-Journal entry: How is a robot’s body different from ours? What can a robot do that we can not do?
-Think pair share with their elbow partner and have a few groups share their answers
-Divide students in groups of 4 for upcoming activities without using robots. This way students will learn about robots and the advantages and limitations.
Activity 1: Shoe activity
-Have one person untie their tennis shoes and put rubber bands and Popsicle sticks on their thumb and index finger. The person will try to tie their shoes while the members watch. This shows the robot has limitations with their bodies.
-Students reflect in their journals how difficult it was to tie shoes without joints!
Activity 2: Blindfolded drawing
-3 members will be blindfolded expect for the one who had the shoes tied.
-Each member will have a piece of paper in front of them.
-The one team member gives them the following directions: Pick out a green maker, draw a house with 4 people inside, a car, a dog, and a tree. Move paper to next person, add a sun.
-Remove blindfolds and look at the picture.
-Reflect in journals how well they did or did not do without their sight just like a robot.
Activity 3:
- Break out in to partners and choose one to be the robot (who has their eyes closed) and the other to be the eyes of the robot.
-Tell class they must direct the robot from starting point to ending point using only 5 commands: turn left 90 degree, turn right 90 degree, take a step forward with left right, same with right foot, stop!
-Reflect in journals how repeats and loops connect to this activity!
Extension activity: Have students redesign robot’s hand for the robot to perform activity 1.
Advice: Make sure have all supplies on hand and extra pair of tennis shoes just in case students do not have tennis shoes or laces! Review rules when it comes to blind folding and walking around the room. Middle school students can be immature!
Structure: Pick the groups or randomize it so students can learn how to work with people they do not know well. Good lesson with team work.
No modifications!
Resources: Watch a movie clip with robots perform different activities!