Skip to main content
Teacher Portal

Applying VEX 123

Connection to VEX 123

Applying VEX 123

In the Moving from Touch to Coder Unit, students will apply what they have learned about sequencing Touch buttons to code 123 Robot behaviors, in order to use the Coder and Coder cards to code their robots. As students progress through the Unit, they will engage in the Lab activities to learn the step by step process for using the Coder and Coder cards with the 123 Robot, including how to turn on, pair, build, and test a Coder project. Students will learn about how the Coder cards can be used to create a sequence of behaviors, just as they sequenced Touch button presses, to cause the 123 Robot to perform behaviors in a particular order to accomplish a goal. 

The Moving from Touch to Coder Unit is designed specifically to support students' transition from using Touch buttons to using the Coder and Coder cards as the programming language for their 123 Robots. When coding with Touch buttons, students are introduced to the Computer Science concepts of programming language, commands, and behaviors, as they code the 123 Robots to drive, turn, and play a sound to accomplish a task. Transitioning to using the Coder and Coder cards enables students to broaden their understanding of these concepts, as the kinds and quantity of commands and robot behaviors that they can code grows. The Coder also enables students to see their projects, and the visual flow of the project execution, in a different way. Students can manipulate the Coder cards to change the sequence of their projects, and can use the highlight feature on the Coder to make the connection between which Coder card results in each 123 Robot behavior. In this Unit, students will begin by using similar commands to those of the Touch buttons, to lay a foundation for how to code with the Coder and Coder cards. Over time, they will build upon these commands to incorporate more varied and complex behaviors into their projects.

In both Labs, students move from using Touch buttons to using the Coder and Coder cards in order to code the 123 Robot to drive to particular locations on the Field. They will need to decompose, or break down, the path into smaller behaviors, and then choose specific Coder cards to match each behavior, and sequence those Coder cards in the correct order to have the 123 Robot drive in the intended path. 

Students will use spatial reasoning skills to mentally and physically map how the robot should move around the Field in the Unit, as well as practicing one to one correspondence to determine how many steps the 123 Robot needs to drive between each animal’s location. Students will use directional and numerical words as they plan their projects, and will also use gestures as they communicate with their group and their teacher to sequence Coder cards in their Coder projects. Through these coding activities, students will practice and build on their developing spatial reasoning skills. 
 

Teaching Coding

Throughout this Unit, students will be engaged with different coding concepts such as robot behaviors and sequencing. The Labs within this unit will follow a similar format:

  • Engage:
    • Teachers will help students make a personal connection to the concepts that will be taught in the Lab.
  • Play:
    • Instruct: Teachers will introduce the coding challenge. Ensure that the students understand the goal of the challenge.
    • Model: Teachers will introduce Coder cards that will be used in the creation of their project to complete the challenge. Model the Coder card commands by projecting VEXcode 123 or by showing the physical Coder cards. For Labs that include pseudocode, model for students how to plan and outline the intention for their projects.
    • Facilitate: Teachers will be given prompts to engage students in a discussion about what the goals of their project are, the spatial reasoning involved in the challenge, and how to troubleshoot unexpected outcomes of their projects. This discussion will also verify that the students understand the purpose of the challenge and how to properly use the Coder cards.
    • Remind: Teachers will remind students that their first attempt of their solution will not be correct or run properly the first time. Encourage multiple iterations and remind students that trial and error is a part of learning.
    • Ask: Teachers will engage students in a discussion that will connect the Lab concepts to real-world applications. Some examples could include, “have you ever wanted to be an engineer?” or “where have you seen robots in your life?”
  • Share: Students have an opportunity to communicate their learning in multiple ways. Using the Choice Board, students will be given a “voice and choice” for how they best display their learning.
<  Back Return to Labs Next  >