Project RedBot

Background: As programming and technology improve, robots find their way into many jobs that in the past were too
dangerous, dull, or impossible for humans to achieve. Although the idea of automated machines has been around
since ancient times, the use of robotics has increased exponentially in just the past decade. Mechatronics engineers
design robots to solve problems. Robots are re-programmable machines that are capable of movement in order to
complete a specific task.
Design Challenge: Create a proposal for an autonomous robot which performs a service. Your proposal will include a
working prototype to share at the RedBot Expo. The RedBot Expo is an event in which you will share your work with
members of the school community, and several mechatronics experts.
Subject
Science

Language
Arts

Virginia Beach Objectives, Gifted Benchmark

SCI.5.0 The student will demonstrate an understanding of the
cyclical process of inquiry by organizing, analyzing, and applying
data to make reasoned conclusions.

SCI.5.1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of

scientific reasoning, logic, and the nature of science by planning
and conducting investigations.
SCI.5.2 The student will investigate and understand how sound is
created and transmitted, and how it is used.
SCI.5.3 The student will understand the basic concepts of
electricity through inquiry.
SCI.5.3 The student will investigate and understand basic
characteristics of
visible light and how it behaves.
ELA.5.1 The student will listen, draw conclusions, and share
responses in subject-related group learning activities.
E.L.A.5.2 The student will use effective verbal and nonverbal
communication skills to deliver planned oral presentations.
E.L.A.5.3.3 The student will construct brief media messages in
collaborative groups.
E.L.A.5.6 The student will read and demonstrate comprehension
of nonfiction texts.
E.L.A.5.9 The student will find, evaluate, and select appropriate

PBL Activity
Brainstorming of possible solutions to central
question
Applying Creative Problem Solving tools to
possible solutions
Write summaries of daily progress in
engineering journal

Conduct RedBot experiments using

resources from the SparkFun website

Applying Creative Problem Solving tools to

generate and then focus possible solutions
Answer questions and explain functions of
robot prototype at RedBot expo
Write, create, and produce a media message
advertising robots purpose, design, and
functions
Conduct research on questions and issues
from learning issues board

resources for a research product.

E.L.A.5.7 The student will write for a variety of purposes: to
describe, to inform, to entertain, to explain, and to persuade.

Unit Title:

REDBOT

Activity During Each Class

Session
1. Whole Group: Set the stage
by presenting the prompt.
Let them know they will
take on the role of a
mechatronic engineer and
design a robot that
performs a service.
2. Small Group: Students
record their hunches &
questions on a T-chart in
process log or notebook
paper.
3. Whole Group: Small groups
will report out to whole
group and the teacher will
begin to fill in the Learning
Issues Board. Teacher will
note areas which may need
additional instruction or
resources.
4. To End Class: Prioritize
Learning Issues; teacher will
help select research groups
for top priority questions,
groups select interest-based
topics for research.

Problem Stage:

Engagement

Electronic presentation summarizing the

development of this robotic design

Class Periods for this Stage:

Resources

Featured Skills,
Assessment Possibilities
Concepts, and Questions
Teacher Made:
Skills:
Formative Products:
Scenario:
Brainstorming
Small group T-charts.
Pose researchable
Personal reflections and
Prompt
questions
questions shared during
describing robot

Deals
with
issues
and
discussion.
design
situations in a flexible
challenge.
manner
Critical Thinking
Supplies:
Paper and
Concepts:
markers for
Learning Issues The role of a mechatronic
engineer <<Frame of a
Board
Mechatronic Engineer
was completed during
another science
lesson>>
Questions:
What do we know about
this problem?
What are your questions
about the problem?
What are our next steps
(action plan)?

Unit Title:
Stage:

REDBOT

Problem Stage:

Inquiry and Investigation

Class Periods for this

Activity During Each Class

Session
1. Whole Group: Review the
Learning Issues Board. Ask
students to help prioritize
which questions should be
answered first. Then, teacher
facilitates assigning the
questions to different groups
of students.
2. Small Groups: Students
use resources to look for
answers to their question.
Group: Electric Nerds/
Volts & Amps How are robots already
being used?
Group: Volts & Bolts What are
common problems/issues

Resources

Featured Skills,
Assessment Possibilities
Concepts, and
Questions
Laptops
Skills:
Formative Product: Process
VBCPS
Poses researchable
Logs:
Answers added to
provided
questions
Reading for information
resources in
Learning Issues Board

Uses
research
to

Reflection: How has

Destiny:
construct support
Britannica
your view of robotics
Critical Thinking
School,
and possible
NBCLearn,
community issues
Concepts:
Grolier, &
changed since
World Book The role of a
yesterday?
Information gathered
Process Logs
mechatronics engineer
Class Learning
during research
Questions:
Issues Board
What are your
questions about this
problem?
How can we find
answers to our
unanswered questions?

in the
community?
Group: Watts of Steel &
Shockwave
How can we solve issues
with robots?
Is this a current issue?
Group: Silver Circuits &
Watts: What are non-examples of
robotic
jobs?
3. Whole Group: Each group
shares its 3 most important
findings. Review & update
Learning Issues Board.
4. To end class: Reflection for
process log: How has your
view of robotics and possible
community issues changed
since yesterday?
Unit Title:

REDBOT

Problem Stage:

Problem Definition

Class Periods for this Stage:

1
Activity During Each Class Session

1. Whole Group: Review the Learning

Issues Board, specifically the What We
Know section. Introduce CPS Tool
Brainstorming. Discuss examples and nonexamples of what brainstorming can look

Resources

Learning Issues
Board
"Brainstorming"
CPS Tool
"Hits & Hot

Featured Skills,
Concepts, and
Questions
Skills:
Brainstorming
Objectively identify
various options to
real world issues

Assessment
Possibilities

Formative Product:
Process Logs:
Post-It Notes from
Brainstorming
and Hits & Hot

like. Share strategies for overcoming

obstacles when brainstorming.
2. Independently: Using Post-it Notes,
students have 10 minutes to brainstorm
many possible answers to this question:
In what ways might robots be used to
perform a service?
3. Small Groups: First, review with the
class the idea of withholding judgement
when listening to others sharing their
ideas. Students will state the ideas on
their post-it notes, one at a time, and lay
them out in the middle of the table.
4. Small Groups: Looking for hits: Discuss
with the class what criteria may make an
idea noteworthy, unique or interesting,
and thereby qualifies as a hit. Offer
students the opportunity to decide for
themselves how to mark hits. Using
markers, students will mark the post-it
notes that they individually feel are hits.
5. Small Groups: Examine all of the hits
and decide if and how they can be sorted
into groups. Each group is called a Hot
Spot. Students will label each hot spot
with a descriptive name or title.
6. To end class: Small groups report out a
summary of their hot spots. Post-it notes
are then placed in hot spot stacks on a
page inside one group members process
log.

Spots" CPS Tool

Post-It Notes
Pencils
Markers
Process logs

and problems
Develop
alternative
solutions for a
problem
Synthesize ideas
to create novel
products and
solutions
Analyze and
organize
Evaluating

Concepts:
The role of a
mechatronics
engineer
Questions:
How might robots
be used to perform
a service?

Spots
Teacher
observation of
students
discussions

Unit Title:

REDBOT

Problem Stage:

Problem Definition

Class Periods for this Stage:

3
Activity During Each Class Session

1. Whole Group: Review the central

question How might robots be used to
perform a service? In addition, review
the Learning Issues Board, specifically the
What Do We Need To Know? section.
What services are needed in our local
and global community? How could these
needs be addressed by a service robot?
2. Whole Group: Students will use their
Hot Spot ideas from the previous
session in this activity. Model on chart
paper, the creation of the ALOU tool that
students will use in their process log.
First, they will write a concise statement
from one hot spot. Next, the group will list
the advantages of the idea. Then, the
group will list the limitations of the hot
spot. Finally, list the unique features of
the idea.
3. Small Groups: Repeat the ALOU
protocol which each of the hot spot ideas
generated in the previous session.
4. Small Groups: Each small group should
review all of their ALOU charts and decide
which idea they will proceed with, and
choose as the focus of their RedBot

Resources

Learning Issues
Board
A-Lo-U CPS Tool
Pencils
Markers
Process logs

Featured Skills,
Concepts, and
Questions
Skills:
Express thoughts
concisely
Critical Thinking
Make judgements
about implications
and consequences
Analyze and
organize
Synthesize ideas
to create novel
products and
solutions
Concepts:
The role of a
mechatronics
engineer
Questions:
What services are

needed in our
local and global
community?
How could these
needs be
addressed by a
service robot?

How might robots be

used to perform a
service?

Assessment
Possibilities

Formative Product:
Process Logs:
ALOU charts
Teacher
observation of
students
discussions

project.
5. Small Groups: The teacher will conduct
a brief meeting with each group in which
the group will explain their final project
proposal.

REDBOT
this Stage: 8
Unit Title:

Problem Stage:

Activity During Each Class Session

1. Small Groups: Students will divide the

tasks within their group. They will spend
the next several RedBot sessions
conducting research, conducting RedBot
experiments to learn the coding and
capabilities of the RedBot, and creating
their robot prototype. As documentation
of their learning process, they are taking
notes in their process log, using personal
devices to take pictures & conduct
research as needed.
3. Small Groups: Groups will work to
develop a website to detailing their
project. They will also create a media
message to inform the public of their
project proposal. The website and media
message will be presented to the school

Problem Resolution/Debriefing
Resources

SparkFun
website, RedBot
Experiment
Guide
Post-It Notes
Pencils
Markers
Process logs

Class Periods for

Featured Skills,
Assessment
Concepts, and
Possibilities
Questions
Skills:
Formative Product:
Deal with issues
Process Logs:
and situations in a Write, create, and
flexible manner
produce a media
Apply inductive
message advertising
and deductive
robots purpose,
reasoning
design, and functions
Think and evaluate Electronic
analytically
presentation
Analyze unfamiliar
summarizing the
aspects of a given
development of this
concept and make
robotic design
connections
Answer questions and
through
explain functions of
generalizations
robot prototype at
Evaluate concepts
RedBot expo
in specific contexts
Expound upon
ideas

community and invited experts at the

RedBot Expo.

Concepts:
The role of a
mechatronics
engineer
Questions:
How might robots
be used to perform
a service?