The ECS v6.1 curriculum is written for the older NXT version of LEGO Mindstorms. I am creating this topic for those of us who are teaching with EV3 and need help!
Day 6-7 Try Programs Not there
The ECS v6.1 curriculum, pp 274 and 275 refer to “Try” programs.
These are not on the EV3 out of the box.
I used the Port View and Motor Control programs that were there but they are very simple.
Any alternatives out there? Even if I could get the NXT version, perhaps I could upload them and try them out on the EV3s (so next round I can have them there for the students at the start).
Margaret,
I don’t have the newer EV3 Lego robotic kits, but while I’m looking at my NXT robot, I could describe what those “Try” functions do and maybe you could find an alternative?
The “Try Me” buttons on the brick are just meant to play a sound when the sensor is active. The Try Me options are Color, Touch, Light, Ultrasonic, Motor, and Sound which just plays a sound when the sensor is seeing color or light or being pressed, etc… I’ll try to ask around for a EV3 kit and see if I can find similar, but this part is really just focused on the Inquiry part in using the built in “Try” method for students to discover how to plug the sensors into which ports and what they do.
Let me know if that helped or if you have any other questions.
Brad
OK, this was helpful. I am not missing out on too too much. Maybe one day I can write these so I can have the students try them. Or if you or anyone finds a similar project/program, I’d like it.
In the mean time, the mini Demo program and the EV3 Port View at least do some intro stuff.
FYI, The Education Edition Software (with the tutorials) Costs Extra
I just found out today that there is a cost for the software which comes with the Education Edition. This is unfortunate since this is the version which has the tutorials which I assume map to the NXT tutorials referred to in the ECS v6.1 curriculum, Days 10-13 and my school did not buy that (yet).
As far as I can tell, this costs $400 for a site license. Just fyi to all.
By the way, the reasons we bought the newest LEGO version are (a) its the latest and greatest, (b) there is support for interacting with tablets (and phones) so we felt this would be relevant and useful for our students.
FYI… Here is the resource that is at the end of a link [ https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B21d4g64Z62YYVFTZWhabktnRjA/edit ] in the ECS Unit 6 online PD that does not work {called ‘EV3 Lesson Plans’} [ http://education.lego.com/en-us/middle-school/explore http://bit.ly/ev3-manual ].
I was very mistaken when I wrote this email a year ago. My apologies.
Anyone may download the Education Edition Software with no license issues at all from here: