Encounter Edu offers a classroom bundle for Code Smart Ages 11-14 which contains everything you need to get started with coding and robotics in your classroom.
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Lesson overview
In the sixth lesson of this unit of work, your class will learn about some of the ways in which technology has failed in the past, and how engineers have worked to overcome those problems. They will then look back over the hardware and software they have been using in the past five lessons and combine these skills to complete challenges. This lesson should be used as an opportunity to consolidate learning, revisit any shaky territory and experiment with combinations of inputs, outputs and different ways of coding the mBot.
Learning outcomes
- Understand that failure is an important part of technology development
- Describe how failure and persistence can help them learn
- Link a variety of inputs to a variety of outputs using code
- Debug programs
- Share learning
- Identify and share problems encountered with solutions
Lesson steps
- Video opener (5 mins)
Introduction to learning through failure. Today’s challenge is to look back at the skills the class have learned and combine them to complete one or more of the challenges. - Classroom discussion (5 mins)
Students will discuss the video and what they have learned by ‘getting it wrong’ the first time. Students will then choose one or more of the challenges to complete. - Make (30 mins)
Students will revisit the learning from the past five lessons and combine hardware and software skills to solve at least one of the challenges. - Test (10 mins)
Test the robot works as expected. Each group should share what challenge they chose and complete a brief demonstration. - Reflect (10 mins)
Students will reflect on their learning, including problems they had and how they solved them.
Equipment required (per group)
- mBot with remote
- Laptop or tablet with mBlock
- Black tape and a light surface
- Materials to serve as obstacles