Robots in Jabiru

From 2017, the Trust has become involved in a new program. Robots in Jabiru is part of a partnership between the King David School and the Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation, to conduct a shared experience between students from KDS and the Jabiru Area School (JAS) in the Northern Territory.

Jabiru is a small town about 3 hours away from Darwin. The town is is located in the vast Kakadu National Park, and as well as a school, has an airport, accommodation, and supermarket.

The overall program involves KDS Year 8 students visiting Jabiru and attending classes, workshops and other activities with the Jabiru students, many of whom are from the Mirarr Aboriginal community. The Robots in Jabiru program specifically introduces the Jabiru students to robotics, utilising FIRST robotics equipment and processes. This feeds off the KDS robotics program, which the Robert Feigin Trust is a long-standing supporter of. KDS is now a national leader in FIRST Robotics, making the teachers and students particularly well placed to deliver an excellent introduction to robotics to students in Jabiru, and the empower the teachers at Jabiru Area School to deliver richer opportunities for their students.

Photos from the 2017 program

The Robots in Jabiru program fits well with the Trust's Outreach goals, as well as our history of supporting Robotics programs.

2017 Program

This year's program included:

• • LEGO Robotics - students used the EV3 Mindstorms kits to build and program their robots. Students were provided with a number of challenges to assist them in developing basic programming skills in their first session, before progressing to the FIRST LEGO League challenge mat, based on the "Animal Allies" theme, where they were able to enhance their basic skills and knowledge. It was clear that the robotics program had a significant benefit on the JAS students; and for that reason two LEGO EV3 Mindstorms kits were donated as well as one Animal Allies FLL mat and mission elements to the JAS community.

• • Water Rocketry - Students had fun employing the scientific method in building and launching their water rockets that had to hit a designated target at the far end of a grassed area of play (approx. 40 to 50 metres). They developed a good understanding of dependent variables and independent variables, such as pressure, volume of water, range, location of centre-of-gravity.

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