Overview: A fun, interactive activity that challenge students to use creativity and teamwork to move through simple steps of the design process in order to build Sphero-based creations. In this challenge, there are optional activities that provide students time to learn about chariots as they were used throughout history. Students will brainstorm designs for their chariots both individually and in groups. The teams will then have sufficient time to build their own Sphero chariot to race. Also, as a class the students build a macro for Sphero to navigate the course.
LESSON: http://www.timberdoodle.com/Articles.asp?ID=387 - STEM 1 - Chariot Challenge
Overview
A fun, interactive activity that challenge students to use creativity and teamwork to move through simple steps of the design process in order to build Sphero-based creations. In this challenge students will build bridges from finite resources and then program Sphero to drive across. Students have the opportunity to research bridges and brainstorm potential concepts, as well as determine design specifications, and effectively communicate their vision for the bridge before building it.
LESSON: http://www.timberdoodle.com/Articles.asp?ID=387 - STEM 2 - Bridge Building
Overview: A fun, interactive activity that challenges students to use creativity and teamwork to move through simple steps of the design process in order to build Sphero-based creations. The Hydro-hypothesis challenge leverages Sphero’s ability to swim to test whether or not students can build a contraption to transport a load (pennies) across a small body of water. This activity would provide an excellent opportunity to discuss the concepts of buoyancy, density, surface area, and what types of materials float in water.
LESSON: http://www.timberdoodle.com/Articles.asp?ID=387 - STEM 3 - Hyrdo Hypothesis
Overview: A fun, interactive activity that challenges students to use creativity and teamwork to move through simple steps of the design process in order to build Sphero-based creations. In this challenge students will program Sphero to navigate an original maze built by you or by the class. This challenge will require students to gather data about the best route through the maze and figure out how to build a program so that Sphero can successfully navigate through the mayhem
Overview: Students will use the Sphero robotic ball to draw polygons and learn the relationship between heading angles and the number of sides in a polygon where all sides are equal. They will also learn how to set the coloUrs of the lights inside the Sphero. Read through the student guide. At the start of the lesson, go over the concepts of heading and what angles are used to draw a square and a triangle.
Overview: Students will create a bowling course for their Sphero. The course will be created using standard classroom materials from a scale drawing, with attention to detailed angles and measurements. Each point of the triangle will hold a different number of cups set up as pins and Sphero will be placed at its center. Students will develop a strategy to knock down as many pins as possible and create a program that knocks over as many of the cups as possible by adjusting speed, delay and heading. They will then test and improve their program for accuracy and consistency.
LESSON and VIDEO (needs modification based on grade level)