Activity Guide WeDo 2.0

 Space Exploration/Rover

Objective: The objective of this activity is to build a space rover that can explore a surface. This is done by coding it to do a specific task like sweeping, grabbing, or moving up and down. The head also has a motion sensor that will stop the rover if something blocks its' way. This can be done by testing out how it moves until the rover achieves its' task. This will give students a better understanding of code. Students can also learn the engineering and science aspect of rovers through this activity.

1a: Set professional learning goals to explore and apply teaching strategies for integrating CT practices into learning activities in ways that enhance student learning of both the academic discipline and CS concepts.

1c: Leverage CT and CS experts, resources and professional learning networks to continuously improve practice integrating CT across content areas.

1d: Develop resilience and perseverance when approaching CS and CT learning experiences, build comfort with ambiguity and open-ended problems, and see failure as an opportunity to learn and innovate.

5a: Evaluate and use CS and CT curricula, resources and tools that account for learner variability to meet the needs of all students.

5c: Use a variety of instructional approaches to help students frame problems in ways that can be represented as computational steps or algorithms to be performed by a computer.

Activity Outline

Introduction:

    I would discuss with the students about rovers and what they can do. Then I will let them ask questions about rovers. Once questions are over, I will discuss what the activity is to them, and I would let the students ask any further questions about the activity.

Create Phase:

    I will allow the students to either build their own rover or use a template to build it. Instructions for the rover I made can be found under model library with part one being titled as 2. drive and part two is titled as 2b. Rover on the WeDo 2.0 app. The time it takes to build the rover depends on what type the student makes. 

Coding Phase:

    The students will then code the rover to do a task. The task I did was move across the surface. The students can also do that same task and practice making it move. I would remind them that it is okay if it takes them a bit to figure the code out because they are only starting to learn coding. I've even made mistakes because I am still learning. 

Conclusion

    I will have the students share what they did, so they can see the different things they can achieve. I would also recommend Code.org for students to continue to practice coding. It is very important for students to learn coding because coding is used for lots of things. This activity can help them start their journey with coding.

Here is the rover I built.

This is the code I used for the rover.