High-Tech Golf

Oak Ridge Middle School students sketched, built, and “played a round” on a mini-putt golf course in the library.  The project started on paper as each student designed a hole.  Then they formed teams to combine the obstacles like ramps, bridges, and tunnels.  Recycled materials were used during the construction.  Finally, instead of golf balls and clubs, students programmed Sphero robots to navigate the course.

As students were playing, they learned to make adjustments in order to make a hole-in-one.  Feedback was provided by their Project Lead The Way teacher, Allie Adams.  “This activity encouraged students to work together and apply what they have learned in their math, science, and design and modeling classes.”  Many creative ways to program the Sphero around the course were discovered after several attempts.  

Students did well with prioritizing resources and time.  Stephanie Kelsey, librarian, observed, “Students are having fun and coming in to build or practice after school.  They are respectful of the workspace and encourage each other.”  This popular technology will be available throughout the year to different groups of students.

Ms. Adams and Ms. Kelsey would like to thank Mr. Curt Hynek, art teacher, for helping with the draft sheets.  We would also like to thank our principal, Mr. Axeen, for supporting our enrichment program.  We appreciate Shelly Schroeder at the Foundation for connecting us with a grant from Alliant.  Thank you for giving our students this opportunity.