Shaler Area Elementary School fifth-graders are embracing robotics “full throttle.”

For the first time, Shaler Area students as young as fifth-grade are exploring robotics and computer programming in their computer classes after teachers in the Business and Information Technology Department worked to rewrite the curriculum to expand the computer science offerings throughout the District.

“Here they are programming and seeing how math concepts are involved in robotics,” said Brian Opiela, computer teacher at Shaler Area Elementary School. “And students have embraced it full throttle.”

Students are taking the coding lessons they learned in Code.org’s Hour of Code event in December, which introduced students to computer programming, and are applying them to program LEGO Mindstorms EV3 robots in the new course unit.

“I think it’s pretty cool,” said Jacob Klinefelter, a fifth-grader. “We had a lot of trouble at first, but now that we’re getting into it, we’re getting more motivated to get the robots to do what they need to do.”

The unit also is giving students the opportunity to learn advanced skills in Microsoft Office and introductory skills in Macintosh computers and iWorks. Introducing computer programming and robotics at the elementary level will provide the building blocks for students to take advantage of other new computer science programs and courses throughout the District such as the Robotics Club or the new Mobile Applications Technology class.