Before You Begin
Essential Questions:
How do robots make decisions?
Unit Understandings:
- Decisions can be made by checking conditions and asking questions.
- Behaviors can be repeated indefinitely, or for a finite number of times.
- Moving the robot using the One Stick Controller can be incorporated into a VEXcode project.
- Using comments in your code helps you organize your project.
Standards Alignment
Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA)
- 1B-CS-02: Model how computer hardware and software work together as a system to accomplish tasks.
- 1B-AP-10: Create programs that include sequences, events, loops, and conditionals.
- 1B-AP-11: Decompose (break down) problems into smaller, manageable subproblems to facilitate the program development process.
- 1B-AP-12: Modify, remix, or incorporate portions of an existing program into one's own work, to develop something new or add more advanced features.
- 1B-AP-17: Describe choices made during program development using code comments, presentations, and demonstrations.
- 2-AP-12: Design and iteratively develop programs that combine control structures, including nested loops and compound conditionals.
- 2-AP-19: Document programs in order to make them easier to follow, test, and debug.
- 3B-AP-09: Implement an artificial intelligence algorithm to play a game against a human opponent or solve a problem.
Materials Needed (per group):
- VEX AIM Coding Robot
- One Stick Controller
- 2 orange barrels
- 2 blue barrel
- 2 sports ball
- All AprilTag IDs
- AIM Field (4 tiles and 8 walls)
- Journal
To learn more about teaching AI concepts with VEX, visit teachai.vex.com.
Suggested Time for this Unit: 4-7 Sessions
While pacing will vary classroom to classroom, suggested timing can help you plan effectively. A ‘session’ is considered approximately 45-50 minutes. You know your students best, so adjust timing as needed to best meet the needs of your students in your setting.
- Introduction: 1 session
- Lesson 1: 1-2 sessions
- Lesson 2: 1-2 sessions
- Lesson 3: 1-2 sessions
This is your last unit before you begin the Capstone challenge! In this unit, you will build on what you learned about AI Vision to code your robot to make decisions based on what it detects. You will learn about how to repeat behaviors, incorporate the One Stick Controller into a VEXcode AIM project, and use Comments in your code to help keep more complex projects organized. After completing this unit, you will be ready to apply everything you've learned to the Capstone challenge!
Watch the video below to learn about the Capstone challenge. In the Capstone, you will compete in a timed challenge to deliver cargo as quickly as possible, both autonomously and using driver control.
After watching the video, you will have a class discussion about it. Record your answers to the following questions in your journal, to help frame your thoughts in preparation for the discussion:
- What ideas do you have about coding the robot for the autonomous part of the challenge? What about the driver part?
- What decisions do you think the robot will need to make to complete this challenge? What did you see in the video to support your ideas?
- Do you think you will be better at driving or coding the robot to compete in the challenge? Why?
- What other skills or concepts do you want to practice or learn about to prepare for this challenge?
After watching the video, you will have a class discussion about it. Record your answers to the following questions in your journal, to help frame your thoughts in preparation for the discussion:
- What ideas do you have about coding the robot for the autonomous part of the challenge? What about the driver part?
- What decisions do you think the robot will need to make to complete this challenge? What did you see in the video to support your ideas?
- Do you think you will be better at driving or coding the robot to compete in the challenge? Why?
- What other skills or concepts do you want to practice or learn about to prepare for this challenge?
After students have watched the video, follow your routines for facilitating a whole-class discussion to elicit students' initial ideas and questions about the Capstone Challenge. The goal of this unit is to get students prepared for the Capstone, so there is not a separate unit challenge. Encourage students to share what they feel they still need or want to know more about, and record those responses to guide your facilitation throughout the unit.
Next, help students make a real-world connection to the content in this unit, and engage their prior knowledge using the following prompt:
What are some examples of sensor-based decision making in everyday life? How is coding your robot similar or different? Answers will vary, and could include things like:
- A thermostat that turns air conditioning on or off depending on the temperature detected.
- A smart traffic light that changes based on the detected traffic.
- A self-driving car that stops when it detects a stop sign or pedestrian.
- A wind sensor on an awning that retracts the awning automatically if strong winds are detected.
Co-Creating Learning Targets
Now that you have watched the video, you know that you are preparing to complete a challenge that includes both a driver and an autonomous portion. Think about what you’ll need to know and be able to do to complete the task of sorting objects both ways. You will co-create learning targets with your group and your teacher so that you have a shared understanding of your learning goals for this unit.
Record your learning targets in your journal. You will return to these learning targets later in the unit to reflect on your progress and plan for future learning.
Now that you have watched the video, you know that you are preparing to complete a challenge that includes both a driver and an autonomous portion. Think about what you’ll need to know and be able to do to complete the task of sorting objects both ways. You will co-create learning targets with your group and your teacher so that you have a shared understanding of your learning goals for this unit.
Record your learning targets in your journal. You will return to these learning targets later in the unit to reflect on your progress and plan for future learning.
Guide students as a whole class through the process of co-creating learning targets.
- Brainstorm with students what they will need to know to complete the activities shown in the video above. Frame these as “I can” statements.
- Example “I can” statements for this unit include:
- I can code the robot to move to a specific location based on the object that is detected.
- I can use AI Vision to help me drive the robot to a specific AprilTag ID.
- Co-create learning targets based on that list.
- Example “I can” statements for this unit include:
For more guidance on co-creating learning targets with your students, see this VEX Library article. Then, go further and learn more about co-creating learning targets with this lesson from a VEX PD+ Masterclass.
Select Next > to learn about coding your robot to make decisions.