Session 9: Robot Story Tellers: Story Boarding and Initial Coding
Session Architect: Muhammad Bilal
Duration: 50-60 minutes
Learning Objectives:
- Understand how to plan and write a simple story featuring the robot as a character.
- Learn how to break down a story into key actions and translate those actions into code.
- Explore how to use Scratch coding blocks (e.g., movement, loops, “Express” and “Show Text” blocks) to bring the robot’s actions and emotions to life.
- Develop teamwork and creativity by collaborating on story creation and initial coding.
Equipment Required:
- M3D Robotics kit.
- Laptops with Scratch pre-installed.
- Classroom objects (blocks, toys, etc.) or handmade items (paper house, car, etc.) to create a world for their story.
- Paper and pencils for students to plan their story.
Resources:
Scratch Code File:
Grade 3 Session 9.sb3 (411.8 KB)
Lesson Plan:
1. Introduction to Storytelling with the Robot (5 minutes)
Activity:
Introduce the concept of the session and explain that this session will be divided into two parts. In the current session, students will form groups, write a short story featuring their robot, and write some basic program code to act out key events using Scratch. Emphasize that today they will focus on brainstorming and starting the code, and in the next session, they’ll complete it and present it to the class.
Teacher’s Role:
You may share a fun example of a robot story to inspire the students. For example,
“Let me share a fun story about a robot going on a treasure hunt!”
Mention that they can use loops and movements they’ve learned from previous sessions as well as the display screen to combine actions and the robot’s expressions to bring their stories to life. You could also share additional story examples like:
“The robot is an explorer on a mission to find and identify shapes in a mysterious land. Along its journey, it encounters different shapes—squares, triangles, and circles—that it must recognize and interact with to unlock clues.”
“The robot goes to a park and plays different games like drawing shapes in the sand, racing other robots, and exploring different paths. It can interact with objects by moving to certain locations and displaying emotions (e.g., happy face for completing a task).”
2. Story Writing and Planning (15 minutes)
Activity:
Students will brainstorm and write their stories. Provide a simple story template that includes:
- Beginning: Where does the robot start and what is the goal?
- Middle: What challenges or events does the robot face along the way?
- End: How does the robot complete its goal?
Teacher’s Role:
Guide students in linking their stories to robot actions they have learned (e.g., drawing shapes, moving a certain distance, displaying messages). You may ask questions like:
“What action could the robot take to start its adventure?”
“How will the robot solve a problem or face a challenge?”
Encourage them to think creatively by offering prompts such as:
“What if your robot was on a treasure hunt?”
“What if your robot had to build something by moving shapes?”
“What if your robot was in a race and had to move through obstacles?”
3. Storyboarding the Robot’s Actions (10 minutes)
Activity:
Once the story is written, students will create a simple “storyboard” where they plan the robot’s actions for each part of the story. This helps break the story into manageable coding tasks.
Instructions:
- Students will identify key actions the robot will take, such as moving, drawing shapes, or showing a message.
- They’ll write these actions next to each part of the story. Encourage them to use Scratch for this using the “Comment” feature.
“What actions will the robot perform in the beginning, middle, and end of the story?”
Teacher’s Role:
Ensure students are clear on the robot’s actions and how they relate to their stories. You can suggest possible coding blocks (e.g., loops for repeated movements):
“You can use loops to make the robot repeat an action, like moving forward several times or showing an emotion multiple times.”
4. Coding Robot’s Feelings and Messages (10 minutes)
Activity:
Students will program their robot to display emotions using the “Express” block and communicate messages using the “Show Text” block. They’ll learn how to make the robot “feel” and “talk,” just like we do when we show emotions or say something to others.
Introduction:
You may give an example:
“Just like we can smile, frown, or send messages to show how we feel or what we think, robots can do the same! The ‘Express’ block shows emojis on the robot’s display, and the ‘Show Text’ block lets the robot ‘talk’ by displaying short messages.”
For example,
“Imagine your robot is going on a fun adventure—maybe it’s happy to start, but then it gets tired and needs to say ‘I’m sleepy!’ using a sad emoji and text.”
Guide them to code the robot’s first “feeling” using the “Express” block (e.g., smiling when it moves):
“Let’s make the robot smile when it moves forward.”
Once they have practiced that, encourage them to program the robot to display a message with the “Show Text” block (e.g., “Let’s go!” or “I’m ready!”).
“Now, let’s make the robot say, ‘Let’s go!’ when it starts its journey.”
Teacher’s Role:
Guide students in thinking about how the robot “feels” during its actions and what it might “say.” Offer coding assistance as needed, and encourage students to use a mix of emojis and text to make the robot’s behavior fun and expressive. Celebrate creative and funny combinations of emotions and messages.
5. Initial Coding of Story Actions (20 minutes)
Activity:
Students will begin coding the first few actions from their stories using Scratch. They will focus on simple actions like moving the robot, drawing shapes, or displaying emotions/messages.
Instructions:
- Begin by coding the first event from the story, such as the robot moving to a location or drawing a shape.
- Allow students to test their code and make adjustments as they go.
- Encourage them to make their story more alive and engaging by using the previously learned “Wait,” “Play Sound” and “Express” blocks so that the robot feels alive.
“Can you make your robot stop and wait before it moves again? Let’s add a sound effect when it completes an action!”
Teacher’s Role:
Provide coding assistance as students start with small tasks. Remind them to focus on just a few actions today, leaving the rest for the next session.
6. Conclusion and Preparation for the Next Session (5 minutes)
Activity:
Wrap up the session by reviewing what the students accomplished and previewing what they’ll do next time. Encourage them to think about how they’ll finish coding the rest of their story. You may also suggest,
“Think about what props you could build for your story, like a park or a jail, and bring them with you to the next session!”
Teacher’s Role:
Highlight how much they’ve done in writing their stories and coding the first actions. Tell them that the next session will be about finishing and refining their code.
Reflection Questions:
You can ask:
“What’s the next action your robot will take in your story?”
“What part of the story are you most excited to code next time?”
Learning Outcome:
By the end of the session, students will have written a simple robot story, storyboarded key actions, and started coding the robot’s movements and expressions. They will gain experience in breaking down a story into manageable actions and developing the initial steps of their coding projects.