General Topics: Engineering, Robotics, Electric Energy, Electronics, Programming
Grade Level: 2-3

In this activity we explored Lego’s WeDo software! We began by seeing a quick overview of the software and learning how the processes we will be accomplishing through it can help us explore the world around us!

When this was done, we handed the students their building supplies (all pieces to make the Milo robot were separated to make it easier for students) and asked them to create Milo the robot! The students worked in teams of two and together fit the pieces to make a final robot.

With the robot built, students were then shown how to make a basic forward movement. The students then had free roam to explore the software however they desired! This open creation process was great and students learned so much of the software just by exploration. They changed the lights on their robot, they made it make different noises, and had their codes end with their voices!

After a while of exploring, the students were then asked to follow the instructions to create an attachment with a distance sensor! The students added the sensor to the robot and then created a small flower for the robot to spot. Once more, students added their own creative twists to the code.

It was a great lesson on building and coding!

This class we learned: 

• How to use the WeDo software
• How to create from Lego pieces
• How to code using visual programming (the WeDo software)

Things to keep in mind for future activities: 

• Students picked up the software very quickly! Next time we can be more ambitious with the lesson plan