Month: December 2023

The Mathegramming team at Vasavi International School taught new ways of decimal multiplication using graph sheets. Before we started the session, we introduced what is decimal multiplication and students said it’s regular multiplication but with numbers that have dots (decimal)in them. We just have to multiply the numbers like normal and then figure out where to put the dot in our answer. We believe that learning should be fun and interactive.

Graph sheets provide visual ideas that make an understanding of decimal multiplication and the grid lines help to understand the placement of whole number and decimal values. The graph sheet has horizontal and vertical lines, creating boxes for each digit. Use different colors to mark them as 1,1/10, and 1/100 on the graph sheet.

Draw the first whole number with a decimal value on the horizontal side and another with a decimal value on the vertical side. Now extend both decimal values and make it as an area.

 Add the total number of decimal places in both numbers. This will determine the placement of the decimal point in your final answer.

1/10 – 1 means the whole part is divided into ten equal parts on the graph sheet. It means 1/10 moves the dot one place to the left.

1/100 – Now combine all ten pieces and each piece as one part. (i.e.) 1/100 moves the dot two places to the left.

In the normal way of teaching decimal multiplication, students feel like overwhelmed and disconnected. Our Mathegramming team filled the gap by combining the principles of mathematics with the creativity and logic of programming. Through the collaborative efforts of the Mathegramming team, the process of teaching decimal multiplication to Vasavi students using graph sheets has more to be highly effective.

Introduction:

                        A child from the 7th grade from Study international school has come to STEM Land for making a vacuum cleaner robot as part of her school project and she wanted to make it by her own with some guidance from STEM land. At the beginning her parents were told to buy the required components for the project then SHIVASHANKAR a member of Mathegramming Academy has volunteered to help that student in the project and the student started working on the project. At first, We started to create the basic structure of the robot with 4 wheels and a gear motor for each wheel and we fixed an Arduino Uno board for the programming of the robot and they have also fixed Arduino motor shield for controlling the motors and then they have fixed the wires correctly to make it work and they have also used Ultrasonic sensor to identify the objects or barriers in front of the robot along with Ultrasonic sensor we have used Servo motor to rotate the Ultrasonic sensor left and right. We have used Rechargeable lithium-ion battery for the power. We have used a 6V DC motor for the vacuum cleaner to suck the waste from the floor using a water bottle and some PVC pipes to make some shape so that could suck the waste. The design of the vacuum cleaner is very simple and easily arrangeable by anyone and also the circuit is also easy to fix so anyone with required materials can make this vacuum cleaner robot. The Robot design was taken from YouTube and we have got the information of required components from the same. We have changed something according to our needs and we have made it in our own style.

Coding:

               The Arduino board has been programmed with some code to make the robot work. We are using the Arduino IDE for programming the Arduino board so that it could do the things we code in it.

The shift in the education system:

                                                                Normally most of the schools don’t really emphasize on the practical education of the children they only focus on theory and the marks, STEM Land a place of Unending Learning and a place of co-creation we are making so many efforts to bring a change in students life as we are more concerned about what they like instead of what the school likes to do so we have a place where students come and learn by themselves we do have many games over here in STEM Land to increase the critical thinking of the children and we also do some electronics with children to make them apply what they have leant. The shift from theoretical to practical way of learning makes STEM Land a Unique place in Auroville for people who want to learn new things. Stem land also emphasize on Equality so that everyone gets a chance to learn what they want and its open for everyone who truly wants to learn something. Nowadays, the technology is getting too much updated so the students should be skilled enough to abide with the technology so we have the sophisticated environment here in stem land to help children to get in line with the modern technology.

Emphasis on skills:

                                     Stem Land emphasizing on mastering skills rather than marks-based learning like most of the schools doing we ensure creativity, critical thinking, Communication and adaptability in students who is coming to stem land and we also give flexibility on fields so that children can choose to learn what they want to learn. Stem Land stands as a place of openness so that the children can learn many things and they also teach other people. To master the skills the children, need to thrive in an increasingly complex and interconnected world.

Conclusion:                        The vacuum cleaner robot project clearly shows that learning can be fun and creative and also interactive. The girl and her family were also happy after completing the project it also created a space for co-creation and we hope her project will also inspire other children to make one on their own and we hope it will make a great impact on Mathegramming and also in children lives by adding values to learning and application of that learning in life