New Innovations in the Junior School

Lara Gee, Techonology Integration Specialist: Junior School
The Junior School is off to an innovative start to the school year and our Grade 6 Robotics program is leading the way. Mr. Rafferty’s class began a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) unit recently and is utilizing our LEGO Mindstorms EV3 robotics kits.
Paired with partners, students followed instructions on how to build a robot and then worked together through a series of challenges. They generated software code to complete these tasks, instructing their robots to move forward, backward, turn and to accept a variety of sensory inputs. Advanced challenges included programming the robot to respond to hand signals, colour blocks and stationary objects.

“It was a really fun experience, I just wish it was longer,” said Noah Hudson. “I hope we get to do it again soon.”

As a culminating final activity, each group was asked to create a Mars Space Mission. Students demonstrated their building and programming skills by presenting their mission stories to their teachers and classmates. Part of the challenge was for each group to incorporate three props in their story to use on the mission, and one prop per group was created/printed using the 3D printer. Students searched for unique 3D models based on an element related to their mission. One group’s story included a search for possible past alien life on Mars and printed a model of an alien skull. Another group’s mission was to search for minerals. They printed a model of a gem.

“When the students were presented with the opportunity to print 3D models, their level of excitement almost surpassed my own,” said Mrs. Gee, Junior School Technology Integration Specialist. “And yet when the prints failed, together, we chose to keep trying. We worked through the problems that needed solving and sometimes, we simply looked at things a little differently.”

After many attempts, and a few “successful failures”, each group printed a 3D model to include as a prop for their Mars Space Mission.

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Land Acknowledgment

CDS wishes to recognize and acknowledge the land on which the school operates. For thousands of years, these have been the traditional lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation. We also recognize the traditional territory of the Huron-Wendat, Anishinaabe and the Haudenosaunee peoples who also shared this land.  CDS respects the relationship with these lands and recognizes that our connection can be strengthened by our continued relationship with all First Nations, by acknowledging our shared responsibility to respect and care for these lands and waters for future generations.

School Information

13415 Dufferin Street King, Ontario L7B 1K5 
(905) 833-1220 

communications@cds.on.ca
admissions@cds.on.ca

Founded in 1972, The Country Day School is a co-educational private school offering programs in JK-12 and located on 100 acres north of Toronto in King.