Lego EV3s

For the past couple of weeks, my classes have been using the EV3s.  This is the second year that I have taught with these and I have learned more each time I have opened the software.  I did things a little differently this year since half of my students already did the beginning lessons last year.

My 5th grade students worked through the lessons in the Robot Educator section.  We did the first module together so I could teach them about the parameters, values, and modes.  This gave them good groundwork to begin programming on their own.  Working in pairs, the 5th graders began with programming their robot to move in a straight line.  The lessons are set up in 5 easy to follow steps:

1. watch a video of what your robot should be doing
2. build the robot, if it is not already done
3. rewatch the video, but paying attention to the animated programming blocks
4. copy the programming that Lego gives to you
5. Modify the original programming by experimenting with different programming blocks

Step 5 is my favorite because this is where real inquiry begins.  The students must modify their programming by using additional blocks to make the robot complete a task.  For instance, in the "curved move" module, the students then had to add three blocks to get the robot back to its starting position.  It is a trial and error process that allows me to see who really understands the programming basics and who needs a little more help. Frustration is often high on step 5, but my students have been able to work through it to be successful. 

I like setting the program up this way because it allows my students to work at their own pace.  Some students come to me with a lot of programming experience and some have none.

For 6th grade, I found a great EV3 curriculum that really pulled in a lot of higher-level curricular concepts.  The cost for the program was only $20 and can be purchased here.  This is a 10-week course, but it works out great because my students will be able to pick up where they left off once their science and social studies' teacher begin using the EV3s.

For the first lesson, the students had to use basic programming to conduct a bunch of tests (how far it goes in 2 seconds, 2 degrees, 2 rotations).  It led them to analyzing circumference (a new topic for all) and using the circumference to figure out how far/long it will take to get to an endpoint.  After experimenting with this, the students were challenged with getting their robot to travel in a figure 8.  We had many variations of an 8 - see the example video below.

After that lesson, the students then took a ton of data on how far it traveled at different power levels over .5 second intervals.  They graphed their results and were able to make predictions based on their data.

I really liked the pacing of this course and I thought it was a great transition from 5th grade into 6th grade robotics.  The one other big change I made over last year was to find a simpler robot design. Last year, it took us about two class periods to build.  The design they made this year was just as good, but only took about 20-30 minutes, which gave more time for programming.

Let me know if you have any questions about the EV3s.  They would make great Christmas gifts.

Here's to STEM!
Mrs. Giran