Farrar Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 The way our small co-op works is that the kids, through consensus and discussion, pick the topics for the year and then the families alternate and teach one class each on the topics. This year, one of our topics for winter is... robots. Um, okay. Except, what in the world will we do? My one bright idea was for us all to go in together on a Lego WeDo set and take turns going through some of the projects. Unfortunately, it was such a good idea that it was taken. One of the kids has already done that with a couple of friends. So that's out. We could still spend money on a set like that. But on what? Or we could do individual projects, but what? I can think of some initial learning we could do, or some creative projects branching off of the theme of robots, or some electronics projects... but it seems like the kids voted on robots, so we should do something actually with robotics. The kids, by the way, are mostly 7 and 8 yo, but there are a couple of younger sibling tag alongs who are 4 yo (almost 5). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EppieJ Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 I don't know what your budget is like, but Lego also has the Mindstorms stuff which is robotics coupled with programming. Or you could see about doing First Lego League which has robotics competitions as well as group projects. Other things you could look at would be kits such as solar robots (my ds has one of those we haven't put together yet). You might see if Rainbow Resource has more kits, etc to give you some ideas. HTH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sade Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Now you've given me an idea. My husband works in robotics...what about a field trip to a robotics place? (I wonder if my husband's place will be open to this, hope so!!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sade Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 I second First Lego League, too. I have just learned about them myself, sounds very cool. The group in our state had a robot make a first pitch in a Tigers' game this summer, very cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sade Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 The Splatterbot? http://ravensblight.com/Robot.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted September 30, 2012 Author Share Posted September 30, 2012 I guess I felt like Mindstorms NXT was going to be too hard for us all to learn quickly and get something out of that justified the cost and that the WeDo would be a better Lego choice for this age and for the parents. But that idea was taken, so to speak. I have seen the FIRST stuff... but it doesn't really enlighten me about what to go or get. I don't really want to facilitate a long term team or anything - just do something semi-meaningful in five weeks of classes. But maybe that's too much to ask for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skeeterbug Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 (edited) 4H's Junkyard Robotics? http://www.4-h.org/resource-library/curriculum/4-h-robotics/ ETA: Sorry, it's Junk Drawer Robotics, not junkyard. Edited October 1, 2012 by skeeterbug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted October 1, 2012 Author Share Posted October 1, 2012 4H's Junkyard Robotics? http://www.4-h.org/resource-library/curriculum/4-h-robotics/ ETA: Sorry, it's Junk Drawer Robotics, not junkyard. That looks promising! Thanks! Any more ideas, anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sade Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 Build a robot out of old cameras, electronics, etc: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=333865933377030&set=a.245498702213754.57449.237513286345629&type=1&theater Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted October 1, 2012 Author Share Posted October 1, 2012 Build a robot out of old cameras, electronics, etc: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=333865933377030&set=a.245498702213754.57449.237513286345629&type=1&theater That's really awesome looking. But isn't it more of a craft project? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
................... Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 Well to be involved in FIRST, one of the parents has to take a 2 day seminar to be an official FIRST coach. So there's a significant money and time commitment. And unless you are going to go to the local and then regional competitions, it would be pointless to have that person go train. So you are looking at the training, hotel and travel fees for that mom or dad, plus hotel and travel expenses once you get to the regional level. However, lots of people get together and just do a LeGO Mindstorm Club. I would say that at least one of the parents involved would have to be a computer programmer or engineer of some sort- to be able to keep things going when there is a bump in the road. I know that if my dh and other extremely tech savvy parents, had not been involved our club would not have made it. But if you split the cost of the set its not that much and it's very fun. Our club's goal was just to make the basic humanoid robot and to do a few functions using the sensors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmmaNadine Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 Have you seen this? http://www.wired.com/geekmom/2012/09/robotics-maker-faire/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted October 1, 2012 Author Share Posted October 1, 2012 Right. That's part of what I mean. That's not what we want. And I only want something short term. Like a short term curriculum. Well to be involved in FIRST, one of the parents has to take a 2 day seminar to be an official FIRST coach. So there's a significant money and time commitment. And unless you are going to go to the local and then regional competitions, it would be pointless to have that person go train. So you are looking at the training, hotel and travel fees for that mom or dad, plus hotel and travel expenses once you get to the regional level. However, lots of people get together and just do a LeGO Mindstorm Club. I would say that at least one of the parents involved would have to be a computer programmer or engineer of some sort- to be able to keep things going when there is a bump in the road. I know that if my dh and other extremely tech savvy parents, had not been involved our club would not have made it. But if you split the cost of the set its not that much and it's very fun. Our club's goal was just to make the basic humanoid robot and to do a few functions using the sensors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alte Veste Academy Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 (edited) Robotics: Discover the Science and Technology of the Future with 20 Projects is brand, spanking new (just published in Aug 2012) and looks full of potential for a purpose such as yours. Edited October 1, 2012 by Alte Veste Academy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 You could also go with the 4H Junk bot curriculum. It is designed to be short term and just use parts from any junk drawer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sade Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 These $10 Robots Will Change Robotics Education: http://www.wired.com/design/2012/09/afron-winners/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=socialmedia&utm_campaign=facebookclickthru Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckymama Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 You could also go with the 4H Junk bot curriculum. It is designed to be short term and just use parts from any junk drawer. Actually, yes and no----regular household items, short periods of time, not really short term. Dd12 is using this curriculum. She skipped the first three activities in the first book (she already has the experience). The fourth and fifth activities (design and build a trebuchet capable of flinging a marshmallow 6 ft), combined, took over one hour. The sixth (balance/torque) took an hour because she extended it. She will do the eighth and ninth activities (design and build a robot arm) this week and I expect it will take at least an hour. In general, the activities are designed to take 20-50 minutes each as part of a 4H club meeting. There are nineteen activities involved as the kids work their way through the first book (marshmallow trebuchet and robot arm with pneumatic power source and grippers)-----some can be skipped or combined but there is a definite progression that needs to be followed, ie you need to build the arm in Activity H to use on Activity S. The best thing is that truly junk drawer materials are used! Craft sticks, rubber bands, washers, paper clips, tapes and adhesives, brads, straws, clothespins, and tape stirrers have all been used by dd12. She's learned how to use a hand-powered drill and a drill press. By the end of the third book, she will have learned soldering. It would be really fun to use with a group of kids :001_smile: Dd12 is a builder/tinkerer so she is happy to mess around herself, discovering how best to design and build . It would not be the thing to use with a group of kids who want something "robot-y" right away. Wheeled vehicles don't show up until the Level 2 book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 (edited) I'm not recommending that you do this as a project w/your class, but you might want to watch it with them b/c it is pretty amazing: http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=Jx7nS7_Kf7E&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DJx7nS7_Kf7E (ETA: I find the music creepy. The first time we watched it our speakers weren't plugged in. I didn't know that there was music playing. It is also pretty long. You can fast forward through to the end. ;) ) Edited October 1, 2012 by 8FillTheHeart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iskra Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 Have you seen this Farrar? I think it is pretty clever, fun, and explains robots and programming in a way that even very young kids can get it. It would totally work in a co-op setting. http://drtechniko.com/2012/04/09/how-to-train-your-robot/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted October 2, 2012 Author Share Posted October 2, 2012 Actually, yes and no----regular household items, short periods of time, not really short term. Dd12 is using this curriculum. She skipped the first three activities in the first book (she already has the experience). The fourth and fifth activities (design and build a trebuchet capable of flinging a marshmallow 6 ft), combined, took over one hour. The sixth (balance/torque) took an hour because she extended it. She will do the eighth and ninth activities (design and build a robot arm) this week and I expect it will take at least an hour. In general, the activities are designed to take 20-50 minutes each as part of a 4H club meeting. There are nineteen activities involved as the kids work their way through the first book (marshmallow trebuchet and robot arm with pneumatic power source and grippers)-----some can be skipped or combined but there is a definite progression that needs to be followed, ie you need to build the arm in Activity H to use on Activity S. The best thing is that truly junk drawer materials are used! Craft sticks, rubber bands, washers, paper clips, tapes and adhesives, brads, straws, clothespins, and tape stirrers have all been used by dd12. She's learned how to use a hand-powered drill and a drill press. By the end of the third book, she will have learned soldering. It would be really fun to use with a group of kids :001_smile: Dd12 is a builder/tinkerer so she is happy to mess around herself, discovering how best to design and build . It would not be the thing to use with a group of kids who want something "robot-y" right away. Wheeled vehicles don't show up until the Level 2 book. Actually, it sounds kind of perfect. I don't think they want something roboty right away necessarily. I think they're patient enough to do something that seems less like a robot... And I know that they would rather do something a little more abstract than to do a craft project. A 20-50 minute activity is definitely perfect... Of course, they're younger, but still... Have you seen this Farrar?I think it is pretty clever, fun, and explains robots and programming in a way that even very young kids can get it. It would totally work in a co-op setting. http://drtechniko.com/2012/04/09/how-to-train-your-robot/ Okay, that's awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tammyw Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 Will you please report back after you've decided what to do? I'd love to look into your final resource. Sounds fascinating! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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