Session Name 9: The Great Treasure Hunt Challenge
Equipment Required:
- M3D Robotics kit with distance sensor, line sensor, and dumper attachment
- Laptops with Arduino IDE and Web BLE setup
- USB/OTG cables to connect the robot to the laptop
- Materials for arena setup: boundary markers (tape or rope), treasure markers (colored tape or small items), obstacles like blocks or cones
- Score sheet and timer
Learning Objectives:
- Apply sensor data and programming logic to create autonomous navigation and interactive responses.
- Understand and implement strategies for obstacle avoidance, treasure detection, and boundary control.
- Present and explain design logic, problem-solving techniques, and strategies for success.
1. Introducing the Treasure Hunt Challenge (5 minutes)
Activity:
Start with an enthusiastic introduction to the treasure hunt, explaining that students’ robots will be treasure hunters navigating an arena full of obstacles. Their objective is to gather as many treasures as possible by following directions and avoiding boundaries.
Discussion Points and Engagement Questions:
“Who here has gone on a scavenger hunt or played a game where you had to find hidden items?”
“What skills do you think a robot would need to find treasures and avoid obstacles?”
“How might a robot remember the number of treasures it has found?”
Build excitement by describing the treasure hunt as a real challenge for “robotic adventurers” and letting students know they’ll need both strategy and creativity to win.
Teacher’s Role:
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Explain that the robots will follow paths, detect treasures using line sensors, avoid obstacles using distance sensors, and interact with users through Web BLE prompts.
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Briefly outline the competition rules, scoring, and time limits to create a sense of friendly competition.
2. Building the Treasure Arena (10 minutes)
Activity:
Guide students in setting up the arena, placing boundaries, obstacles, and treasure markers. Emphasize that the layout should challenge the robots while still providing clear paths.
Arena Setup Ideas:
- Treasure Markers: Use colored tape or small objects scattered around the arena as “treasure spots” that robots detect with line sensors.
- Boundaries and Obstacles: Use tape or cones to create boundaries and obstacles the robots must avoid, with narrow paths for an extra challenge.
- No-Go Zones: Optionally, create restricted areas using a different color or pattern, where students can program the robot to stop if detected.
Teacher’s Role:
- Help students design a balanced arena that challenges their robots without being overly difficult.
- Encourage teamwork and creativity in setting up obstacles and treasure spots.
Engagement Questions:
“Where would be a good place for treasure markers? What might make finding them harder?”
“How can we set up the obstacles to make the path more interesting?”
3. Programming Treasure Detection and Interactive Responses (15 minutes)
Activity:
Guide students through coding the robot to detect treasure markers, track the number of treasures, and prompt users for direction when they reach a treasure.
Discussion Points and Engagement Questions:
“What’s the best way to keep track of the treasures a robot finds?”
“If your robot could talk, what directions might it ask for after finding treasure?”
- Emphasize the importance of tracking treasures and why interactive responses add value to the robot’s navigation.
Teacher’s Role:
- Encourage students to think critically about how each part of the program (line sensor detection, distance sensor obstacle avoidance, Web BLE input) works together to help the robot navigate and gather treasures.
Fun Idea:
- Let students give fun names to the treasures or paths and incorporate it into the robot’s notification commands.
4. Boundary and Obstacle Avoidance Programming (10 minutes)
Activity:
Students will program their robots to use the distance sensor to detect and avoid obstacles. The robot should turn around when it encounters a boundary or obstacle within a certain range.
Engagement Questions:
“How would you tell a friend to turn around if they walked into a wall?”
“Why is it important for the robot to stay within boundaries while looking for treasure?”
- Explain how programming boundary detection helps the robot stay on course and avoid getting “lost” in the arena.
Teacher’s Role:
- Guide students to understand the purpose of boundaries in keeping the robot within the search area.
- Encourage them to use creativity in adjusting distance and turning angles to fine-tune how the robot avoids obstacles.
5. Testing and Debugging (10 minutes)
Activity:
Students test their robots within the arena to troubleshoot their code. They can adjust settings for boundary sensitivity, treasure detection, and user input based on their test results.
Teacher’s Role:
- Offer guidance on testing strategies, such as isolating treasure detection first, then boundary detection, and finally combining all elements.
- Help students troubleshoot common errors or difficulties, such as misreads from the line sensor or incorrect distances in obstacle avoidance.
Engagement Questions:
“What surprised you during testing?”
“If your robot isn’t finding treasures, where might the problem be?”
6. The Treasure Hunt Challenge and Scoring (15 minutes)
Activity:
Each team has a set time limit to gather as many treasures as possible while avoiding obstacles and boundaries. Teams are scored based on treasures found, efficient navigation, and successful avoidance of boundaries and obstacles.
Scoring Ideas:
- Treasure Points: Award 1 point for each treasure found.
- Obstacle Avoidance Bonus: Award extra points for avoiding obstacles or completing narrow paths.
- Boundary Penalty: Deduct points for any boundary violations or getting stuck.
Teacher’s Role:
- Keep the atmosphere lighthearted and encourage friendly competition.
- Use a scoreboard or timer to keep track of each team’s progress, adding a sense of urgency and excitement to the competition.
Engagement Questions for the Audience:
“Which team do you think has the best strategy?”
“How did each team’s approach differ? What worked best?”
7. Wrap-Up and Reflection (5 minutes)
Activity:
Gather the teams for a reflection discussion on what they learned during the treasure hunt, including coding strategies, teamwork, and problem-solving.
Discussion Questions:
“What was the hardest part of the challenge? How did you solve it?”
“If you could improve your robot’s strategy, what would you change?”
“Where else might we use robots with sensors like this in real life?”
Teacher’s Role:
- Highlight how students applied a range of skills in a practical, fun project.
- Congratulate all teams for their efforts and creativity, emphasizing that everyone’s approach contributed to unique solutions.
Learning Outcome:
By the end of this session, students will have demonstrated their cumulative robotics knowledge by programming a robot that can autonomously navigate, detect treasures, avoid obstacles, and interact with users in real-time. This hands-on treasure hunt reinforces algorithmic thinking, collaboration, and practical application of robotic principles in an engaging and memorable way.