Actual Project/Task

Students will do the following tasks during this unit:

1. You will either be assigned to/or you may be free to choose/ a small group of classmates with whom to engage on the challenge activity: design and build a walking cat.
2. Use the Design Log book as a guide, including both the Design Process (p. 4-5 of the booklet) and the Scoring Sheet (page 6).
3. Classroom activities will be organized by the teacher(s) as needed to develop operational understanding of the concepts of kinetics, optics, locomotion, and structure/design of walking animals of a variety of sizes and shapes.
4. This is an open Inquiry project, and students are expected to engage in a problem-based activities while gathering information, conducting the background research, developing goals and tasks to distribute among group members, and building a working prototype of a robotic cat before the final deadline.
5. Outline on the back cover of the Design Log the organizational system that your group develops. Each group must have a coordinator, a design team, and a project team, who work together to build the robot to their satisfaction.
6. Limited materials will be available for the project, and teams will have to share the resources to make the project feasible.
7. As your team is working through the process, record at least four times each week in a robot journal about your discoveries, sentiments and feelings, mistakes and triumphs.
8. Prepare a presentation for the visiting guest scientist who will be available at the end of the four weeks. This should be a Powerpoint presentation, and should include a line drawing or sketch of your final design, from multiple perspectives. A list of materials used should be included.

Notes to the Instructor: 

• Launch the project with enthusiasm and energy, and beg students to bring in their old Lego collection so as many groups as possible may participate. Smaller numbers in each group means more engaged students. Groups should be no smaller than four students, and no larger than ten.
• Each team will need to use the Lego materials and supplies, and share the RCX Brick or other programmable device. Visit tag sales if your pleas for materials turn up few Lego blocks.
• The RCX or other device will be in short supply. Encourage students to share the programmable chip with each other, and pay special attention to the respect students maintain for the materials.
• If you do not already have the SAE Design kits for the electric motor/gear driven car kits, collect as many gears as you can for a possible classroom activity. Students do need to understand gear trains. Some students may tell you that they understand the concept; make sure they provide evidence of their understanding of the concept through a conversation with the group or through their correct explanation of the mechanical advantage provided by multiple gears in a gear train. If many students need more review, consider running a classroom activity to help them gain the understandings they need to apply to be successful in this activity.
• Hold whole class activities as necessary on kinetics, 4-bar linkages , the anatomy of a cat, optics, locomotion, etc. Of these, the first is well supported by web sites listed above. Have students work through the hands-on exercises as described so there is evidence of concept attainment through a performance assessment.
• Arrange for class time in the computer lab to teach the RCX programming.
• Be prepared for students to come howling for answers as they work through the design process. Resist the temptation to tell the students what they wish to know. Instead, ask “How could we find out?”, or “What variables did you identify and control, and what are you manipulating?” You can even ask what they have already tried, and provide a hint by asking another question of your own. “Have you considered what would happen if _____...” These are all issues which arise when managing inquiry in the classroom.
• Organize a special classroom visitor for the final presentation day, and prepare certificates of accomplishment for all participating students. Invite the press to come to school, and tell the students you have done so, to sustain their interest in completing the robot design, construction, and testing.

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