Friday, December 5, 2014- Bot Lab

Essential Question: How can we use alternative energy to improve transportation

today?
Purpose: Connecting robotics to mobility.
Guiding Question: How can robots improve mobility?
Standards:
NGSS
3-5ETS1-3.

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.

Tests are often designed to identify failure points or difficulties, which suggest the elements of the design
that need to be improved. (3-5-ETS1-3)
Define a simple design problem that can be solved through the development of an object, tool, process, or
system and includes several criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost. (3-5-ETS1-1)
Mathematics 3.OA
Operations and Algebraic Thinking (3-ETS1-1),(3-ETS1-2)

Materials: Journal, tape, pre-made task cards, steps for example program a friend,
instructions for each station
Differentiation: Students in need of support will be supported by a teacher, directions
are provided at each table.
Connection:
Come in and one person from each table needs to get your bin. Call students to the
carpet.
Recently we have been doing a lot of research about alternative forms of energy and how
they can help to improve transportation and mobility. Today we are going to ask
ourselves how robots can help improve mobility.
Robots do so much for people. Robots help do jobs precisely and consistently like building
cars. They also do dangerous jobs like dismantling bombs so people dont have to. In
order for robots to function independently, they have to be programmed. Programming
can be tricky, and today we are going to learn more about what it means to make a
program.
Teaching Point:
Each of you will choose a simple task that you would like your robot to help you with.
Then you will write the steps in order that you will give to your robot to complete. It is
easy to make mistakes when writing programs for robots. Programmers write a program,
and then test it to find mistakes. If a bad instruction is found, they fix the problem and
retest the program until it works correctly. This is called iterative testing. Iteration is a
new version of the program with minor changes to make it better. (Write iteration on the
board) I make iterations of my teaching everyday. I have my first try on block 1, then
adjust things that didnt go well for block 2, then again for block 3. You all make iterations
in your writing in literacy all the time! You do a draft, then edit it. Thats an iteration, too!
Lets do an example together.
I have a task that I need help with and I will need one of you to be my robot.
Choose volunteer. Volunteer please close your eyes so you do not know what I am going

to ask you to do. Show the class a piece of paper with the task written on it- turn off the
light.
Ok- as a volunteer you are only allowed to do exactly what the steps ask you to do.
Please read the steps loudly enough that all can hear.
(From the carpet)
Steps:
Walk forward three steps
Turn right 90 degrees
Walk forward ten steps
Turn right degrees
Say- la la la
Walk forward until you get to the wall
Reach your right hand up
Flip the light switch down
Ask students, what steps of the program should I change? What went wrong? What went
well?
Where should we have had him/her start?
Robots cant read our mind; they can only do exactly what we tell them to do, so it is
important that we are precise.
You are going to be programming in two ways today. At one station you will program a
partner robot and he/she will program you. You will need to make changes to your
programming instructions to try and complete the task. For this you will need your
journal.
Open your journals now and title the next available space, Robot Program 12-5-14.
Start by writing out what your task is, then the steps you think need to be taken. As you
read your steps to your robot, make changes in your journal in order to make the
program work how you want it to. There are directions at each table in case you forget.
At the second station, you will be able to go onto a website that allows you to program
using a drag and drop format. It is called scratch. It is already pulled up on the chrome
books. (Airplay what it looks like)
You will need to follow the directions given to explore this site. You are just expected to
explore. You do not have to have immediate success today because we will have more
time on this site next week in the computer lab.
Half way through we will switch stations.
Active Engagement:
Journal title: Programming
Students choose a simple task card they want another student to complete. Students
write down steps for their task in their journals(without naming what the task is) and ask
a partner to complete the task.
Students work on computer to explore scratch.
Share: What was difficult? What did you like? How does this relate to
transportation and mobility?
Reflection: