The Raspberry Pi Foundation has done amazing work helping to reform the computing curriculum at UK schools. People in other countries around the world have taken notice, especially those involved in education. One of those educators is sixth grade teacher Lisa Rode from Springfield, Virginia.

This article first appeared in The MagPi 78 and was written by Rob Zwetsloot

“In 2014, I started a Raspberry Pi after-school robotics club using the Dexter Industries GoPiGo robotics kit to teach students programming, engineering, and problem-solving skills,” Lisa tells us. “After seeing the power of teaching physical computing and computational thinking skills, I began to integrate more technology and robotics into core content lessons. Over the past four years, I have transformed my classroom into a makerspace where all students are given opportunities to show their understanding in multiple ways. The use of robotics, programming, 3D modelling and printing, and other resources are accessible to all students for use in core content lessons, as well as student-led projects.”

Lisa teaches maths, social studies, science, reading, and writing as part of these core content lessons, and has been teaching in a very diverse and inclusive classroom for the past few years. Inspired by Picademy, she created a course for teachers at her school to learn about programming and physical computing, and also works with Dexter Industries on their curriculum.

What’s your involvement in Dexter’s curriculum?

I write a curriculum for the Dexter Industries robotics kits. Much of my work is making lessons that are integrated into core content areas such as lessons on plot structure where students turn the GoPiGo robot into a character and program it to act out a story to include all of the main plot elements (exposition, rising action, climax, and falling action). Another set of lessons that integrates core content concepts is the Mars Rover unit where students learn about space exploration, space technology, and planets in our solar system. They then design their own rover using the GoPiGo as a starting point.

I also work with Nicole Parrot, the CTO at Dexter Industries, to discuss new blocks in Bloxter (one of the programming languages for the GoPiGo robots) to help fulfil curriculum needs. After testing these blocks on my own and in my classroom, they become available for everyone to use. One example is a ‘curve’ block that was created after my students created models of the movement of Earth around the sun using GoPiGo robots.

What’s your background in computing?

I do not have any formal education or background in computing. I came across information on the Raspberry Pi a couple of years ago over the summer and decided to purchase one for myself. After tinkering with it on my own, I thought that it would be great to have a couple set up in my classroom. Over time, that led to even more Raspberry Pi workstations in my room and a set of GoPiGo robotics kits.

Over this past summer I was fortunate to be able to participate in Picademy in Jersey City. I learned so much and brought that information back to my school.