General Topics: Engineering, Robotics, Electric Energy, Electronics, Programming
Grade Level: 2-3-4-5-6

In this activity we created a new robot, one which is able to turn while only using one motor!

This class spanned over two sessions to fully complete. We started the first session pairing up into teams and having the students create a piece to connect their robots together. This allowed the robots to simultaneously run and teach how a pivoting motion is what allows turning in robots with two wheels that have only one degree of motion. The students would go forward and one robot would stop. This stopping of one robot allowed the robot to turn, as the stopped robot was acting as the pivot. The students in their pairs became more comfortable with understanding how the pivot motion and forward motion worked and had small robot battles with each other!

The students then created a new robot, one which allowed the robot to move forward and make a turn by only using one motor! The creation of this robot spanned two classes and taught the design lesson of creating turns with a set of gears but only a single motor. The students then added a motion sensor to turn at specified times when sensing an object! Additionally students created codes which allowed more specific control of the robot to be able to move the robot wherever they wanted in the room!

This class we learned: 

• How to create turns using two controlled wheels via a pivot motion
• How to create a turn from one motor
• How to code using visual programming (the WeDo software)
• How open feedback systems work in robots

Things to keep in mind for future activities: 

• Understanding integration of sensors is still a bit tricky and may need more time spent on sensors alone in the future