Robot
design rubric /
Presentation rubric
/
Daily log
|
Robotip:
It
is extremely
important
to have students
cover their IR
tower and robot
whenever multiple
users are beaming
programs. If a
robot receives
a signal from
multiple IR towers
at the same time
the firmware becomes
corrupt and needs
to be downloaded
again.
Click
here
to learn more. |
|
Week
1 _____________________________________________________
Introduction
to Basic Programming
& Logic
Overview: The
goal of week one is
to teach basic programming
logic and how to program
LEGO robots using ROBOLAB™.
In week one students
will learn to combine
basic behaviors to build
simple behaviors.
Week
1, Day 1
Introduction to Robotics
Install ROBOLAB™
and test IR communications
with the RCX.
Build several robots
and download programs
that demonstrate how
sensors work. This demonstration
is to be used as an
anticipatory set to
excite the class about
robotics. Suggested
robot demonstrations:
- Robot demonstrating
simple behaviors
using timing
- Robot demonstrating
simple behaviors
using a touch sensor
- Robot demonstrating
simple behaviors
using a light sensor
|
Robotip:
The
light sensor is
easier to use
than the touch
sensor because
there are fewer
mechanical challenges
to get it to work.
|
|
Note: If you
have never programmed
with ROBOLAB, a ROBOLAB
Tutorial beginner's
slideshow is available
in the Teacher
Resources section
of this Module. Carnegie
Mellon's Robotics
Academy http://www.rec.ri.cmu.edu/education
has programming lessons
at its site (click
LEGO in the left sidebar),
and has also produced
a ROBOLAB Video
Trainer with
40 short videos with
animations that can
be used to teach programming.
TUFTS University has
a comprehensive online
downloadable PDF tutorial
at http://www.ceeo.tufts.edu/.
Review the parts
of the RCX
(Hardware Module/The
RCX)
Demonstrate the following
using ROBOLAB:
- How to open ROBOLAB
- How to open Programmer
Level 4
- Functions Palette
- Tools Palette
- Help Screen
- How to download
a program using
the IR Tower
- How to save a
program
Assign all students
to build a Tankbot
Week
1, Days 2-3
Programming Using
Behaviors
Describe how to program
using behaviors (Investigations
/ Motion Planning/ Building
Behaviors)
Pass out the Behaviors
worksheet from
the Building
Behaviors investigation
in the Motion
Planning section
of the Investigations
Module and discuss
the difference between
basic, simple, and complex
behaviors.
Use a programmed robot
to demonstrate a basic,
a simple, and a complex
behavior. There are
videos demonstrating
these behaviors in the
Building
Behaviors section
of Investigations.
Review the following
using ROBOLAB:
- How to open ROBOLAB
- How to open Programmer
Level 4
- Functions Palette
- Tools Palette
- Help Screen
- How to download
a program using
the IR Tower
- How to save a
program
Note:
It is important that
you teach your students
about file structure;
how to name their programs,
where to save them,
and how to locate them
when they return. These
concepts, as well as
how to multitask between
ROBOLAB and the Robotics
Educator, are covered
in the Quickstart
Guide on the
front page of this module.
Present Light Sensor
slideshow (Extra
Resources / PowerPoint
Shows / Light Sensors).
Demonstrate Light Sensor
engineering (Sensors
Module/Light Sensor/Engineering).
Demonstrate how to calculate
threshold (Sensor
Module/Light Sensor/Programming).
Discuss how feedback
from the sensor is used
in forks and loops to
control behaviors (conditional
statements).
Discuss how programmers
use pseudo code to build
the logic they will
use to program their
robots (Investigations/Motion
Planning/Building Behaviors/Pseudo
Code Worksheet).
Assign your students
the following programming
exercises, and reinforce
the idea that these
programs combine basic
behaviors to build simple
behaviors:
Wait for Dark
(Exercise
1 - Light Sensor / Programming
Module)
Wait for Light
(Exercise
2 - Light Sensor / Programming
Module)
Line-Track Right
(Exercise
3 - Light Sensor / Programming
Module)
Line-Track Left
(Exercise
3 - Light Sensor / Programming
Module)
Timer Sensor Forks
(Exercise
4 - Light Sensor / Programming
Module)
Week
1, Day 4
Have the students complete
the light sensor worksheet
to demonstrate how to
build complex behaviors
(Investigations
/ Motion Planning/ Building
Behaviors / Light Sensor Worksheet).
Develop a simple programming
challenge using black
electrical tape and
a light colored surface.
Challenge your students
to work in pairs to
solve the programming
challenge.
Week
1, Day 5
Complete the Light Sensor
challenge from day 4.
Check students' understanding
of the basic programming
concepts taught in
week one.
Administer basic
teacher-developed
programming quiz (optional).
Week
2, Days 1-3______________________________________________________
Introduction
to Touch Sensors
Overview: In week
two, students will continue
to learn to use ROBOLAB.
They will learn about
touch and Rotation Sensors.
They will begin to combine
simple behaviors to
build complex behaviors.
Demonstrate how a
Touch Sensor works
(Sensors
Module/Touch Sensor/Engineering).
Demonstrate the difference
between Wait-for-Push
and Wait-for-Let Go.
Assign students the
following programming
exercises:
Wait for Push
(Programming
Module/Touch Sensors/Wait
for Push)
Wait for Let Go
(Programming
Module/Touch Sensors/Wait
for Let Go)
Bug Bot
(Programming
Module/Touch Sensors/Bug
Bot)
Remote Control
(Programming
Module/Touch Sensor/Remote
Control)
Complete the touch sensor
worksheet
(Investigations Module,
Motion Planning, Building
Behaviors, touch sensor
worksheet).
Week
2, Days 4-5
Introduction to Rotation Sensors/Angle Sensors
Overview : The Rotation Sensor, also called
the angle sensor, does
not come with the standard
kit. The Rotation Sensor
is a very powerful tool
to teach measurement
and applied geometry.
As students’ expertise
increases the teacher
has the opportunity
to introduce more advanced
concepts: containers,
timers, and timer forks.
Demonstrate Rotation Sensor using Tankbot.
Present how the Rotation Sensor works (Sensors
Module/Rotation Sensor/Engineering).
Demonstrate how to
program a Rotation Sensor (Sensors
Module/Rotation Sensor/Programming).
Present Rotation Sensor
slideshow (Extra
Resources/PowerPoint/Rotation
Sensor).
Assign Rotation Sensor
programming exercises
to students.
Straight (Programming
Module/Rotation Sensor/Straight).
Point Turn (Programming
Module/Rotation Sensor/Point
Turn).
Conditional loops
(Programming
Module/Rotation Sensor/Conditional
Loops).
Challenge the students
to use a Rotation Sensor fork instead
of a Rotation Sensor
loop to track.
Note: There are multiple
extension activities
that can be taken
from the Challenges
section in
the Investigations
Module.
Weeks
3-4_____________________________________________________
Robotics
Investigations
Overview: It
is up to the teacher
to decide the appropriate
pace for his/her class.
Some students will have
completed the programming
exercises and others
will need more time.
In weeks three and four
students will be challenged
to complete several
inquiry-based student-driven
investigations. The
Robotics Educator has
over 30 days worth of
student activity involving
Investigations. Each
investigation will take
approximately one to
two class periods. The
lessons are designed
to teach scientific
process as students
discover academic concepts.
Each investigation has:
Complete with rules
For more information
go to: http://www.usfirst.org/jrobtcs/flego.htm
The Robotics Academy
also has theme based
activities. The Camp-on-a-disk
model is well thought
out and engaging.
It is like FIRST LEGO
League, but a little
less costly. Whatever
you choose, you will
want the problem to
be multifaceted so
that teams have to
make decisions.
Refer to the Investigations
Module/Project Management
section for
student resources.
Week
5, Day 1
Introduce the teacher-selected
challenge the teams
will work on. Take the
time to discuss all
of the rules of the
problem, resources available,
end date, graded materials,
etc.
Week
5, Day 2
Review the challenge.
Discuss Engineering
Process (Investigations
Module/Project Management/Engineering
Process).
Discuss brainstorming
(Investigations Module/Project
Management/Engineering
Process).
Discuss how hard it
is to work as a team
(Investigations
Module/Project Management/Teamwork).
Divide students into
teams.
Note: Students
will be assigned to
teams of 2-4 to a group.
Younger students should
be placed in smaller
groups. (Extra
Resources/PowerPoint/Teams).
Week
5, Day 3
Introduce students to
PERT Charts and Gantt
Charts (Investigations
Module, Project Management,
Time Management).
Assign student teams
to work together to
complete a PERT or Gantt
Chart.
Week
5, Day 4
Assign the date for
the Design Review.
Review teamwork.
Review the assigned
problem.
Review team brainstorming
strategies.
Have students begin
to develop prototypes
of solutions.
Week
5, Day 5
Students will work on
designing, building,
and testing their solution
to the project. Students
need to assign responsibilities
for:
- Designing the
mechanical aspects
of their solution
- Development of
the programming
strategy they will
use.
- Defining the
roles of each team
member
Weeks
6-8_____________________________________________________
Students will be
focused on solving a
design challenge. The
teacher’s role
becomes a facilitator.
The teacher will check
each team and sit in
on their weekly team
meetings if possible.
The teams are responsible
to keep track of all
meeting notes, changes
in strategies, responsibilities
and time management.
Week
9_____________________________________________________
Help students prepare
a presentation of the
mechanical and programming
choices each team made
to play the game.
Have them review
these presentations.
The last day of Week
9 should be reserved
for the competition.
