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Teacher Toolbox icon Teacher Toolbox - Facilitating the Rethink Section

In this Rethink challenge, groups will create a VEXcode V5 project that moves a red disk to the exit conveyor and a green disk through the diverter along the transport conveyor.

What the Teacher Will Do:

  • As a whole class, introduce the challenge to students. Explain that they will be building on their VEXcode V5 project from Play to divert a red disk, as well as move a green disk from the entry conveyor belt, along the transport conveyor belt, passing through the diverter. This is an extension of the skills they practiced in Play.
  • 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 moving the diverter to sort the disks?
    • For groups that are struggling, encourage them to look back at the Play section for specific steps on how to control the motors in VEXcode V5.
  • 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 blocks did your group use to move the green disk along the transport conveyor? Why did you decide to use those blocks?
    • 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 / .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.

Previously in this Lab, you have successfully moved the red disk from the entry conveyor, through the transport conveyor, and diverted to the exit conveyor. In this challenge, you will add on to that project to also move the green disk from the entry conveyor, through the transport conveyor, passing through the diverter.

Lab 9 - GreenAndRed_1

Follow these steps to complete the challenge:

  • Using the skills developed earlier in this Lab, edit your VEXcode V5 project from the Play section. Your VEXcode V5 project should accomplish the following:
    • The red disk should be diverted off to the exit conveyor.
    • The green disk should pass through the diverter and stop at the location shown in the image above.
  • Remember to code the diverter to spin at the beginning of the project to divert the red disk, then spin again to allow the green disk to pass through.
  • While running the project, place the green disk on the entry conveyor after the red disk exits and the conveyor stops moving.

Teacher Tips icon Teacher Tips

  • Ensure students have their mastering values readily available from Seek.
  • Remind students that they will need to place the green disk on the entry conveyor while the project is running.
    • They should add it after the red disk leaves the entry conveyor and the conveyor stops moving.
  • Remind students about using the [Spin to position] block to move the diverter during the project. They will need to set it to 90 to divert the red disk, then spin to position 0 to allow the green disk to pass through.

spin block

Teacher Toolbox icon Teacher Toolbox - Troubleshooting

Students may struggle with decomposing the behaviors needed to solve this challenge. Follow the steps below to help students break down these behaviors so they can build their VEXcode V5 project.

  • Have students begin by breaking down the steps for how the red disk needs to move to end up on the exit conveyor. 
    • Red disk begins at the entry conveyor. The entry conveyor spins for a set amount of time so that the red disk is moved onto the transport conveyor.
    • The diverter spins to the 90 degree position to divert the red disk off of the conveyor.
    • The red disk travels through the transport conveyor.
    • The red disk is diverted onto the exit conveyor. 
    • The exit conveyor spins for a set amount of time so that the red disk is moved off of the exit conveyor.
  • Then have them walk through the same process for the green disk.
    • Green disk begins at the entry conveyor. The entry conveyor spins for a set amount of time so that the green disk is moved onto the transport conveyor.
    • The diverter spins to the 0 degree position to allow the green disk to move along the conveyor.
    • The green disk travels along the transport conveyor.
    • The green disk travels through the diverter and stops.
  • After students have broken down all of the steps, convert them into comments in the project.
    comments
  • Once students have the comments added to their project, they can add the blocks needed for each of those comments.

Teacher Toolbox icon Teacher Toolbox

Because students are using their projects from Play as a base, many of their projects will be the same with the addition of the movement of the green disk along the conveyors. The following is a possible solution for how to move the green disk to the intended location after having moved the red disk to the exit conveyor.

 

blocks

 

Below is an image of the full project for reference.

 

full project

 

Extend Your Learning icon Extend Your Learning

If groups finish early or are looking for an additional challenge, ask them to add the arm and electromagnet into their project. Instruct students to code the arm to pick up the green disk once it passes the diverter, and sort it into the location shown below.

Lab 9 - TD - RedExit_0

Remind students to use the 'Arm Manual Movement' example project to find the pick up and drop off x, y, and z-coordinates for the green disk.