The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project

Pathfinding Edison Robots

Pathfinding Edison Robots

A 6th grade STEM lesson

Rachel Carpenter

06/09/2023

Notes for teachers

Students should already be familiar with operating and coding Edison robots

List of Materials

• Edison Robots
• Access to EdScratch App
• large paper (2 ft x 3-4 ft butcher sheets)
• markers
• Coding Edison Information

Standards

• 6.AP.C.1 Design programs that combine control structures, including nested loops and compound conditionals.
• 6.AP.M.1 Decompose problems into parts to facilitate the design, implementation, and review of programs.
• 6.AP.PD.1 Seek and incorporate feedback from team members and users to refine a solution that meets user needs.

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Standards

Science and Engineering Practice:

• Use mathematics and computational thinking.

Objective(s):

• I can use what I know about coding Edison to create and code a table-sized path for Edison to navigate.
• I can use feedback to improve my design.
• I can reflect on my work.

Agenda (Four 60 minute classes)

• Students begin by individually thinking about things that Edison can do (ways it can move, respond, etc).
• Next, they think about what they would like Edison to do in their path.
• Each student creates an initial sketch of their path idea for Edison.

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• Students pair or group up to share their sketches.
• What is similar in your models? What is different?
• What do you like about the other models?
• Students work together to create a new path based on their combined ideas.
• They must keep the coding in mind: how will they successfully code Edison for this path?

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Agenda (Four 60 minute classes)

• Gallery Walk:
• Students run Edison through their code and path to get feedback from the group:
• What is working here?
• What is not working smoothly?
• What’s missing?
• What could improve this design?
• Students refine based on group feedback.

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• Showcase:
• Students present their final paths to visiting students.
• They explain parts of their code, the most challenging part of their design, and the part they are the most proud of.

Intro/Driving Question/Opening

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You have successfully gotten Edison to perform many given tasks. Now, you are the designer! Use what you know about Edison to create a path that your robot can navigate.

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Talk as a group first about possible elements their path might include. Discuss how Edison would navigate certain obstacles, referring to previous work students have done.

Hands-on Activity Instructions

• Students work individually at first. This prepares them for successful group work because they will come to the group with ideas already, instead of one person taking over the planning.
• Students were able to choose their groups (2-4 people).

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Student Work

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Student Work: Showcase

Assessment

• Students should have code that matches their path. Edison should move through the path successfully.

Differentiation

Check in on students frequently as they are working. Direct their attention to possible problems with the design:

• What about ___?
• How will Edison move through this part?

Refer to previous work as a model when groups are stuck.

• This is kind of like when you coded the hexagon. How did you get Edison through that? Would that work here?

Use Gallery Walk as a chance for students to further refine their designs with feedback and advice from peers.

Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

Designs and codes can be very complex. Encourage students to try more complicated designs/ challenging code (if…else statements, reacting to inputs, etc).

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Students will use this experience for their next challenge, Edison Adventure.