Programming and Robotics Course Outline

Session 1 What is a robot?  

Learning objectives:
  • To have explored examples of real/fictional/robots and non-robots and identified the features of each.
  • To understand that digital devices need precise unambiguous instructions and follow these exactly
  •  be able to write and debug programs that accomplish specific goals including controlling physical systems
  • to understand the badges
Activities:

  • 1.25. Introduction - 5  Tuesdays . make and program robots. Robot engineers, badges. 
  • Go through objectives. 
  • 1.30 . Two minutes to write down the names of as many robots as you can. 
  • Can you circle all the ones you have that really exist, are not from books and films.
  • Collate a list of 5 robots that are fictional and five that they think are real on the board. 
  • Which of the groups do you think can do the most amazing things? Why do you think that is? Do you think the real robots will ever be able to do the things that the fictional ones can? Why? Why not? Possibly show the robot football game.
  • 1.40 Let's look at a robot give out the Hexbugs. Does anyone know how they work? Explain that someone I know said that they were not real robots. Because these robots can only act they don't have sensors or a controller they are not real robots.  
  • Let's look at a real robot. This has sensors. I wonder if anyone can prevent it falling off the table without touching it in any way. It senses, thinks and acts by following programs in its memory. 
  • I'm going to give out some robots and I'd like you to have a little play with them. See if you can find any sensor inputs, what outputs they have and what sort of program they follow.
  • 1 doodle track car
  • 1 singing bird
  • crab
  • Thymio
  • Candle
  • We are going to start by making a very very simple robot arm using the motor. We'll then program it.
  • Go through the rules on the kits.... 
  • This is what you'll need...
  • This is how you need to assemble it....
  • Those who finish first should try to get it to go using Scratch, then when everyone has stop everyone.
  • Introduce Scratch... children can follow instructions for their programs. Encourage children to make changes to their programs and see what happens.
  • Explain sequences to each other, pause to look at a debugging problem, predict what will happen.
  • Stop everyone and get them to pack up. 
  • Can they work out the program needed to burst the balloon? Get children to work together in pairs.

What are the problems with this as a robot arm. How could we make it better?
  • Extended Learning:
  • Bring in a picture or a sketch of a robot you have at home or from a book or film. What do you know about it? Can you find its inputs and outputs and describe its program?
Session 2 Animatronics
Learning objectives:
  • I can construct a robot by following instructions
Activities:
  • Discuss pictures of robots children have brought in from home
  • Look at talking Elmo robot
  • Children construct an alligator robot following instructions
  • Children write programs to make their robots sense and respond 
  • Extension challenges: random behaviour, speech

Extended learning:
  • Download Scratch onto your home computer and create something with it that you can share


Session 3 The robotic hand

Learning objectives:
  • I can construct a robot hand using carboard, string and tape
  • I can design a robot actuator to move it 
  • I can write a program that causes the hand to move in response to a sensor
  • I can use decomposition to build a complex system by assembling parts
  • I can create a simulation of physical system -in this case a robot surgeon
  • I understand how to use pulleys, gears, cams and rack and pinion devices

  • I understand 'if-then' and 'forever if-then' conditionals and how they can be used to cause a sensor to trigger a sequence
  • Introduce the idea of a conditional, using the ball sorting activity and using Scratch

Activities
  •  Investigate robot hands and methods of moving them
  • Construct a robot hand using card, string, straws and tape
  • Design and construct a robot actuator using Lego Wedo
  • Write a program to control the actuator
  • Create a film of all the hands moving together possibly to music.


Session 4 Team Challenge Football

Learning objectives:
  • To understand the challenges involved in making a robot footballer
  • To reinforce understanding of conditionals
  • To understand that robots can work together as part of larger systems

Activities
  • In groups of 6 children construct either striker, goalie or spectator and program them so that the football is kicked when the ball is placed near the striker, the goalie counts the score, the spectators cheer when the goal goes in and boo if it doesn't.
  • Reflect on future development of robots drawing on historic perpective


Session 6 Artificial Intelligence

Learning objectives:
  • I understand what artificial intelligence is and what is possible now
  • I understand what a Turin test is and how it can be used

Activities
  • Design and program a chatbot using Scratch
  • Write and illustrate what you think robots will be able to do 30 years in the future

Session 7 Project
Options: 
  • robot eye
  • vending machine 
  • Rube Goldberg machine 
  • space sensing robot 
  • animal feeding robot 

Badges awarded