Sonny

Session 1 Reflection: OK.... note to self... Save early, save often. This will lock up when you are almost done.... =Attempt 2=

Describe your driving activities with SuRRy. What went well? The assembly was easy and entering tasks into the blocks was very simple. What was challenging? Getting the light sensor to function correctly, it didn't want to sense correctly.

Describe how adding sensors changed the behavior of the robot. Was the addition of the sensors beneficial? Yes, it allowed the robot to go from a set pattern, to response/stimuli interaction. Which sensors are the most useful? The ultrasound sensor was the most responsive as long as we made sure that the cables were secured out of the way of the line of sight of the sensor. Where any of the sensors challenging to use? The light sensor did not want to work correctly.

Is 5 step NXT programming something you could see yourself using in the classroom? If so, how? Yes, from breaking scientific inquiries into component parts, to complex problem solving, it can help to teach critical thinking and task oriented science.

Are there any scientific activities you can think of where you would use a robot such as SuRRy in the manner presented? Yes, teaching students to think scientifically and methodically. Getting them to break problems into manageable components and then create a streamlined process.

Session 2: Senses and Sensors

The Try-it activities were quick ways to see exactly how the sensors work and the relationship between the stimulus and response.

I would use this activity to help to teach the scientific method, and also the ideas behind stimulus and response.

TPACK allowed easy hands on use of the robot to drive home the concepts of independent and dependent variable and correlation. The online aspect allowed us to view results instantly, the only thing I might want to add is a component where students have to graph data using an excel spreadsheet.

Session 3:

link to lab report: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1f8uJKMMby6ZBoMZ9Pkd7aBHVdmMTC_sN0mQRVRxAOGc/edit#heading=h.9lunsnioagj1

Experiment Description: Using wheel diameter as an independent variable, we tested how the change in diameter effects the speed of the vehicle. Knowing that velocity (speed) is distance (d) divided by time (t), the change in diameter changes the circumference of the wheel (C=3.14*D). Bigger wheels had faster speeds. We created a program that moved the SuRRy foward for 2 seconds and stopped the robot. This allowed for a consistent time measurement so that we could use the meter stick to measure the distance traveled during that time.

TPACK:

Using the Mindstorms software and SuRRy, we were able to easily set up an experiment with little user error. The vehicle moves consistently and we were able to measure distance accurately. While the activity could have been done using other methods, this way was truly easy and simple.

Session 4: Robotic Arms

The robotic arm activity allowed to use the NXT brick to control a 3 motor arm (left/right, up/down, and open/close claw). We used it to simulate how a surgical robot might work (although I hope real surgical arms are more smoothly controlled :) ). We simulated how a laser might be guided for an incision, How a bone might be removed, worked on and replaced and how an item can be picked up and dropped into a socket.

http://prezi.com/sv6cifboclme/robotic-arm-research/

TPACK:
 * For this activity, the robot is the only way to control a robotic arm. There may be videos about how robot arms work, but nothing will be the same as actually controlling the arm.
 * Tying together hands on learning, group work and robotic concepts really work well for problem solving and knowledge retention.

Session 5: Sensor Data

Activities that I could use in my classroom using sensor values:

Light (color) sensor: Using the values of reflected light for the different colors, use the information given to relate to photosynthesis and why we see green leaves and what wavelengths of light are absorbed by the chlorophyll. Talk about pigments such as Beta carotene, chlorophyll and xanthophyll and why they are important to photosynthesis.

Touch sensor: Using the knowledge of stimulus/response relate it to simple animal behavior. Get students to differentiate how touch receptors might differ from simple animals to complex. (Difference between binary (1,0) and degrees of touch (light to hard))

Ultrasound Sensor: Using the data obtained from the tests on object distance, relate how the sensor works like echolocation in bats. How might bats use ultrasound to navigate in the dark?