3 Stages of Cricket Materials

• Stick-Bots

• Sticky-Bots

• Sticky & Junky-Bots

Stick-Bots was a fun, motivating model…

In some ways, TOO motivating! Thus a problem...

Stage 2, Sticky Bots

• OOPS! “non-consumables got consumed”.

• Turned my back, and learned a lesson…

• No such thing as non-consumable consumables (with kids… or teachers ;)

• Consumables want to be CONSUMED! SOoo…

• Same materials, esp. sticks, but used up and the results of building can be kept by students.

• Not as cheap, but pot-luck helps.

• They can get very sticky over time if you use the wrong kind of candy!

But!

• Ultimately this model has limitations too!

• The best way to go is all out…

Just go ahead…

... get REAL Sticky & Junky!

3 Stages of Cricket Materials

• Stick-Bots

• Sticky-Bots

• Sticky & Junky Bots

Stage 3, Sticky & Junky-Bots

• Junk AKA found parts &/or scrounge bags

• Pot-luck Stick-Bot stuff

Sticky & Junky Bots, Gradually..

• Not-A-Bot (Materials)

• Sort-A-Bot (Mech. & Elect. Systems)

• Build-A-Bot (Design, Build, Program)

Not-A-Bots

Start Simple

Design & CreateNon-Mechanical

Robots

Develop Scrounge & Junk Gags!

Evolve to Sort-A-Bots

Decide how to add something to the Not-A-Bot

• Electronics – Make the robot have sound &/or light input &/or output

• Mechanics – Make the robot move in some way• Aesthetics – Make the robot look good

Add the conversions to previous Bot and label.

Can combine Stick-Bots with KNex & Lego…

…can also extend Lego & KNex with Sticks!

The “Gear” Problem…

Can be obtained and built..

But beyond basic structures…

It can get REAL scary!

Difficult, time consuming and less stable than Lego..

Benefits of Crickets

• More Cost-Effective than Lego

• Low Threshold (Easier), Gentle Slope

• Developmental, Incremental

• Address “hard to do” National Science Standards

• Little documentation/curriculum, can use Lego's

• Ultimately, leads back to Lego and other systems...

Model for integrating robotics with materials from the supply and content models like Delta, FOSS, STS etc.(Esp. Electricity, Magnets & Motors, Force & Motion)

Stage 3, Build-A-Bots!

• Exercise for Sunday Afternoon (2 Hours!)

• Form Teams

• Spend Time Planning (CAREFULLY!)

• Do NOT build the first 3 things that come to mind!

(Cars, Bugs and Humanoids)

• Use “Engineering Design Process for Children”

Building Happens

• Not-A-Bot (Materials)

• Sort-A-Bot (Mech. & Elect. Systems)

• Build-A-Bot (Design, Build, Program)