The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project

Dash Tells a Story

Dash Tells a Story

A Fourth Grade STEM Lesson

Charissa Watkins

3/15/2023

Notes for Teachers

• Context: lesson takes place in teacher’s classroom 60-90 minutes depending on student understanding of block programming.
• Small groups 2-4.
• Emphasis is being able to program Dash Robot to retell a story like 3 Little Pigs, by measuring the physical distance and angles and programming the robot accordingly following the path of the story.
• Inquire students with how they knew how many blocks to use to make Dash move the correct distance.
• Create a path that highlights the main events by drawing lines, angles (right, acute, obtuse), and perpendicular and parallel lines.
• If students don’t have experience with block coding, that will need to be taught first.
• Basic understanding of blockly code with Dash is also needed.

​

List of Materials

• Dash Robot
• Device compatible with Dash
• Book/Story (3 Little Pigs) that you want students to retell.
• Painter’s tape
• Unifix cubes, ruler or some type of block for measuring
• Materials for creating where Dash will go along the story

Math Standards

4.G.A.1 Draw points, lines, line segments, rays, angles (right, acute, obtuse), and perpendicular and parallel lines. Identify these in two-dimensional figures.

​

Prior Knowledge

​

3.MD.B.4 Generate measurement data by measuring lengths using rulers marked with halves and fourths of an inch to the nearest quarter-inch. Show the data by making a line plot, where the horizontal scale is marked off in appropriate units— whole numbers, halves, or quarters.

• ​
• ​

ELA Standards

4.RL.1 Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

​

4.RL.3 Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., a character’s thoughts, words, or actions).

​

​

Computer Science

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

​

​

​

Objective(s):

Today we will retell a story using Dash Robots.

We will measure and create a path for Dash to follow.

We will program the robots to follow a path to retell the story.

We will create structures/figures to represent parts of the story that Dash will go to.

Agenda

60-90 minutes

• Read and retell the main events to a story.
• Create characters/scenes of the main events.
• Program Big Bad Dash to go to each event by measuring how far to go.

Read The Three Little Pigs

Big Bad Dash wants to go to each of The Three Little Pigs houses.

Help program Dash to go to each pig’s house.

Hands-on Activity Instructions

In a group of 2-4, program Big Bad Dash to travel to each of the pig’s homes.

​

• Remember to measure the distance between each destination in centimeters.

​

​

Assessment

Math

• How far does dash have to travel between each house? Was it the same distance each time?
• What type of angles did you use to turn Dash?
• Were you successful the first time you programmed Dash with your measurements?

Computer Science

• Were you able to program Dash using a sequence?
• How would you add in a loop to your program?
• Describe your code explaining what the different lines mean. How was your code similar to your measurements? How did it differ?

​

Differentiation

Have an additional path set up with straight lines and 90 degree angles.

​

Let them know the angle and/or distance they will need to program.

​

Strategically pair students as needed.

​

Provide key vocabulary with images.

Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

Have students write a variation of the story.

​

Students can create their own path and reprogram Dash or use part of the same code and then recreate the path.

​

Students can record their voice on Dash to tell the story as Dash travels.