The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project

Virtual Robot Coding

Coding Practice with VEX Virtual Robots (Free)

A 5-12 grade STEM lesson

Steven Booher

1/25/2024

Notes for teachers

I use this to get started before I let the students build the actual robots, but it could be a stand alone lesson to introduce coding or robotics in your class.

This coding site has many ready made lesson and can be used for 1 day or several weeks. I use it for 3 weeks, then come back to it as need to refresh my students coding abilities when programing physical robots later in the semester.

List of Materials

• Chromebooks or computers
• Computer mouse for each device (optional but recommended)
• https://vr.vex.com/ Free coding site
• https://www.vexrobotics.com/vexcode/vr Information
• https://education.vex.com/stemlabs/cs/cs-level-1-vexcode-vr-blocks Lessons to get you started

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Standards

COMPUTER SCIENCE STANDARDS

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3.CS.HS.1 Recognize that hardware (devices) and software (programs/apps) communicate in a special language that the computing system can understand.

3.CS.HS.2 Recognize that hardware (devices) can only accomplish the specific tasks the software (programs/apps) is designed to accomplish.

3.NI. NCO.1 Model how information flows in a physical or wireless path to travel to be sent and received is sent and received through a physical or wireless path.

3.AP.C.1 Create programs that include sequences, events, loops, and/or conditionals.

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Standards

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Science and Engineering Practices

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• ask questions and define problems
• develop and use models
• plan and carry out investigations

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Arizona CAREER LITERACY STANDARDS Grades 5-8

STANDARD 2.0 CRITICAL THINKING AND PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS

2.1 Develop strategies for productive behaviors that impact critical thinking and problem-solving skills

2.2 Implement problem-solving strategies to solve a problem in school or real-world situations

2.3 Compare and contrast different strategies used in various organizations to solve problems

2.4 Design and implement a personal problem-solving plan using one or more problem-solving strategies STANDARD 3.0 COLLABORATION

3.1 Determine an individual’s responsibility for personal actions and contributions to group activities

3.2 Demonstrate the use of compromise, negotiation, and community-building strategies for carrying out tasks, assignments, and projects

3.3 Model leadership skills during classroom and extracurricular activities

STANDARD 5.0 TECHNOLOGY Understanding how to effectively use technology and its impact in the workplace. Questions How has technology impacted the workplace? What are some technology tools used in different jobs? Join a technology club (i.e. Code.org, Robotics, Girls who code). • Take a computer class

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Objectives:

• Today we will learn about coding.

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• Today we will know how to code a VEX Virtual robot using VEX Code VR.

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• Today we will collaborate and communicate with our classmates to solve problems and create coding.

Agenda 60 minutes each lesson

How do we teach robots to perform tasks?

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What is coding?

Review the different playgrounds in VEX Virtual Robot coding studio.

Practice coding the Virtual robots.

Intro/Driving Question/Opening

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What is coding?

Hands-on Activity Instructions

• Have students pick a partner to demonstrate the coding simulation
• One student will be the “robot” and the other will be the “programmer”
• Have the programmer give the robot directions to get to another place in the room. They may only give one step directions, such as move forward 5 steps, move backward 2 steps, turn right, turn left, etc. with commands to match the VEX VR coding
• The robot must follow directions exactly, even if they take them off the route.
• Have students reflect on how “exact” their commands must be. What went well and what went wrong?
• Remind students the the robot will do “exactly” what it is told to do.

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Have student give directions in VEX VR code blocks.

Assessment

Have students run their code to show they have completed the assignment.

Differentiation

Allow students that have completed the assignment to help other students that are struggling.

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Break down the assignments into smaller mini challenges to build understanding before giving students the larger assignment.

Modify assignments to meet the needs of all students.

Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

Have students that complete the assignments early creat Robot art using the Art Canvas playground or “play” on other VR playgrounds.

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After the students have learned how to code the robots, have them build the real VEX robots and give them coding challenges.