Sunday, January 29, 2012
Brick By Brick-- Lego Build Day
On Saturday morning, Jan. 28th, Mrs. Kainz, Carly, Ann, Jessica, Meghan, and I woke up early to go build Lego robots at Brick By Brick, a new Lego Learning Center in Mt. Pleasant.
We used the same Lego Mindstorm NXT kits to build a "golf-putter" motor attached to the NXT. The girls built a simple golf course with some Lego blocks and used the NXT program already programed on the box to play around. After about 30 minutes of some fun, the owner Matt Randall, showed the girls how to build their own program on the NXT software.
They saw the differences in the NXT software's blocking, duration, and power functions compared to the LabView 2010 we use in class.
At the end of the morning, Mr. Randall gave the girls free "Brick By Brick" pencils! I bought a t-shirt and Lego watch, which I built myself! I hope we go back again in the spring, or that the girls return with their friends and families.
We used the same Lego Mindstorm NXT kits to build a "golf-putter" motor attached to the NXT. The girls built a simple golf course with some Lego blocks and used the NXT program already programed on the box to play around. After about 30 minutes of some fun, the owner Matt Randall, showed the girls how to build their own program on the NXT software.
They saw the differences in the NXT software's blocking, duration, and power functions compared to the LabView 2010 we use in class.
At the end of the morning, Mr. Randall gave the girls free "Brick By Brick" pencils! I bought a t-shirt and Lego watch, which I built myself! I hope we go back again in the spring, or that the girls return with their friends and families.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Accomplished: LabView program and Math Worksheet 1
On Friday we completed our program! The robot moves forward 1 meter (which is 3.7 sec. (~4 seconds)). Back the same distance. Stops successfully and then sings a song!
After we did a math worksheet which shows the girls how to calculate average duration. Ex) If it takes about 4 seconds to travel 1 meter, then how many seconds would it take to travel 15 meters?
Above is a picture of the program we built:
~ see everyone on Friday!
Monday, January 16, 2012
Brick By Brick
Reminder Post:
Our field trip has been scheduled for Jan. 28th (Saturday) from 9: 30 to 11:30. Please plan on dropping the girls off at 9:15.
It costs $12 per person! Mrs. Vicki Kainz, lower school technology teacher and my school mentor, will be joining us for some fun!
Get excited!! I will video tape everyone building and programming. Directions to Brick By Brick can be found through my emails to parents (see website for Brick By Brick). Thanks so much! I am really excited about this unique opportunity!
Our field trip has been scheduled for Jan. 28th (Saturday) from 9: 30 to 11:30. Please plan on dropping the girls off at 9:15.
It costs $12 per person! Mrs. Vicki Kainz, lower school technology teacher and my school mentor, will be joining us for some fun!
Get excited!! I will video tape everyone building and programming. Directions to Brick By Brick can be found through my emails to parents (see website for Brick By Brick). Thanks so much! I am really excited about this unique opportunity!
LabView- 1st Class
The first program we learned how to build was a basic design challenge I created to teach the fundamentals of LabView. The goal: make the robot go forward for 1 meter. Stop, then move back 1 meter. Stop. Then play a song.
The girls were successful in measuring duration--the time (seconds) it takes for the robot to move 1 meter. The only glitch in the program they made was that their song, called the "Green Song" plays WHILE the robot is moving backwards. This means that the robot will continue moving in reverse until the song ends, which takes longer than the roughly 4 seconds it takes to travel 1 meter.
This coming Friday we will fix this glitch, so that the robot moves in reverse for exactly 1 meter. Stops, then plays the "Green Song."
I was impressed with how fast the girls picked up on programming. After we finish the challenge, we will be doing Worksheet 1: Obstacle Navigation. This comes from "Educate NXT" by Chris Bracken with contributions from Rob Torok and Damien Kee. My school purchased this book after I used it as a reference when I was at Tufts University Center for Engineering Education and Outreach. This math exercise relates distance, rate, and time to the robot challenge. We can then build upon our basic program to introduce more complicated LabView skills.
NEXT WEEK: CANDY!
The girls were successful in measuring duration--the time (seconds) it takes for the robot to move 1 meter. The only glitch in the program they made was that their song, called the "Green Song" plays WHILE the robot is moving backwards. This means that the robot will continue moving in reverse until the song ends, which takes longer than the roughly 4 seconds it takes to travel 1 meter.
This coming Friday we will fix this glitch, so that the robot moves in reverse for exactly 1 meter. Stops, then plays the "Green Song."
I was impressed with how fast the girls picked up on programming. After we finish the challenge, we will be doing Worksheet 1: Obstacle Navigation. This comes from "Educate NXT" by Chris Bracken with contributions from Rob Torok and Damien Kee. My school purchased this book after I used it as a reference when I was at Tufts University Center for Engineering Education and Outreach. This math exercise relates distance, rate, and time to the robot challenge. We can then build upon our basic program to introduce more complicated LabView skills.
NEXT WEEK: CANDY!
Monday, January 2, 2012
Happy New Year-- 2012 LEGO classes!
Hi everyone!
I hope you all enjoyed the holiday break! I have been planning out the final stages of my senior project, robotics for children-- I can't believe it!
Our next class is Monday Jan. 9th from 3:30 to 4:30. I have a neat idea to take the girls on field trip to Brick by Brick, a new LEGO learning store in the Belle Hall shopping center! It was opened by an engineer and his wife in Charleston to teach kids STEM education through LEGO bricks! This is my objective too, so I thought we could pick a Saturday to visit the store! Check out the website: www.buildbrickbybrick.com for info.
The girls will get the article that was in the Post and Courier about the new store and engineering for kids at our next class!
Additionally, I found this video: How does a Wii Remote Work?? Check out this link:
I hope you all enjoyed the holiday break! I have been planning out the final stages of my senior project, robotics for children-- I can't believe it!
Our next class is Monday Jan. 9th from 3:30 to 4:30. I have a neat idea to take the girls on field trip to Brick by Brick, a new LEGO learning store in the Belle Hall shopping center! It was opened by an engineer and his wife in Charleston to teach kids STEM education through LEGO bricks! This is my objective too, so I thought we could pick a Saturday to visit the store! Check out the website: www.buildbrickbybrick.com for info.
The girls will get the article that was in the Post and Courier about the new store and engineering for kids at our next class!
Additionally, I found this video: How does a Wii Remote Work?? Check out this link:
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