The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project

Robot Vehicle Part 2 & 3

Robot Powered Vehicle

Part 2 & 3 Build/Code/ Improve/Present

An Engineering & Robotics Grade 5-8 STEM Lesson

Tina Martinez

7/17/23

Notes for Teachers

This lesson is to teach students how to step out of the box and try new things.

This lesson is very open ended and students get little direct explicit instruction.

It is difficult for students that haven’t been exposed to open ended STEM activities to try things without explicit instructions. This is a fun lesson that does that.

Students will need a place to store their projects between sessions.

They do need to be familiar with the robots you have and have and know how to code them.

I see my 5-8 students twice a week for 40 minutes as an elective.

This lesson takes 7 sessions for the entire thing. It is broken into 3 parts. Part 1 Research & Plan. Part 2 Build and Part 3, Code, Improve, & Present. You can do Parts 1 & 2 together or as independent lessons. You will need a vehicle to do part 3. I do all parts in order.

Each session is 30 to 40 minutes.

Part 1: Session 1 & 2 Research & Plan

Part 2: Session 3 & 4 Build

Part 3: Session 5, 6, & 7 Code, Improve & Present

Materials/Supplies

Codeable Robot - Sphero, Edison, etc.

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Chromebook/Computer/iPad/Phone with Bluetooth

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Paper/Pencil/Markers/Highlighter

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Ruler/Yardstick/Tape Measure - you will use these to measure distance when coding

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Calculator

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Robot Vehicle Planning Packet - be sure to update the red parts of the packet

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Treat - you can provide the treat or students can bring their own

• Wheels/Tires/Axel
• CD’s, Wheels, Sticks, Straws, Milk Lids
• Box
• Cardboard
• Construction Paper/Cardstock
• Paint/Crayons/Colored Pencils
• Tape, Hot Glue, White Glue, Glue Sticks, Glue Dots
• Popsicle and Craft Sticks
• Plastic/Paper Cups
• LEGO
• Other supplies and needed or wanted

Standards

Arizona Educational Technology Standards

Standard 4. Innovative Designer

4.a. Students, in collaboration with an educator, explore and practice a design process by generating ideas to solve a problem by planning, creating and testing innovative products that are shared with others.

4.c. Students engage in a design process to develop, test, and revise prototypes, embrace the iterative process of trial and error, and understand setbacks as potential opportunities for improvement.

4.d. Students demonstrate an ability to persevere and handle greater ambiguity as they work to solve open-ended problems.

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Arizona Mathematics Standards 2018

Measurement & Data

MD.A Convert like measurement units within a given measurement system.

MD.A.1 Convert among different-sized standard measurement units within a given measurement system, and use these conversions in solving multi-step, real-world problems.

Arizona ELP Standards 2019

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5-2: shift appropriately between informal “playground speech” and language appropriate to the classroom.

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8-2: Ask and answer yes-no, either-or, and wh- questions in order to clarify what an author or speaker says.

Intro

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You will use your plan to build your vehicle. Be sure to use your robot to measure and make sure it fits and will work.

Questions?

Objective(s):

Students will engineer a vehicle that will be powered by a robot.

Students will use their vehicle to deliver a treat to the office or location of choice……

Agenda

Part 1

Session 1 - Introduce lesson & research vehicle

Session 2 - Plan vehicle

Part 2

Session 3 & 4 - Build vehicle

Part 3

Session 5, 6, & 7 - Measure distance, convert measurements and code/program robot, and deliver treat

Agenda Part 2

Session 3 - Use your plan and the materials provided to build your vehicle.

Session 4 - Use your plan and the materials provided to build your vehicle.

Robot Vehicle

You will use the materials provided to design and build a vehicle that is powered by a robot. You will then program the robot to take a treat to the office or location of choice …..

Your vehicle must:

• Have Wheels
• Be powered by a robot
• Have a place to carry the treat

Build - Part 2

Using your plan and the materials provided build your vehicle.

You may use the robot for size and trial, but you can not keep the robot at the end of class. You can get a new robot each day.

You will NOT have more research time or be able to use a device after the Research time is over

Session 3 - Build 40 minutes Session 4 - Build 40 minutes

Supplies

If you brought your own supplies be sure to have them approved before you use them.

• Wheels/Tires/Axel
• CD’s, Wheels, Sticks, Straws, Milk Lids
• Box
• Cardboard
• Construction Paper/Cardstock
• Paint/Crayons/Colored Pencils
• Tape, Hot Glue, White Glue, Glue Sticks, Glue Dots
• Popsicle and Craft Sticks
• Plastic/Paper Cups
• LEGO

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Hands-on Activity Instructions

• Allow students to work independently or with a partner or group they choose.
• Be sure to monitor to make sure one person isn’t doing all the work and the others are just watching or messing around.
• If this is the first time they are doing this kind of activity they may need to be redirected if they get off task when researching.
• Be sure to model each part.
• Don’t show them the pictures of build vehicles, if you do you may/will get many that look alike. They will use similar ideas, remind them that is what “Real” engineers do, they combine their ideas with the ideas of others.

Hands-on Activity Instructions

1. Each student or group gets one packet
1. Be sure to add/delete all red parts of packet before copying.
2. Add the due date before copying, or have students add date when going over the paket.
2. Review Challenge
3. Build - Have students use the material provided to build their vehicle. Remind them that their vehicle needs to look like their plan. If they make any improvements they need to note them on their plan.

Session 2 & 3

40 Minutes each - more as needed

Assessment: Research & Planning

Differentiation

• Have students work with a group that will help them as needed. - be sure it is a group that will allow them to participate and listen to their ideas.
• Show them websites that will help with their research.
• Give students pictures to guide their ideas.
• Help student with writing or drawing
• Let student “drive” instead of code robot. Spero - App, Edison - Remote

Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

• Fewer restrictions
• Less or more research time
• Work independently with supplies from home, or give them supplies on the sly.
• Make a vehicle and a trailer

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Intro

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You will use your Vehicle, a tape measure, and your chosen robot to code your robot to deliver your treat.

You will have 3 sessions to complete these tasks

Questions?

Part 3 Code, Improve, Present

For this part you will code your robot to reach your destination, make improvements as needed, and present your vehicle and use it to take your treat to your destination.

You will NOT have more research time or be able to use a device after the Research time is over

• Session 5 - Code/Improve 40 minutes

• Sessions 6 - Code/Improve/Present 40 minutes

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• Session 7 - Improve/Present 40 minutes

Session 5, 6, and 7 Code/Improve/Present

• Use the program or app for your robot to code your robot.
• You will need to measure distance and convert it so that it will work with your robot.
• Robots may use inches, centimeters, or time for distance.
• If your robot uses time you will need to measure the distance you need to go. Time how long it takes your robot to go 36 inches and do the math to figure out how long it takes it to go 6 inches and do more math to find the time for each section/distance.

• Always measure from the same place in the hallway.
• Be sure to save your work so you will have it next time.
• Keep track of ALL your changes and improvements. Highlight them or use a different color to make notes. It is AWESOME to make improvements, be sure I know what they are.
• When you are ready, get a pass, your treat, and take it to your destination,

You ALWAYS need a pass to go out of the room to measure. Be sure to take paper and a pencil to draw and write distances. DO NOT code while you are gone, you will code in the room.

Assessment: Research & Planning