Play

Part 1 - Step by Step

1. InstructInstruct students that they are going to participate in the Expand the Village Competition with their Hero Robots. First they will practice for the competition by driving the Hero Robot to accomplish the two tasks of aligning the Wind Turbine and lowering the Bridge. View the video below to learn more about driving and scoring in the Expand the Village activities. The end of the video shows an example of how the Hero Robot could be driven during Play Part 1 to accomplish the tasks.

   Note: You can choose how students interact with the video content. The video is embedded within the Lab 2 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 drive the Hero Robot to align the Wind Turbine and lower the Bridge. The goal of this practice is to align the green beams of the Wind Turbine and lower the Bridge.

   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 build 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 at 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. 
     • This should be review from Lab 1, as students should have had many opportunities to practice with the robot arm in the Village Construction competition. This is a good opportunity to review and practice more. 

   

   • Next, set the Hero Robot on the green starting Tile. Model how to drive and push the green beams to align the Wind Turbine, and drive to and lower the Bridge using the Drive tab, as shown in the video in the Instruct section.

   

   • As students are practicing driving the Hero Robot to score points aligning the Wind Turbine and lowering the Bridge, you can use the Expand the Village 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 Expand the Village Practice Activity. 

   

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 both tasks to earn points?
   • Is it easier to complete one task before the other? 
   • Which scoring task do you prefer - aligning the Wind Turbine or lowering the Bridge? Why?
   • What can you learn from each other's driving strategies to move and manipulate the Wind Turbine and the Bridge? Is it easier to use the robot or to use the robot arm?
   • Which Drive Mode is easier for you to use to drive the robot?
   • What is one challenge that you are working together to solve in this activity? What problem solving strategies have you tried so far? What will you try next?

   You may want to have multiple areas for practice set up around the room. While there is only one Wind Turbine and Bridge on the Stage 2 Field, you can offer students additional space to practice pushing field elements. Use classroom objects of a similar size and shape, allowing them to practice the same driving movements they will use in the Expand the Village Competition.

   Facilitate conversations about scoring 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 with moving the Wind Turbine and lowering the Bridge. 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 you and your teammates figured out through practice that has helped your team be successful?
   • What helps you move the green beams of the Wind Turbine and lower the Bridge?
   • Which task takes longer? Looking at the efficiency of completing tasks, how might that help determine your strategy to score in the competition setting?
4. RemindRemind Remind students that the goal of this activity is to align the Wind Turbine and lower the Bridge. Encourage students to try different ways to move the green beams to align the Wind Turbine and different ways to move the robot to lower the Bridge.
5. AskAsk students about what they think city planning engineers have to consider when providing public works to a community. Wind turbines provide energy and bridges provide access, and are important for the productivity of a community. How can technological advances aid in providing important functions like these for a community?

Mid-Play Break & Group Discussion

As soon as every group aligned the Wind Turbine and lowered the Bridge, come together for a brief conversation.

Now that students have practiced driving their Hero Robots to align the Wind Turbine and lower the Bridge, talk about how teammates worked together to drive and score.

• What was challenging for your team about completing these tasks? How did you help each other through that challenge?
• What is one thing that you learned about scoring through your team's practice?
• What is something you want to try, that you saw or heard another team do through their practice? Why?

Then, introduce the Expand the Village Competition:

• The goal of the competition is to score both points by accomplishing both tasks of aligning the Wind Turbine and lowering the Bridge in a one minute match.
• Each task is worth 1 point:
  • Rotating the green beams to align the Wind Turbine
  • Lowering the Bridge
• Teams will apply what they learned in practice to help them score both points in the Competition!
• In the event of a tie score, the fastest time will be used as a tiebreaker. 

Talk about how teams can use what they learned in practice to help them develop a strategy for the competition.

• What strategies helped you to complete the tasks more quickly?
• How will you decide which task to do first to be able to score both points as quickly as possible in the competition?
• How will your Hero Robot move on the Field to score both points during the match?

Part 2 - Step by Step

1. InstructInstruct students that they are now going to participate in the Expand the Village Competition! The goal of the competition is to score both points by aligning the Wind Turbine and lowering the Bridge in a one minute match.

   Use the Expand the Village 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 organizing a VEX GO Classroom Competition, see this article. 

   • Model how to setup the Hero Robot on the Field to begin the match. To begin the mach, the Hero Robot must start on the green Tile. 

     

   • 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 (Google Doc/.docx/.pdf) 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 match. 
   • Model how a match is run. Start the timer, and drive the Hero Robot on the Field to align the Wind Turbine and lower the Bridge to score points. When the timer reaches one minute, stop driving. At the end of the demonstration, count the number of points earned; 1 point for each task completed.
     • If you are using a 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 Wind Turbine should be rotated so the green beams are perpendicular as shown below, and the Bridge raised back up, as shown in the setup image above.

   

   • Model for students how to plan a path together in their team, to begin their strategy discussions. 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 the match:
     • Watch how the Drive tab is controlling the speed of the robot. What do you notice? What Drive Mode do you see being used?
     • What is one thing you are going to try to do the same as your practice or previous match? Why? 
     • Which task did you find during practice was the most efficient to complete first? Which task does your team plan to complete first?
   • During a match:
     • How did you use the robot to complete the tasks? Was the robot arm used? What did you notice?
     • What are some ways the robot was used to align the Wind Turbine?
     • What did you notice about different ways to drive the Hero Robot to align the Wind Turbine?
     • What did you notice about the different ways to lower the Bridge?
   • 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 they can continue to develop their strategy between each of their matches. They may want to change their plan from one match to the next based on what they found while driving, or something they saw another team do. Remind teams that they should always be communicating strategy ideas with their teammates, so no matter who is driving in the match, the whole team is clear on what the driver is trying to do in order to score.

   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 working with a teammate to develop a strategy for the competition can help them the next time they are on a team or playing a game.
   • What is getting easier about working as a team? What is still a challenge?
   • What have you learned about being a good listener and respectful communicator that can be applied to other areas of your lives?

   There are many times and places where being a good teammate can be applied - at home, school, or in their community.