STEM Challenge: Robots with Teams

Context for Challenge

Students will become robotics engineers, tasked with designing a robot that can stand on its own legs and then kick a paper ball.

Constraints and Success Criteria

The robot must be able to stand independently and kick a ball made out of paper. The robot must also fit within a 12×12 inch base. Teams will be given two class periods to build and test their robots.

In the final tournament, each team’s robot will take turns acting as both a kicker and a goalie. The robot must be able to kick the ball accurately toward a goal. Finally, when in the goalie role, it must be placed in front of the goal to block shots.

Materials

Set Up

1. Prepare Materials: Ensure you have all the necessary materials ready beforehand and organize them so that they are easily accessible to students. Students should use no more than five of any one material per creation! For example, a student can use five straws and five pieces of paper, but not ten straws. If you provide aluminum foil, no more than one arm’s length piece for each student!
2. Provide Guidelines and Constraints: Reiterate the challenge to students, as needed. Building time is 45 minutes!
3. Model the Design Process: Before students begin, demonstrate the design process by going through the steps yourself. Discuss how to brainstorm ideas, create prototypes, test them, and make iterations based on the results, as needed.
4. Encourage Collaboration: Foster a collaborative environment where students can work together in pairs. Encourage them to share ideas, help each other troubleshoot challenges, and provide constructive feedback throughout the process. But no groups of three!
5. Support Adaptation: Encourage students to embrace the mindset of adaptation and problem-solving. Help them see that setbacks and failures are opportunities to learn and make improvements. Guide them in identifying areas for adaptation and brainstorming alternative solutions.
6. Facilitate Reflection: Set aside time for students to reflect on their design process and decision-making. Ask questions that prompt them to think critically about their choices, challenges they faced, and what they learned from the experience. Students can reflect individually, in pairs, or as a whole-class discussion.
7. Celebrate and Showcase: Celebrate students’ efforts and showcase their work.

CASEL Discussion Questions

Five questions aligned to Social Awareness and Relationship Skills — our focus CASEL competency for Module 4 and Module 5 —  for teachers to foster an engaging discussion and social-emotional learning