LEGO WeDo: Introducing Primary Students to Robotics with the Concept of Systems

LEGO WeDo is a new robotic system designed for primary

age children. This session will both review how WeDo

was utilized in a 15-hour summer program for

kindergarten through third graders and provide an

interactive demonstration of the drag-and-drop block programming language.

Steve CoxonCollege of William and Mary’s Center for

Gifted Education, Williamsburg

1:45 – 3:15 PMFocus: K-3

Session overview

• Materials and format of 15 hour summer session (5, 3-hour days).– Organization, scheduling– Letters to parents– Concept mapping– Systems model– Frayer vocabulary

• Programming overview

LEGO WeDo: The science and engineering of roboticsThe Center for Gifted Education’s (CFGE) Summer Enrichment Program (SEP) 2009

Teacher: Steve Coxon; Assistant: Mr. SmithDear students and families,

I am very excited to be teaching this new robotics course! Before leaving the classroom to pursue my Ph.D. full-time at the College of William and Mary and to work at the CFGE, I served as a FIRST LEGO League (FLL) coach for five years at the elementary school where I taught fourth and fifth grade in southwest Virginia. I have also served as a mentor to new coaches and as an FLL competition judge at both the local and state levels. When I saw that LEGO had introduced a new robotics kit, the WeDo, I knew I would have to design a new SEP course!

In this course, students will problem solve to design, engineer, and program robots using LEGO bricks, a computer, a motor, and other special elements. Students will learn to incorporate tilt and motion sensors into their designs. Students will test their designs and programming. After reflecting on what did and did not work students can consult with peers, adapt programming, and adjust their designs. The macro-concept of systems and the Frayer model of vocabulary development will be integrated into the course to deepen students’ understandings of robotics’ use in science and engineering. Students will generally work in pairs and will have the experience of working with several other students, as we will switch pairs several times. We will also work on teamwork with particular foci on politeness, fair sharing, “I messages,” and constructive feedback. It is my expectation that students will act with gracious professionalism. On Friday, families are invited in at 11:00 a.m. to observe their children’s robotics demonstrations. Families and students will receive pre- and post-assessments on the student’s understandings of robots and the concept of systems. Families and students will also receive summative assessment of the student’s daily progress on course objectives, teamwork, and robot design.Some important things to remember:•Students may arrive between 8:45 and 9 a.m. Please do not arrive earlier. Unless your child is participating in an afternoon SEP course, families should arrive to pick up between 11:55 a.m. and 12:05 p.m. Families are invited in on Friday at 11:00 a.m. to observe their children’s robotics demonstrations.•Without exception, no child will be allowed to leave with any adult (even mom or dad) unless a driver’s license matching a name on the child’s pick up form is shown. Licenses will be checked every day for every child for your child’s safety .•If any LEGO pieces accidently make it home, please return them the following day. We do not have extra pieces for these kits at this time; missing pieces could prevent some projects from completion.•Students are welcome to bring a snack, but please do not bring peanuts or products containing peanuts. Students are not allowed to use the vending machines.•We do not administer any medication except for EpiPens, which should have prior approval and be labeled with the child’s first and last names.

If needed, I may be reached by cell phone between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. at XXX-XXX-XXXX. I do not make a habit of answering the phone while teaching, but will check for messages at our break and around the end of class. You may also e-mail me at coxonsteve@hotmail.com.

Sincerely,Steve Coxon

LEGO WeDo235 Jones Hall

Family members are welcome to come and see their student’s robotic creations and programs today, arriving anytime between 11 and 11:30. Expect to spend about 10

minutes. Students will need to begin our end of the day procedures at 11:40 a.m. and class will conclude at noon, as usual.

For family members who cannot make it in, I will take a digital picture of each project. You are welcome to e-mail me at coxonsteve@hotmail.com for a copy.

Also, several families have asked about purchasing a WeDo set. Search for product number W991479, which includes the necessary software, at http://

www.legoeducation.com/.

LEGO WeDo: The science and engineering

of robotics

Teacher: Mr. CoxonAssistant: Mr. Smith

Your name: ________________________________

Organization of your kit:

MONDAY8:45-9:15 Check in K’nex tub

9:15-10 Welcome, introduction, team building

Hand squeeze challengeConcept map pre-assessmentFrayer vocabulary model

10:00-10:30 “Order the human robot” game

Ball

10:30-10:45 Bathroom break

10:45-11 About the pieces: organization and what’s what

KitsIntro video

11-11:40 (add time here if speedier)

Build “Dancing Birds,” program and experiment as time allows

Kits

11:40-12 Organize kitComplete day’s learning logPlay with K’nex

Learning LogK’nex tub

Sample Concept Map

Center for Gifted Education, The College of William and Mary, 2009

Robot concept map (pre-assessment)

Robots

Vocabulary BuildingDefinition Characteristics

Examples Non-Examples

Center for Gifted Education, The College of William and Mary, 2009

Robot

Learning Log for: MondayGracious professionalism:___ I showed politeness ___ I shared fairly ___ I gave my partner constructive feedback ___ I used “I messages” when talking to my partner

What I did today:

What I learned today:

I think that the most important thing to remember is that:

What I still want to know:

TUESDAY8:45-9:15 Check in K’nex tub

9:15-9:30 Welcome back, review of yesterday, team building

Hand squeeze challenge(OBSERVED 9:15-9:45)

9:30-10 Systems intro Systems pre-assessmentGracious professionalism

10-10:30 Order the human robot game in pairs

Balls or other object

10:30-10:45 Bathroom break

10:45-11:40 Build and program the “smart spinner”

Kits

11:40-12 Organize kitComplete day’s learning logPlay with K’nex

Learning LogK’nex tub

Boundaries

Elements

Inputs Outputs

Interactions

Analyzing a robot as a system (Pre-assessment)

Systems• Provide examples:

• Provide non-examples:

• On the back, categorize your list. Include every item. • What generalizations can you make about systems?

Center for Gifted Education, The College of William and Mary, 2009

Gracious ProfessionalismPoliteness example:

Politeness non-example:

Fair sharing example:

Fair sharing non-example:

“I message” example:

“I message” non-example:

Constructive feedback example:

Constructive feedback non-example:

Gracious Professionalism

Vocabulary BuildingDefinition Characteristics

Examples Non-Examples

Center for Gifted Education, The College of William and Mary, 2009

GraciousProfessionalism

Learning Log for (circle one): Tuesday___ I showed politeness ___ I shared fairly ___ I gave my partner constructive feedback ___ I used “I messages” when talking to my partner

What I did today:

What I learned today:

I think that the most important thing to remember is that:

What I still want to know:

WEDNESDAY8:45-9:15 Check in K’nex tub

9:15-9:30 Welcome back, review of yesterday, team building

Hand squeeze challenge

9:30-10 Systems continued Aquarium as a system

10-10:30 Build and program a choice from the “wild animals” choices

Kits

10:30-10:45 Bathroom break

10:45-11:40 Build and program a choice from the “wild animals” choices

Kits

11:40-12 Organize kitComplete day’s learning logPlay with K’nex

Learning LogK’nex tub

Systems • Draw an aquarium

• Draw and label – Elements – Inputs – Outputs– Boundaries

Learning Log for (circle one): Wednesday___ I showed politeness ___ I shared fairly ___ I gave my partner constructive feedback ___ I used “I messages” when talking to my partner

What I did today:

What I learned today:

I think that the most important thing to remember is that:

What I still want to know:

THURSDAY8:45-9:15 Check in K’nex tub

9:15-9:30 Welcome back, review of yesterday, team building

Hand squeeze challenge

9:30-10 Systems continued Systems model

10-10:30 Design own or choose a model to build and program

Kits

10:30-10:45 Bathroom break

10:45-11:40 Design own or choose a model to build and program

Kits

11:40-12 Organize kitComplete day’s learning logPlay with K’nex

Learning LogK’nex tub

Boundaries

Elements

Inputs Outputs

Interactions

Analyzing a/an _____________________________ as a system

Learning Log for (circle one): Thursday___ I showed politeness ___ I shared fairly ___ I gave my partner constructive feedback ___ I used “I messages” when talking to my partner

What I did today:

What I learned today:

I think that the most important thing to remember is that:

What I still want to know:

FRIDAY8:45-9:15 Check in K’nex tub

9:15-9:30 Welcome back, review of yesterday, team building

Hand squeeze challenge

9:30-10 Post-assessments Robots as a systemRobot concept map

10-10:45 Complete building and programming of own design

Kits

10:45-11:00 Bathroom break

11:00-11:40 Parents attend Kits

11:40-12 Organize kitComplete day’s learning logPlay with K’nex

Learning LogK’nex tub

Robot concept map (post-assessment)

Robots

Boundaries

Elements

Inputs Outputs

Interactions

Analyzing a robot as a system (Post-assessment)

Learning Log for (circle one): Friday___ I showed politeness ___ I shared fairly ___ I gave my partner constructive feedback ___ I used “I messages” when talking to my partner

What I did today:

What I learned today:

I think that the most important thing to remember is that:

What I still want to know:

Center for Gifted Education College of William and Mary

Concept goal and outcomes generalizations for systems

Generalizations: Outcomes:

(Students will be able to…)

Systems have elements. Recognize that a robot is a system with identifiable elements.

Systems have boundaries.

Define the boundaries of a robot system.

Systems have input and output.

Discover that systems have identifiable inputs and outputs.

The interactions and outputs of a system change when its inputs, elements, or boundaries change.

Observe the nature and behavior of a system as its elements interact with each other and with input from outside the system.