Engage

Launch the Engage Section

ACTS is what the teacher will do and ASKS is how the teacher will facilitate.

ACTS	ASKS
Ask students to make observations about the world around them and have them think about what causes the pattern of day and night that they experience. Students may share the misconception that the Sun moves around the Earth to cause day and night, share with them that the Earth actually spins on its axis. Have students stand up and spin around once. They should imagine a line going straight from their head to their toes to represent the axis that they are spinning around. Share with students that you will be investigating the pattern of day and night together using a VEX GO build, the Day/Night with Switch.	Why do you think we have daytime and nighttime? What causes that pattern? The Earth actually spins on something called an axis like a spinning top. It rotates so part of the Earth is facing the Sun and part of the Earth is facing away from the Sun. Model the Earth spinning with me! As you spin, imagine there is a line going right from the top of your head down through to your feet. That is the axis you are spinning around. Today we are going to learn about day and night and what causes us to experience day and night.

ACTS

ASKS

Ask students to make observations about the world around them and have them think about what causes the pattern of day and night that they experience.
Students may share the misconception that the Sun moves around the Earth to cause day and night, share with them that the Earth actually spins on its axis.
Have students stand up and spin around once. They should imagine a line going straight from their head to their toes to represent the axis that they are spinning around.
Share with students that you will be investigating the pattern of day and night together using a VEX GO build, the Day/Night with Switch.

Why do you think we have daytime and nighttime? What causes that pattern?
The Earth actually spins on something called an axis like a spinning top. It rotates so part of the Earth is facing the Sun and part of the Earth is facing away from the Sun.
Model the Earth spinning with me! As you spin, imagine there is a line going right from the top of your head down through to your feet. That is the axis you are spinning around.
Today we are going to learn about day and night and what causes us to experience day and night.

Getting the Students Ready to Build

Now, it’s time to build our very own Earth and Sun with the Day/Night with Switch build.

Facilitate the Build

InstructInstruct students to join their group, and prepare to build the Day/Night with Switch build. Have them complete the Robotics Roles & Routines sheet. Use the Suggested Role Responsibilities slide in the Lab Image Slideshow as a guide for students to complete this sheet.

Day/Night with Switch Build
DistributeDistribute build instructions to each team. Journalists should gather the materials.
FacilitateFacilitate the building process.
- Builders and Journalists should begin building based on their responsibilities in the Lab 1 Image Slideshow.
- Circulate around the room to help students with building or reading instructions where needed. Remind students that they can orient the pieces they are holding and building with the same way they are shown in the build instructions, in order to help them be successful in their build.
OfferOffer positive reinforcement for teams that are working well together, taking turns, and using respectful language as they are building. If there are particular teams or students that excel at building, offer them the opportunity to help teams that may be struggling with the build.

Teacher Troubleshooting

Adding the Earth - When adding the 3 inch (about 7.5cm) diameter ball to the build, make sure that it has a hole where the Plain Shaft can go through. It is recommended to use a ball made of a softer material like styrofoam where the Plain Shaft can easily go through the ball.
- If using a ball that needs holes made via a drill or pair of scissors, do that for your students before beginning the build. Then distribute the balls at once so all groups can add them at the same time.
- If you are having students add the ball to the build, make sure that they know where to insert the Plain Shaft so that the shaft is in the center of the ball. This is important so that the build has the Earth on its axis accurately.
Keep an Eye Out - Remind students to look for the eye indicators in the Build Instructions. They note places where the orientation of pieces is important in a successful build. If students are having trouble with things fitting together properly, first ask if their pieces are lined up correctly, and if they match the Build Instruction images. Checking this for each step can help prevent frustration at later points in the build.
Setting Up for Observations - When students are ready to complete the Play section with their build, make sure they have it oriented with the Sun and Switch on the left and the Earth on the right. This will help everyone in the class observe the same patterns. It also will be easier for the students to turn the Switch on and off in this set up.
VEX GO Switch - This may be your students' first time using the Switch with a VEX GO build. Use this article to learn more about using the VEX GO Switch.

Facilitation Strategies

Encourage Thoughtful Building in the Whole Group - As students are building, ask questions about the process to help them think about why pieces are going together in this particular way. For instance, questions about how the Sun is being constructed or what elements make it resemble the Sun, enable students in all roles to be engaged in the building process.
Use the Get Ready...Get VEX...GO! PDF Book and Teacher’s Guide - If students are new to VEX GO, read the PDF book and use the prompts in the Teacher’s Guide (Google / .pptx / .pdf) to facilitate an introduction to building and using VEX GO before beginning the Lab activities. Students can join their groups and gather their VEX GO Kits, and follow along with the building activity within the book as you read.
- Use the Teacher’s Guide to facilitate student engagement. To focus on VEX GO connections in a more concrete or tangible way, use the Share, Show, or Find prompts on each page to give students an opportunity to get to know their kits in more depth.
- To focus on the habits of mind that support building and learning with VEX GO, like persistence, patience, and teamwork, use the Think prompts on each page to engage students in conversations about mindset and strategies to support successful group work and creative thinking.
- To learn more about using the PDF book and accompanying Teacher’s Guide as a teaching tool any time you are using VEX GO in your classroom, see this VEX Library article.

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