Teaching Tips:

Day 3 - Engineering Design Principles with Cubelets, Reverse Engineering

Educator Pack of Cubelets, 45-minute activity
 
Students begin with working robots and by reverse engineering them gain an understanding of robotic components and how these Cubelet components combine to form a robot.
For each class/group, this lesson plan includes 3 parts, 10‐15 Minutes each: 

1. A chance to reorient robotic components on a working robot
2. An opportunity to reconfigure robotic components on a working robot
3. Now, students add functions to these robots, completing a cycle of whole robots to components back to whole robots.

These lesson plans have suggested age levels, but it is possible to use the younger grade activities as a ramp up to older grades; e.g. use the 6 years old ‐ 9 years old activities to ramp up and extend a lesson plan for a group of 10‐12-year-olds. Similarly, the activities suggested for older students can become a way to expand on challenges presented to younger learners if there are time and interest.

Introduce the class to Engineering Principles for the day:
Often Engineers understand how things work by starting with something working, disassembling it and seeing its parts. Then they can go back to the original, or they can assemble parts from many things into a new creation.
We can go from working to pieces back to something working by testing how the pieces contribute to the whole. We can better understand the components by reorienting them to see how this changes things, reconfiguring what is there but putting it in a different order or sequence, or adding or subtracting components to see how this changes things. When we make these changes we should ask:

• Do our creations still work to solve a problem? Do they work in the same way?
• Do they solve the same problem, or can they work to help people in a different way?
• What purpose or job can it do? How will we know it’s a success?

Tell the class: “Cubelets robots come in their component parts and this gives us a chance to change them easily. We’ll use this as a way of understanding how the components work together to make a whole, working, device. Imagine we were using this flashlight robot, but wanted it to only come on when it is held up, out of our hands. Then we could reorient this brightness sense. We could also decide we only want this light to come on on the bottom when it receives input from the top and reconfigure these three components. But we could also decide to change the components by adding something, taking something away, or both. What if we wanted a flashlight that was smart and knew to come on only when it was dark, we could add a component. We’ll be practicing re­orienting, reconfiguring, and changing as robot engineers today.”
 

 

Part 1: Tinkering and Reorienting

Tell the class: “I’ve made some Cubelets robots for you that you’ll recognize. Today, we’ll reverse engineer them. First, just re‐orient the senses and actions. Don’t change their order in the robot, or add any new Cubelets. Just twist or spin what’s there and see what new robots behaviors you make. Remember that whatever changes you make to your robots, in order for Cubelets to work together to make a robot you will need, at the very least, a battery Cubelet, a Black Sensing Cubelet, and a Clear Action Cubelet.” “
 
Suggested age variations/progression:

• Pre­K to 6 years old: Use robots from Station 1. Guide students to re‐orient the sense face, or the Drive action. “Is it the same? What has changed? Does it do things differently now or react differently? “ Alternatively, do this as a group where each student gets to suggest a re‐orientation change to the robot by twisting a sense or action face without moving the Cubelets themselves in the robot.

• 6 years old to 9 years old: Use robots from Stations 1 and 2. Guide students to re‐orient the sense face, or the Drive action. “Is it the same? What has changed? Does it do things differently now or react differently? Can it do the same job or fill the same purpose it did before ‐ why or why not? “

• 9 years old to 12 years old: Use robots from Stations 1, 2, and 3 (and 4 as time allows). Guide students to re‐orient the sense face, or the Drive action . “Is it the same? What has changed? Does it do things differently now or react differently? Can it do the same job or fill the same purpose it did before ‐ why or why not? “

• 12 years old and up: Use robots from Stations 1, 2, 3, and 4 (and 5 as time allows). Guide students to re‐orient the sense face or the Drive action. “Is it the same? What has changed? Can it do the same job or fill the same purpose it did before ‐ why or why not? “

Concepts Presented: Reverse engineering, tinkering, understanding components, orientation
Vocabulary: Reverse Engineer, orient, reorient, twist, spin, components

Teaching Tips:

Educator Pack of Cubelets, 45-minute activity
 
Students begin with working robots and by reverse engineering them gain an understanding of robotic components and how these Cubelet components combine to form a robot.
For each class/group, this lesson plan includes 3 parts, 10‐15 Minutes each: 

1. A chance to reorient robotic components on a working robot
2. An opportunity to reconfigure robotic components on a working robot
3. Now, students add functions to these robots, completing a cycle of whole robots to components back to whole robots.

These lesson plans have suggested age levels, but it is possible to use the younger grade activities as a ramp up to older grades; e.g. use the 6 years old ‐ 9 years old activities to ramp up and extend a lesson plan for a group of 10‐12-year-olds. Similarly, the activities suggested for older students can become a way to expand on challenges presented to younger learners if there are time and interest.

Introduce the class to Engineering Principles for the day:
Often Engineers understand how things work by starting with something working, disassembling it and seeing its parts. Then they can go back to the original, or they can assemble parts from many things into a new creation.
We can go from working to pieces back to something working by testing how the pieces contribute to the whole. We can better understand the components by reorienting them to see how this changes things, reconfiguring what is there but putting it in a different order or sequence, or adding or subtracting components to see how this changes things. When we make these changes we should ask:

• Do our creations still work to solve a problem? Do they work in the same way?
• Do they solve the same problem, or can they work to help people in a different way?
• What purpose or job can it do? How will we know it’s a success?

Tell the class: “Cubelets robots come in their component parts and this gives us a chance to change them easily. We’ll use this as a way of understanding how the components work together to make a whole, working, device. Imagine we were using this flashlight robot, but wanted it to only come on when it is held up, out of our hands. Then we could reorient this brightness sense. We could also decide we only want this light to come on on the bottom when it receives input from the top and reconfigure these three components. But we could also decide to change the components by adding something, taking something away, or both. What if we wanted a flashlight that was smart and knew to come on only when it was dark, we could add a component. We’ll be practicing re­orienting, reconfiguring, and changing as robot engineers today.”
 

 

Part 1: Tinkering and Reorienting

Tell the class: “I’ve made some Cubelets robots for you that you’ll recognize. Today, we’ll reverse engineer them. First, just re‐orient the senses and actions. Don’t change their order in the robot, or add any new Cubelets. Just twist or spin what’s there and see what new robots behaviors you make. Remember that whatever changes you make to your robots, in order for Cubelets to work together to make a robot you will need, at the very least, a battery Cubelet, a Black Sensing Cubelet, and a Clear Action Cubelet.” “
 
Suggested age variations/progression:

• Pre­K to 6 years old: Use robots from Station 1. Guide students to re‐orient the sense face, or the Drive action. “Is it the same? What has changed? Does it do things differently now or react differently? “ Alternatively, do this as a group where each student gets to suggest a re‐orientation change to the robot by twisting a sense or action face without moving the Cubelets themselves in the robot.

• 6 years old to 9 years old: Use robots from Stations 1 and 2. Guide students to re‐orient the sense face, or the Drive action. “Is it the same? What has changed? Does it do things differently now or react differently? Can it do the same job or fill the same purpose it did before ‐ why or why not? “

• 9 years old to 12 years old: Use robots from Stations 1, 2, and 3 (and 4 as time allows). Guide students to re‐orient the sense face, or the Drive action . “Is it the same? What has changed? Does it do things differently now or react differently? Can it do the same job or fill the same purpose it did before ‐ why or why not? “

• 12 years old and up: Use robots from Stations 1, 2, 3, and 4 (and 5 as time allows). Guide students to re‐orient the sense face or the Drive action. “Is it the same? What has changed? Can it do the same job or fill the same purpose it did before ‐ why or why not? “

Teaching Tips:

Day 3 - Engineering Design Principles with Cubelets, Reverse Engineering

Educator Pack of Cubelets, 45-minute activity
 
Students begin with working robots and by reverse engineering them gain an understanding of robotic components and how these Cubelet components combine to form a robot.
For each class/group, this lesson plan includes 3 parts, 10‐15 Minutes each: 

1. A chance to reorient robotic components on a working robot
2. An opportunity to reconfigure robotic components on a working robot
3. Now, students add functions to these robots, completing a cycle of whole robots to components back to whole robots.

These lesson plans have suggested age levels, but it is possible to use the younger grade activities as a ramp up to older grades; e.g. use the 6 years old ‐ 9 years old activities to ramp up and extend a lesson plan for a group of 10‐12-year-olds. Similarly, the activities suggested for older students can become a way to expand on challenges presented to younger learners if there are time and interest.

Introduce the class to Engineering Principles for the day:
Often Engineers understand how things work by starting with something working, disassembling it and seeing its parts. Then they can go back to the original, or they can assemble parts from many things into a new creation.
We can go from working to pieces back to something working by testing how the pieces contribute to the whole. We can better understand the components by reorienting them to see how this changes things, reconfiguring what is there but putting it in a different order or sequence, or adding or subtracting components to see how this changes things. When we make these changes we should ask:

• Do our creations still work to solve a problem? Do they work in the same way?
• Do they solve the same problem, or can they work to help people in a different way?
• What purpose or job can it do? How will we know it’s a success?

Tell the class: “Cubelets robots come in their component parts and this gives us a chance to change them easily. We’ll use this as a way of understanding how the components work together to make a whole, working, device. Imagine we were using this flashlight robot, but wanted it to only come on when it is held up, out of our hands. Then we could reorient this brightness sense. We could also decide we only want this light to come on on the bottom when it receives input from the top and reconfigure these three components. But we could also decide to change the components by adding something, taking something away, or both. What if we wanted a flashlight that was smart and knew to come on only when it was dark, we could add a component. We’ll be practicing re­orienting, reconfiguring, and changing as robot engineers today.”
 

 

Part 1: Tinkering and Reorienting

Tell the class: “I’ve made some Cubelets robots for you that you’ll recognize. Today, we’ll reverse engineer them. First, just re‐orient the senses and actions. Don’t change their order in the robot, or add any new Cubelets. Just twist or spin what’s there and see what new robots behaviors you make. Remember that whatever changes you make to your robots, in order for Cubelets to work together to make a robot you will need, at the very least, a battery Cubelet, a Black Sensing Cubelet, and a Clear Action Cubelet.” “
 
Suggested age variations/progression:

• Pre­K to 6 years old: Use robots from Station 1. Guide students to re‐orient the sense face, or the Drive action. “Is it the same? What has changed? Does it do things differently now or react differently? “ Alternatively, do this as a group where each student gets to suggest a re‐orientation change to the robot by twisting a sense or action face without moving the Cubelets themselves in the robot.

• 6 years old to 9 years old: Use robots from Stations 1 and 2. Guide students to re‐orient the sense face, or the Drive action. “Is it the same? What has changed? Does it do things differently now or react differently? Can it do the same job or fill the same purpose it did before ‐ why or why not? “

• 9 years old to 12 years old: Use robots from Stations 1, 2, and 3 (and 4 as time allows). Guide students to re‐orient the sense face, or the Drive action . “Is it the same? What has changed? Does it do things differently now or react differently? Can it do the same job or fill the same purpose it did before ‐ why or why not? “

• 12 years old and up: Use robots from Stations 1, 2, 3, and 4 (and 5 as time allows). Guide students to re‐orient the sense face or the Drive action. “Is it the same? What has changed? Can it do the same job or fill the same purpose it did before ‐ why or why not? “

Concepts Presented: Reverse engineering, tinkering, understanding components, orientation
Vocabulary: Reverse Engineer, orient, reorient, twist, spin, components

Teaching Tips:

Materials: Educator Pack of Cubelets with robots built. We suggest setting up your stations on separate tables, and numbering them. We also suggest giving students a guide to the different Cubelet functions.
Students now change their robots by reconfiguring the components (Cubelets) at hand.
 
Tel the class: “Now you’ll revisit the same robots, but this time, consider how you could disassemble and then RE­assemble and reconfigure what’s there. What happens if you change the order or the shape of the constructions? Do they react in the same way? Will your devices work in the same way or do the same job as they did before? Remember that whatever changes you make to your robots, in order for Cubelets to work together to make a robot you will need, at the very least, a battery Cubelet, a Black Sensing Cubelet, and a Clear Action Cubelet.”
 

Suggested age variations/progression, please use the same robot as in your previous stations:

• Pre­K to 6 years old: Use robots from Station 1. Guide students to disassemble and reassemble these components into new robot devices. “What happens if We move this to the back? What happens if we put this on the side? Is it the same? What has changed? “ Alternatively, do this as a group where each student gets to suggest a re‐orientation change to the robot by twisting a sense or action face without moving the Cubelets themselves in the robot.

• 6 years old to 9 years old: Use robots from Stations 1 and 2 to disassemble and reassemble these components into new robot devices. “What happens if We move this to the back? What happens if we put this on the side?Is it the same? What has changed? Can it do the same job or fill the same purpose it did before ‐ why or why not? “

• 9 years old to 12 years old: Use robots from Stations 1, 2, and 3 (and 4 as time allows) to disassemble and reassemble these components into new robot devices. “What happens if We move this to the back? What happens if we put this on the side? Is it the same? What has changed? Can it do the same job or fill the same purpose it did before ‐ why or why not? “

• 12 years old and up: Use robots from Stations 1, 2, 3, and 4 (and 5 as time allows) to disassemble and reassemble these components into new robot devices. “What happens if We move this to the back? What happens if we put this on the side? Is it the same? What has changed? Can it do the same job or fill the same purpose it did before - why or why not?"

 

Teaching Tips:

Materials: Educator Pack of Cubelets with robots built. We suggest setting up your stations on separate tables, and numbering them.

We also suggest giving students a guide to the different Cubelet functions.
 

Students change their robots by adding components (Cubelets) and producing new designs and behaviors.

Tell the class: “Consider how you could add functions as a way of transforming your robots. Remember that whatever changes you make to your robots, in order for Cubelets to work together to make a robot you will need, at the very least, a battery Cubelet, a Black Sensing Cubelet, and a Clear Action Cubelet. What happens when you change orientations, configuration, and add or change functions? These robots will not react in the same way. Choose a theme for your robot and build it to meet a new purpose:

• Home helpers ‐ robots that might help us at home. Roomba is an example this kind of robot.
• Security ‐ robots we use to keep ourselves or our belongs safe. Motion activated lights or touch sensitive alarms in museums are examples of this kind of robot.
• Search and Adventure ‐ these are robots that would do job to keep us safe, or help us by locating things in unsafe places. Curiosity, the robot on Mars is an example of this kind of robot
• Industry ‐ robotic arms help assemble cars and other machines by sensing when parts are in front of them and then acting to build them correctly

“Expand on these robots you’ve been working with. You can do this in three ways now ‐ by adding functions, changing the location of components, and re‐orienting sensor and action faces on the Cubelets."


Suggested age variations/progression, using the same robots as in your previous stations:

Pre­K to 6 years old: 
Use robots from Station 1.
Guide students to add simple functions like an additional action (for example, Flashlight) or to use the Passive Cubelet to make their constructions take different shapes. 
Alternatively, do this as a group where each student gets to suggest/place and added Cubelet. “What does it do now? how does it do it?”

6 years old to 9 years old:
Use robots from Stations 1 and 2.
Guide students to add new functions like an additional action, adding the Passive Cubelet to make their constructions take different shapes, but also to use new senses or introduce Think Cubelets. This will change how the robot can react to its environment. 
“What has changed? What jobs does this robot do, and how does it do it. How does it know when to react?“
 

9 years old to 12 years old:

Use robots from Stations 1, 2, and 3 (and 4 as time allows )
Guide students to add new functions like an additional action, Passive Cubelets to
make their constructions take different shapes, but also to use new senses or introduce Think Cubelets. This will change how the robot can react to its environment. 
“What has changed? What jobs does this robot do, and how does it do it. How does it know when to react? What inputs does this robot get, and what are it’s outputs, or behaviors?“

12 years old and up: 
Use robots from Stations 1, 2, 3, and 4 (and 5 as time allows) As above.

Teaching Tips:

Day 3 - Engineering Design Principles with Cubelets, Reverse Engineering

Educator Pack of Cubelets, 45-minute activity
 
Students begin with working robots and by reverse engineering them gain an understanding of robotic components and how these Cubelet components combine to form a robot.
For each class/group, this lesson plan includes 3 parts, 10‐15 Minutes each: 

1. A chance to reorient robotic components on a working robot
2. An opportunity to reconfigure robotic components on a working robot
3. Now, students add functions to these robots, completing a cycle of whole robots to components back to whole robots.

These lesson plans have suggested age levels, but it is possible to use the younger grade activities as a ramp up to older grades; e.g. use the 6 years old ‐ 9 years old activities to ramp up and extend a lesson plan for a group of 10‐12-year-olds. Similarly, the activities suggested for older students can become a way to expand on challenges presented to younger learners if there are time and interest.

Introduce the class to Engineering Principles for the day:
Often Engineers understand how things work by starting with something working, disassembling it and seeing its parts. Then they can go back to the original, or they can assemble parts from many things into a new creation.
We can go from working to pieces back to something working by testing how the pieces contribute to the whole. We can better understand the components by reorienting them to see how this changes things, reconfiguring what is there but putting it in a different order or sequence, or adding or subtracting components to see how this changes things. When we make these changes we should ask:

• Do our creations still work to solve a problem? Do they work in the same way?
• Do they solve the same problem, or can they work to help people in a different way?
• What purpose or job can it do? How will we know it’s a success?

Tell the class: “Cubelets robots come in their component parts and this gives us a chance to change them easily. We’ll use this as a way of understanding how the components work together to make a whole, working, device. Imagine we were using this flashlight robot, but wanted it to only come on when it is held up, out of our hands. Then we could reorient this brightness sense. We could also decide we only want this light to come on on the bottom when it receives input from the top and reconfigure these three components. But we could also decide to change the components by adding something, taking something away, or both. What if we wanted a flashlight that was smart and knew to come on only when it was dark, we could add a component. We’ll be practicing re­orienting, reconfiguring, and changing as robot engineers today.”
 

 

Part 1: Tinkering and Reorienting

Tell the class: “I’ve made some Cubelets robots for you that you’ll recognize. Today, we’ll reverse engineer them. First, just re‐orient the senses and actions. Don’t change their order in the robot, or add any new Cubelets. Just twist or spin what’s there and see what new robots behaviors you make. Remember that whatever changes you make to your robots, in order for Cubelets to work together to make a robot you will need, at the very least, a battery Cubelet, a Black Sensing Cubelet, and a Clear Action Cubelet.” “
 
Suggested age variations/progression:

• Pre­K to 6 years old: Use robots from Station 1. Guide students to re‐orient the sense face, or the Drive action. “Is it the same? What has changed? Does it do things differently now or react differently? “ Alternatively, do this as a group where each student gets to suggest a re‐orientation change to the robot by twisting a sense or action face without moving the Cubelets themselves in the robot.

• 6 years old to 9 years old: Use robots from Stations 1 and 2. Guide students to re‐orient the sense face, or the Drive action. “Is it the same? What has changed? Does it do things differently now or react differently? Can it do the same job or fill the same purpose it did before ‐ why or why not? “

• 9 years old to 12 years old: Use robots from Stations 1, 2, and 3 (and 4 as time allows). Guide students to re‐orient the sense face, or the Drive action . “Is it the same? What has changed? Does it do things differently now or react differently? Can it do the same job or fill the same purpose it did before ‐ why or why not? “

• 12 years old and up: Use robots from Stations 1, 2, 3, and 4 (and 5 as time allows). Guide students to re‐orient the sense face or the Drive action. “Is it the same? What has changed? Can it do the same job or fill the same purpose it did before ‐ why or why not? “

Concepts Presented: Reverse engineering, tinkering, understanding components, orientation
Vocabulary: Reverse Engineer, orient, reorient, twist, spin, components

Teaching Tips:

Teaching Tips:

Day 3 - Engineering Design Principles with Cubelets, Reverse Engineering

Educator Pack of Cubelets, 45-minute activity
 
Students begin with working robots and by reverse engineering them gain an understanding of robotic components and how these Cubelet components combine to form a robot.
For each class/group, this lesson plan includes 3 parts, 10‐15 Minutes each: 

1. A chance to reorient robotic components on a working robot
2. An opportunity to reconfigure robotic components on a working robot
3. Now, students add functions to these robots, completing a cycle of whole robots to components back to whole robots.

These lesson plans have suggested age levels, but it is possible to use the younger grade activities as a ramp up to older grades; e.g. use the 6 years old ‐ 9 years old activities to ramp up and extend a lesson plan for a group of 10‐12-year-olds. Similarly, the activities suggested for older students can become a way to expand on challenges presented to younger learners if there are time and interest.

Introduce the class to Engineering Principles for the day:
Often Engineers understand how things work by starting with something working, disassembling it and seeing its parts. Then they can go back to the original, or they can assemble parts from many things into a new creation.
We can go from working to pieces back to something working by testing how the pieces contribute to the whole. We can better understand the components by reorienting them to see how this changes things, reconfiguring what is there but putting it in a different order or sequence, or adding or subtracting components to see how this changes things. When we make these changes we should ask:

• Do our creations still work to solve a problem? Do they work in the same way?
• Do they solve the same problem, or can they work to help people in a different way?
• What purpose or job can it do? How will we know it’s a success?

Tell the class: “Cubelets robots come in their component parts and this gives us a chance to change them easily. We’ll use this as a way of understanding how the components work together to make a whole, working, device. Imagine we were using this flashlight robot, but wanted it to only come on when it is held up, out of our hands. Then we could reorient this brightness sense. We could also decide we only want this light to come on on the bottom when it receives input from the top and reconfigure these three components. But we could also decide to change the components by adding something, taking something away, or both. What if we wanted a flashlight that was smart and knew to come on only when it was dark, we could add a component. We’ll be practicing re­orienting, reconfiguring, and changing as robot engineers today.”
 

 

Part 1: Tinkering and Reorienting

Tell the class: “I’ve made some Cubelets robots for you that you’ll recognize. Today, we’ll reverse engineer them. First, just re‐orient the senses and actions. Don’t change their order in the robot, or add any new Cubelets. Just twist or spin what’s there and see what new robots behaviors you make. Remember that whatever changes you make to your robots, in order for Cubelets to work together to make a robot you will need, at the very least, a battery Cubelet, a Black Sensing Cubelet, and a Clear Action Cubelet.” “
 
Suggested age variations/progression:

• Pre­K to 6 years old: Use robots from Station 1. Guide students to re‐orient the sense face, or the Drive action. “Is it the same? What has changed? Does it do things differently now or react differently? “ Alternatively, do this as a group where each student gets to suggest a re‐orientation change to the robot by twisting a sense or action face without moving the Cubelets themselves in the robot.

• 6 years old to 9 years old: Use robots from Stations 1 and 2. Guide students to re‐orient the sense face, or the Drive action. “Is it the same? What has changed? Does it do things differently now or react differently? Can it do the same job or fill the same purpose it did before ‐ why or why not? “

• 9 years old to 12 years old: Use robots from Stations 1, 2, and 3 (and 4 as time allows). Guide students to re‐orient the sense face, or the Drive action . “Is it the same? What has changed? Does it do things differently now or react differently? Can it do the same job or fill the same purpose it did before ‐ why or why not? “

• 12 years old and up: Use robots from Stations 1, 2, 3, and 4 (and 5 as time allows). Guide students to re‐orient the sense face or the Drive action. “Is it the same? What has changed? Can it do the same job or fill the same purpose it did before ‐ why or why not? “

Concepts Presented: Reverse engineering, tinkering, understanding components, orientation
Vocabulary: Reverse Engineer, orient, reorient, twist, spin, components

Teaching Tips:

Part 2: Tinkering and Rebuilding

Materials: Educator Pack of Cubelets with robots built. We suggest setting up your stations on separate tables, and numbering them. We also suggest giving students a guide to the different Cubelet functions.
Students now change their robots by reconfiguring the components (Cubelets) at hand.
 
Tel the class: “Now you’ll revisit the same robots, but this time, consider how you could disassemble and then RE­assemble and reconfigure what’s there. What happens if you change the order or the shape of the constructions? Do they react in the same way? Will your devices work in the same way or do the same job as they did before? Remember that whatever changes you make to your robots, in order for Cubelets to work together to make a robot you will need, at the very least, a battery Cubelet, a Black Sensing Cubelet, and a Clear Action Cubelet.”
 

Suggested age variations/progression, please use the same robot as in your previous stations:

• Pre­K to 6 years old: Use robots from Station 1. Guide students to disassemble and reassemble these components into new robot devices. “What happens if We move this to the back? What happens if we put this on the side? Is it the same? What has changed? “ Alternatively, do this as a group where each student gets to suggest a re‐orientation change to the robot by twisting a sense or action face without moving the Cubelets themselves in the robot.

• 6 years old to 9 years old: Use robots from Stations 1 and 2 to disassemble and reassemble these components into new robot devices. “What happens if We move this to the back? What happens if we put this on the side?Is it the same? What has changed? Can it do the same job or fill the same purpose it did before ‐ why or why not? “

• 9 years old to 12 years old: Use robots from Stations 1, 2, and 3 (and 4 as time allows) to disassemble and reassemble these components into new robot devices. “What happens if We move this to the back? What happens if we put this on the side? Is it the same? What has changed? Can it do the same job or fill the same purpose it did before ‐ why or why not? “

• 12 years old and up: Use robots from Stations 1, 2, 3, and 4 (and 5 as time allows) to disassemble and reassemble these components into new robot devices. “What happens if We move this to the back? What happens if we put this on the side? Is it the same? What has changed? Can it do the same job or fill the same purpose it did before - why or why not?"

 

 

---

Concepts Presented: tinkering, understanding components, rebuilding, sequencing
Vocabulary: tinker, rebuilding, configuration, reconfigure

Teaching Tips:

Part 2: Tinkering and Rebuilding

Materials: Educator Pack of Cubelets with robots built. We suggest setting up your stations on separate tables, and numbering them. We also suggest giving students a guide to the different Cubelet functions.
Students now change their robots by reconfiguring the components (Cubelets) at hand.
 
Tel the class: “Now you’ll revisit the same robots, but this time, consider how you could disassemble and then RE­assemble and reconfigure what’s there. What happens if you change the order or the shape of the constructions? Do they react in the same way? Will your devices work in the same way or do the same job as they did before? Remember that whatever changes you make to your robots, in order for Cubelets to work together to make a robot you will need, at the very least, a battery Cubelet, a Black Sensing Cubelet, and a Clear Action Cubelet.”
 

Suggested age variations/progression, please use the same robot as in your previous stations:

• Pre­K to 6 years old: Use robots from Station 1. Guide students to disassemble and reassemble these components into new robot devices. “What happens if We move this to the back? What happens if we put this on the side? Is it the same? What has changed? “ Alternatively, do this as a group where each student gets to suggest a re‐orientation change to the robot by twisting a sense or action face without moving the Cubelets themselves in the robot.

• 6 years old to 9 years old: Use robots from Stations 1 and 2 to disassemble and reassemble these components into new robot devices. “What happens if We move this to the back? What happens if we put this on the side?Is it the same? What has changed? Can it do the same job or fill the same purpose it did before ‐ why or why not? “

• 9 years old to 12 years old: Use robots from Stations 1, 2, and 3 (and 4 as time allows) to disassemble and reassemble these components into new robot devices. “What happens if We move this to the back? What happens if we put this on the side? Is it the same? What has changed? Can it do the same job or fill the same purpose it did before ‐ why or why not? “

• 12 years old and up: Use robots from Stations 1, 2, 3, and 4 (and 5 as time allows) to disassemble and reassemble these components into new robot devices. “What happens if We move this to the back? What happens if we put this on the side? Is it the same? What has changed? Can it do the same job or fill the same purpose it did before - why or why not?"

 

 

---

Concepts Presented: tinkering, understanding components, rebuilding, sequencing
Vocabulary: tinker, rebuilding, configuration, reconfigure

Teaching Tips:

Part 2: Tinkering and Rebuilding

Materials: Educator Pack of Cubelets with robots built. We suggest setting up your stations on separate tables, and numbering them. We also suggest giving students a guide to the different Cubelet functions.
Students now change their robots by reconfiguring the components (Cubelets) at hand.
 
Tel the class: “Now you’ll revisit the same robots, but this time, consider how you could disassemble and then RE­assemble and reconfigure what’s there. What happens if you change the order or the shape of the constructions? Do they react in the same way? Will your devices work in the same way or do the same job as they did before? Remember that whatever changes you make to your robots, in order for Cubelets to work together to make a robot you will need, at the very least, a battery Cubelet, a Black Sensing Cubelet, and a Clear Action Cubelet.”
 

Suggested age variations/progression, please use the same robot as in your previous stations:

• Pre­K to 6 years old: Use robots from Station 1. Guide students to disassemble and reassemble these components into new robot devices. “What happens if We move this to the back? What happens if we put this on the side? Is it the same? What has changed? “ Alternatively, do this as a group where each student gets to suggest a re‐orientation change to the robot by twisting a sense or action face without moving the Cubelets themselves in the robot.

• 6 years old to 9 years old: Use robots from Stations 1 and 2 to disassemble and reassemble these components into new robot devices. “What happens if We move this to the back? What happens if we put this on the side?Is it the same? What has changed? Can it do the same job or fill the same purpose it did before ‐ why or why not? “

• 9 years old to 12 years old: Use robots from Stations 1, 2, and 3 (and 4 as time allows) to disassemble and reassemble these components into new robot devices. “What happens if We move this to the back? What happens if we put this on the side? Is it the same? What has changed? Can it do the same job or fill the same purpose it did before ‐ why or why not? “

• 12 years old and up: Use robots from Stations 1, 2, 3, and 4 (and 5 as time allows) to disassemble and reassemble these components into new robot devices. “What happens if We move this to the back? What happens if we put this on the side? Is it the same? What has changed? Can it do the same job or fill the same purpose it did before - why or why not?"

 

 

---

Concepts Presented: tinkering, understanding components, rebuilding, sequencing
Vocabulary: tinker, rebuilding, configuration, reconfigure

Teaching Tips:

Part 2: Tinkering and Rebuilding

Materials: Educator Pack of Cubelets with robots built. We suggest setting up your stations on separate tables, and numbering them. We also suggest giving students a guide to the different Cubelet functions.
Students now change their robots by reconfiguring the components (Cubelets) at hand.
 
Tel the class: “Now you’ll revisit the same robots, but this time, consider how you could disassemble and then RE­assemble and reconfigure what’s there. What happens if you change the order or the shape of the constructions? Do they react in the same way? Will your devices work in the same way or do the same job as they did before? Remember that whatever changes you make to your robots, in order for Cubelets to work together to make a robot you will need, at the very least, a battery Cubelet, a Black Sensing Cubelet, and a Clear Action Cubelet.”
 

Suggested age variations/progression, please use the same robot as in your previous stations:

• Pre­K to 6 years old: Use robots from Station 1. Guide students to disassemble and reassemble these components into new robot devices. “What happens if We move this to the back? What happens if we put this on the side? Is it the same? What has changed? “ Alternatively, do this as a group where each student gets to suggest a re‐orientation change to the robot by twisting a sense or action face without moving the Cubelets themselves in the robot.

• 6 years old to 9 years old: Use robots from Stations 1 and 2 to disassemble and reassemble these components into new robot devices. “What happens if We move this to the back? What happens if we put this on the side?Is it the same? What has changed? Can it do the same job or fill the same purpose it did before ‐ why or why not? “

• 9 years old to 12 years old: Use robots from Stations 1, 2, and 3 (and 4 as time allows) to disassemble and reassemble these components into new robot devices. “What happens if We move this to the back? What happens if we put this on the side? Is it the same? What has changed? Can it do the same job or fill the same purpose it did before ‐ why or why not? “

• 12 years old and up: Use robots from Stations 1, 2, 3, and 4 (and 5 as time allows) to disassemble and reassemble these components into new robot devices. “What happens if We move this to the back? What happens if we put this on the side? Is it the same? What has changed? Can it do the same job or fill the same purpose it did before - why or why not?"

 

 

---

Concepts Presented: tinkering, understanding components, rebuilding, sequencing
Vocabulary: tinker, rebuilding, configuration, reconfigure

Teaching Tips:

Part 3: Tinkering by changing components

Materials: Educator Pack of Cubelets with robots built. We suggest setting up your stations on separate tables, and numbering them.

We also suggest giving students a guide to the different Cubelet functions.
 

Students change their robots by adding components (Cubelets) and producing new designs and behaviors.

Tell the class: “Consider how you could add functions as a way of transforming your robots. Remember that whatever changes you make to your robots, in order for Cubelets to work together to make a robot you will need, at the very least, a battery Cubelet, a Black Sensing Cubelet, and a Clear Action Cubelet. What happens when you change orientations, configuration, and add or change functions? These robots will not react in the same way. Choose a theme for your robot and build it to meet a new purpose:

• Home helpers ‐ robots that might help us at home. Roomba is an example this kind of robot.
• Security ‐ robots we use to keep ourselves or our belongs safe. Motion activated lights or touch sensitive alarms in museums are examples of this kind of robot.
• Search and Adventure ‐ these are robots that would do job to keep us safe, or help us by locating things in unsafe places. Curiosity, the robot on Mars is an example of this kind of robot
• Industry ‐ robotic arms help assemble cars and other machines by sensing when parts are in front of them and then acting to build them correctly

“Expand on these robots you’ve been working with. You can do this in three ways now ‐ by adding functions, changing the location of components, and re‐orienting sensor and action faces on the Cubelets."


Suggested age variations/progression, using the same robots as in your previous stations:

Pre­K to 6 years old:
Use robots from Station 1.
Guide students to add simple functions like an additional action (for example, Flashlight) or to use the Passive Cubelet to make their constructions take different shapes.
Alternatively, do this as a group where each student gets to suggest/place and added Cubelet. “What does it do now? how does it do it?”

6 years old to 9 years old:
Use robots from Stations 1 and 2.
Guide students to add new functions like an additional action, adding the Passive Cubelet to make their constructions take different shapes, but also to use new senses or introduce Think Cubelets. This will change how the robot can react to its environment.
“What has changed? What jobs does this robot do, and how does it do it. How does it know when to react?“
 

9 years old to 12 years old:

Use robots from Stations 1, 2, and 3 (and 4 as time allows )
Guide students to add new functions like an additional action, Passive Cubelets to
make their constructions take different shapes, but also to use new senses or introduce Think Cubelets. This will change how the robot can react to its environment.
“What has changed? What jobs does this robot do, and how does it do it. How does it know when to react? What inputs does this robot get, and what are it’s outputs, or behaviors?“

12 years old and up: 
Use robots from Stations 1, 2, 3, and 4 (and 5 as time allows) As above.


 

Concepts Presented: tinkering, understanding components, adding and changing components
Vocabulary: transform, tinkering, changing, designing, function, purpose, location, sequence, theme

Teaching Tips:

Part 3: Tinkering by changing components

Materials: Educator Pack of Cubelets with robots built. We suggest setting up your stations on separate tables, and numbering them.

We also suggest giving students a guide to the different Cubelet functions.
 

Students change their robots by adding components (Cubelets) and producing new designs and behaviors.

Tell the class: “Consider how you could add functions as a way of transforming your robots. Remember that whatever changes you make to your robots, in order for Cubelets to work together to make a robot you will need, at the very least, a battery Cubelet, a Black Sensing Cubelet, and a Clear Action Cubelet. What happens when you change orientations, configuration, and add or change functions? These robots will not react in the same way. Choose a theme for your robot and build it to meet a new purpose:

• Home helpers ‐ robots that might help us at home. Roomba is an example this kind of robot.
• Security ‐ robots we use to keep ourselves or our belongs safe. Motion activated lights or touch sensitive alarms in museums are examples of this kind of robot.
• Search and Adventure ‐ these are robots that would do job to keep us safe, or help us by locating things in unsafe places. Curiosity, the robot on Mars is an example of this kind of robot
• Industry ‐ robotic arms help assemble cars and other machines by sensing when parts are in front of them and then acting to build them correctly

“Expand on these robots you’ve been working with. You can do this in three ways now ‐ by adding functions, changing the location of components, and re‐orienting sensor and action faces on the Cubelets."


Suggested age variations/progression, using the same robots as in your previous stations:

Pre­K to 6 years old:
Use robots from Station 1.
Guide students to add simple functions like an additional action (for example, Flashlight) or to use the Passive Cubelet to make their constructions take different shapes.
Alternatively, do this as a group where each student gets to suggest/place and added Cubelet. “What does it do now? how does it do it?”

6 years old to 9 years old:
Use robots from Stations 1 and 2.
Guide students to add new functions like an additional action, adding the Passive Cubelet to make their constructions take different shapes, but also to use new senses or introduce Think Cubelets. This will change how the robot can react to its environment.
“What has changed? What jobs does this robot do, and how does it do it. How does it know when to react?“
 

9 years old to 12 years old:

Use robots from Stations 1, 2, and 3 (and 4 as time allows )
Guide students to add new functions like an additional action, Passive Cubelets to
make their constructions take different shapes, but also to use new senses or introduce Think Cubelets. This will change how the robot can react to its environment.
“What has changed? What jobs does this robot do, and how does it do it. How does it know when to react? What inputs does this robot get, and what are it’s outputs, or behaviors?“

12 years old and up: 
Use robots from Stations 1, 2, 3, and 4 (and 5 as time allows) As above.


 

Concepts Presented: tinkering, understanding components, adding and changing components
Vocabulary: transform, tinkering, changing, designing, function, purpose, location, sequence, theme

Teaching Tips:

Part 3: Tinkering by changing components

Materials: Educator Pack of Cubelets with robots built. We suggest setting up your stations on separate tables, and numbering them.

We also suggest giving students a guide to the different Cubelet functions.
 

Students change their robots by adding components (Cubelets) and producing new designs and behaviors.

Tell the class: “Consider how you could add functions as a way of transforming your robots. Remember that whatever changes you make to your robots, in order for Cubelets to work together to make a robot you will need, at the very least, a battery Cubelet, a Black Sensing Cubelet, and a Clear Action Cubelet. What happens when you change orientations, configuration, and add or change functions? These robots will not react in the same way. Choose a theme for your robot and build it to meet a new purpose:

• Home helpers ‐ robots that might help us at home. Roomba is an example this kind of robot.
• Security ‐ robots we use to keep ourselves or our belongs safe. Motion activated lights or touch sensitive alarms in museums are examples of this kind of robot.
• Search and Adventure ‐ these are robots that would do job to keep us safe, or help us by locating things in unsafe places. Curiosity, the robot on Mars is an example of this kind of robot
• Industry ‐ robotic arms help assemble cars and other machines by sensing when parts are in front of them and then acting to build them correctly

“Expand on these robots you’ve been working with. You can do this in three ways now ‐ by adding functions, changing the location of components, and re‐orienting sensor and action faces on the Cubelets."


Suggested age variations/progression, using the same robots as in your previous stations:

Pre­K to 6 years old:
Use robots from Station 1.
Guide students to add simple functions like an additional action (for example, Flashlight) or to use the Passive Cubelet to make their constructions take different shapes.
Alternatively, do this as a group where each student gets to suggest/place and added Cubelet. “What does it do now? how does it do it?”

6 years old to 9 years old:
Use robots from Stations 1 and 2.
Guide students to add new functions like an additional action, adding the Passive Cubelet to make their constructions take different shapes, but also to use new senses or introduce Think Cubelets. This will change how the robot can react to its environment.
“What has changed? What jobs does this robot do, and how does it do it. How does it know when to react?“
 

9 years old to 12 years old:

Use robots from Stations 1, 2, and 3 (and 4 as time allows )
Guide students to add new functions like an additional action, Passive Cubelets to
make their constructions take different shapes, but also to use new senses or introduce Think Cubelets. This will change how the robot can react to its environment.
“What has changed? What jobs does this robot do, and how does it do it. How does it know when to react? What inputs does this robot get, and what are it’s outputs, or behaviors?“

12 years old and up: 
Use robots from Stations 1, 2, 3, and 4 (and 5 as time allows) As above.


 

Concepts Presented: tinkering, understanding components, adding and changing components
Vocabulary: transform, tinkering, changing, designing, function, purpose, location, sequence, theme

Teaching Tips:

Part 3: Tinkering by changing components

Materials: Educator Pack of Cubelets with robots built. We suggest setting up your stations on separate tables, and numbering them.

We also suggest giving students a guide to the different Cubelet functions.
 

Students change their robots by adding components (Cubelets) and producing new designs and behaviors.

Tell the class: “Consider how you could add functions as a way of transforming your robots. Remember that whatever changes you make to your robots, in order for Cubelets to work together to make a robot you will need, at the very least, a battery Cubelet, a Black Sensing Cubelet, and a Clear Action Cubelet. What happens when you change orientations, configuration, and add or change functions? These robots will not react in the same way. Choose a theme for your robot and build it to meet a new purpose:

• Home helpers ‐ robots that might help us at home. Roomba is an example this kind of robot.
• Security ‐ robots we use to keep ourselves or our belongs safe. Motion activated lights or touch sensitive alarms in museums are examples of this kind of robot.
• Search and Adventure ‐ these are robots that would do job to keep us safe, or help us by locating things in unsafe places. Curiosity, the robot on Mars is an example of this kind of robot
• Industry ‐ robotic arms help assemble cars and other machines by sensing when parts are in front of them and then acting to build them correctly

“Expand on these robots you’ve been working with. You can do this in three ways now ‐ by adding functions, changing the location of components, and re‐orienting sensor and action faces on the Cubelets."


Suggested age variations/progression, using the same robots as in your previous stations:

Pre­K to 6 years old:
Use robots from Station 1.
Guide students to add simple functions like an additional action (for example, Flashlight) or to use the Passive Cubelet to make their constructions take different shapes.
Alternatively, do this as a group where each student gets to suggest/place and added Cubelet. “What does it do now? how does it do it?”

6 years old to 9 years old:
Use robots from Stations 1 and 2.
Guide students to add new functions like an additional action, adding the Passive Cubelet to make their constructions take different shapes, but also to use new senses or introduce Think Cubelets. This will change how the robot can react to its environment.
“What has changed? What jobs does this robot do, and how does it do it. How does it know when to react?“
 

9 years old to 12 years old:

Use robots from Stations 1, 2, and 3 (and 4 as time allows )
Guide students to add new functions like an additional action, Passive Cubelets to
make their constructions take different shapes, but also to use new senses or introduce Think Cubelets. This will change how the robot can react to its environment.
“What has changed? What jobs does this robot do, and how does it do it. How does it know when to react? What inputs does this robot get, and what are it’s outputs, or behaviors?“

12 years old and up: 
Use robots from Stations 1, 2, 3, and 4 (and 5 as time allows) As above.


 

Concepts Presented: tinkering, understanding components, adding and changing components
Vocabulary: transform, tinkering, changing, designing, function, purpose, location, sequence, theme