1 of 18

The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project

Balloons Over Broadway

with Edison Robots and

the DoInk Green Screen app

2 of 18

Balloons Over Broadway

with Edison Robots and

the DoInk Green Screen app

A K-2 STEM Lesson

Bridget Hagest

November 2023

3 of 18

Notes for Teachers

Lesson Objective:

create a balloon for the Classroom Parade
program an algorithm on an Edison Robot
record the classroom parade using a green screen app
ask and answer questions about key details in a text
identify characters, settings, and major events in a story

List of Materials

Edison Robot
Legos
edscratchapp.com (or printouts of barcode for Line Tracking)
iPad or any device that supports EdScratch
Do Ink Green Screen app
See slide #8 for a complete list of materials for the balloon challenge

Students may work in groups of 1-2, depending on how many robots you have. If you are doing the easy version (scanning the barcode instead of creating new code) you can group students together by interests. They may have more fun and be engaged in the balloon design process if they are both passionate about a character. You want to avoid having teams where one student will do all the work. If you know someone who will be overly controlling, let them do their own balloon robot.

The objectives will be different depending on your emphasis. You can strengthen the ELA component by requiring students to compare and contrast the character, describe the setting, plot, etc.

My emphasis in this lesson is on the engineering challenge (design a balloon/float that will attach to a robot) and use of new technology (program EdBots and use green screen app).

4 of 18

Standards

Arizona Computer Science Standards :

K.CS.D.1: With teacher guidance, select and operate an appropriate device to perform a task.

1.CS.D.1: With teacher guidance, select and operate appropriate devices and software to perform a task.

1.AP.C.1: Identify programs with sequences and simple loops, to express ideas or address a problem.

2.AP.C.1: Develop programs with sequences and simple loops, to express ideas or address a problem.

Arizona ELA Standards:

2.RL.1 Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.

2.RL.3 Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and challenges.

Arizona Engineering Technical Standards:

STANDARD 2.0 CREATE ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS BY APPLYING A STRUCTURED PROBLEM-SOLVING /DECISION-MAKING PROCESS

5 of 18

Standards

Computer Science (CSTA K-12 Standards)

1A-AP-08: Model daily processes by creating and following algorithms (sets of step-by-step instructions) to complete tasks.

Connection: Students program the Edison robot to follow a specific path (algorithm), either by scanning barcodes for pre-set behaviors (like line tracking) or using simple block code.

1A-CS-02: Use appropriate terminology in identifying and describing the function of common physical components of computing systems (hardware).

Connection: Students handle the Edison robot (hardware) and use an iPad/device (hardware) to scan barcodes or run the green screen app, learning to operate these devices to perform a task.

Common Core English Language Arts (CCSS.ELA)

RL.K.1 / RL.1.1 / RL.2.1: Ask and answer such questions as who, what, where, when, why, and how to demonstrate understanding of key details in a text.

Connection: Students listen to the story Balloons Over Broadway and answer questions about the puppeteer Tony Sarg, the setting, and the events leading to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

RL.K.3 / RL.1.3: Identify characters, settings, and major events in a story.

Connection: The lesson objective explicitly states students will identify these elements from the story as they prepare to recreate the parade.

Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)

K-2-ETS1-2: Develop a simple sketch, drawing, or physical model to illustrate how the shape of an object helps it function as needed to solve a given problem.

Connection: Students design and build a "balloon" model using craft materials (balloons, pipe cleaners, cups) that must be lightweight and stable enough to be carried by the robot "float".

K-PS2-1: Plan and conduct an investigation to compare the effects of different strengths or different directions of pushes and pulls on the motion of an object.

Connection: While the robot provides the motion, students must balance their balloon creation on the robot, observing how the weight or position affects the robot's ability to move (pull/carry) the float without tipping.

6 of 18

Objective(s):

Today students will listen to a familiar story and ask and answer questions about key details in the text.

Today students will complete an engineering design challenge by designing a balloon and attaching it to a robot.

Today students will be able to code an algorithm on an Edison Robot to transport their balloon in the classroom parade.

Today students will use a green screen app to record their balloons in front of a NYC backdrop.

7 of 18

Agenda

What are key details in the story? (10-15 minutes)

Design a balloon for the classroom parade (15-30 minutes)

What is an algorithm? (5 minutes)

Edison Robots and Coding (30-45 minutes)

How to Use a Green Screen App (30-45 minutes)

This lesson can be modified to fit different time frames or schedules. You can limit how long the students get to design their balloons, but I have found that when given a little extra time, their balloons are even more impressive. The time it takes to code the robots entirely depends on if you are using the barcode (easiest) or having students actually connect to a computer and build their own code. I had the students scan the barcode and practice with the EdBot around a mini track before connecting their balloons and putting it on the big parade route. The green screen portion can also be “short” or take an entire class period. It depends on if you are recording the students while other teams are working on coding, or if you are all doing the green screen at the same time. There is A LOT of room for flexibility in time with this lesson. It is too much to fit all of this in one 60 minute class period. If that is all the time you have, you can eliminate the green screen portion and just do the balloon-robot parade.

8 of 18

Opening

9 of 18

Hands-on Activity Instructions

Part I Instructions:

Read the book Balloons Over Broadway by Melissa Sweet.
Students will design a balloon to represent a character, using the materials provided.

Materials:

Balloons Over Broadway by Melissa Sweet
Balloons
Plastic cups
Tape
Glue
Googly eyes
Feathers
Construction paper
Hole puncher, scissors, glue sticks, markers, pencils

10 of 18

Key Vocabulary

algorithm

a set of step-by-step instructions that describe how to perform a task

code

a set of instructions to communicate with a robot

Edison Robot (EdBot)

a robot that we can program

11 of 18

Hands-on Activity Instructions

Part II Instructions:

Students will program an Edison Robot to follow the path of the classroom parade route.

Materials:

Edison Robots
computer with access to EdScratch (or preprinted barcodes)
premade parade route on white butcher paper with black electrical tape (1.5cm thick)

The next part of this lesson is to program a robot to move the balloon along the parade route.

If this is their first time using EdBots, you may want to show the introductory videos available on www.meetedison.com.

Easier version: You can use white butcher paper and black electrical tape (1.5cm thick) to premake a parade route. You can decorate the butcher paper with NYC images or doodles for a Thanksgiving day parade theme like the book, or choose your own design. Students can program the EdBot to follow the black line. (EdVenture 4- Line Tracking barcode) You don’t need to connect the EdBots to computers at all for this version. Just pre-print the Line Tracking barcode for the bots to “read”.

A link to the Line Tracking barcode handout is here: https://meetedison.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/EdBook1-Barcodes-and-Edison.pdf

A video link of an example classroom parade is here:

OR

You can have students program the EdBots in different ways to have a parade route go through the classroom. They can learn to program turns, avoid obstacles, etc. These are for students who have some experience with EdBots and EdScratch. You will need to connect the EdBots to computers and open the EdScratch website to create your own code. It is very user friendly, but definitely requires more class time.

Practice first- Before students move onto the next step of attaching their balloons to the robots, have them practice lining the EdBot up with the black line to the right of the robot. Then, press the triangle “go” button. They should see the robot turn right to find the line, then track it. You can have them do this directly on your premade parade route, or you can print off the mini oval track from the link below and they can do this right at their desk.

page 10 here: https://meetedison.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/EdBook1-Barcodes-and-Edison.pdf

12 of 18

Hands-on Activity Instructions

Part III Instructions:

Students will attach their balloon to the EdBot using a plastic cup, LEGOs, and tape.

Materials:

completed balloons
plastic cups
Legos
Edison Robots
tape

13 of 18

Hands-on Activity Instructions

Part IV Instructions:

Students will host a classroom balloon parade by placing their programmed EdBots on the parade route.

Materials:

completed balloons attached to EdBots
parade route with black electrical tape (1.5 cm thick)

14 of 18

Hands-on Activity Instructions

Part V Instructions:

Students will write information to be announced for their balloon during their portion of the green screen parade.

15 of 18

Hands-on Activity Instructions

Part VI Instructions:

Students will use a green screen app to record their balloon and edit it to have a NYC backdrop.

Materials:

completed balloons
device with DoInk Green Screen app downloaded
green screen

16 of 18

How Do We Assess Our Work?

We record key details of the story
We design a balloon for the parade
We code the Edison Robot
We problem solve and re-program our robot if needed
We repeat our code and test the program
We record in front of the green screen

17 of 18

Differentiation

With Story:

Have students interact with the text more; compare/contrast the character, setting, plot, etc. (do worksheets, graphic organizers to go with the story)

With Balloon Design Challenge:

Alter the supplies given (more or less complex)
Alter the time limit (more or less time to design)

With the Edison Robots:

Use EdVenture4 Line Tracking Barcode for an easier experience
Have students code more complex directions; Don’t use pre-set programs
Easier- premake the parade route with tape
Challenging- have students program a route around their classroom

With the DoInk Green Screen App:

Easier- have the teacher in charge of recording the students and editing the clips together
More challenging- have the students completely in charge; Each group records their own piece or have one student in charge of it

18 of 18

Resources

Link to student handout

K-1 Version: Balloons Over Broadway with EdBot K-1 Handout
2-3 Version:

2-3 Version

Link to balloon information handout (for green screen script)

Balloon Information Card

Link to standards

Arizona Computer Science Standards Arizona Computer Science Standards
Arizona Engineering Technical Standards ENGINEERING 15.0000.00 TECHNICAL STANDARDS
Arizona ELA Standards

Arizona’s English Language Arts Standards 2 Grade

Link to Edison Robot barcodes

https://meetedison.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/EdBook1-Barcodes-and-Edison.pdf

Sample video clip of class parade