4th Grade: Sphero Natural Disasters/Rescue

Overview
Students will create a fictitious city that has experienced a natural disaster. Once their city is completed, students will create a vehicle to transport supplies to the people who need help.
Instructor Directions
4: Sphero Natural Disasters/Rescue
Driving Question / Scenario | A city has been struck by a natural disaster. You need to use your Sphero to bring supplies to the people who need your help. |
Project Summary | Students will create a fictitious city that has experienced a natural disaster. Once their city is completed, students will create a vehicle to transport supplies to the people who need help. |
Estimated Time | 3 hours or 3 class periods |
Materials / Resources | Modeling clayConstruction paperPoster paper or bulletin board paperPlastic cupsPopsicle sticksMarkersStringTapeGluePipe cleanersSpheroChromebook or iPad Air or newer |
Standards | 4.E.2.3: Give examples of how the surface of the earth changes due to slow processes such as erosion and weathering, and rapid processes such as landslides, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes. |
Project Outline | |
Ask | How can you create a vehicle that attaches to a Sphero to deliver supplies to people who have just experienced a natural disaster? |
Imagine | Brainstorm ideas of what natural disaster(s) you would like to include in your city as well as how you would like your city to be laid out. |
Plan | Students need to come up with a plan for how they want to create their vehicle using the supplies provided. |
Create | Following the plans that were made earlier, students need to create their city that includes a natural disaster. Students should also build the vehicle that will transport supplies to people in need. They will use the Chromebook (or iPad) to drive the Sphero around their city. |
Improve | As students drive their vehicle throughout their city, they should test and make improvements to their ride so that it brings supplies efficiently. |
Closure / Student Reflections | Students can use Flipgrid to create news reports that describe the natural disaster and how it has affected the people of their city. |
Possible Modifications / Extensions | If there is a shortage of time, students can create their city and drive their robot throughout the city without creating a vehicle to go along with their Sphero. Students could also use a Dash robot instead of Sphero. |