Category:

Robotics

Eight Children’s Books to Promote Girl Power in STEM

by Valerie Cox September 14, 2021

written by Valerie Cox

Encouraging girls to participate in STEM activities might seem daunting, but it can easily be done simply by reading books. Reading STEM books introduces girls to unique aspects of the STEM community and could encourage them to try STEM activities themselves. Whether reading to students after recess or reading to your daughter before bedtime, books are an ideal way to help promote STEM activities to girls.

1. “Mae Among the Stars” by Roda Ahmed

In “Mae Among the Stars,” readers will learn about pursuing their dreams even when others don’t agree. This book tells the story of Dr. Mae C. Jemison, the first African American female to travel in space. Young Mae is fascinated with space, but discovers her teacher and classmates don’t think she can become an astronaut. With her parent’s support, Mae becomes a doctor, engineer, and astronaut and achieves her childhood dream.

2. “How to Code a Rollercoaster” by Josh Funk

For fans of “How to Code a Sandcastle,” Pearl and Pascal are back and learning more about how coding works. But this time, they’re at an amusement park. As they enjoy the amusement park, Pearl and Pascal use coding to track their tokens and the amount of time they spend standing in line for rides. “How to Code a Rollercoaster” is a great introduction to the world of coding and teaches basic coding fundamentals and principles.

3. “Secret Engineer: How Emily Roebling Built the Brooklyn Bridge” by Rachel Dougherty

Girls will discover the engineering story behind the Brooklyn Bridge in this interesting read. As a young girl, Emily studied science and math and continued building her skills as she grew, even though many didn’t understand why. After her father-in-law died and her husband was injured after starting the planning and construction of the Brooklyn Bridge, Emily’s skills were put to good use when she completed this project which became one of the world’s most iconic bridges.

4. “The Girl With a Mind for Math: The Story of Raye Montague” by Julia Finley Mosca

As part of the Amazing Scientists series, “The Girl With a Mind for Math” presents the story of Raye Montague. She was the creator of the first computer-generated draft of a U.S. naval ship and the Navy’s first female program manager of ships. Young Raye’s interest was sparked by visiting a submarine with her grandfather. Despite having to overcome both racial and gender discrimination, she became one of the Navy’s most-celebrated civilian employees.

5. “Boxitects” by Kim Smith

Not only does “Boxitects” introduce readers to architecture, but it also teaches the importance of teamwork. Meg is a “boxitect” who loves building and creating structures out of boxes. Her creations are always the best until a new student and fellow boxitect arrives at school. Meg and her new classmate must find a way to work together and use their architectural talents to win the contest.

6. “Dinosaur Lady: The Daring Discoveries of Mary Anning, the First Paleontologist” by Linda Skeers

“Dinosaur Lady” tells the story of Mary Anning who discovered dinosaur bones on an English beach and became the first paleontologist. Mary made many fossil discoveries throughout her career, and some of her discoveries were housed in places that she couldn’t access simply because she was a girl. Mary persevered and continued her paleontology journey even when most didn’t believe females should be members of the science community.

7. “The World Is Not a Rectangle: A Portrait of Architect Zaha Hadid” by Jeanette Winter

After reading “The World Is Not a Rectangle,” girls will know the story of esteemed architect Zaha Hadid. Born in Iraq, young Zaha discovers a love for math and engineering, and after studying in London, she becomes an architect. Soon, people all over the world wanted her to design a structure for their city. Readers will follow Zaha’s life as she builds upon her love for math and engineering by designing renowned structures around the world.

8. “Hello Ruby: Journey Inside the Computer” by Linda Liukas

As part of the Hello Ruby series, “Journey Inside the Computer” teaches readers about the different components of a computer and how they operate. Ruby and Mouse discover the computer isn’t working, so they go inside it to find the missing Cursor. As they search for Cursor, they encounter other computer elements that help Ruby and Mouse learn how a computer works.

By reading books, girls are introduced to countless inspiring female STEM leaders as well as different aspects of STEM. Today, it might seem like just reading a book, but it could be the spark that ignites the interest of one of the next great female leaders in STEM.

Interested in learning more about STEM education? Check out TCEA’s self-paced STEM courses and certifications and other STEM and STEAM blog posts.

Valerie Cox is a contributing writer for LOC Scientific. She is passionate about helping children learn more about the science community and has written a number of articles on involving children more in STEM activities. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, traveling, and volunteering in her local community.

September 14, 2021 0 comment

Announcements/Important Dates Robotics STEM/STEAM

2020-21 Whirligig Robotics Contest Wrap Up

by Peggy Reimers April 27, 2021

written by Peggy Reimers

Due to the pandemic, the gold standards of contest and convention platforms had to go through a big change. Whirli-bots: Motion Commotion became the first-ever TCEA Virtual Robotics Contest (VRC.)

Taking the Contest Virtual

In converting our contest, our initial conversation always kept in mind these questions:

Were schools involved with robotics offering remote learning, face-to-face, or a combination of remote and F2F?
Would teams have access to robotics equipment?
Could interruptions happen to send students home for extended periods of time?
Would teams be able to meet and work on their robot?
Would districts allow their students to travel?

So with these questions in mind, we left the contest as open-ended as possible with a set of minimum parameters. We believe that creative ideas come from fewer instructions rather than more. Creativity would not just involve robot design and performance, but video content.

This competition let students become creators, videographers, and promoters. Teams could work on their entry from school or a remote learning environment. Another twist to the contest was changing up the divisions. Teams entered by two categories:

Grade level (K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12)
Geographical locations (North + Out of State, East, West, and South)

Awards

Because this was a different kind of contest, TCEA did not award traditional places (1st, 2nd, 3rd.) We established one award for the most votes received on the submission platform. The main goal for the VRC was to avoid limiting creativity, so we recognized accomplishments after watching the submissions. The judges came up with several awards:

Innovative Design
Texas-Sized Creativity
Out of the Box Design
Engineering Excellence
The Whole Enchilada
Impressive Build
Scientific Spin
Lone Star

The judges were certainly pleased with all the great video submissions.

North 9-12 : Tiny Stark Labs, Clyde ISD – Engineering Excellence Award

East 3-5 : Brice Team 1, Mount Pleasant ISD – Best Design Award

South 6-8 : TechArt Toros, Seguin ISD – Out of the Box Design Award

West 6-8 : The Carniboos, Midland ISD – The Whole Enchilada Award

See the full list of winners here.

Are You Ready for Your Robotics Contest to Go Virtual?

If you are planning your own virtual robotics competition, here is the list of components we used to plan the 2020-21 TCEA virtual event:

Divisions (grade, age, or geographical)
Registration (Google Form, database, email)
Submission platform (We used Woobox – free and fee-based options)
Timeframe (registration, entry and closing dates, voting)
Student release forms
Budget (fees and other expenses)
Contest challenge or prompt
Website (display the contest information)
Rules
Visual examples (engineering design process, videos, other resources)
Judges
Awards

Feel free to reach out to Katie (treat@tcea.org) or myself (preimers@tcea.org) for more information on planning your very own virtual competition.

April 27, 2021 0 comment

Robotics

SPIKE Prime vs. Robot Inventor

by Peggy Reimers April 22, 2021

written by Peggy Reimers

Dear TCEA Responds:

I am currently drafting a grant to upgrade my district’s LEGO competition robotics and am not sure which way competitions will go, considering the upcoming retirement of the EV3 platform.

I see the LEGO SPIKE Prime core set and the LEGO Inventor series are now available. The Inventor series looks like it would be more appropriate for my student body population (GT middle school), yet I see the LEGO SPIKE promoted on the TCEA site regarding competitions. I want to request funding for the LEGO product that will allow the broadest competition level (TCEA, FLL, and EcoBots, to name a few).

Any guidance you can give is appreciated. Thank you!

Melba

Dear Melba:

Thanks for writing. What a great question to bring up for educational robotics. Look below for the information I have unearthed, plus a handy-dandy comparison chart between SPIKE Prime and Robot Inventor.

A Little Robot History

For the third generation of MINDSTORMS, LEGO built two sets around the EV3 Intelligent Brick. Both systems contained the exact same brick, but the sets were targeted to separate audiences. The #31313 retail set was developed for home users such as children and hobbyists. The #45544 was created for students and teachers in an educational setting.

SPIKE Prime and MINDSTORMS Inventor

LEGO has now repeated this same strategy with the fourth evolution of the MINDSTORMS robotic system. LEGO sells the #51515 Robot Inventor as the retail version for home and hobby use. The #45678 SPIKE Prime core set is targeted for education. The programmable Hub is the exact same for both sets. The only differences between the two Hubs are the color and the pre-installed firmware. Look below for my comparison chart between these two systems:

Helpful Websites

SPIKE Prime

To purchase, visit the LEGO Education website.
Device Guide
Technic Building Elements Overview
Expansion Set (603 pieces for $104.95)

Robot Inventor

To purchase, visit the LEGO.com website.
Device Guide
Quick Start Guide with Technic Building Elements

Additional Notes about the Robots

The fourth-generation Programmable Hub is half the weight of the EV3 Brick.
The sensor and motor cables have gone through a total redesign from the EV3 and NXT. The SPIKE Prime cables are softer and flatter than the EV3. And containing your cable around your builds is a nice upgrade. The cables are also non-detachable from the sensors and the motors.
With the release of the new EV3 Classroom app, SPIKE Prime programming are both based on Scratch 3.0. The two systems have Python coding capability.
Check out this blog for more information on SPIKE Prime.

April 22, 2021 0 comment

Student working with a red tray from the EV3 robotics set.

Robotics STEM/STEAM

The EV3 Robot Retires

by Peggy Reimers February 22, 2021

written by Peggy Reimers

LEGO Education has announced the retirement plans for the LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Education version robotics system. The third generation of LEGO robotics (#45544) will be officially retired on June 31, 2021.

The LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3 Home/Retail Edition set (LEGO #31313) retirement was announced in the later part of 2020.

Time line with the 4 LEGO systems: RCX, NXT, EV3 and SPIKE Prime. — Timeline created in Google Slides by author.

The LEGO Bots History

I’ve been around the block for the four iterations of LEGO robotics. I’m not as old as the LEGO brick (I wasn’t even born when it came out in 1958), but I did teach with the very first LEGO MINDSTORMS system, the RCX back in the day. The first generation of LEGO MINDSTORMS was born in 1998. July 2006 brought the second generation on board with the NXT. The EV3 (the third evolution of LEGO robots) became available in September of 2013. And, believe it or not, SPIKE Prime has been roaming around mats since January of 2020. So if you do the math, LEGO releases a robotics system approximately every seven years. SPIKE Prime was right on target.

It’s Still a Good Robot

I taught for 24 years, so I remember dollars for robots are tight. I know it is disheartening that you have invested in a system and now something new has come along. Please remember that the EV3 is a very viable robot and you can still get a bunch of mileage out of your EV3 sets. The Classroom app based on Scratch 3.0 was just released for all platforms this year; so we have really new software that supports the EV3. If your EV3 equipment is fairly new, I would buy a couple more bricks or a couple more batteries. If your equipment is ready for a refresh, now is the time to invest in the SPIKE Prime.

Questions and Answers

Friendly little robot graphic. — Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

Will TCEA accept the EV3 in future robotics contests? Yes, most certainly.

How long will LEGO Education support updates to the current EV3 programming apps? June 2023

How long can one expect to receive technical support on EV3 robots? June 2023 (If LEGO support follows their past history, the company will support EV3 longer than just the two years as they did with the NXT.)

Can I purchase EV3 core sets now? Yes, sales will continue in the USA until June 30, 2021, depending on stock availability. My two cents: if you are going to buy more sets, I would not wait much longer to make your purchases.

Can I purchase EV3 motors, sensors, and Technic Building Elements? LEGO will fulfill tech spare parts until 2023.

What’s next for LEGO robotics? According to LEGO Education, “SPIKE Prime is the future and foundation of the LEGO Education portfolio for secondary schools.”

Please note the answers I have provided were found on the LEGO® Education Community I belong to for US Master Educators. These answers were provided the first of February 2021, but might change as the days roll by. If you are looking for a comparison between EV3 and SPIKE Prime, please check out this blog.

As always, go, bot, go!

February 22, 2021 0 comment

Coding/Computer Science Robotics

Qualities to Look for in an Online Robotics Platform

by Bryan Harston, J.D., Guest Author February 5, 2021

written by Bryan Harston, J.D., Guest Author

Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD’s only middle school STEM Academy, located at Central Junior High School, offers a seventh-grade introductory robotics class. The one-semester class is available to aspiring young engineers in both the fall and spring semesters. Under normal circumstances, the compressed single-semester time frame doesn’t pose a hardship. But when our would-be spring break devolved into a rest-of-the-semester shutdown in 2020, I was faced with some interesting constraints on my ability to teach robotics.

Suddenly Remote

When school shutdowns became a thing, my 75 robotics students had already spent eight weeks learning to program their LEGO EV3 robots. But without a robot in each student’s hands, there was no way to continue building on that progress. While my classroom permits a 1:1 student-to-robot ratio in the classroom, we don’t have the 75+ robots I’d have needed for my kids to continue their learning from home.

As you might guess, I started searching online for robotics education solutions. There I found a mix of overly simplistic programs (which would have represented a step backward for my students), hardware-dependent options (which won’t work in a school district where students use a mix of Windows, Mac, and Chromebook devices at home), and some that were prohibitively expensive. But when I discovered the CoderZ virtual robotics platform, I found a viable way to extend hands-on robotics and coding education to my suddenly remote students.

To schools in a similar predicament, or those looking to add coding and robotics to their curriculums in the months to come, here are seven important qualities to look for in an online coding platform:

Technology compatibility. A common issue with computer-based robotics training is hardware compatibility. Before adopting a solution, be sure it works with all types of hardware your students use. (If you’re like us — a district in which students use lots of different platforms — your options may be limited.) A fully web-based platform is compatible with any web-connected computer, including Chromebooks.
Relevance of content. There are lots of well-known, highly respected platforms that teach coding to kids of all ages which is terrific. But robotics is much more than coding. It involves aspects of mechanical engineering, physics, and logical problem solving in 3D space. If you’re trying to teach students to use robots, your online platform needs to teach robotics, not just coding.
Quality visuals. There are actually quite a few providers of online robotics curricula. But in my research, many options showed extremely low-quality, low-detail images. (One popular platform shows a top-down view of a white hexagon traveling around an all-white surface. Not exactly exciting to look at.) When I came across the online platform, the first thing that caught my eye was a great-looking, accurately rendered 3D model of a LEGO EV3 on the screen. That stopped me in my tracks. The platform incorporates a full-motion 3D simulation — in real time — of the LEGO EV3 robot running each student’s code as soon as they click “Run.”
Student engagement. Online instruction makes it all too easy for individual students to “check out” mentally. Just because I see a student looking at the screen during class, it doesn’t mean their mind isn’t a million miles away. For any online instruction, engagement is key. Our new platform has a fun, almost game-like environment. It’s visually engaging, cleverly designed, and realistic; it really grabs – and holds – my students’ attention. It’s the next-best thing to handing them an actual robot.
Self-paced curriculum. Depending on the district, many teachers need online instruction platforms that support both synchronous and asynchronous learning. Self-paced curricula are ideal for that. What’s more, self-paced progression is extremely useful for adapting instruction to those who learn differently. Moreover, platforms that require an entire classroom to work at a single, common pace can quickly feel restrictive (read: boring) for more advanced students. The option to move quickly from one robotics mission to the next keeps even the most advanced students busy and engaged.
Industry and educational partnerships. Developing and maintaining a solid curriculum means working with organizations and institutions to ensure a program meets educational standards and remains content-relevant as technology progresses. CoderZ has partnered with Amazon Future Engineers, a philanthropic initiative that promotes STEM, coding, and robotics in education. I find it reassuring to know that the curriculum is constantly evolving to keep pace with robotics technology in industry.
Price breaks and free offers. Through its outreach program, our platform made its virtual robotics platform available — at no cost — to schools through the end of the ’19-’20 school year. So, while I knew I’d found the kind of platform I needed to maintain continuity of learning, cost really was the deciding factor for us. When our schools closed, so did district purchasing. Yet I was able to immediately adopt a tool that I could start using at once, at no cost, and that would work for all my students (regardless of what type of computing hardware they had at home).

Back in Session with Robotics

Our district is now back in session and offering hybrid instruction for the 2020-21 school year. This underscores the importance of easy, equitable access to a learning environment made for robotics. As one of millions of teachers looking for the best way to serve students during these challenging times, I’m working daily to maintain engagement and drive learning. Our choice of an online robotics platform means that my students and I can move forward with confidence.

Photo by Free Creative Stuff from Pexels

February 5, 2021 0 comment

Robotics

Giving Robotics a Whirl with the 2020-21 TCEA Robotics Contest

by Peggy Reimers September 23, 2020

written by Peggy Reimers

2020 has been quite a year. Everything has been turned topsy-turvy, flip-flopped, and upended. So just to keep things going, let’s add the TCEA robotics contest to this list. The way things have been shaping up there is no way TCEA could guarantee our inventions and arena contests could take place in a face-to-face situation. So what do we do in this case?

1 whole lemon and 1 half lemon — Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay

When life gives your robots lemons, you use them to make lemonade!

We have opened up the boundaries when it comes to the TCEA Robotics Contest. The contest is going virtual, awards have been shaken up, and students are going to become innovative engineers— with a side of videography thrown into the mix. No rubrics or a ton of rules will be laid out, so we are excited to see what the student teams will come up with. The sky is the limit!

I am pleased to announce the 2020-21 TCEA Virtual Robotics Contest.

The Go-To Information

Why change the contest?

Since we don’t know what the coming months will bring, we wanted to have a very open-ended contest where imagination and creativity could take flight. We set a few rules and parameters, but did not want to box teams into a corner where a set of rules governs the outcome.

What is the contest prompt?

A whirligig is an object that spins or whirls. Students will design and build a structure that twists and turns somehow like a whirligig. The motion will be programmed and powered by some type of robotics system. If you can code the robot, you can enter the contest.

Where do I find all the contest information?

The website includes:

The contest prompt
Contest dates (registration, video entry, and voting)
The Engineering Design Process
Highlights
Parameters and rules
Awards
More information
Policy for changes and cancellations

What are the contest and registration dates?

Contest Registration: January 25 – February 19, 2021
Contest Video Entry: February 15 – February 26, 2021
Public Voting: March 1 – March 5, 2021
Registration Fee: $20 per team

What do the students need to accomplish the challenge?

The two main components of the contest :

Design and build a whirli-bot
Video your whirli-bot. Every team has a maximum of 90 seconds to show off their creation. Of course, it might not take 90 seconds to film the whirli-bot, so what else could a team include in their video?

What kind of robot can my student use?

Teams can use any brand of robotics kit or even a combination of two or more systems. LEGO, VEX, Dot and Dash, Cubelets, Ozobots, and other systems out in the world can be used in the contest.

Can other materials be incorporated into the whirli-bot?

Teams are not limited to the items in their robotics kits. They can use everyday items as well as student-made items. Students can reuse, repurpose, and remix a variety of materials to include with their whirli-bot.

What exactly does this look like?

This means dig into those classroom closets, go through your home craft drawers, or raid your garage or shed.

Reuse – cardboard, packing material, plastic containers, etc
Repurpose – dominos, drinking straws, Keurig pods, pool noodles, etc.
Remix – K’NEX building system, Tinkertoys, Lincoln Logs, Zoobs, Makey-Makey, etc.

Students can also make parts and pieces for their whirli-bot, but please remember that these must be student-made items. Items should not be incorporated into the design that have been made by an adult. If you are lucky to have a fabulous relative painting a backdrop or a parent whipping out their jigsaw to cut custom-made blades, the backdrop or jigsawed items will be unacceptable.

Go, Bot, Go!

What about 3D printed pieces?

3D printed pieces are welcome as long as the student has created the digital design.

Where can I get more information?

Check out this episode of TCEA Ed Tech Club podcast all about Whirli-bots Motion Commotion!

Image by shotbyhens from Pixabay

September 23, 2020 0 comment

Coding/Computer Science Robotics STEM/STEAM

Teaching Students About Artificial Intelligence

by Dr. Bruce Ellis May 27, 2020

written by Dr. Bruce Ellis

Though the term “artificial intelligence” (AI) can be traced back to the 1950’s, it really didn’t start getting much traction until recently. Before we talk about ways that you can teach students about AI, let’s define what artificial intelligence is.

Though there’s not 100% agreement on what artificial intelligence is and isn’t, according to Lexico it is, “The theory and development of computer systems able to perform tasks normally requiring human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and translation between languages.” Siw Grinaker gives several clear examples of artificial intelligence in real life on her blog post. And, though more narrative than definitive, Josh Worth, via his post Stop Calling it Artificial Intelligence, tries to bring more clarity as to what it is not.

All that being said, AI is something that is impacting jobs right now and will have a greater impact on our students’ lives. As such, it is important to help them understand more about artificial intelligence so they can better prepare for the job market – regardless of whether they will be working on the back end of designing/supporting artificial intelligence or on the front end of deploying and making use of AI. Here are a few resources that I gathered for you to get you started in having a more intentional discussion about artificial intelligence with your students.

Bingo Game to Learn about Artificial Intelligence

Blakeley H. Payne created a bingo game to help students learn more about artificial intelligence. Reading from the answer sheet, the teacher reads a data set and a prediction while the students try to find the task that is performed on their bingo sheet; students then write down the data set and prediction in the box corresponding to the task they believe is referenced.

You can broaden the information by using the curriculum that has been created and provided by MIT: An Ethics of Artificial Intelligence Curriculum for Middle School Students.

Three Unplugged Activities for Teaching about Artificial Intelligence

ISTE provides three activities for helping students to learn about AI using offline means. The first activity references students’ knowledge of playing Tic-Tac-Toe, the second activity includes mimicking the Turing Machine in which students determine if a given answer to a question is a computer or person, and the third activity focuses on facial recognition. You can find the activities here.

Google AI Experiments

Google AI Experiments has a wide variety of interesting tests that you can read about and participate in. Here are few that I recommend you share with your students as you discuss how AI is involved and what it is doing on the back end:

Teachable Machine – A fast, easy way to create machine learning models – no coding required.
Quick, Draw! – A game where a neural net tries to guess what you’re drawing.
Semi-Conductor – Conduct your own orchestra in the browser by moving your arms.
Shadow Art – Try your hands at the ancient art of shadow puppetry with a little help from AI.

Akinator

This online version of 20 Questions is a fun game for students to play to see if they can stump the computer. After choosing a character, object, or animal, students being answering questions with Yes, No, I don’t know, Probably, and Probably not. After 20 questions, Akinator will guess what you were thinking of.

There are plenty more lessons and activities scattered across the Internet. If we didn’t include an activity you’ve used with your students, be sure to share it with us in the comments below!

May 27, 2020 0 comment

Robotics

Unboxing SPIKE Prime

by Peggy Reimers April 23, 2020

written by Peggy Reimers

The fourth generation of LEGO Robotics was released in January 2020. My SPIKE Prime arrived shortly thereafter and, with the shelter in place, I finally have time to unbox the brand new TCEA set. Check out my first impression of the new robot on the block.

The SPIKE Prime Programmable Brick

Programmable brick is named Smart Hub
5×5 light matrix
6 input/output ports
Integrated 6-axis gyro
Speaker
Bluetooth or USB connectivity
Rechargeable battery

The SPIKE Prime Software

Software is available for Windows, Mac OS, iOS and Android tablets, and Chrome OS
Visual coding language based on Scratch
Lessons (Invention Squad, Kickstart a Business, Life Hacks, and Competition Ready)
Getting started tutorials
Building instructions
Help

A table comparing SPIKE Prime to EV3 — Created by author.

LEGO SPIKE Prime numbered cellophane bags. — Numbered Cellophane Packages. Screenshot by author

The Ultimate BEST CHANGE EVER!

Unboxing a set is so easy – just POUR the numbered bags into correct compartments in the top two trays. No more sorting piece by piece! Anybody who has sorted a brand new kit will JUMP FOR JOY at this change.

The Other Best Changes

The sensor and motor cables are flat and you can build around them.
Includes an extra packet of 108 replaceable parts (Wishing for an extra ball and housing among this bag of parts, but there is one in the Expansion Set)
New names for the sensors: touch = force and ultrasonic = distance
The SPIKE Prime Expansion Set has an extra color sensor and large motor.
I have high hopes for the newly designed wheel.
The battery has a flush fit with the Smart Hub.
The Smart Hub has lots of attachment points.
The programming software has the same interface so it does not matter whether you are on an iPad, Chromebook, or a PC/Mac computer.

Features I Miss from the EV3

The cardboard insert for the bottom of the storage bin. (I made my own.)
No plastic storage for expansion set
The bazookas are gray, not the EV3 shade of red.
The connector pegs are the tan (less friction), not the blue.
Charging the battery with a power cord. SPIKE only comes with a USB cable.
To be contest ready, purchasing the Expansion Set is a must.
No backwards software compatibility with the EV3.

Base plate, frames, integrator bricks, wire clips, and biscuits.

Well-Designed New Parts

Larger frames (7×11 and 11×15)
2×4 bricks with a cross axle hole
11×19 base plates
Wire clips (keep your cables in check)
3×3 biscuits (the biscuit allows for easy change of build direction)

In conclusion, I love the new parts and the color scheme of SPIKE Prime. Right in line with the previous three generations of LEGO robotics, the system just keeps getting better and better. LEGO is aiming the rollout for sixth to eighth-grade students. But in my opinion, SPIKE Prime can easily be introduced at the fourth-grade level. SPIKE Prime will be accepted for the 2020-2021 TCEA Robotics Contest.

If you are unboxing your SPIKE Prime now, please drop a comment and let me know your discoveries. Go Bot Go!

Featured Image photo by LEGO Education.

April 23, 2020 5 comments

Robotics STEM/STEAM

Spring Robotics Challenges for Engaged Learning

by Peggy Reimers March 6, 2020

written by Peggy Reimers

Hey, robotics teachers and coaches, are you looking for a challenge or two for the spring semester? Or perhaps you want to end the 2019-2020 year with a campus or district-wide robotics contest? Well, I have a solution for you from Randy Rodgers. Randy is the Director of Digital Learning Services at Seguin ISD and he has graciously shared his district-wide robotics competition below.

Take It Away, Randy

During our annual STEAM Fair this past spring (2019), Seguin ISD held a district-wide robotics competition. We have after-school clubs at each elementary and middle school campus and robotics classes at our middle schools. We try to emphasize the basics first, advancing to more complex, open-ended challenges as the year goes on, and the contest was a great way to let students show off what they had learned.

The event gave students chances to engage in creative problem-solving, engineering and design, application of scientific principles, and numerous opportunities to “fail productively.” This year’s competition featured four contests which are described in detail below.

Battlebots

Teams will build robots that will attempt to be the last robot in the combat arena.

Several students with their two battle robots. — Battlebots, Photo taken by Randy Rodgers

Game Setup:

Combat Arena will by 8’ x 8’ with boundaries marked with tape.
Robots can only use standard Lego robot components, either EV3 or NXT.
Robots can be controlled by Bluetooth via cellphone, iPad, or other wireless device.
Robot must fit in a 12’x12’x12’ cube at the beginning of each round.

Game Play:

Robots will compete in at least two rounds against up to three other robots (or more).
A round will be over when only one robot remains inside the arena, or when only one robot in the arena is still mobile and functioning.
A robot is deemed out of the arena if all wheels/tracks are outside the marked boundaries. If a wheel/track is touching any part of the boundary line, it is still in.
During a round, students may not repair or touch a robot. Doing so will automatically disqualify the team’s robot from the round.

Drag Race

Teams will race head-to-head to determine the fastest robot dragster.

Game Setup:

Robot dragsters can only use standard Lego robot components or custom created, 3D printed parts (limit $5).
Robots may be autonomous or Bluetooth controlled.
The race track will be 20’-25’ in length, with each lane 4’-5’ wide. Dragsters that leave their assigned lane will forfeit that round. Should both robots leave their assigned lanes, the robot that traveled farthest in their lane will be the winner. In the final, there would be a re-run until a winner successfully crosses the finish line.

Game Play:

Robots will race at least twice. Robots will be randomly drawn to determine head-to-head matchups for rounds 1 and 2. In the case of an odd number of robots in a round, one team will be credited with an uncontested victory. At the end of rounds 1 and 2, any teams with two defeats will be eliminated.
Dragsters not eliminated will be randomly drawn to determine head-to-head matchups for rounds 3 and 4. At the end of rounds 3 and 4, any teams with two defeats will be eliminated. Remaining teams will compete in a single-elimination final, with pairings determined by random drawing.

Robotics Ramp Climb

Teams will build robots designed to climb the steepest ramp possible.

EV3 robot moving up a wooden ramp. — Up the Ramp We Go, Photo by Randy Rodgers

Game Setup:

Ramps will be 4’ long, smooth pine.
Robots may include non-Lego components not to exceed $5. Any non-Lego components must be listed on a bill of materials, which should list the item’s name, the quantity used, and the total cost.

Game Play:

The contest will be progressive and double elimination.
The first round will start with the ramp at a 30º angle and increase by 5º each round thereafter.
The robot must make it past the 30” finish line on-ramp within 30 seconds.
The robot will be eliminated after its second failed attempt at any height.

Scorpion Pit

Teams will build a robotic scorpion that will attempt to pop as many balloons as possible in a one-minute time period.

Game Setup:

Scorpions must be constructed entirely from official LEGO robotics parts with the single exception of a straight pin or similar sharp object to pop the balloons.
While teams can use the official scorpion build from LEGO, they are not required to do so. Teams may create an original build. Scorpions MUST, however, utilize a downward swinging mechanism/arm or pincer mechanism to pop balloons. They cannot simply attach a front-facing pin to the robot and drive into balloons.
Robots will use Bluetooth controls.
Game arena will be a 15’ x 15’ square.
20 inflated balloons, 10 each of two different colors, will be in the game arena.

Game Play:

Scorpion robots will have one minute to pop as many balloons as they can.
Balloons that are knocked out of the competition arena may not be returned to the arena during the current team’s round. It matters not which team knocked out the balloon.
Each team will compete once per round for two rounds.
Teams earn five points for each of their team’s balloons that are popped at the end of the round. Bonus: 10 points will be awarded for popping an extra, specially-colored balloon (e.g. gold).
The highest total score wins.

Summing Up the Robotics Event

Winning teams were awarded student-designed, 3D printed medals.

Overall, the event was very successful. Students were engaged and VERY excited (as were their parents!). One change for next year’s event will be the Scorpion Pit, based upon a video I saw of a Japanese competition. Rather than trying to pop loose balloons, each robot will have a balloon attached to it and teams will try to pop the opponents’ balloons. Design principles and rules will essentially be the same.

A BIG THANK YOU to Randy Rodgers for sharing four amazing robot challenges! Go Bot Go Go!

Featured Image of EV3 Dragster by Aaron Maurer

March 6, 2020 0 comment

Android Coding/Computer Science Robotics STEM/STEAM

Resources for the Raspberry Pi Enthusiast

by Dr. Bruce Ellis February 26, 2020

written by Dr. Bruce Ellis

What can be better than a computer designed to inspire children? That was the motivation for creating Raspberry Pi even as early as 2006 when it was just a concept. At the end of 2011, 25 Raspberry Pi boards were assembled and tested for market. The next year, these were auctioned off on eBay with official sales to the public starting in February of 2012. The board with the serial number 01 was the last to auction off and sold for £3,500 (approximately $4,508.70 in today’s dollars).

Fortunately for educators, we don’t have to vie for limited quantities for historical purposes. We have choices today, such as the smallest and simplest of the boards, the Raspberry Pi Zero, for just five dollars, to the newest and most robust microcomputer, the Raspberry Pi 4 with 4GB of RAM, for only $55 — with none being much larger than a credit card.

With such a low entry point, it is clear why many educators are introducing their students to microcomputers. These boards allow students to learn algebraic thinking and reasoning, coding, basic hardware/software interfacing, and physical computing by incorporating sensors, motors, actuators, LEDs, speakers, and more. Many students have found Raspberry Pi to be an entry to programming using languages such as Scratch, Python, Ruby, C, and C++. To help you introduce Raspberry Pi to your students (and possibly to yourself if you are a n00b) or extend the learning possibilities, here are a few resources that I’ve curated for you to enjoy.

Books

Excited About Coding! – An Introduction to Coding Using Scratch 2 Software on the Raspberry Pi 4 Computer
Author: Grant H. Williams
Age Range: 9 and up
Paperback: 162 pages
Publisher: Grant Williams (November 22, 2019)
ISBN-10: 0692197281
ISBN-13: 978-0692197288

Raspberry Pi Projects for Kids: Create an MP3 Player, Mod Minecraft, Hack Radio Waves, and More!
Author: Dan Aldred
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: No Starch Press (December 2, 2019)
ISBN-10: 1593279469
ISBN-13: 978-1593279462

Sensor Projects with Raspberry Pi: Internet of Things and Digital Image Processing
Author: Guillermo Guillen
Paperback: 157 pages
Publisher: Apress; 1st ed. edition (December 19, 2019)
ISBN-10: 1484252985
ISBN-13: 978-1484252987

RASPBERRY PI 4 PROJECTS FOR THE EVIL GENIUS: A Comprehensive Guide to Setup & Developing Raspberry Pi 4 Projects
Author: John White
Paperback: 150 pages
Publisher: Independently published (September 13, 2019)
ISBN-10: 1692743295
ISBN-13: 978-1692743291

The MagPi Magazine – The Official Raspberry Pi Magazine
Published by the Raspberry Pi Foundation, you’ll enjoy monthly tips, tricks, how-to’s, and projects for you to get the most from your Raspberry Pi. You can subscribe and get a discount from the price you’d pay if you bought if off the magazine rack.
NOTE: You can download the magazine as a PDF for free, going all the way back to Issue 1, May 2012!

HackSpace Magazine
This magazine is also published by the Raspberry Pi Foundation and has lots of ideas not limited to just Raspberry Pi. At the time of this post, Issue 28 has been released and covers adding audio to Raspberry Pi projects, as well as how to design a vase in Fusion 360, making things with toothpicks and getting stronger prints with your 3D printer.
NOTE: Issues of HackSpace can also be downloaded as PDF files for free!

Websites

Instructables – Though you will need a login (which is free) to access the Raspberry Pi projects, this site is known for its wide variety of crowd-sourced ideas and projects. You will also find great contests and classes to challenge you and extend your learning. You can even take a short class to learn how to write your own Instructable to share with the group.

Hackaday.io – With over 1,000 projects tagged with “Raspberry Pi,” you are sure to find some interesting things to spark your own creativity. More than 23,000 projects are shared at the time of this post, so you are definitely looking at having any free time filled. You are sure to find interesting projects for kids, by kids as well.

Top 20 Raspberry Pi Blogs, Websites and Influencers in 2020 – Be sure to look this list over and explore some great resources that you didn’t realize existed.

Top 20 Raspberry Pi 4 Projects That You Must Try Now – Seeed Studio put together a list of great and fun projects for you to try with your Raspberry Pi 4. Some are definitely more involved, but are still worth the effort and time to create. Which will be your favorite?

Raspberry Pi Resource Guide – Mitch Allen created and maintains the DesertBot website in order to share his love for robotics with other hobbyists. In this post, he shares various resources for you to consider if you are interested in Raspberry Pi … and possibly robots.

Groups

Meetup – Here is a list of search results for various meetups around the globe that have Raspberry Pi User Groups or Raspberry Pi-related events. If you don’t see one close to you, then touch base with one of the many groups clustered around programming languages or makerspaces to see if they will be planning one soon. Or, start your own Raspberry Pi User Group!

Reddit – There are several different groups to check out on Reddit that address Raspberry Pi. Consider joining each group to stay current on what others are doing, as well as having a lot of like-minded nerds available to assist you with troubleshooting. Groups to check out include:

r/raspberrypi – 26.3k members – Created August 2011
r/RASPBERRY_PI_PROJECTS – 61.8k members – Created August 2014
r/raspberry_pi – 1.7m members – Created October 2011
r/raspberryDIY – 8.5k members – Created May 2014
r/RetroPie – 84.8k members – Created May 2014

Twitter – Follow the #RaspberryPi hashtag to get numerous ideas of how Raspberry Pi is being using around the world. This is great if you have students with languages other than English, since there are people in many other countries tweeting their ideas, projects, questions, etc. Be sure to check out the photos and videos link as well to get more ideas.

Facebook – Don’t overlook Facebook as a source of relevant groups to check out. Here are a few groups to get you started.

Raspberry Pi – 74k members – about 20 posts a day
Raspberry Pi 3 & 4 – 27k members – about 20 posts a day
Raspberry Pi and DIY Projects – 25k members – about 60 posts per day
Raspberry Pi Zero – 2k members – about 10 posts per week

YouTube – And let’s not forget all the folks who share via YouTube. Here, you’ll find the videos posted this year, curated playlists, and channels dedicated to Raspberry Pi. Here are a few to check out.

Raspberry Pi Projects (playlist) – 114 videos – Last updated: July 2019
Raspberry Pi Projects for beginners (playlist) – 38 videos – Last updated: December 2019
leepspvideo (user) – 100+ videos – February 2020

Your Recommendations

Have I left anything off that you would recommend? Post in the comments below and share what other resources you have found helpful, and what types of projects you enjoy working on with your Raspberry Pi. We look forward to hearing from you!

February 26, 2020 0 comment

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