Warm Up (5 min)

Talking to Robots

Discuss: Start by asking the class if anyone has heard of robotics. Has anyone seen a robot or touched one? Does a robot really “hear” you speak? Does it really “understand” what you say?

Say: Robots can only do what they've been instructed or programmed to do. In order to accomplish a task, a robot needs to have a list of instructions (sometimes called an algorithm) that it can read. Today, we are going to learn what it takes to make that happen.

Activity (45 min)

Introduction and Modeling

Display: Display the My Robotic Friends - Symbol Key or write the allowed actions on the board - make sure these are in a place where they can be seen for the whole activity. Explain to the class that these will be the only six actions that they will be using for this exercise. For this task, they will instruct their “robot” friend to build a specific cup stack using only the commands listed on the key.

Model: In order to explain how the instructions are intended to work, model for the class how to create and follow an algorithm for replicating a simple pattern. Place a single stack of cups in front of you to start.

Display: Hold up the pattern you plan to model. A simple three cup pattern is a great place to start.

Prompt: Ask the class what the first instruction should be, using only the six instructions allowed. The first move should be to "pick up cup." If students suggest something else from the list, perform that action and allow them to see their error. If they suggest something not from the list, make a clear malfunction reaction and let them know that the command is not understood.

With cup in hand, ask the class to continue giving you instructions until the first cup is placed. This is a great place to clarify that a "step forward" and "step backward" each imply moving half a cup width. See the image below for reference.

Continue asking for instructions from the classroom until you have completed the entire design.

Once your stack is complete, point out that they just gave you a list of instructions for completing a task. That's an algorithm. Algorithms are great for sharing ideas, but spelling them out word by word can take a long time. That's what the symbols are for! When you encode an algorithm into symbols that a robot (or computer) understands, that's called programming.

Ask the class to help you write the "program" for that first move, and then the rest of the moves necessary to complete the pattern. Depending on the confidence of your students, you might switch back and forth frequently between acting as the "robot" and writing down the code, or you might push them to write the whole program before you will implement it. One possible solution looks like this:

Volunteer: Once the class has completed the model program, ask one of the students to come up and act as the "robot" to ensure that the program really works. Encourage them to say the instructions out loud as they "run" the code.

Programming Your Robots

Group: Place students into groups of 4. Each group should then further break down into two pairs - each pair will develop their own program to be "run" by the other pair.

Distribute: Give each group one stack of cups or paper cutouts.

Display: Show Stacking Cup Ideas - Manipulatives to the class or hand out individual copies for groups to use. Have each pair (not group) choose which idea they would like their robots to do. Try to push for an easier idea for the first time, then have them choose a more complex design later on. Encourage pairs to keep their choice secret from the other half of their group.

Discuss: Give each pair time to discuss how the stack should be built, using only the provided symbols. Make sure each group writes down the "program" somewhere for the "robot" to read later.

Do: Once both of the group's pairs have decided on their algorithms, they can take turns being "robots" for each other by following the instructions each pair wrote. Encourage students to watch their "robot" closely to ensure that they are following instructions. If a student sees a bug and raises their hand, have the robot finish the instructions to the best of their ability. Afterward, have the students discuss the potential bug and come up with a solution. Continue repeating until the stack is built properly.

Circulate: Look for groups who are trying to take shortcuts by adding things (like numbers) to their code. Praise them for their ingenuity, but remind them that for this exercise, the robots do not understand anything but the provided symbols. If you like, you can hint that they should save their brilliant solution for the next time they play this game, since they might get the chance to use it soon!

Iterate: Depending on your time available, mix up the pairs and give them a chance to do a different pattern. Each time groups repeat the process, encourage them to choose a more challenging pattern.

Discuss: After everyone has had a chance to be the robot, bring the class back together to discuss their experience. In particular, discuss as a class:

• What was the most difficult part of coming up with the instructions?
• Did anyone find a bug in your instructions once your robot was following them?
  • What was the bug?
  • Why do you think you didn't notice it when writing the program?
• When you were the robot, what was the hardest part of following the instructions you were given?

Wrap Up (10 min)

Journaling

Having students write about what they learned, why it’s useful, and how they feel about it can help solidify any knowledge they obtained today and build a review sheet for them to look to in the future.

Journal Prompts:

• What was today’s lesson about?
• How did you feel during today’s lesson?
• Draw a stack of cups that the robot made today.
• Draw a stack of cups that you would like a robot to make someday!