Session 2
Before You Begin This Session
This session will guide your team through building this year's Hero Bot, Dex. The build is divided into stages so that all team members have a chance to be hands-on during the building process. Since not everyone can build at the same time, this session is divided into rotating stations, allowing all team members to practice a variety of skills as the Hero Bot is assembled.
We recommend pairing students and having partners rotate through the stations. The stations are as follows:
- Building Station – Build a stage of the Hero Bot.
- Virtual Driving Station – Practice with Virtual Driving Skills and explore planning for scoring.
- Virtual Coding Station – Use Virtual Coding Skills to build and test projects and score points with the virtual Hero Bot.
- Game Station – Re-watch the game unveil video to identify key details, answer questions about the game, and explore resources like the game manual.
Building the entire Hero Bot may take more than one team meeting. Continue working through this session until the entire robot is built and tested, and all students have rotated through each station.
Have your kit and materials ready before starting this session. You will need:
- A complete V5 Competition Starter Kit (If you do not have a kit yet, you may want to wait before beginning this session.)
- Your Team Number and Virtual Skills Key (Follow the steps in this article to find your Virtual Skills Key.)
- An engineering notebook.
Review strategies for implementing this STEM Lab with your team.
- Use the Implementing a Competition 101 STEM Lab article to help you prepare and facilitate this session.
- Read the Making Competition 101 STEM Labs Work For All Students article for ways to adapt, or differentiate, session content to meet varying student needs.
- Review the considerations in the Cultivating a Positive Team Culture article to support your teams' growing collaboration skills.
Now that you've been introduced to V5RC Push Back, it's time to build your first competition robot! Hero Bots are designed with different features and functions to help you get started with this year's game. In this session, your team will construct this year's Hero Bot, Dex.
Since Dex is a large build, the process is broken into stages. Everyone on the team will have a chance to build a part of Dex. When it's not your turn to build, you'll be practicing your skills in other areas as you rotate through four stations.
Before you begin, make sure you have the following ready:
- A complete V5 Competition Starter Kit.
- Your Team Number and Virtual Skills Key.
- An engineering notebook.
Now that you've been introduced to V5RC Push Back, it's time to build your first competition robot! Hero Bots are designed with different features and functions to help you get started with this year's game. In this session, your team will construct this year's Hero Bot, Dex.
Since Dex is a large build, the process is broken into stages. Everyone on the team will have a chance to build a part of Dex. When it's not your turn to build, you'll be practicing your skills in other areas as you rotate through four stations.
Before you begin, make sure you have the following ready:
- A complete V5 Competition Starter Kit.
- Your Team Number and Virtual Skills Key.
- An engineering notebook.
If this is the first time team members are building with V5, consider starting with a whole-team overview of the tools and basic connections they’ll use. Reminding students of simple tips like “righty tighty, lefty loosey” can help make their first building experience less overwhelming.
Here are some considerations for facilitating this session:
- How will you pair students up for this session? If possible, consider pairing novice and experienced builders together to encourage peer learning.
- Where will you locate the stations within your space? Think about how to organize your room so that students can rotate easily and safely between stations.
- If you will be carrying this session into multiple team meetings, where can you leave a partially built robot between sessions so it stays safe and in tact?
- How will students rotate between stations? You can rotate by time, or when the builders have completed their stage, or use other criteria.
For more facilitation and implementation ideas or recommendations, reach out in the PD+ Community.
Building Station
Get ready for building! You will use 3D Build Instructions to construct part of the Hero Bot, Dex with your partner. If you've never used 3D Build Instructions before, watch the video below to get started.
Use this task card (Google doc / .pdf / .docx) to guide you through what to do in this station.
- Take turns with your partner to build and check each step as you go.
- 3D Build Instructions for Dex can be found here.
Have fun building Dex!
Get ready for building! You will use 3D Build Instructions to construct part of the Hero Bot, Dex with your partner. If you've never used 3D Build Instructions before, watch the video below to get started.
Use this task card (Google doc / .pdf / .docx) to guide you through what to do in this station.
- Take turns with your partner to build and check each step as you go.
- 3D Build Instructions for Dex can be found here.
Have fun building Dex!
Remember, you can guide students as they build the Hero Bot, but you CANNOT complete any of the build steps for them. Refer to the Mechanical Design, Physical Construction, and Inspection section of the student-centered policy for more details about what the coach/mentor can and can't do while the team builds.
Keep in mind that the building stages outlined in the task card are just a starting point—you can adjust them as needed to best meet your team’s needs. What matters most is that every team member has a hands-on role in the building process.
Virtual Driving Station
It's time to hone your driving skills! You will take turns driving and scoring with Dex in Virtual Driving Skills Practice. This is your chance to learn more about the Hero Bot and its controls while you try to score points.
Use this task card (Google doc / .pdf / .docx) to guide you through what to do in this station.
- Take turns driving and documenting with your partner.
- Follow the steps in this article to connect your V5 Controller to Virtual Driving Skills Practice.
- Use the Practicing Using V5RC Virtual Driving Skills article to help you as you drive.
Have fun driving virtual Dex!
It's time to hone your driving skills! You will take turns driving and scoring with Dex in Virtual Driving Skills Practice. This is your chance to learn more about the Hero Bot and its controls while you try to score points.
Use this task card (Google doc / .pdf / .docx) to guide you through what to do in this station.
- Take turns driving and documenting with your partner.
- Follow the steps in this article to connect your V5 Controller to Virtual Driving Skills Practice.
- Use the Practicing Using V5RC Virtual Driving Skills article to help you as you drive.
Have fun driving virtual Dex!
You may want to have the Team Number and Virtual Skills Key written out and posted at this station. Use the accessing V5RC Virtual Skills with a Virtual Skills Key article to help you as needed.
Remember, you can guide students to strategy or scoring ideas, but you cannot dictate a strategy for them. Review the Game Strategy and Match Play section of the student-centered policy for more details about what coaches can and cannot do while students are driving.
There are so many ways to drive and score with Virtual Driving Skills Practice. If students need help staying engaged in this station, you can offer ideas for exploration, like:
- Changing the camera views to see how that affects their perspective
- Changing the starting position to see how that affects their plan
- Experimenting with the different Drive Modes
- Testing out the robot controls
- Trying to set a new high score!
Virtual Coding Station
Now you're ready to test your coding skills with Dex! You will work with your partner to code Dex in V5RC Virtual Coding Skills in VEXcode VR. This is your chance to practice coding and scoring points with Dex. Watch this video to see how to get started with V5RC Push Back Virtual Skills.
Use this task card (Google doc / .pdf / .docx) to guide you through what to do in this station.
- Talk with your partner to make a plan before you begin to code.
- You can access VEXcode VR at vr.vex.com.
- Learn about the V5RC Push Back Playground, Dex, and every block in the Toolbox at api.vex.com.
Have fun coding Dex!
Now you're ready to test your coding skills with Dex! You will work with your partner to code Dex in V5RC Virtual Coding Skills in VEXcode VR. This is your chance to practice coding and scoring points with Dex. Watch this video to see how to get started with V5RC Push Back Virtual Skills.
Use this task card (Google doc / .pdf / .docx) to guide you through what to do in this station.
- Talk with your partner to make a plan before you begin to code.
- You can access VEXcode VR at vr.vex.com.
- Learn about the V5RC Push Back Playground, Dex, and every block in the Toolbox at api.vex.com.
Have fun coding Dex!
You may want to have your Team Number and Virtual Skills Key written and posted at this station. Use the accessing V5RC Virtual Skills with a Virtual Skills Key to help as needed.
Remember, you can help team members learn about coding concepts, but you CANNOT build their code for them. Review the Programming/Coding section of the student-centered policy for more details about what coaches can and can't do while students are coding.
- Encourage team members to use VEXcode API Reference for support with Virtual Skills.
- For students with no coding experience, you may want to have them complete some of the CS Level 1 - Blocks course to learn some basics before trying out Virtual Skills.
As students are working together, be mindful of their collaboration skills, so that both students are actively involved. Students can take turns coding and documenting/researching. You can use a timer to dictate when to change roles, so students swap at regular intervals. Learn more about pair programming in this article.
Game Station
It's time to dive deeper into V5RC Push Back! You will watch the game unveil video again, this time looking for more game play specific and scoring details. Then you're going to ask and answer some questions to help get you thinking about the game and competition as a whole. This is your chance to get into the game so you can be ready to start strategizing when the time comes.
Watch the game unveil video below.
Use this task card (Google doc / .pdf / .docx) to guide you through what to do in this station.
- Take notes as you watch the video, and use them to help you answer the questions on the task card.
- You can also use the game manual to help you answer your questions.
- Talk with your partner to make sure that you're in agreement about your answers to each question.
Get excited about V5RC Push Back!
It's time to dive deeper into V5RC Push Back! You will watch the game unveil video again, this time looking for more game play specific and scoring details. Then you're going to ask and answer some questions to help get you thinking about the game and competition as a whole. This is your chance to get into the game so you can be ready to start strategizing when the time comes.
Watch the game unveil video below.
Use this task card (Google doc / .pdf / .docx) to guide you through what to do in this station.
- Take notes as you watch the video, and use them to help you answer the questions on the task card.
- You can also use the game manual to help you answer your questions.
- Talk with your partner to make sure that you're in agreement about your answers to each question.
Get excited about V5RC Push Back!
The goal here is not to become an expert in every facet of the game, but for students to stop and think a bit more about what they will need to know and learn to be successful for the season. Read this Insights article to learn more about the thinking behind the questions on the task card, and how to scaffold students' thinking in open-ended challenges.
Students should practice finding answers to questions on their own by using available game resources. This builds independence and sets them up for success throughout the season. This exercise may also generate additional questions from students—and that’s great! Consider posting any unanswered team questions at the end of the session in a visible place, so students can keep them in mind during future sessions.
The game manual is a big document, with a lot of information in it. You can use this article to help you as you support students to navigate the game manual. They should not be expected to read the manual in its entirety during this station, but to instead use it as a reference.
Now that you've got your Hero Bot ready to go, and you understand more about Robot Skills and Head to Head Matches, you're ready to dive into using Dex on the V5RC Push Back Field!
Select Next Session > to move on to the next session.