Maps, Apps, and Drones Tour Stop: Innovation Montessori
The start of the fall 2019 Maps, Apps, and Drones Tour is here and ready to come to your school! On Monday our team visited students at Innovation Montessori School where we got to premiere the new National Geographic Giant Florida Map! When students arrived in their school’s multi-purpose room the Giant Map was the first thing they could see. Next to noticing the Giant Map, students recognized a mini-drone obstacle course, where they were told that they would later be able to become drone pilots themselves!
About 180 students got to experience all of the stations at their very own school. The National Geographic Giant Florida Map taught the students how to visually understand a map by walking across the map! They learned useful skills in how to read a map such as; using a scale bar, utilizing the grid system, and finding specific points. It truly was an experience like no other to get to walk across a map of that size. Next, students discovered how to be drone pilots as they flew our Parrot Mambo mini-drones through octagon obstacles. Overall, students were able to learn from each other about how to fly the drones in order to make it through both obstacles. Students always have some very interesting insights in this particular activity, which makes it all the more exciting to experience it with them.
The excitement that the students get when they are able to experience something really cool first-hand, as well as knowing that they are comprehending some bigger educational concepts makes the whole event worth it. It’s particularly enjoyable to be able to help them along in the learning process and talk to them specifically about what it is that these activities describe. The next generation of scientists that are going to impact the world are in these classrooms! This is why we encourage students to use their potential and aim high towards whatever motivates them. Our team is looking forward to continuing the tour this school year, and our mascot Drone Cat is looking forward to making new friends!
