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Challenge

Teacher Toolbox icon Teacher Toolbox - Facilitating the Rethink Section

In this Rethink challenge, groups will be estimating and identifying  x, y, and z-values on the Workcell using a VEXcode V5 project.

What the Teacher Will Do:

  • As a whole class, introduce the challenge to students.
  • Break students into their groups. Ensure they have their assigned Workcell, their device with VEXcode V5, and their engineering notebooks.
  • Instruct groups to follow the steps on this page to complete the challenge.
  • While groups are completing the challenge, circle the room.
    • Ask students about how they are approaching the challenge. How are they estimating each of the values?
    • For groups that are struggling, encourage them to look back at the Play section for specific steps on how to open the example project and add mastering values.
  • After groups have completed the challenge, bring students back together for a whole-class discussion. Ask students some of these questions to wrap up the challenge. 
    • What were estimations your group made? How did they compare to the values on the Brain's screen?
    • How does your estimates compare to another group's estimates?
    • What did your group find difficult about this challenge?
    • How did your group work together to solve the challenge? What could you do to improve your collaboration in the next Lab?
  • Use the Collaboration and Programming Rubrics (Google Doc / .docx / .pdf) to provide students with feedback and assess their projects throughout the Rethink challenge.

For more information on how to facilitate the Rethink challenge, go to the V5 Workcell Educator Certification.

In this challenge, you will use the ‘Manual Movement’ example project to find the coordinate values of the four positions indicated on this image of the Workcell.

Workcell with four points marked with stars

Follow these steps to complete the challenge.

  • In your engineering notebook, estimate the x, y and z-values of all four locations by measuring in inches. 
    • Use a measuring device and to estimate each value based on the (0, 0, 0) point.
    • Make sure to document which values are positive and which are negative.
  • Launch VEXcode V5.
  • Open the ‘Manual Movement’ example project.
  • Manually move the arm mounted on the Workcell to the four locations shown in the image above indicated by red stars.
  • Document the x, y, and z-values shown on the Brain in your engineering notebook of each of the four locations by labeling them as the following:
    • Location 1
    • Location 2
    • Location 3
    • Location 4
  • Compare your estimated values to the values from the Brain's screen. Discuss any differences or similarities between your estimates and the documented values with your group or record your thoughts in your engineering notebook.

Teacher Tips icon Teacher Tips

  • If students are struggling to open the example project, have them follow the steps from the Lab 3 Play section.
  • After everyone has finished the challenge, ask students to compare their answers. Remind them that their answers may be slightly different depending on the exact position of their V5 Workcell and the mastering values they added.
  • Check the estimates students wrote down in their engineering notebooks. If students had the positive and negative on their estimates incorrect, direct students to go back through the Play section.

Teacher Toolbox icon Teacher Toolbox

The following is an example solution. Note that values may vary:

Location 1:

  • X: 4.577
  • Y: -6.929
  • Z: -0.402

Location 2:

  • X: 9.348
  • Y: -7.572
  • Z: -0.822

Location 3:

  • X: 5.783
  • Y: 6.176
  • Z: -0.165

Location 4:

  • X: 10.537
  • Y: 5.581
  • Z: -0.816