In this project, students will learn about the planning process to creating an algorithm using paper coding blocks as manipulatives and visual aids. They will Be given a set of requirements that their robot must follow and then discuss the process with their groups and create their algorithm using Code Snaps. When they have created their paper program, they will test it and review it for possible issues and improvements.

Students will demonstrate knowledge of visible light interactions with different materials and through different mediums (air, solids, and water). Students will use Sphero Bolt to create a flashlight. The goal is to create the brightest light from the LED lights on the Sphero BOLT. Students will need to understand how light interacts with different substances to successfully create the brightest flashlight. They will also test their lights in water to see how waves change direction and speed in different mediums.  The Light intensity will be measured using the function in google science journal.

A starting line and “target line” will be laid out on the floor of the activity area.  Students will program their robots to traverse the perimeter of a triangle of specified dimensions.  Students will have to use the Laws of Sines and Cosines to calculate the speed, direction, and travel time for each leg of their robot’s travel.  

Students will resolve vectors into x and y-components, combine these values to determine the components of the resultant, and determine the magnitude and direction of the resultant.   

Students will be able to:make and document scientific observations in order to compare the effects of different materials on an object's movement using Sphero Bolt coding robots. 

 Students are tasked with moving a 20 gram (or other low denomination) weight a distance of one meter using a “Sphero*” remote controlled robot.  Students use available materials to design and build a structure that will allow the sphero to push or pull the weight, while allowing for factors such as friction, direction, and gravity.   *Note: Although students can issue specific commands in the Sphero software, this activity only requires that they be able to “drive” the Sphero, thus providing the force to move the weight. 

During this unit, students will learn about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. They will read about the GPGP and then prepare a presentation with their findings and solutions.  Lastly, they will create a prototype to help with the ocean cleanup and use Spheros to maneuver the prototype to pick up trash in water.

Students will practice implementing engineering design principles through a water-carrying challenge in which they program a Sphero robot (*could also be done with an Ozobot*) to carry water across a desert landscape that is also designed by students.

In teams, students will create and test a water-carrying prototype and program it to navigate the desert landscape model.

Driving Questions / Scenario (what are we trying to solve or improve?)
Why is access to water important for civilizations to thrive?
How has humanity improved access to water over the centuries?
In what areas of the globe is access to fresh water still an issue? Is it an issue in your community?
How does one program a robot to move over an obstacle course?

Class Novel A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park

ELA - A Long Walk to Water and accompanying related poems and nonfiction passages related to the novel.
Science - the water cycle, ecosystems and biomes
Math - geometry (circumference, distance/time, and angles), scale (7th grade)
SS - Africa, ancient civilizations, human-environmental interactions and human conflict arising from resource scarcity.

Using Sphero robots in the classroom to enforce mathematical concepts and connections related to geometry, trigonometry, and basic algebra and introduce students to basic programming concepts. Students can explore through different tasks that deal with rate of change, distance formula (Pythagorean Theorem), angle of rotation (basic trigonometry), and related topics while applying those concepts to a physical activity. The Sphero tools also allow students with different programming experiences to tailor their work to fit their skill level from basic (block programming) to advanced (Java). The tasks also promote collaboration between students to problem solve issues on the fly as they work to reach a common goal or compete to outdo other groups.

Links to session materials:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/17LHTsbq4DhLGNCMUO-GCbyHt_woYpLW1hn4Ul1tLx7Q/edit#gid=0

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SpLaxtrlk_4ASU2dwxay3sQgo0CITgufwUJlSMgacEo/edit

https://www.desmos.com/calculator/dld4f1cbgm

Students will read a fictional text and use details from the story to retell the beginning, middle and end. Students will then create scenes that represent the beginning, middle, and end. Students will then program their Sphero to travel to each scene. Students will also input their summary into their program using the speak command.