This unit is all about learning to design, build, and program your own robot. We will spend a few weeks focusing on what it takes to make a robot that does what you want. To make this work, the process involves:
- Designing a robot that will do what you want
- Building the robot so it is reliable and can do what you want it to
- Programming the robot to do what you need it to do!
As you start to learn about robots, the first thing is to learn how to program. Once we’ve got that under control, we’ll build a very simple LEGO robot, learn how to program your robot, and then make your robot tackle complicated challenges. As you work with our LEGO robots, you’ll go through three major steps:
- STEP 1: Learn to program by solving programming challenges with Jeroo
- STEP 2: Build a simple LEGO robot and program it to accomplish various tasks
- STEP 3: Customize your LEGO robot to tackle complex challenges by designing, building, and programming!
When you’re done, you’ll know what it takes to design, build, and program a robot to complete a challenge!
Engineering Design Process Overview
To learn the basics of programming, we’ll start in a computer simulation called Jeroo. This simulation lets you create and program your Jeroos to tell them what to do in the left panel. When you think your program is complete, you can run it in the right panel that looks like a map. Most of your time will be spent in the left panel, learning how to give Jeroos different commands. As you learn the basics, keep in mind that pretty soon you’ll be telling your robot what to do!
GRADING & PROCESS
Watch the “Getting Started in Jeroo” video and take some notes on how to start programming.
Complete at least 5 of the 10 Jeroo challenges by programming your Jeroo to do the challenge described!
Have Mr. Benshoof watch and confirm each of your successful programs!
Getting Started in Jeroo
Jeroo Simple Sample Program
Jeroo Advanced Sample Program
Now that we know some beginning things about programming, we’ll transfer that knowledge to simple LEGO Robots. Start by getting an instruction booklet and building a basic LEGO robot following the guidelines. Your robot should be simple, and should look mostly like the one in the instructions. If you can’t find an exact piece from the instructions, you might need to substitute for a different piece. Once your robot is built, get into RobotC for LEGO Mindstorms on the laptops and get programming! You need to accomplish at least 3 of the 5 introductory challenges.
GRADING & PROCESS
Follow the instructions to build a very simple LEGO Robot
Learn how to program your LEGO robot in RobotC, and take some notes in your engineering notebook
Complete any 3 out of the 5 introductory challenges for your LEGO Robot
Have Mr. Benshoof watch your successful runs of your LEGO Robot initial challenges
Building Your LEGO Robot
Introductory Challenges
LEGO Robot Design Process
For this last part, you get to flex your robotics muscles by designing and programming your LEGO Robot to solve a super challenge. There are three challenges to choose from, and you and your partner will pick one to tackle and try to complete. Once you and your team have chosen a super challenge, brainstorm different Robotic solutions, pick a solution you think will work, change your robot if needed, and write the program. Keep testing and changing things until it works! When it’s done, each team member will write a short report to document the process they went through.
GRADING & PROCESS
Review the challenges and pick the one you want to work on with your partner
Use the Engineering Design Process to think through the problem and decide a solution you want to try
Build, program, test, and fix your robot until you have solved the super challenge
Have Mr. Benshoof approve your final working robot
In your engineering notebook, write a 1-page summary of the process your team followed to accomplish your task, and how you solved your super challenge
Super Challenge Overview
Choose A Super Challenge
LEGO Robot Report
Part 1 Resources
Part 2 Resources