Sphero: Orb Basics Lesson 3

The next lesson in my series of Sphero lessons aligned to Common Core Standards is the concepts of reading sensors and storing data in variables.  Students will use the free OrbBasic text based iOS app to write simple programs that the Sphero will detect when it is in the air or collides w/ another object.  Upon these conditions the Sphero will then change it's behavior or color.

*All data will be recorded in the free downloaded worksheet by the student.

Objectives (aligned to Common Core Math Standards)

Students will:

• Create a short OrbBasic program that changes the color of the Sphero when it senses that it is in the air.
• Create another OrbBasic program that recognizes when Sphero collides w/ another object and then changes color.
• Create a third OrbBasic program that sends the Sphero in a random direction after the collision.

Students will learn a new command called accelone which causes the Sphero's accelerometer to sense that when it is in the air.  Usually, the accelone is set to 0 but students will set it to to < 200.  Students will use a conditional statement and the LEDC commands to change the color of the Sphero when it is in the air.  If the condition is false then the program will loop back to the beginning.

Sensing collions

Students will create a macro that will be sensing collisions instead of when the Sphero is in the air.  They will build a code to read if the accelerometer is greater than 5000 (indicates when Sphero collides w/ something).  If this conditional statement is true it will then move down to the next line of of the program which commands the Sphero to change to the color of red for 1 second.  

Fun Challenge  

Students will build a code that will make the Sphero drive straight and then move in a random direction after a collision.  (see teacher's guide for code/answer)

To view more educational lessons that you can do w/ the Sphero click here!!!

For my Pinterest board on iOS Apps for the Sphero click here.

Sphero: Percentages

Sphero the innovative and fantastic programmable robotic ball is something I've posted about in the past.  This is a great Ed Tech "toy" that can be used w/ kids of all ages for a wide variety of purposes. However, Orbotix has worked w/ educators to create STEM related lesson plans for 4/5th grade students.  This latest lesson has students using the Sphero to explore percentages using speed and color.

*All data will be recorded by the student in the downloadable worksheet.

Objectives (aligned to Common Core Math Standards)

• Create a one-line program that moves the Sphero at a steady speed for a specified amount of time
• Perform measurements to determine the distance traveled 
• Perform division to calculate speeds
• Perform division to calculate percentages
• Create a two-line program to display a color for a certain length of time
• Have Sphero light up in primary colors (red)
• Have Sphero light up in colors that involve two primary colors (yellow and orange)

Speed

To start out students will create a new macro (program) using the free app MacroLab, then add a roll command and set it to move at 100% speed for 3000 milliseconds (3 seconds).  Once the Sphero stops rolling and starts sliding a piece of masking tape will placed there.  They will then measure from the masking tape (to where the Sphero first stopped) to where it finally ended up.  They will then calculate the speed by dividing the distance by time (3 seconds).  Then students will repeat this process by modifying the macro for the speed at 50% and then at 30%.  At the end they will divide the distance from the 50% experiment by the 100%, and also the distance from 30% experiment by the 100%.  Students should have values of close to .5 and .3 and convert those into percentages.

Color

This is a very fun activity that has students mixing colors to light up the Sphero (FYI, mixing colors w/ light is very different then mixing colors w/ paint).  Students will create a macro (program) by adding a color (RGB) and a delay command.  The color will be set to 100% red and a delay to 3000 msec (3 seconds).  Then they can modify the macro to use 50% red and to make the colors yellow (100% red & 100% green) and orange (100% red & 50% green).  

A fun challenge will be to have students create two different colors using all three primary colors.  Through experimenting they will be asked to make the colors: white (100% red, 100% green, 100% blue) gray (50% red, 50% green, 50% blue), and purple (70% red, 0% green, 100% blue).

I highly recommend checking out Sphero for Education by clicking here!!!

For my Pinterest board on Sphero click here.

Sphero: Polygons and Angles

This is my second post in a series that will cover the educational lesson plans from the SPRK (Schools Parents Robots Kids) program.  In this lesson (designed for 4-5th graders) students will use Sphero to draw polygons and learn the relationship between heading angles and the number of sides in a polygon where all sides are equal.

*All data will be recorded by the student in the downloadable worksheet.

Objectives (aligned to Common Core Math Standards)

• Learn about how the Sphero has a heading that goes from 0 to 360 degrees, and it determines in which direction it will roll.
• Students will write a program to make the Sphero draw a square, where each side of the square is a different color.
• Students will write a program to make draw a triangle, determining the heading angles from clues.
• Students will write a program to make draw a pentagon, determining the heading angles from a formula.

Square

To start out the students will create a new macro using the free MacroLab app.  They will do this adding a color (RGB) command and then a roll command.  They will then repeat this step but w/ a 90 degree heading.  Again they will repeat this step w/ a 180 degree angle and finally a 270 degree heading.  Of course it is vital that students test these commands by running them to see how the Sphero reacts and adjust accordingly.

Triangle

After having the Sphero draw a square they will draw a triangle.  After discussing why 360 degrees in a circle is divided up into 4 equal parts at 90 degree angles forms a square students will divide 360 degrees into 3 equal parts at 120 degrees.  Students will create a new macro and add a color (RGB) command w/ a roll command of a heading of 0.  They will repeat this step w/ a 120 degree heading and a stop command delay of 255.  Finally, they'll add another macro w/ a color (RGB) command, w/ a 240 degree heading, and a stop command w/ a delay of 255.  Finally, they modify their macro by adding stop/delay commands at the end of each side of triangle.

Fun Challenge

This challenge is to see if the students have understood the concepts by having a Sphero draw a pentagon.  They'll need to figure out that a pentagon has 5 sides and heading directions will be 360 / 5 = 72 degrees.  Their macro will need to look like this... 

1. Add a RGB command for red and roll w/ heading of 0.
2. Add a RGB command for green and roll w/ heading of 72.
3. Add a RGB command for blue and roll w/ heading of 144.
4. Add a RGB command for yellow and roll w/ heading of 216.
5. Add a RGB command for purple and roll w/ a heading of 288.

For my Pinterest board on Sphero Apps click here.