#DronesforGood

Monday’s post was about a recent field trip my 3rd-5th graders took to Mitchell Lake Audubon Center that was augmented by adding some drone education while we were out there.  Before we went on the trip, I did lengthy discussions with my students, particularly my 5th graders, about drones.  We have been talking about freedom vs. safety a lot in our class, and this is a real-life topic that fits right into that.

I showed my students a video of how drones can be used for conservation.  It is an engaging and informative TED Talk by Lian Pin Koh. We talked about how there is potential for good and for harm with this technology – just as there has been and will be with any new technology.

After the field trip, I had my students fill out some Depth and Complexity frames about the ethics, multiple perspectives, changes over time, and rules for drones.  I thought I would share some of their work. (Be sure to read the awesome “Dronuts” idea!)

You can read more about how drones are being used and may be used in the future in my Drones for Education post.  Also, here is another example of #dronesforgood from the TED blog about how they can help to deliver medicine in remote areas.