Robotics
Get students thinking about ways to use robots to improve our daily lives with these hands on lesson plans.
By Jennifer Sinsel
Fifty years ago, science fiction enthusiasts dreamed of a world in which people would travel in flying cars, eat rehydrated meals, and sit back to relax while robots cleaned the house. While this “Life of the Future” didn’t exactly come to pass, our present-day lives have definitely become more mechanized than many people ever thought possible. We now have robots that vacuum the floor, warn us when a child falls in the pool, guide us through voice mail commands, manufacture our vehicles, explore our solar system, and entertain our children (Zhu Zhu pets, anyone?). What’s next?
A robot can be defined as a device that is capable of performing tasks on command or according to instructions programmed in advance. Engineers design robots to perform complex tasks more easily and with greater accuracy, oftentimes making our lives easier. Students often have ideas related to improving our daily lives, and introducing them to the field of robotics is an excellent way to channel their imagination.
In groups, challenge the class to list as many examples of robots as they can. Provide them with an example or two (such as an ATM or automatic car wash) if they get stuck on the idea of a robot as the stereotypical humanoid often depicted in movies. After sharing ideas with the rest of the class, present each group with a challenge to construct a robotic arm capable of picking up a Styrofoam cup using a given set of materials. Provide materials such as cardboard, string, binder clips, paper clips, hangers, craft sticks, fishing line, straws, rubber bands, clothespins, and tape. Decide on a distance that students must stand from the cup (such as two feet), and mark it with masking tape. Groups must operate their robotic arm from behind this line after drawing a sketch and constructing their design. After everyone has had the opportunity to test their arm, hold a class discussion on which designs worked well and which didn’t. How could each design be improved? If time permits, allow each team to redesign their arm and test it again! Once your students have been introduced to robotics, extend their thinking with one of the following lesson plans.
Robotics Lesson Plans:
Students learn about robots and what they do. They find out about robotics through engaging in multimedia activities. They research how engineers design robots to perform specific tasks.
In this lesson students find out how robotic arms were used to complete work on the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station. Students then design a grapple to allow an end effector to pick up objects.
This lesson can be a fun way to combine sports and science. Students design a mechanism that can shoot a basketball accurately. As part of this lesson students learn about precision and accuracy.
In this lesson students become engineers of a Mars rover. They discuss what materials should be used to construct the rover, keeping in mind their NASA budget. They then build and discuss the construction of an edible Mars rover.