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Notes for Teachers

This lesson assumes students are comfortable in programing drive commands in EdScratch. For example, they should be able to complete lesson U2-1.3 on page 43 here EdScratch student lesson activities
Students should work in groups of 2 to 4 to complete this activity.

List of Materials

Computers with access to EdScratch
Edison Robots with batteries and EdCom cables
LEGO bricks
Washable markers, thick and thin
Rulers
Scissors
Butcher paper
Masking tape
Engineering journal/Interactive notebook and pencils

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Standards

Computer Science:

Grade 6:

CSTA (Computer Science Teachers Association) Standard 1A-AP-10: Create programs that include sequences, events, loops, and conditionals.
CSTA Standard 1B-AP-12: Develop and debug programs that combine control structures, including nested loops and compound conditionals.

Grade 7:

CSTA Standard 1A-AP-12: Create clearly named variables that represent different data types and perform operations on their values.
CSTA Standard 1B-AP-14: Decompose problems and subproblems into parts to facilitate the design, implementation, and review of programs.

Grade 8:

CSTA Standard 1A-AP-15: Systematically test and refine programs using a range of test cases.
CSTA Standard 1B-AP-17: Document programs in order to make them easier to follow, test, and debug.

Engineering:

Standard 2.0 Create Engineering Solutions by Applying a Structured Problem-Solving/Decision-Making Process:

2.1 Identify the problem.
2.4 Select the best solution within the constraints and criteria.
2.5 Develop a prototype or model to test the selected solution.

Standard 3.0 Apply Mathematical Laws and Principles Relevant to Engineering Technology:

3.1 Use basic mathematical functions and tools.
Use English and Metric systems of measurement.

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Objectives:

Students will be able to engineer a LEGO Brick fixture that can hold a marker upright.

Students will be able to program their Edison Robot to draw letters on a piece of paper.

Students will be able to review the code of other students and explain how it is different from theirs.

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Agenda

Day 1- Introduce project, students form group and begin constructing their LEGO fixture

Day 2 - Students write pseudo-code & begin coding and testing

Day 3 - Students continue coding and testing

Day 4 - Finish coding, Gallery Code Walk

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Intro/Driving Question/Opening

How can we use LEGO engineering, programming and robotics to creatively express language and design through the creation of robotic letter drawings?

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Hands-on Activity Instructions

Day One

Introduce assignment and assign groups.
Provide groups with LEGO bricks, markers and Engineering journals.
Group discussion to create list of requirements for the LEGO fixture (hold a pen, hold it upright, etc).
Students design and build a fixture using LEGO bricks to hold a marker upright on their Edison Robot (see photos for examples).
Sketch design in engineering journal.

Day Two

Groups assemble around a large piece of butcher paper. Have students draw an 18”x18”square. Letters must fit in this square.
Assign a letter to each group (I, H, T and L are good to start with).
Students discuss in their groups what the robot needs to do to make the letter in the square.
Students write psuedo-code in their journals describing what the robot needs to do including distances needed to travel and direction of turn(s).
If time permits, have groups begin coding their robots movement in EdScratch.

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Hands-on Activity Instructions (continued)

Day Three

Students will use this day to code their robot to produce the letter and then test and refine their code by having their robot draw on the butcher paper.
If groups finish their letter, give them a harder one to do (R, Z, X).

Day Four

Use the first half of class for groups to finish and refine their code as necessary.
Give groups scissors to cut out their best letter.
Use masking tape to attach letter to the side of monitor next to code (see photo) Have students conduct a gallery walk in groups.
Students record notes in their engineering journal about methods that other groups used that are different from theirs.
When done gather students together and discuss what they observed.

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Assessment

Students can be assessed at a variety of points using their engineering journal.

Day 1 - Sketch of their fixture in the journal

Day 2 - Pseudo-code

Day 3 - Observe students as they work together on code. Reward teams that are working well together

Day 4 - Students record differences between their group’s code and other groups.

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Differentiation

Use your knowledge of student abilities from earlier EdScratch lessons to group students heterogeneously.

Students who struggle using EdScratch may benefit from trying the assignment first with EdBlocks and then EdScratch.

Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

If students finish with one letter have them do a second, third, etc.

Encourage students to make their robots draw letters or characters from other alphabets (Arabic, Chinese, Cyrillic, Amharic, etc.)

Assign letters to groups in order to spell out a word as a class.