Pacing Guide

This unit should be implemented to supplement student learning on the concepts of robot behaviors, decomposition, sequencing and troubleshooting.

STEM Labs can be adapted in various ways to fit into any classroom or learning environment. Each STEM Lab includes the following 3 sections: Engage, Play, and Share (optional).

Each STEM Lab in this unit can be completed in as little as 40 minutes

Section Summary

The Engage and Play sections, which contain the primary learning activities, can be completed within 40 minutes. The Share section, which enables students to express their learning is optional, but estimated at around 3-5 minutes per group.

Click on the tabs below to view descriptions of the Engage, Play, and Share sections of the STEM Lab.

Engage (20 minutes)

The Engage section is the introductory section designed to capture the student’s attention. This section is intended to be a whole-class activity. It includes a hook, a leading question that personalizes the learning for students, and the build that will be utilized to create a hands-on, exploratory learning experience that places STEM into the hands of young learners.

Play (20 minutes)

The Play section is split into 3 parts in order to structure learning while maintaining student interest: Part 1, Mid-Play Break, and Part 2. In Play Part 1, students will run an investigation, test, and/or make predictions about scientific phenomena using their build as it relates to the key concepts of the unit. The Mid-Play Break includes a discussion of Part 1 and transition to Part 2. In Play Part 2, students will continue to explore their builds and deepen their understanding of key concepts by applying their knowledge in new ways.

The Pacing Guide

The pacing guide for each Lab provides step-by-step instructions on What, How, and When to teach. The STEM Lab Pacing Guide previews the concepts that are taught in each section (Engage, Play, and Share (optional)), explains how the section is delivered, and identifies all the materials that are needed.

The pacing guide contains the following information:

Lab

Provides the approximate time duration of each section of the Lab.

Description

Provides an overview of what students will do in each Lab.

Materials

Lists the materials that are essential to completing the Lab.

Lab 1 - Robot Brain

Total Time: 40 minutes

Engage	Play	Share
20 mins	20 mins	Optional 3-5 mins per group

Engage

Students will be introduced to the concept of symbols and programming language, and will think about how robots process information to perform actions.

Play

Students will practice selecting the correct Coder cards to test a project that enacts a specific 123 Robot action.

Share

Students will share their own projects and describe how they selected the Coder cards to enact a specific 123 Robot action as an introduction to programming language.

Materials Needed

123 Robot
123 Coder
123 Field
Coder cards
Lab 1 Image Slideshow

Lab 2 - Robot Speak

Total Time: 40 minutes

Engage	Play	Share
20 mins	20 mins	Optional 3-5 mins per group

Engage

Students will be presented with Coder cards to make connections that each Coder card is a command. Using the Coder cards and the Coder, a project can be created that will cause the 123 Robot to behave in certain ways.

Play

Students will test how Coder cards relate to specific behaviors of the 123 Robot. They will then create a project that combines the Coder cards into a sequence that has their 123 Robot move in a 1x1 square.

Share

Students will share the process they used to create a project using Coder cards to move their robot in a square, as well as make connections between how the Coder cards relate to discrete behaviors of the 123 Robot.

Materials Needed

123 Robot
123 Coder
123 Field
Coder cards
Lab 2 Image Slideshow

Lab 3 - Robot Move

Total Time: 40 minutes

Engage	Play	Share
20 mins	20 mins	Optional 3-5 mins per group

Engage

Students will be introduced to sequences and discuss how sequences in a code can make their robot accomplish a specific task.

Play

Students will use prompts to plan a sequence that will take their 123 Robot to a desired location, then will code their robot to be able to travel across a map to reach its destination.

Share

Students will test the sequences created by other students during the Play section. They will code their robots to follow a specific path and travel to and from a prescribed location.

Materials Needed

123 Robot
123 Coder
Coder cards
123 Field
Lab 3 Image Show
Map Symbols (printable)
Map Challenge Prompts (printable)
Paper or Index Cards
Pencils
Dry Erase Markers

Lab 4 - Robot Help

Total Time: 40 minutes

Engage	Play	Share
20 mins	20 mins	Optional 3-5 mins per group

Engage

The teacher will demonstrate how a sequence of Coder cards directly relates to the 123 Robot’s behavior as they debug a project with students.

Play

Students will be given an incorrect sequence of Coder cards and then be asked to compare the observed behaviors of the 123 Robot with the intended behaviors. Students will then identify the bugs in the sequence of Coder cards and fix them.

Share

Students will share what their error was in their project and how they fixed it.

Materials Needed

123 Robot
123 Coder
Coder cards
123 Field
Lab 4 Image Slideshow

Adapting this Unit to Your Classroom

Not every classroom is the same, and teachers face a variety of implementation challenges throughout the year. While each VEX 123 STEM Lab follows a predictable format, there are things that you can do in this Unit to help make it easier to meet those challenges when they arise.

Implementing in less time:
- In Lab 1, combine Play Parts 1 and 2 into a shorter activity by having all groups create the same project together using the Coder and Coder cards. Then, have groups test the projects themselves.
- In Lab 2, complete Play Part 1 as a whole class, teacher-led demonstration. This will cut down time from having groups independently test individual Coder cards.
- In Lab 3, have groups complete Play Part 1 and skip the additional Map Challenge in Play Part 2 and the sharing of those projects in Active Share. This will allow groups to still learn and practice sequencing in a shorter Lab.
- To shorten Lab 4, provide students with another mixed-up code. This will help students stay focused on the task of debugging rather than on creating their own code. You can also combine the Engage step-by-step and the Play Part 1 activity into a single, teacher-led demonstration to implement the Lab in less time.
Activities to support reteaching: For students who need more practice sequencing, debugging, or connecting the symbols on the Coder cards to behaviors of the 123 Robot, use these 123 Activities in your learning center or with the whole class.
- Corner Color (Google / .docx / .pdf) — Students will create a Coder project to make their 123 Robot drive to the corner of a Tile and glow a color using Motion and Looks Coder cards.
- Move Around (Google / .docx / .pdf) — Students will make a project using Coder cards for the 123 Robot to drive around obstacles on a Tile. They will need to correctly sequence the project to be successful.
- Ring and Run (Google / .docx / .pdf) — Students will code the 123 Robot to drive to a house, play the doorbell sound, and drive away. They will need to plan the project, sequence the Coder cards, and debug if needed to complete this activity.
Extending this Unit:
- Use the activities on the Choice Board so that students can continue practicing and learning about behaviors, sequencing, and debugging. Students can express their voice and choice and choose an activity on their own, or you can assign activities for the whole class or individual students to complete.
- For a focus on decomposition and sequencing, extend Lab 3 by asking students to drive to three different locations on their Field in one project. They will need to decompose the steps needed to get to each location and match those steps with Coder cards.
- For a focus on debugging, create an additional project for students to debug at the end of Lab 4. This should be based on the Coder cards they already have access to during the Lab.

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