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Part 1 - Step by Step

1. InstructInstruct students that they are going to participate in the Hospital Help Competition with their Hero Robots. First, they will practice for the competition by driving the Hero Robot to remove the medicine from the Dock and deliver it to the Hospital on the Field, using the Drive tab in VEXcode GO. View the video below to learn more about the game elements and considerations for the Hospital Help Lab activities. The end of the video shows an example of how a Hero Robot could be driven during Play Part 1 to accomplish the task.
   

   Note: You can choose how students interact with the video content. The video is embedded within the Lab 1 Image Slideshow to share easily with students. Or, you may choose to watch the video yourself and present the information to your students in class. 

2. ModelModel for students how to remote control drive the Hero Robot to remove the medicine from the Dock and deliver it to the Hospital on the Field. The goal of this practice is to successfully remove both medicine game elements and deliver them to the Hospital. Students can place the medicine anywhere on the Hospital Tile on the Field.
   

   • First, model for students how to launch VEXcode GO, connect their Brain to their device, and open the Drive tab.

     

     Note: When you first connect your robot to your device, the Gyro built into the Brain may calibrate, causing the robot to move on its own for a moment. This is an expected behavior, do not touch the robot while it's calibrating.

   • Next, model for students how to select the Motor option in Port 2, to control the arm motor on the Hero Robot.

   

   • Model for students how to change the Drive Mode by selecting the buttons – Tank Drive, Left Arcade, Right Arcade, or Split Arcade. View the video clip below to see the movement of the joysticks as each Drive Mode is selected. 
   Video file
   • For reference, the Drive Modes correspond to the following controls: 
     • Tank Drive: Each joystick controls a different motor.
     • Left Arcade: One joystick that controls both motors. The joystick is on the left-hand side of the screen.
     • Right Arcade: One joystick that controls both motors. The joystick is on the right-hand side of the screen.
     • Split Arcade: Two joysticks. One controls left and right movements and the other controls forward and reverse movements.
   • Model for students how to raise and lower the arm motor using the green and red arrows around Port 2.
     • Note: The arrows correspond to the direction the motor is spinning, not necessarily the up and down movements of the arm itself.  

   

   • Next, set the Hero Robot on the green starting Tile, and model how to remove the medicine from the Dock and deliver it to the Hospital using the Drive tab, as shown in the video in the Instruct step. 

     

   • As students are practicing driving the Hero Robot to collect the medicine and deliver it to the Hospital Tile, you can use the Hospital Help Practice Activity (Google Doc / .docx / .pdf) to guide them through how to practice.

     

     • If students finish the practice tasks early, and need an additional challenge, have them try one of the 'Level Up' extensions on the Hospital Help Practice Activity. 
     • In the competition, students can score a point for delivering the medicine to the Hospital Tile, and an additional point for delivering it inside the Hospital (by placing it on the blue square). If students need an additional strategy challenge, present these options to them during practice, so they can begin to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each scoring method.
3. FacilitateFacilitate turn taking and collaboration between and among teams as they are practicing driving their Hero Robots. As you circulate around the room, ask questions like:
   • How are you taking turns driving on your team, so everyone has a chance to practice? 
   • How are your approaches to removing the medicine from the Dock similar? How are they different? What can you learn from each other about how to complete this task successfully?
   • What is similar about your driving styles? What is different? What can you learn from each other to make you both better drivers?
   • How did you work together to solve challenges while you were practicing? What are some problem solving strategies you have tried so far? What strategy will you try next?

   You may want to have multiple areas for practice set up around the room.  The Stage 1 Field can be broken up into individual tiles, so that you can spread out the practice areas around the classroom. Use extra pieces from the GO Kit or classroom objects to create practice objects that mimic the shape of the medicine in order to have multiple students practicing using the robot arm to manipulate the medicine. Be sure to place them at a height that is as close as possible to the height of the Dock to ensure their practice is helpful! Use this image of the medicine game objects for reference. 

   

   Facilitate conversations about driver strategy as students are practicing. You may want to allow extra time for Play Part 1, to enable all students to have enough time to get comfortable driving, so that they can begin to think about strategy. Encourage teams to look at what others are doing around the room, so that they can learn from other teams' experiences as well. 

   • What have they figured out through practice that has helped them be successful?
   • What helps them to remove and transport the medicine more quickly and easily?
   • How are they using the robot arm to remove the medicine from the Dock?
4. RemindRemind students to try different Drive Modes to figure out which works best for them. Different Drive Modes may work better for different drivers.

   Remind students that the goal of this activity is to remove both medicine game objects from the Dock and deliver them to the Hospital. Encourage them to try different ways of using the robot arm to collect the medicine and place it at or in the Hospital, to see which method works the best. 

5. AskAsk students about how the actions they are doing with their Hero Robot may be connected to the kinds of activities that disaster relief workers would need to accomplish in a natural disaster, such as distributing medicines. Why would using a robot to deliver medicine be helpful in an emergency?

Mid-Play Break & Group Discussion

As soon as every group practiced removing the medicine from the Dock and delivering it to the Hospital, come together for a brief conversation.

Now that students have practiced driving their Hero Robots to move objects on the Field, talk about how that practice can help them be successful in the Hospital Help competition. 

First, introduce the Hospital Help Competition: 

• The goal of the competition is to score as many points as you can in a one minute match by removing the medicine from the Dock and delivering it to the Hospital Tile.
• Each medicine game object that is successfully removed from the Dock is worth one point. 
• Each medicine game object that is successfully delivered to the Hospital Tile is worth one point.
• One bonus point can be earned for each medicine game object that is placed on a blue square inside of the Hospital
• One point can be earned for ending with the robot on the Red Tile.
• Teams will apply what they learned in practice to help them score the most points they can in the competition! 

Then, talk about how students can apply their learning to help them be successful in competition. 

• What is one thing you learned from practicing that will help you score points in the competition? 
• What is something that helped you remove the medicine from the Dock more quickly? 
• What is something that helped you deliver the medicine to the Hospital more quickly?
• How will your Hero Robot move on the Field in order to score points during a match? Is there anything you want to avoid?

Part 2 - Step by Step

1. InstructInstruct students that they are now going to compete in the Hospital Help Competition! The goal of the competition is to score as many points as possible by removing the medicine from the Dock and delivering it to the Hospital, in a one-minute match.
   
   

   Use the Hospital Help Competition Activity (Google Doc / .docx / .pdf) as a guide for students as you engage in the competition.

   

2. ModelModel for students how they will participate in the competition matches, and how the competition will run in the classroom.
   

   To learn more about running a VEX GO Classroom Competition, see this article.

   • Model how to setup the Hero Robot on the Field to begin the match. 

     

   • Share with students the match order and expectations, so that they know what they should be doing during the competition before and after their turn to drive.
     • You can use this Match Order template to show teams the order in which they will be competing. You can also use this sheet as a way to keep track of the score after each match. Try to have enough matches so that each student gets a chance to drive the robot at least once. 

   

   • Demonstrate for students how you will operate the timer, and what to look and listen for to know when to start and stop driving their robots on the Field.
   • Show students where they can be seated during the competition matches. If you have practice areas or other spaces students can be in during the competition, show them these areas as well, and explain how they are to be used.
   • Review expectations for how to be a respectful participant in the competition. Encourage students to cheer for one another, and to be excited about the competition – this is meant to be a fun classroom experience! Be sure that students are showing good sportsmanship before, during, and after each matches. 
   • Model how a match is run. Start the timer, and drive the Hero Robot on the Field to remove the medicine from the Dock and deliver it to the Hospital. Demonstrate how to score additional, by placing the medicine onto the blue squares inside the Hospital, and by ending with the robot on the Red Tile. When the timer reaches one minute, stop driving. At the end of the demonstration, total the score with students. 
     • If you are using VEX GO Leaderboard, show students how the scores will be entered and displayed on the Leaderboard. 

   • Model how to reset the Field for the next match. The medicine game objects should be hanging on the Dock and the robot should be placed on the Green Tile as shown in the image above. Be sure that the medicine game objects are correctly reset at the Dock. Use the image below for reference. 

     

   • Model for students how to plan a path together in their team, to begin their strategy discussions. You can use this image of the Field to help facilitate the discussion, and give students a place to trace their path away from the game Field itself. 

     

3. FacilitateFacilitate the classroom competition matches, and engage students in conversations about their driving and collaboration between matches. Use discussion prompts like:
   • Before the start of a match: 
     • Which team member will be driving? Can you explain your strategy, or what you are going to try to do, in this match? 
     • What is one thing you are going to try to do the same as your practice or previous match? Why? 
     • What is one thing you are going to try to do differently than your practice or previous match? Why? 
   • During a match: 
     • Watch how the driver is controlling the speed of the robot. What do you notice? 
     • Watch how the driver is using the arm of the robot to remove the medicine from the Dock and place it in or on the Hospital? What do you notice? 
   • After a match:
     • What is something you learned from your driving that you will use in your next match? 
     • What is something you learned from watching another driver that can help you in your match?
4. RemindRemind students that watching the matches can help them learn things about their own strategy. They may see things they want to try, or objects they want to avoid, by watching how other teams approach the competition. Just because it is not their turn to drive, does not mean they have nothing to do.
   

   You may want to give students a way to take notes as they are watching the competition, using the Blueprint Worksheet (Google Doc / .docx / .pdf) or the Data Collection Sheet (Google Doc / .docx / .pdf) . This way they can have a tangible way to keep track of strategy ideas as they prepare for their next match. 

5. AskAsk students to think about how their experience in this competition can help them the next time they are on a team or participating in a competition. What have they learned about being a good teammate that can be applied to the next VEX GO competition? What have they learned about being a spectator that they can use the next time they are watching a competition of any kind?