By Carlos Medley, Patmos Chapel Church
When the Kids at the Well summer camp starts on June 2 at Patmos Chapel Church, 110 Athletes Row, children ages 5-12 will explore the fascinating world of the Ozobot and participate in many other fun activities.
By the way, what is an Ozobot? I’m so glad you asked.
An Ozobot is a small, programmable robot that interactively and engagingly teaches students about coding, robotics, and computational thinking. It's particularly popular in K–12 education due to its simplicity, versatility, and ability to adapt to various age and skill levels.
Ozobot exercises provide children with hands-on learning through solving problems, encouraging local thinking. They often work in teams to solve problems or challenge each other. Because of its versatility, the Ozobot can be used to teach many subjects, including storytelling, math, the arts, and STEM subjects.
Educators widely praise Ozobots for their ability to engage students in hands-on learning, foster collaboration, and introduce foundational coding concepts in an accessible manner. Teachers across various grade levels and disciplines have shared positive experiences and insights into how Ozobots enhance the learning environment.
“Our 4th-graders are loving the Ozobots, and I appreciate the turnkey curriculum, says Beverly Sklar, a 4th-grade teacher in Joliet, Illinois. “Thirty-six 4th-graders do Ozobot challenges on Fridays, and while students beg for Ozobot time, teachers are witnessing the development of critical inferencing skills needed for deeper-level programming.”
STEAM Coach Kaitlin Chidester says, “The real-world connection to learning is what gets me excited about being a STEAM educator. Through STEAM, students get an opportunity to put their learning into action. They can see the why behind their learning and that it is more than the test at the end.”
Lacretia Daly, EdD, is facilitating the Ozobot instruction. She has worked as an educator in Orange County Public Schools for 28 years and currently teaches science at Ocoee Middle School. She is also the Director of Educational Services for 2-STRIVE, a behavioral health and counseling agency serving the Central Florida area since 1999.
The “Kids at the Well” summer camp runs from June 2nd to July 26th at the Well Activity Center in Apopka. To register and get more Information, click here www.TheWellSummerCamp.com, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or call 407-316-2205.
Carlos Medley is the communication director for Patmos Chapel Church.
