[RL8] Grade 8 – Curriculum Overview

Session Length: 50-60 minutes
Learning Style: Experimental learning, creative problem-solving
Key Learnings (Sessions 1-10):

  • Session 1-2: Refresher on Arduino syntax; understanding response times of sensors/actuators.
  • Session 3-4: Introduction to advanced logic (e.g., combining sensor data for decision-making).
  • Session 5-6: Design challenges focused on obstacle detection, avoidance, and mapping environments.
  • Session 7-8: Introduction to creating custom arenas and real-world simulations using craft materials.
  • Session 9-10: Final project: designing an interactive, autonomous bot for complex tasks (e.g., object sorting, mapping obstacles).

Equipment Needed: (Included in the kit) M3D Go, Arduino IDE, sensors, servo motors, actuators, crafting materials, Not included in the kit: glue gun for arena creation, laptop

Course Breakdown

1. Bot Basics: Movement and Code

Students will begin by writing simple code to control the bot’s movement (forward, backward, rotate) using the Arduino platform. They’ll manually operate the bot to understand how each line of code translates to physical actions, fostering a strong intuition about coding and movement.

2. Sensing the World: Feedback in Action

In this lesson, students will explore how sensors gather data. They will write code to display sensor readings on the bot’s screen and conduct experiments to see how different surfaces affect sensor performance. This hands-on activity will help them grasp the concept of response times and how sensors interact with the environment.

3. Mapping Obstacles: The Scan and Avoid

Students will use the distance sensor to program the bot to scan its environment for obstacles. They will learn to implement simple avoidance strategies based on sensor data, allowing the bot to navigate around obstacles effectively.

4. Enhancing Line Following: Dynamic Adjustments

Building on previous line-following lessons, students will refine their algorithms to adjust for different brightness levels and line widths. They’ll test their bots on various track designs to see how well they adapt to changes in the environment.

5. Design Challenge: Create Your Arena

Students will use glue guns and other materials to design an arena for their robots. They’ll collaborate in groups to create obstacles and pathways, enhancing their creativity while understanding how design impacts robotic movement.

6. Testing Performance: Speed and Response Times

In this lesson, students will conduct experiments to measure the response times of their sensors and actuators. They’ll compare different settings and configurations, documenting how changes in code affect the bot’s performance in real-time scenarios.

7. Dumper Automation: Coding for Tasks

Students will focus on programming the dumper for specific tasks, such as picking up and delivering items within their designed arenas. This lesson will involve task sequencing and conditional logic to create a fully automated process.

8. Collaborative Bots: Teamwork in Action

In this session, students will program two or more bots to work together to complete a task, such as transporting items between designated points. They’ll learn about inter-bot communication and coordination, enhancing their understanding of collaborative robotics.

9. Final Project: The Arena Challenge

Students will put all their learning together in a final project where their bots must navigate the arena they created, completing tasks like avoiding obstacles, following paths, and using the dumper. They’ll present their designs and code, explaining their logic and the challenges they faced.

10. Showcase and Reflection: What We’ve Learned

In the final session, students will showcase their bots in a friendly competition, demonstrating their functionality in the arena. They will reflect on their learning journey, discussing the relationships between code, design, and robotic behavior.