Ed+gineering Project: Robotics Lesson Plan

Link to Sample Lesson Plan (with instructor feedback) from a previous semester where the lessons were planned for
face-to-face delivery. (Note: it would constitute plagiarism to copy content from their plan, but you can borrow ideas):

Overview

● Each education student will be paired with one or two 5th grader(s) for the Robotics project.
● Each engineering student will be paired with one or two education students to form a team. These teams will
last for the duration of the semester.
● Each team will have its own shared Google Folder
● Each team will collaborate to plan and lead their 5th grade partner(s) in a robotics project.The robotics project
will occur over five “Wow Club” sessions and culminate in a Virtual Family Showcase event where all team
members will present their robots to the students’ families.
● All lessons will be taught 3:00pm-4:30pm on Zoom (Engr students expected to stay until 4:15pm).

Lesson Timeline

● Training Sessions (Education and Engineering Students Work Together via Zoom)
○ Project Introduction: January 27 (Team building)
○ Training Session 1: February 3 (HB Kits: LEDs, sound, and downloading)
○ Training Session 2: February 10 (HB Kits continued: servos and sensors)
○ Training Session 3: February 17 (HB Kits continued: mechanisms)
● Wow Club Sessions
○ WoW Club Session 1 (education students only): February 24 (Introductions, Google Slides & Intro
Videos, Introduction to Engineering)
○ WoW Club Session 2: March 3 (Introduction to bio-inspiration, comfort pets, EDP, our design
challenge, Hummingbird robotics kits, and brainstorming design ideas)
○ WoW Club Session 3: March 10 (building and coding robots)
○ WoW Club Session 4: March 17 (building and coding robots)
○ WoW Club Session 5 (education students only): March 24 (producing Shark Tank pitch)
○ WoW Club Optional Session: March 31 (optional work session if needed)
● Team Shark Tank Pitch: Due April 1
● Voting: April 4-10
● Family Showcase: April 14

Robotics Lesson Preparation & Plan

Each student (education and engineering) will have access to a Hummingbird Micro:bit kit and must have a computer
and various art supplies at home. In preparation for the training sessions and lesson preparation, all students should
Read the Hummingbird Website: Program Section.

Team Number/Name: Team 13. Monarch Butterflies

Team Member Names:

● Education: Phillip Ellis

● Engineering: Carter Smith
● Engineering: John Silva
● Elementary Student:

What prior knowledge and/or skills does the elementary student have related to the robotics project? How can the
lesson build upon this knowledge?
 Jackson’s dad is an engineer. They both play video games and

What interests does the elementary student have that the project can connect to?

Video Games. JDs favorite animal is an axolot. Jackson’s favorite animal is a Monkey.

Important: Include links to any external resources (slideshows, videos, quizzes etc) within the lesson plan
below

Content Subject Science (Engineering) & Computer Science

Grade Level 5th Grade

Learning Science SOLs

Objectives 5.1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of scientific and engineering
practices by
a) - asking questions and defining problems
- define a simple design problem that can be solved through the development of
an object, tool, process, or system
b) -planning and carrying out investigations
-use tools and/or materials to design and/or build a device that solves a specific
problem
e) -developing and using models
· - identify limitations of models
f) - obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
· - communicate scientific information, design ideas, and/or solutions with others

Computer Science SOLs

Algorithms and Programming
5.1 The student will construct sets of step-by-step instructions (algorithms) both
independently and collaboratively,
a) using sequencing;
b) using loops; [Related SOL: Math 5.18]
e) using conditionals (if-statements).

5.2 The student will construct programs to accomplish a task as a means of creative
expression using a block or text based programming language, both independently and
collaboratively
a) using sequencing;
b) using loops;
e) using conditionals (if-statements).

Peda- Activity PART 1: Introduction to Bio-Inspiration, Comfort Pets, Our Design Challenge, the EDP,
gogy Describe and the HB Kits; and Brainstorming Design Solutions (Mar 3)
what the
learning Goal: At the end of the lesson, the team should have brainstormed ideas for how bio-
activity will inspired robots can help owners during COVID-19, selected an idea for such a robot,
be. What will made a plan for building the robot, and made a list of supplies to bring next week.
the students
and the Learning Targets: Students should be able to…
teachers be ● Explain bio-mimicry/bio-inspiration
doing? (This ● Name examples of how biomimicry is used in robotics
includes ● Explain what comfort pets are and how they are used
what they ● Explain the Engineering Design Process and how they will use it
are doing ● Explain our robotics project’s engineering design challenge and propose a
with the solution
technology). ● Name different components (sensors, LEDs, motors, Hummingbird bit) of the
Hummingbird kit
● Demonstrate how to code one component and upload to micro:bit (e.g. program
an LED to blink 3 times)
● List the supplies they need to gather in preparation for next week.

Where do you think engineers and inventors get their ideas for inventions?

What is Biomimicry?
● Design, structure, or process that mimics the natural biological processes.
○ Ex: Plane (Geese flight pattern)
○ Wright brother’s Plane (Pigeon Flight)
● What are some ways that biomimicry is used in our everyday life?
○ (This will be done in the slide show)
What are some ideas that you can think of that are bio-inspired?

Before moving on to the next slide I will ask the students if they have ever had to
problem solve to get past an adverse situation.

What is the Engineering Design Process?

● A series of steps that engineers use to find solutions to problems
● What steps are included in the Engineering Design Process?
○ 1. Define the problem
■ [Who] need(s) [what] because [why]?
○ 2. Do background research
■ This is a great time in the process to learn from other’s mistakes
when facing the same issues
○ 3. Specify the requirements
■ What characteristics are required for the solution to be
successful?
○ 4. Brainstorm Solutions
■ Think of many ideas to solve the problem at hand
○ 5. Choose the best solution
■ What idea best meets the requirements set for you problem?
○ 6. Develop a solution
■ This is the step where you will mock up and plan your design
● Use drawings or storyboards
■ What will optimize the success of our design?
 ○ 7. Build a prototype
■ An operating version of a solution
■ The first of a product
■ This is what we learn from
○ 8. Test and redesign
■ This is where you find the issues in your design
■ Repeat the steps starting at 4 (Brainstorm Solutions) until your
solution meets all requirements
○ 9. Communicate results
■ communicate/publish your results
● In what ways can you publish your results?

The next learning target, introducing components of the Hummingbird Kit, will be done
as a hands on “show and tell” of the parts of the kit. Both the engineering students and
the education student will conduct this activity.

Basic coding ability with Makecode, will be introduced by using the see one, do one,
teach one method. An engineering student will show the fifth graders how to code a
basic code and how to save it to the microbit, this will include how to plug the
components into the hummingbird remote (ie a single LED turning on green). The
extension, do one, is we will have the students install a different single color LED and
have it light up.

Activities:
List the activities that will occur during the lesson, who will lead/participate in the
activity, and the approximate time each activity will take. Link to any supplemental
materials you will use (slideshow, videos etc).

Note: At no point should you go more than 1-2 min (max!) without soliciting a
contribution from the 5th grader(s). The lesson should be as interactive as possible! If
you are using a slideshow to guide your lesson, consider making sure you have a
question on every slide.

Activity & Time Frame (March 3) Ed Engr Elem

Student Student(s) student

Introduce Biomimicry and ask the students what they think x x

biomimicry is and any examples they can think of. (Googles
slides in folder “March 3rd - Lesson 1” → 10 min)

Engineering design process. Use flowchart. Why prototypes x

are important. (Googles slides in folder “March 3rd - Lesson
1” → 10 min)

Show and explain parts of the Hummingbird and MakeCode. x x

Demonstrate/explain how the components work. (share-
screens and camera through zoom → 15 min)
 Walk through for loops and if/then statements: x x
1. Make LED blink(with and without loops)
2. Have the ADL student create a code to light up
an LED
3. Have the ADL student create a simple loop to
activate a LED to blink 5 times with a half
second pause between blinks and then wait 2
seconds before starting over.
4. Demonstrate how to use if/then statements in
MakeCode(use distance sensor). → remainder of
time

Assessment:
Explain how you will determine whether or not your 5th grade partner has met each of
the learning targets for the lesson. List specific questions you will ask and tasks you will
ask the student to perform. If it is easier, you can incorporate the assessment into the
table of activities above, but make sure you integrate questions throughout the lesson.

Assessment at the end of the lesson will be a written worksheet to go over all the
learning targets from the lesson.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gSMabed6m-
6Sz1UEYbJ28C500pSyWsxjfnVcwuJ97rQ/edit

Students will have until March 10th to finish the assessment.

PART 2A: Building, Coding, & Testing a Bio-Inspired Robot to address COVID-19
challenges (Mar 10 & 17)

Activities:
List the activities that will occur during the lesson, who will lead/participate in the
activity, and the approximate time each activity will take. Link to any supplemental
materials you will use (slideshow, videos etc)

Activity & Time Frame (March 10/17) Ed Engr Elem

Student Student student

Assessment quiz on last class. “What will this code do?” x

https://drive.google.com/open?
id=1Cey27qTT_0QLqJjuonUHk0zchhBB0khi (coding
cards for help)

Go over loops and if/then statements again using x

sensors (if within 10cm distance, make the light blink
green)

Introduce mechanisms(crank, winch, piston, cable x

system) and servos. Choose one to create. Walkthrough
together how to make it. Assessment: Incorporate a
mechanism into a if/then loop and have an indicator light
 when active.

Discuss COVID-19 challenges and how a comfort pet might x x

help. Decide what animal of nature to base it off. Discuss
limitations of robot/prototype. Use
→ .https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7DjHocrNG4 for
video explanation

Review EDP again and apply to the project: x x

1. Identify problem
2. Research
3. Specify requirements
4. Brainstorm and choose best solution
5. Develop prototype
6. Test and evaluate prototype
7. Redesign?improvements (Repeat starting at step
4 if solution does not meet requirements)
8. Communicate solution

Start construction x x x

PART 2B: Pitching the robot design to potential investors (Mar 24) - Education
Students Only

March 31: optional session with the 5th graders, as needed

We will go over the purpose of a prototype at the end of the meeting on March 24th. We
will have the students practice using Wevideo, they will make a video using a green
screen in which they will record themselves explaining the importance, limitations, and
purpose of a prototype.

A socratic seminar will be used to collaborate on how the robot will help solve a
challenge brought forth by COVID-19. We will also discuss how/ what from nature
influenced their build.

The final session will be paired with the optional session on the 31st of March.

Goal: At the end of the lesson, the team should have a fully functioning Bio-Inspired
Robot that would serve as a prototype for a large scale model and a Shark-Tank style
video pitch (approx 1min) that promotes their design to potential investors

Learning Targets: Students should be able to…

● Correctly code a loop and an if/then statement
● Build and code a simple robot that uses a sensor to activate a single color LED,
a multi-color LED, a sound or buzzer, and a motor
● Explain how their code controls the different components of their robot
● Explain the purpose of a prototype
 ● Describe how their robot would help solve a COVID-19 challenge
● Explain how their robot’s design is inspired by nature
● Discuss the limitations of their prototype
● Produce a shark tank pitch-style video that demonstrates their robot, what it
does, and how it solves the design challenge.

Activities:
List the activities that will occur during the lesson, who will lead/participate in the
activity, and the approximate time each activity will take. Link to any supplemental
materials you will use (slideshow, videos etc)

Activity & Time Frame Ed Engr Elem

Student Student student

Assess the structure of the prototype to address if it fulfilled its x x

purpose(provided a solution as a COVID-19 comfort pet and
involves biomimicry) as well as its limitations → discussion
10 min

Finalize the design of the robot and be able to describe what x x

parts of the code make the robot work the way it is
programmed to in order to solidify understandings to
strengthen pitching idea to investors → 10 min

Brainstorm shark-tank pitch ideas and talking points using x x

jamboard → 10 min

Create shark tank pitch-style video video x x

Assessment:
Explain how you will determine whether or not your 5th grade partner has met each of
the learning targets for the lesson. List specific questions you will ask and tasks you will
ask the student to perform. If it is easier, you can incorporate the assessment into the
table of activities above, but make sure you integrate questions throughout the lesson.

The assessment is incorporated in the activities below

“Finalize the design of the robot and be able to describe what parts of the code make the robot
work the way it is programmed to in order to solidify understandings to strengthen pitching
idea to investors → 10 min”
“Assess the structure of the prototype to address if it fulfilled its purpose(provided a solution
as a COVID-19 comfort pet and involves biomimicry) as well as its limitations → discussion
10 min”

where the student is completely interactive and can demonstrate knowledge in the
task at hand as well as the code for the robot.

Techn Technology - Powerpoint

ology . - Jamboard
- Screen sharing
- https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Fr4uSVBmv4wNj0adE-
CGWiUzNIqOaw175BU_-Y82NDI/edit#slide=id.gc13c578749_0_72
Criteria 3 pts 2 pts 1 pt 0 pts
(good) (fair) (needs (no
significant evidence)
work)

Lesson includes a plan for determining and building on students’ 1 0

interest and prior knowledge (2pts)

Activities are planned to address the stated learning 12 1

targets/goals; All learning targets/goals are addressed (weight =
4)(4 X 3 =12 pts)

Activities are well developed and include adequate detail 12 0

(Lesson resources are mentioned and must be included by Mar
3rd) (weight = 4)(4 x 3 = 12 pts)

Lesson resources (e.g. videos, slide shows, handouts, 12 0

review/quiz questions) are complete, align with learning
targets/goals, and are appropriate to engage 5th graders (due
3/3)(weight = 4)(4 x 3 = 12 pts)

Assessment activities (e.g. program an LED to blink on and off; 3 0

name an example of biomimicry) align with and assess the
learning targets/goals (3pts)

Questions are thought-provoking and intended to guide students 3 0

in the engineering design process (3pts)

TOTAL 1/44

43/44
The slideshows are very nice (I see
John was instrumental in these!). You
did well developing plans for
addressing all the learning targets.
Nice assessments too.