Session Two

Session two Robots
Lesson Plan
Age and size of group: Year 5 or
Year 6
Whole class
Subject/Area of Learning:
Computing/ Design Technology /
Mathematics
Date:
Observed
Lesson:
N
Related Curriculum References:

NC
Resources: Lego, Lego Mindstorm, Lego Mindstorm EV3 home

edition programmer. Large clear spaces, Videos, working
example.
National Curriculum links:

Design, write and debug programs that accomplish specific goals, including controlling or simulating
physical systems; solve problems by decomposing them into smaller parts
Use logical reasoning to explain how some simple algorithms work and to detect and correct errors in
algorithms and programs
Understand what algorithms are; how they are implemented as programs on digital devices; and that
programs execute by following precise and unambiguous instructions
Are responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology.
Generate, develop, model and communicate their ideas through discussion..computer-aided design
Select from and use a wider range of materials and components, including construction materials
Identify: angles at a point and one whole turn, angles at a point on a straight line and 2 1 a turn, other
multiples of 90o
Focused Learning Objectives:
Success Criteria:
My team and I have:
Can I help a team build a robot to carrying out a
Designed a robot to help the local people
specific job?
and can justify how it will help.
Built a robot which will help the local
people.
Begun to discuss how we will program
the robot.
Stages of Teaching
Each section below to include, where appropriate
Key Vocabulary Key Questions Differentiation Extension
Timings
Introduction/Mental Oral Starter:
Key questions will be written in red throughout this lesson plan.
Key words: Lego Mindstorm, this is the Lego robotic we will be using.
Programming, this is the algorithms we write on the computer so the robot knows what to do.
Troubleshooting, when we program it is very rare we get it right first time, therefore we need to go
back through the code and see what we have done wrong.
algorithm, the process or set of rule we write for the robot to function.
10
minutes
Explain to the pupils the people that lived on Wittenham Clumps are very stubborn and are still
refusing to come down from the hill for the Romans. Therefore, we are going to build some robots to
help them with their daily activities to try and entice the local people down from the clumps.
Think, pair share,
What kind of robots do you think would help the local people day to do?
The two example robots on the film are: a wheat collecting robot and a colour sorting robot, useful for
sorting out crops.
Share these ideas and create a class mindmap of all the different ideas. Explain this is collaboration
and you are allowed to use other peoples ideas.
Show the video of the two example robots.
Session two Robots

5
minutes
Show the pupils the working robot. To get this robot to work:
Press the middle button to start up.
Press the right arrow once
Go down and select colour sector,
Press middle button again.
Place a coloured brick on the robot, as shown in the video.
Assessment opportunities/strategies (what, how, who, when?)

Which pupils already have a clear definition of the ley words?
Has anyone already done some programming or used Lego Mindstorm?
Development: To include Whole Class/Group/Independent
Split the groups into teams of five or six, these should be mixed ability groups. Each team can then
be given one of the Lego boxes.
5
minutes
Within the box the pupils will find some whiteboards.

First pupils need to decide what job they want their robots to do, do they want it to collect a crop,
transport people, defend the town ect. Remind pupils to keep their ideas simple, one job per
robot is more than enough.
Next show pupils what each of the different sensors do. Within each Lego box there is a pack with the
pictures of each sensor and their function. (It is also on the website for your reference beforehand.)
25
minutes
1 hour
30
minutes
Pupils to use the white boards to design their robot.

What is the ley function of the robot?
What sensors and motors do they need for this?
What problems can the pupils foresee?
After the pupils have designed a robot and can justify why this will help the local people, they should
then list all the motors and sensors they think they will need. Following this they are ready to move on
to the building stage.
When the pupils are ready to build, encourage the pupils split up into sub teams each pair
responsible for creating part of the robot. For example, with the colour sorting robot: one team in
charge of creating the top section, one team in charge on the second section, one team in charge of
creating a method to spin the bottom section and attaching the other sensors. These can then all be
assembled together at the end.
There are three levels of challenges for this section.
Bronze
Pupils are more than welcome
to use my designs to create
either a wheat gathering robot
or and colour sorting robot.
This way pupils can study the
video and work out what
sensors are used and how they
all fit together.
Silver
Build a robot with a single
function, such as one of the
functions above.
Gold
This should only be attempted
after pupils have completed the
silver challenge. Can the pupils
add a separate function to the
robot? For example, instead of
just collecting the wheat, could
the robot pick it up ready to
place it onto to colour sorter?
This will also help them when

programming as you have
access to both programs to
make either of these robots
work. You can either allow the
pupils to see these programs
or look at them yourself in
order to help them.
How are you going to attach the sections together?
How are you going to make the robot stop in the right place?
Does your robot need to turn around? How are you going to make it turn to the right place?
Session two Robots

(This is normally done through the Gyro sensor, children need a knowledge of degrees and
angles to do this, if this is too complicated, they can program the motors to spin for a certain
number of rotations.)

Which pupils are able to proactively solve problems?
Can any of the team clearly tell you the function of the robot?
Plenary/Conclusion:
Once the pupils have built their robots they need to begin to think about how they will program these.
Although the programming will be done back at school, pupils should fill in the flow sheet provided
within their Lego box to help scaffold their algorithms.
There is an example online and within their Lego box for the colour sorter robot.
Important things for the pupils to think about:
What do they want the robot to do, what is the robots main function?
What sensor will help achieve this?

Which pupils are comfortable using the flow chart?
Which pupils can think through the algorithm logically?

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Session two Robots

Related Curriculum References:

Resources: Lego, Lego Mindstorm, Lego Mindstorm EV3 home

National Curriculum links:

Session two Robots

Assessment opportunities/strategies (what, how, who, when?)

Within the box the pupils will find some whiteboards.

Pupils to use the white boards to design their robot.

This will also help them when

Session two Robots

Assessment opportunities/strategies (what, how, who, when?)

Assessment opportunities/strategies (what, how, who, when?)

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