Implementing VEX 123 STEM Labs
STEM Labs are designed to be the online teacher’s manual for VEX 123. Like a printed teacher’s manual, the teacher-facing content of the STEM Labs provides all of the resources, materials, and information needed to be able to plan, teach, and assess with VEX 123. The Lab Image Slideshows are the student-facing companion to this material. For more detailed information about how to implement a STEM Lab in your classroom, see the Implementing VEX 123 STEM Labs article.
Goals and Standards
Goals
Students will apply
- How to use the 123 Robot to solve addition equations on a number line.
Students will make meaning of
- How values in an addition equation can be represented and solved using a number line.
- How to represent the operation of addition using the 123 Robot on a number line.
Students will be skilled at
- Waking the 123 Robot.
- Placing the 123 Robot at the starting number of the addition equation on the number line.
- Identifying how many button presses are needed to move the 123 Robot and solve for the sum.
- Pushing the button on the 123 Robot to get it to move.
Students will know
- One space moved on the number line is equal to the addition of one.
Objective(s)
Objective
- Students will be able to describe the 1:1 relationship between one button pressed and the movement of the robot one square on the 123 Field.
- Students will be able to count forward beginning from a given number, instead of having to begin at 1.
- Students will be able to model and solve addition equations using a 123 Robot and a number line.
Activity
- Students will describe the steps for pressing the move button on the 123 Robot once to move the robot one number on the number line, two times to move the 123 Robot two spaces on the number line, etc, in the Play Part 1 and Mid-Play Break sections.
- In the Play sections, students will practice counting forward from the first addend in ascending order to find the sum of an equation.
- Students will model starting their robot on the number line on the first addend, press the move button a number of times that equals the second addend in order to have the 123 Robot stop on the sum. In Play Part 1 they will practice these steps with the teacher, in Play Part 2, they will work with their group.
Assessment
- Students will describe the number of button presses it takes to model an equation during the activity during the Mid-Play Break and Play Part 2.
- Students will correctly count forward from the first addend, in ascending order, the number of spaces equal to the second addend in order to reach the sum of an addition equation on a number line during Play Part 2.
- Students will work with their groups to solve an addition equation with the 123 Robot on a number line during Play Part 2.