/13/2025

I have been extremely fortunate to have learned a lot of how to use the micro:bit, hummingbird robotics, and creative robotics with the CodeJoy team.

I love having the opportunity to share the magic that Kelsey and Matt create with the interactive shows. As part of launching our creative robotics unit, CodeJoy did 3 live interactive shows and 1 recorded show for my 4 classes of 7th and 8th grade.

Designers experienced either Robot Aerobics or Robot Mini Golf. Thanks to CodeJoy for always creating learning experiences that are fun and teach fundamental creative robotics concepts.

Student Reflections

Micro:bit CreateAI - Beyond the Intro

1/25/2025

CodeJoy Teacher Learning

I am where I am as a Computer Science teacher because of the resources that Infosys Pathfinders has provided me in the last 4 years.

My growth continues because I have access to powerful professional development like CodeJoy teacher events.

This past Tuesday I once again received just in time reminders of how to effectively introduce and create with my students from CodeJoy's Kelsey, Matt, and Amanda Jeane in their evening webinar about CreateAI.

Using CodeJoy's model of building an understanding of how the micro:bit functions in the process, I recreated my own version for my students. These fantastic input/output cards can be found on the micro:bit resources page - https://microbit.org/teach/classroom-resources/microbit-paper-prototype-activity-pack/

Micro:bit CreateAI Projects

My designers were given the challenge of using micro:bit CreateAI using criteria and constraints. I have found this addition modeled to me by CodeJoy allows designers to have more flexibility in how they approach different challenges while maintaining clear expectations.

The secret handshake project was inspired by how Kelsey had started the PD on Tuesday with a secret handshake that recognized Amanda Jeane vs. Matt. As soon as I saw the example, I knew that it would be something my designers would respond to.

AI Storytelling Friend

Here are the resources for the AI Storytelling activity - https://microbit.org/projects/make-it-code-it/ai-storytelling-friend/

Simple Exercise Timer

Here are the resources for the Simple AI exercise activity - https://microbit.org/projects/make-it-code-it/simple-ai-exercise-timer/

Secret Handshake CreateAI Activity

This resource is from CodeJoy's January AI webinar and was provided to the participants that attended.

Instructional Slides

Micro:Bit Week 7 by Karie Huttner

SDG3 Design Thinking Project (Week 3)

5/13/2024

This week designers took their projects and started to bring them to life through their first prototypes based on conversations with Matt and Kelsey from CodeJoy as well as feedback from their younger partners.

The micro:bit was a featured technology in many of the designs to support Good Health and Well-Being. Check out some of the process from Flip video recordings found below.

Mini Golf Course (Hummingbird and Mentoring)

5/7/2024

7th graders learned about the Hummingbird robotics kit with servos, sensors, lights, and more to create a final mini golf course for their 3rd grade partners.

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3