Engage

Launch the Engage Section

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

ACTS	ASKS
Demonstrate sharpening a pencil. Review the word mechanism. Create a list of mechanisms that students have seen or used in their life. For example, a can opener. Facilitate a discussion about objects the Adaptation Claw was successful or unsuccessful with picking up in the previous lab. Show students a pre-built Adaptation Claw and point out the gripper.	Has anyone ever used a pencil-sharpener before? A pencil sharpener is a mechanism used to make the task of sharpening a pencil easier. A mechanism can be used to help humans complete tasks that they may not be able to do on their own. For example, reach farther. What other kinds of mechanisms have you seen or used in your life to make tasks easier? What objects could your Adaptation Claw pick up and not pick up in the previous lab? In this Lab, we will figure out how modifying the gripper might help increase the range of what the Adaptation Claw can pick up to make it more useful for certain situations.

ACTS

ASKS

Demonstrate sharpening a pencil.
Review the word mechanism.
Create a list of mechanisms that students have seen or used in their life. For example, a can opener.
Facilitate a discussion about objects the Adaptation Claw was successful or unsuccessful with picking up in the previous lab.
Show students a pre-built Adaptation Claw and point out the gripper.

Has anyone ever used a pencil-sharpener before? A pencil sharpener is a mechanism used to make the task of sharpening a pencil easier.
A mechanism can be used to help humans complete tasks that they may not be able to do on their own. For example, reach farther.
What other kinds of mechanisms have you seen or used in your life to make tasks easier?
What objects could your Adaptation Claw pick up and not pick up in the previous lab?
In this Lab, we will figure out how modifying the gripper might help increase the range of what the Adaptation Claw can pick up to make it more useful for certain situations.

Getting the Students Ready to Build

Let’s use our Pre-Built Adaptation Claws to see what kind of objects it can pick up!

Facilitate the Build

InstructInstruct students to join their group and fill out 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.
Instruct students that they will test the pre-built Adaptation Claw to see what materials it picks up easily, and which materials it does not pick up easily. During the tests, they should think about ways they might change the gripper to pick up new objects.

Investigate the Adaptation Claw
DistributeDistribute a Data Collection Sheet to each group to look at as the intentions are explained.
FacilitateFacilitate how to use the Data Collection Sheet.
1. Show the class that each number in the left column is blank, tell students that this is where they will write the object they are testing.
2. Tell students that not all groups have to begin with the same object.
3. Show the class the second column titled “Result,” This is where the students should document whether the claw could successfully grab and lift a particular object.
4. Show the class the last column titled “Notes,” this is where the students can write further observations about attempting to grab and pick up that particular object.
5. Remind students that they are thinking about how they can adapt the gripper to pick up new objects. They can describe or sketch their ideas in the Notes section of the Data Collection Sheet.
OfferOffer a suggestion on which object to start with for groups that aren’t agreeing on which object they should test first.

Teacher Troubleshooting

If groups cannot agree on the order of objects they should test, create the order for the group.

Facilitation Strategies

Direct students to think about how they would improve the gripper design to pick up more objects. Encourage them to draw sketches of their ideas.
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 Doc / .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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