Unit Plan

Title: Automation and Robotics

Unit Length: 3 weeks

Written by: Jim Roland

Subject/Grade: 8th Grade Technology

Standard 5: Students will apply technological knowledge and skills to design, construct, use, and evaluate products and systems to satisfy human and environmental needs.

Performance Indicators:

1: Identify needs and opportunities for technical solutions.6: Choose and use resources for a particular purpose.9: Process energy into other forms.11: Access needed information from various Internet sites.14: Use a computer to monitor and control systems.16: Assemble, operate, and explain the operation of systems.17: Describe how subsystems and systems interact.18: Describe the requirements of a system control.

Rationale: To promote Technological Literacy, PLTW has justified the importance of Automation and Robotics. Students will learn the content of this curriculum while strengthening skills of literacy to become better learners. The application of content learned will be the greatest learning experience for students through several activities.

Launch: Introduce gears with Fisher-Tek demonstration and then begin automation section with Transformers video and discussion.

Essential Question: Explain the evolution of automation and robotics historically and possibilities for the future.

Critical Thinking Skill: Induction

Sub Skills: Comparing, Classifying,

Assessments: Formative: Daily Bell Ringer, Quizzes, Homework, Activity Participation, Daily Participation

Summative: Automation and Robotics unit quiz

Vocabulary: NYS Test: Represents, Elaborate, Similar

Unit Vocab: energy, system, machines, automation, robotics, gear, gear train, torque, speed, force, reciprocating, rotary, linear, input, output, gear ratio, teeth, bevel gear, worm gear, idler, mechanism, universal joint, pulley, differential, work, effort, flow of power, angular range, programming, gear box, motor, mechanical advantage

Guiding Questions: Explain what a gear is. Determine the mechanical advantage of a gear train. Compare the relationship between torque and speed. Recommend a gear train for greater torque and another for greater speed. Illustrate basic programming commands. Construct a system for computer control. Solve the gear ratio of a complex gear train. Program a system to function within constraints. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of robotics. Reflect upon the concern of robotics in your future.

Student Engagement: participation in activities, observation throughout direct instruction, accountability by asking all students for answers randomly, answer individual questions, include students throughout instruction as helpers or assisting teachers, group or teamwork

Meaningful Use (real world application): Students will assemble several gear trains to study the relationship of torque and speed and calculate gear ratios. They will then begin to assemble basic computer controlled systems to program with Robo Pro. Both of these activities near exact models of industrial gearing and programming.

Materials/Resources: gear assemblies, Fisher-Tek interface, power supplies, patch cables, motors, gear box, track, extra interface wires for components, switches, programming problem kits

How did it go?: Students experienced some frustration at the beginning of the gears activity but soon realized how the parts assembled and worked quickly. The programming portion was also frustrating to some students. These frustrations are understandable since the given activities are presented as a challenge. Students really enjoyed "program the teacher".

What changes?: Next time this unit is taught, I would like to leave more time for students to further experience advanced programming problems. Including pictures of the gear assemblies has greatly helped students but some of them have still faced difficulty. Perhaps a set of optional instructions, or online tutorial would help. Lastly, I would like to find some intricate gear assemblies such as a differential to show students as examples.

Why different?: Leaving more time for the robotics portion of this unit will allow students to further grasp the understanding of part assemblies and programming. Providing written instructions or a tutorial would provide a helpful tool to students experiencing difficulty. By bringing in large examples of intricate gears, students may be able to study them and have a stronger understanding of gears and how they operate.