Overview

Grades

3+ (Ages 8+)

Time

40 minutes per lab

Unit Essential Question(s)

How can anything be engineered to solve an authentic problem?
How can the iterative process be used to create a sequence of movements for the float to accomplish the parade route?

Unit Understandings

The following concepts will be covered throughout this Unit:

How to design a solution to an authentic problem.
How to sequence behaviors into the correct order to create a solution to a problem.

Lab Summary

Click on the following tabs for a summary of what the students will do and learn in each lab.

Lab 1 - Design a Project

Main Focus Question: How do I Engineer and Build?

Students will build the Code Base 2.0 robot and create a VEXcode GO project that navigates it through two challenge courses.

Lab 2 - Design a Float

Main Focus Question: How do I design and construct an attachment for the Code Base robot?

Students will use the engineering design process to create a float made of a multitude of materials.

Students will use the iterative process to test that the materials stay on the float while moving forward, reverse, left and right.

Lab 3 - Float Celebration

Main Focus Question: How do I Test and Present?

Students will test the float making sure all materials stay on while the float is in motion.

Students will construct the parade route meeting specified criteria.

Students will present their float in a classroom parade.

Lab 4 - Measuring Distance

Main Focus Question: How far do we need to travel?

Students measure the distance the robot would travel with one turn of a wheel.

Students calculate the number of times that the wheels of the Code Base will need to turn in order to drive the robot the exact length of the parade route.

Students test the solutions to their calculations by applying them in a VEXcode GO project.

Lab 5 - Turning

Main Focus Question: How do we calculate the distance of a turn circle?

Students will calculate the circumference of one 360 degree turn of the robot.

Students calculate the number of wheel turns needed to enter correct values into the inputs of [Spin for] blocks.

Students create a project for their Code Base to precisely travel a parade route that includes a 180 degree turn.

Unit Standards

Unit Standards will be addressed in every Lab within the Unit.

Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA)

CSTA 1B-AP-11: Decompose (break down) problems into smaller, manageable subproblems to facilitate the program development process.

How Standard is Achieved: In Lab 1 Play sections, students will decompose the steps needed to successfully navigate their Code Base through two Challenge Courses.

In Lab 2 Play sections, students will create a pseudocode (step-by-step outline) to plan their project for their float to move around the parade route based on how they broke down the steps needed to complete the parade. They will run their project and troubleshoot for mistakes and errors while working together to come up with solutions to have their parade float go through the parade route successfully.

In Lab 3 Engage and Play sections, students will break down the steps needed to design and move their parade float through the class parade route successfully. They will work together to test and improve their projects.

In Labs 4 and 5, students use mathematical calculations to determine the correct values for the inputs in individual motor blocks in VEXcode GO, and use this information to plan projects for their robots to drive the parade routes successfully.

International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)

ISTE - (3) Knowledge Constructor - 3d: Build knowledge by actively exploring real-world issues and problems, developing ideas and theories and pursuing answers and solutions.

How Standard is Achieved: In Lab 1 Play sections, students will build connections between real-world parade floats and the Code Base by coding their robot to drive through an example parade route.

In Lab 2, In Play Part 1, students will work in groups to use typical classroom materials to design and create a unique float attachment for their robot. Students experience the real-world design process as they work to create their parade float out of classroom materials.

In Lab 3 Play sections, students will apply their study of the real-world challenges of building and navigating a parade float by designing one for a class parade. They will test their project by participating in a class parade in Play Part 2.

In Lab 4 Play sections, students will use mathematical calculations to solve a real-world problem as they create and test a project to drive their robot the length of a parade route with a precise distance.

In Lab 5 Play sections, students solve a complex real-world problem using mathematical calculations as they create and test a project to drive their robot through a parade route with both a precise distance and turns.

Common Core State Standards (CCSS)

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.G.A.1: Describe objects in the environment using names of shapes, and describe the relative positions of these objects using terms such as above, below, beside, in front of, behind, and next to.

How Standard is Achieved: In each Lab, students will use VEXcode GO to navigate their robot through different parade route courses. Students will use spatial reasoning skills to mentally map how the robot should move and navigate through the courses.

In the Play sections of the Labs, students will use directional words such as turn right 90 degrees, or drive forward 200 mm and gestures to communicate how their robot should navigate the courses. Teachers will be prompted in the Play sections to have the students communicate spatial reasoning concepts.

During Lab 2, students will design, build, and attach a parade float to their Code Base robot. Students will use spatial language such as on top of, next to, under, and behind in order to communicate how to attach and design the parade float to the Code Base robot.

In Lab 3, students will use spatial language and directional words as they design a parade route and code their robot to drive through the route.

In Labs 4 and 5, students use spatial language as they derive the correct number of wheel turns needed to make projects for the robot to drive and turn precisely. They also use spatial language and gestures to describe how the robot should move and turn on the parade route.

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