European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 10, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Dail Magazine teacher Rick Galena watches two students put a robot into action. It makes science interesting classroom robotics by Dean Golembeski associated press Rick Gaines explains Workings of robot named ther Gem. I a Sines kit built robot is Sedli but Power fut. F Rick Gaines has his Way. Schoolchildren across America will someday learn four is a a Reading a riling a no emetic and robotics games physical and applied sciences coordinator Al the thames science Center Ltd new London Connis refining a new science curriculum for Middle schools to teach students How to build a robot As students build their machines hey also learn about mechanics physics electronics computers and other sciences a eth project reflects out philosophy  games says m Maves  Micro song makes a relevant makes i f a i to can do thai. Ibo Slu Dollwet reman interested m scale Era. What we re up. J n j to to a Nyit Onri attitude that science education i. J is the books and equations and because of that stud nto Are sctt leg very turned o r known As pfc  robot acts the Robol Buill . Course has been Coder do dip Nieset Al Tho thames science Center a regional science museum since 1987. Although the curriculum is now beg used Canty in schools m the Northeast interest in the program is spreading across the count general dynamics corp one of the Center s sponsors has been running advertisements in Nasonal publications featuring a picture of schoolchildren posed with a robot it describes the robot curriculum currently about27 teachers in 24 schools in Connecticut Massachusetts and new York Are teaching the course to students in the sixth seventh and eighth grades the teachers were prepared to Leach the course by completing a two week training program at the science Center teachers also get a Kil they can use to build a Robo the kit which costs $630, contains enough gears motors tight and touch sensors to keep five students Busy building a miniature computer it also contains a computer program the Hohols when completed Are about the size of a paperback Book and move on wheels they Are constructed with plastic building stocks and can be taken apart and rebuilt again and again Quot there s nothing on a Silver pm alter Here Quot games says it s Aff Content oriented the student has a do a lot of thinking a lot of problem solving j onto i hey be been instructed on How to teach the co  leathers Are Iron to improvise f hey can use parts of the  to Leach about gears or electronics or the Lead student a  the edit a Focer of  1 g a robot irom the ground up Quot to my knowledge thee m no other  that is co i void and has so much cadent. A games Sas while some other education programs Deal with robots none allows students to actually build one the science Center is refining the existing curriculum Tor Middle school Lilu Uenas and plans to expand it so that it can be taught m the lower grades arid High school games said Gaines joined the science Center in june after an 11-year career with the coast guard Hgt a working under a two year $496,000 Grant from the National science foundation the stars and stripes Page 13