The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project

Sphero Lego Mazes

Sphero Lego Maze

A 3-6th grade STEM lesson

Amanda Greene

3/12/2023

Notes for teachers

Once students have a basic knowledge of block coding and Spheros this maze activity is a great way to test their skills!

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List of Materials

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• iPads-1 per pair
• Sphero Minis - 1 per pair
• Sphero App
• Planning page
• Legos
• Lego Baseplates (optional)

Standards

NGSS

3-PS2-2. Make observations and/or measurements of an object’s motion to provide evidence that a pattern can be used to predict future motion.

3-5-ETS1-1. Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost.

3-5-ETS1-2. Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.

3-5-ETS1-3. Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved.

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Standards

ISTE

1.5. Computational Thinker Students develop and employ strategies for understanding and solving problems in ways that leverage the power of technological methods to develop and test solutions.

1.4. Innovative Designer Students use a variety of technologies within a design process to identify and solve problems by creating new, useful or imaginative solutions.

Arizona Science Standards

3.U2: The knowledge produced by science is used in engineering and technologies to solve problems and/or create products.

Objective(s):

• Students will be able to code their sphero mini through Lego mazes they have created.

Agenda (2 x 45 min)

2 Day Timeframe(45 min. each day)- Can be adjusted for more or less time.

Day 1:

Students will design and build a Lego maze for the Sphero Mini to navigate through.

Day 2:

Students will begin to build their code to navigate through their mazes. Work through the design process and refine.

Intro

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Hands-on Activity Instructions: Day 1

Planning/ Building

Maze Requirements :

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• start
• finish
• at least 4 turns
• Sphero mini must fit through the maze

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Hands-on Activity Instructions: Day 2: Code/Test

• Start to build your code
• test
• refine/ redesign

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Assessment

Google Form Exit Ticket

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https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1AN1-Wb6aUoajdkaVPkZsxFw6m-eT6FDlsVtYgnH_dQw/copy

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Differentiation

• Print out a very basic maze with only a few turns.

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• List the steps with visuals for ELL students.

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• Clarify job titles for groups struggling with communication

Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

• Challenge students to build a larger more complex maze without the limitations of the lego build-plate.
• Add decorations and other obstacles to your maze

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