At the end of Week 3, we had finished adding the touch sensors to the robot and had tackled several challenging concepts. Along the way, the lessons were improved and I learned quite a bit through the process. Writing the extension to the touch sensors also marked the beginning of a sequence of programs that would build up to the final Phase 1 robot program. We were on our way!
On Monday, the students were shown a demonstration of the next robot, which featured an added color sensor. Like the previous robot, it drove forward until it hit an object, at which point it aligned itself. However, this new robot checked if the object was black before stopping and beeping. If the color was not black, the robot backed up, turned and continued the search.
The students were next given time to "build the robot", specifically to add the new color sensor. Once all the teams were finished, they were shown the demonstration program and asked to copy it. Noting that it was quite similar to the touch sensor extension program, we instructed them to start with the touch sensor extension program, modifying it to match.
Soon they were finished and got a chance to test it out using the instructor kit box, which is black. After everyone had it working, we went through the program with a focus on the new color sensor additions. They were next asked to modify the program to instead stop when it found their team's kit box, which is covered in colored paper to match their team color. Soon all the teams had a successful run with their own kit box!
With the first extension done, we gave them a second extension that would introduce the "#define" pre-processor statement. They were shown an example of the statement and asked to replace all the constants in their program with more meaningful names. As I recall, they took the remainder of our class time to finish up.
On Tuesday, we added on the final part of the Phase 1 robot, the ultrasonic rangefinder. Again, the students first built the physical extension, after which they copied the final Phase 1 robot program, an extension of Monday's program. The students were again instructed to start with their previous program and modify it to match the new program.
Soon they were finished, and we tested out the robots! It was exciting to see them all reach the end of Phase 1 of the robotics course. :D As I recall, we ended class after they finished testing - we would need to test them again so that I could record their accomplishment.
On Wednesday, the teachers at Hyde Park played a soccer match against a team of Grade 7 children. The volunteer teachers at the school joined in! Along the sidelines many students lined up to watch the game. :D
Sadly, we lost. :( Well, I suppose it made the students feel pretty great.
Anyway, the robotics class immediately followed the soccer match and because of some work being done in the computer lab had to move to the adjacent staff room. The students did not need a computer that day - they had finished programming on Tuesday and we only needed to go through the program. However, the laptop and projector were not cooperating and so to save time we decided to have them record their final Phase 1 demonstrations first. We headed over to the school's assembly hall and set up a playing field surrounded by tables to test them out. Some students were in the hall, so we invited them to watch!
Here is Team Yellow's demonstration:
Here is Team Red's demonstration:
Here is Team Green's demonstration:
Here is Team Blue's demonstration:
Team Blue's robot had the misfortune of mis-reading its box color on its first encounter (likely an issue of alignment). As a result, it ended up spending more time searching!
After all the teams were recorded, we headed back to the staff room and went through the program - Zhaun had gotten the projector to work. After we finished discussing the program, I think we talked about the upcoming work as we moved into Phase 2, where they would be designing new robots.
On Thursday, I must confess I was not fully prepared to enter into Phase 2. I knew they would be designing new robots in preparation for the upcoming exhibition and had several ideas of robots they could build. However, I was still a bit unsure of the specifics and thus, a bit uncertain about how to proceed. Therefore, I allowed them to experiment with the kits to see what they might come up with. As it turns out, this experimentation and brainstorming actually served as the start for several of the actual tasks their robots performed at the exhibition.
Friday marked the end of their school term and the beginning of their vacation time. However, we had arranged for the students to come in during the first week of break and work on their Phase 2 robots. They would be coming in from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM, giving us a total of 12 hours to finish up. Parental permission had been given for all the students and on Friday we confirmed the timing of it all with grounds staff who were going to be at school that week.
Having reached the end of the week, we were now done with Phase 1 and beginning Phase 2. However, I was at this point slightly uncertain about where to take the students. Phase 2 provided them with an opportunity to be creative and make new designs. However, it seemed that they would need some guidance to finish in time. I needed some ideas to direct them towards.
On Monday, the students were shown a demonstration of the next robot, which featured an added color sensor. Like the previous robot, it drove forward until it hit an object, at which point it aligned itself. However, this new robot checked if the object was black before stopping and beeping. If the color was not black, the robot backed up, turned and continued the search.
The students were next given time to "build the robot", specifically to add the new color sensor. Once all the teams were finished, they were shown the demonstration program and asked to copy it. Noting that it was quite similar to the touch sensor extension program, we instructed them to start with the touch sensor extension program, modifying it to match.
Soon they were finished and got a chance to test it out using the instructor kit box, which is black. After everyone had it working, we went through the program with a focus on the new color sensor additions. They were next asked to modify the program to instead stop when it found their team's kit box, which is covered in colored paper to match their team color. Soon all the teams had a successful run with their own kit box!
With the first extension done, we gave them a second extension that would introduce the "#define" pre-processor statement. They were shown an example of the statement and asked to replace all the constants in their program with more meaningful names. As I recall, they took the remainder of our class time to finish up.
On Tuesday, we added on the final part of the Phase 1 robot, the ultrasonic rangefinder. Again, the students first built the physical extension, after which they copied the final Phase 1 robot program, an extension of Monday's program. The students were again instructed to start with their previous program and modify it to match the new program.
Soon they were finished, and we tested out the robots! It was exciting to see them all reach the end of Phase 1 of the robotics course. :D As I recall, we ended class after they finished testing - we would need to test them again so that I could record their accomplishment.
On Wednesday, the teachers at Hyde Park played a soccer match against a team of Grade 7 children. The volunteer teachers at the school joined in! Along the sidelines many students lined up to watch the game. :D
Sadly, we lost. :( Well, I suppose it made the students feel pretty great.
Anyway, the robotics class immediately followed the soccer match and because of some work being done in the computer lab had to move to the adjacent staff room. The students did not need a computer that day - they had finished programming on Tuesday and we only needed to go through the program. However, the laptop and projector were not cooperating and so to save time we decided to have them record their final Phase 1 demonstrations first. We headed over to the school's assembly hall and set up a playing field surrounded by tables to test them out. Some students were in the hall, so we invited them to watch!
Here is Team Yellow's demonstration:
Here is Team Red's demonstration:
Here is Team Green's demonstration:
Here is Team Blue's demonstration:
Team Blue's robot had the misfortune of mis-reading its box color on its first encounter (likely an issue of alignment). As a result, it ended up spending more time searching!
After all the teams were recorded, we headed back to the staff room and went through the program - Zhaun had gotten the projector to work. After we finished discussing the program, I think we talked about the upcoming work as we moved into Phase 2, where they would be designing new robots.
On Thursday, I must confess I was not fully prepared to enter into Phase 2. I knew they would be designing new robots in preparation for the upcoming exhibition and had several ideas of robots they could build. However, I was still a bit unsure of the specifics and thus, a bit uncertain about how to proceed. Therefore, I allowed them to experiment with the kits to see what they might come up with. As it turns out, this experimentation and brainstorming actually served as the start for several of the actual tasks their robots performed at the exhibition.
Friday marked the end of their school term and the beginning of their vacation time. However, we had arranged for the students to come in during the first week of break and work on their Phase 2 robots. They would be coming in from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM, giving us a total of 12 hours to finish up. Parental permission had been given for all the students and on Friday we confirmed the timing of it all with grounds staff who were going to be at school that week.
Having reached the end of the week, we were now done with Phase 1 and beginning Phase 2. However, I was at this point slightly uncertain about where to take the students. Phase 2 provided them with an opportunity to be creative and make new designs. However, it seemed that they would need some guidance to finish in time. I needed some ideas to direct them towards.
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