Studentswill Investigate What Robots Are, How They Work and the Impact They Have on People

Activity

Robot Boy

Key Learning

Studentswill investigate what robots are, how they work and the impact they have on people’s lives.

The Australian Curriculum > Science /Science as a Human Endeavour/Use and Influence of Science
Content description / General capabilities
Information and communication technology capability
Critical and creative thinking
Scientific understandings, discoveries and inventions are used to solve problems that directly affect peoples’ lives. CodeACSHE083 ACSHE100

Focus Questions

Discuss the Robot Boystory with another student. Report back to the class with the main points.
What are robotic puppets called?
Who developed the technique in the 1960s?
How did Marshall get into creating robots?
Describe the robots he makes.
The robots are cheap to make. Trueor false?
How does Marshall share his robots with other people?
What sort of robot is he aiming to make one day?
What is Marshall’s `dream job’?
What was surprising about this story?

Activity

Remember and understand

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a robot? What do they look like? What are they used for?
Create a `Did you know?’ about robots or an illustrated glossary of technical `robot’ words.
Give ten examples of things robots can do and illustrate one.

Apply and analyse

Research the following about robots:
What are the components?
How do they work?
How are they constructed?
Present your research to the class using the online poster maker Glogster
Find out more about NASA's robotic spacecraft, Curiosity, that is exploring the surface of Mars. Briefly describe what Curiosity’s mission is then find out more about the components. Go to choose 3 components and describe their function and how the information collected helps scientists.
Respond to the following question: Will robots rule the world?Present your response to the class or students in other classes.

Evaluate and create

Marshall’s robots can be seen on YouTube Choose one of the following videos:
Robotic arm
Tyrannosaurus Rex
Dalek
Werewolf head
White rabbit
Describe the process of making the robot and the finished product.
What are the potential uses for the robot?
What did the video teach you about robotics that you didn’t already know?

Investigate how robots can help particular groups in society, for example, disabled people. Present your information using publishing software or Prezi
How do robots impact on our lives? What do you think the future of robots is?
Using Lego Mindstorms NXT design and build a robot that performs a specific task, for example, ties a shoelace. The following website has more information about the resource

 Related Research Links
ABC Walking with Beasts – Animatronics

NASA – What is Robotics?

Discovery Channel – What is animatronics?

Galileo Education Network – Robotics

YouTube – Marshall Tearle’s robots