Lego Unit

The purpose of the Lego unit is to introduce programming to the beginning IT foundations class and to create interest in other CTE classes. This unit should last 2 weeks on the 4x4 block schedule.

At the end of the unit students should be able to:

  • Create and program a Lego Mindstorm Robot
  • Have a better understanding of programming

Materials-
Internet

Lego kits (pieces and software)

LCD projector

Web design software

Digital Camera

Tape for marking course

Assessment-

Students will be graded on:

Daily participation/effort

Daily journal

Website (rubric)

LEGO MINDSTORM UNIT

Essential Question-How can programming be incorporated into Legos?

Key Question-What is a Lego Robotic? What is a light sensor? What is a motion sensor? How do you write a program for the Lego robotics?

Day 1-

Journal-What do you know about Lego robotics?

  • Show video clip from Georgia Tech about robotics (dogs playing soccer, etc.)
  • Introduce the Lego mind storm (visit the website and explore)
  • Students get into their collaborative groups and explore their kits

Day 2-

Journal-What can you do with the Lego mindstorm?

  • Students will install the software from the kits
  • Once installed, the students will take a tour of the software guided by the teacher
  • Students will go through the training missions/tutorials

Day 3-

Journal-What will you program your first Lego to do?

  • Students will get in their collaborative pairs and work on their first Lego
  • (work through pages 4-7 to understand the RCX)
  • Teacher will show a Roverbot and test it for the students
  • Students will work with their partner to build a Roverbot
  • Students will experiment with the preprogrammed settings to find the best driving base for the lab floor

Day 4-

Journal-What are sensors? What will they add to your robot?

  • Students will add light and motion sensors to their robot
  • Teacher will show how to program the Legos on the overhead projector
  • Students will experiment with different programs to learn how the Legos move

Day 5-

Journal-Why is it important that your sensors are placed correctly?

  • Obstacle course challenge-teacher will tape out an obstacle course in the commons area of the school. The collaborative pairs will study the course, take notes, then go back to the lab to program the roverbot to run the course
  • Pairs will continue to make adjustments until their Roverbot can run the course
  • The winning team will get their name in the commons area bulletin board as the “Lego Roverbot winners”

Day 6-

Journal-What was the biggest challenge you faced while programming your Roverbots through the obstacle course?

  • Students will work in their collaborative pairs on either a Acrobot or Inventorbot
  • Students will following the instructions in the constructopeida to build their robot
  • Students will program their robot with their choice of commands

Day 7

Journal-What have you learned about programming so far?

  • Students will demonstrate their creation from day 6
  • Students will break up into teams to visit the other CTE classes and demonstrate the robots in an effort to create a “buzz”

Day 8

Journal-What can you learn from other students who are working on Mindstorms?

  • Instructor will show web pages created by students from other schools who are working on Lego Robotics.
  • Students will work in their collaborative pairs to create a web page for their creations (pictures from each robot they build will be taken and stored on the share drive)

Day 9-

Journal-Google Lego Robotics. What sites have you found that are useful? Write the URL and a description of the site.

  • Students will complete their website, insert their photos and submit their sites. (rubric for webpage attached)

Day 10-

Journal-Create a mini tutorial for the next class on how to create a Lego robot.

  • Teacher will show each website using net support
  • Students will work in their collaborative pairs to disassemble their robots and put each piece back in the correct spot
  • Students will post their journals to the share drive