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Wonder Cue Robots

6th, 7th and 8th grade STEM lesson

Intermediate Computers

Peter Johnston

May 23, 2023

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Notes for teachers

Introduction to Robotic programming using the Wonder Cue robot with the blaster. Using Block coding or Javascript, teach the students to create a series of instructions that move the robot through a maze and toward a target, aim, and fire the blaster. They’ll use coding, angles of rotation, and the metric system.

List of Materials

Multiple Wonder Cue Robots
A couple Wonder Cue Blasters
Access to the Wonder Cue programming site
Laptop, Chromebook and Bluetooth connection to Robot
Wonder Cue Site

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Standards

Arizona Standards

Empowered Learner

6-8.1.d. Students navigate a variety of technologies and transfer their skills to troubleshoot and learn how to use new technologies.

Innovative Designer

6-8.4.a. Students engage in a design process for generating and testing ideas and developing innovative solutions.

Standards

Arizona Standards

Computer Science

6.CS.D.1 Compare computing device designs based on how humans interact with them.

The study of human–computer interaction (HCI) can improve the design of devices, including both hardware and software. Teachers can guide students to consider usability through several lenses. For example, teachers can have students compare computing devices that have different methods of human interaction (VR/MR Goggles, Haptic devices - gloves, suits,
Practice(s): Recognizing and Defining Computational Problems: 3.3

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Objective(s):

Day 1: Introduce students to the Wonder Cue robot and the programming interface.

Wonder Cue Robot Coding

Let them collaborate in teams. Teach the students how to connect to their robot, customize, name, add sounds, and eventually make the robot move using Block coding.

For the online challenges, students will work alone to complete the Unit 1 and Unit 2 block challenges.

Students can work with teams to complete JavaScript challenges.

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Objective(s):

Day 2: Wonder Cue Challenges: Flexible

6th Graders use the first 4 block programming challenges in Unit 1

7th/8th Graders- Unit 1 and Unit 2 Challenges. Up to first 4 block programming challenges.

Computer savvy students can join a team that uses JavaScript to program the robots. Units 1, 2, and 3 all have JavaScript options.

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Objective(s):

Day 2- 3- 4 (depending on class size):

Create a maze in the classroom. I did a simple figure 8 around stools. Students need to plan, measure, work together in a team, have individual trials, and taking turns to see if their design works.

The second challenge has students attaching the blaster and navigating through a more complicated maze with turns, angles, obstacles, using measurements in the metric system, and attempting to raise their blaster to the correct angle in degrees, to set up and hit a target.

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Intro/Driving Question/Opening

Working together as a team, how do you plan, measure, and write block code to make a robot navigate through a maze to reach a specific point and fire a blaster to hit a target?

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Hands-on Activity Instructions

Team of 2-4 students
Measure the maze and discuss
Use pencil and paper to draw out the maze and goals.
Write the code that will complete the challenge, testing away from the maze before putting their code to the test.

Extensions: Add effects

Face Lights
Start using one of the buttons on the robot
Use sensors to write code when it gets to a wall or obstacle
Add Student’s own voice to the robot.

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Assessment

Students have to complete the online challenges before joining a team to program for the maze and maze with target classroom challenges.

Students submit their designs, drawings, measurements, and code to Google Classroom, screen captures.

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Differentiation

Students and teams work at their own pace on this project. Some students can easily work through Unit 2 Challenges while other students struggle with the basics of block coding and robot movement.

Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

Students can continue on to JavaScript coding of the robot. There are Challenges, Lessons, and Examples online to teach students basic JavaScript to control their Wonder Cue Robot.

Students can design an interactive engagement with the robots to reply when hearing a human voice.