Get ready to move your robot in exciting new directions! In this lesson, you'll learn to drive your robot at any angle using the Move at angle for block. Test your precision by closely circling a barrel without touching it, and discover how accurate angles help your robot move faster and smarter!
Watch the video below to learn about:
- Using the Move at angle for block in a project.
- Determining the angle to move the robot.
Now that you have watched the video, capture your thoughts in your journal. Answer these questions to guide your thinking and help you prepare for a whole-class discussion:
- What do you notice about how the robot moves using this block compared to the last unit? Write at least two observations.
- List at least two questions you have about finding the angles.
- What is something you’ve learned about coding or VEXcode that will help you in this lesson?
Guided Practice
Now that you have watched and discussed the video, it is your turn to practice!
Step 1: Set up the field as shown below.
Step 2: Use Drive mode to model the movements your robot needs to complete the task.
- Your task is to drive the robot around the orange barrel. Document your driving, then plan how to code that movement.
- Use this task card (Google / .docx / .pdf) to guide your practice.
- Pro Tip: Think back to the strategies for determining angles from the video. Pay close attention to each angle and distance, and document them in detail to plan the path. Use the Robot Protractor, shown in the video, to determine those angles when planning your path.
Step 3: Code the robot to complete the task.
- Your task is to use your path plan from Step 2 to code the robot to move around the orange barrel.
- Use this task card (Google / .docx / .pdf) to guide your practice.
- Pro Tip: Return to Drive mode to help you if your group is stuck when coding. You can drive slowly if you need to, to help you identify specifics about the angle or distance of the robot.
Step 4: Explore moving at angles! Now it's time to explore how to improve your robot's movement around the barrel. Use the following routine as you choose one thing to improve and iterate on at a time:
- Predict
- Start with the first location you want the robot to reach. At what angle do you think the robot will need to move to reach that location? Collaborate to make a group prediction using this sentence stem, and record it in your journal:
- We think the angle is about ____________ degrees.
- Start with the first location you want the robot to reach. At what angle do you think the robot will need to move to reach that location? Collaborate to make a group prediction using this sentence stem, and record it in your journal:
- Drive
- Test your prediction by driving your robot at your predicted angle. Does it move the way you expected? If it feels off, what can you change to make it more accurate? If not, what feels right about it?
- Measure
- Place your Robot Protractor under the robot. At what angle did you actually drive the robot?
- Code
- Use your new angle in your coding project! Adjust your project, then run it to test. Does the robot move the way you intended? If not, use your Robot Protractor to help you change the angle and try again. Be sure to record your angle measurements and observations in your journal as you go.
Resources for Practice:
The articles linked here is available if you need additional support while completing the activity.
Wrap-Up
Now that you have practiced, it is time to share what you learned. Answer the following questions in your journal to help you reflect on your learning and prepare for a whole-class discussion:
- What is something you learned while driving that helped you in coding? How did you document that learning?
- What is something you learned about determining angles?
Select Next > to move on to the next lesson.