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5th Grade Autonomous Robots/Engineering

Description: 

Students will learn what it means to be autonomous and how to program robots to move on their own. They will learn the importance of giving specific, exact directions in a computer program to make the robot do what they want and go where they want. They will program the robots to complete increasingly difficult tasks, culminating in a robotics team competition.

Learning Targets: 
Create specific, exact directions to program a robot to move autonomously to complete a timed challenge.
AttachmentSize
PDF icon Gretchen Dawson- Blended Unit #2.pdf111.04 KB
Author: 
dawsong
Content Area: 
Science
Engineering and Technology
Language: 
English
Resource Type: 
Unit
Licensing: 
Creative Commons Licence
Grade: 
5
Next Generation and Michigan Science
Next Generation and Michigan Science: 
3-5-ETS1-1
3-5-ETS1-2
3-5-ETS1-3
Tags: 
Robotics

How are the standards/objectives assessed?

Students create video of their robot moving autonomously to complete the timed challenge moving the colored blocks to their specific colored locations. They also turn in a screenshot of the code they used to program the robot to complete the path they wanted.  

Student prerequisite skills and knowledge

Students need to know how to work in a group. They will need to know how to read independently. They need to have built a robot using a robotics kit. (There are many available on the market.) 

How is the concept or procedure explained or demonstrated?

Students learn how autonomous robots move on their own--by being programmed to do so with code. Students also learn that autonomous robots can help humans by completing certain tasks.

What concepts or procedures are being explained or demonstrated in this lesson object?

To teach these concepts, the teacher conducts a mini-lesson on how computers need exact, specific directions. The teacher also gives a mini-lesson on how to use the robot programming software and instructs students on what is required to complete the timed challenge. 

What was your experience, both successes and challenges, using this lesson object with your students?

It is best to have students work in partners when building the robots and when completing the timed challenge. Have everything be very organized. For example, purposefully select partners who you know will work together and where one will not do all the work. Be wary of pairing boys and girls as the boys usually take over and do all the work, although this is not always the case. You will have to think about the knowledge of your students. Number robotics kits and all robotics pieces, as well as all technology used to complete the lessons.