Lego WeDo

Hungry Alligator Challenge

The first thing that you need to do is make sure that your Hungry Alligator is connected to your netbook computers USB

port.

Now, you need to open up the Lego Education WeDo program from your desktop.

When you open up the program it will come up with a blank screen. If it is not a blank screen, then

click on this in the top right hand corner to create a new project.

Located on the bottom of the screen are a collection of icons that can be used for programming a Lego robot, like the

Hungry Alligator.

To add icons to the blank area, click and drag upwards the icon that you want to use. To remove the icon from the

screen click and drag downwards to the menu of icons.

Important icons:

Use this to start the programme. Use this to repeat the icon or the sequence.

Use this to program the duration (time). The sound. Pair this with to choose

Use this with one of the 20 sounds.

123 icon. Place cursor over the field and when

Use this to turn the motor one way you see a T type in the number.

Use this to turn the motor another way. Display background. Pair with

Means wait. Pair with Display. Pair with to write a message.

Use this to stop the programme. Add to the Display. Pair with

Motion detector.

Challenge 1:

1A Find the sound that an alligator would make when it eats.

(Hint: Start with the icon).

1B Try to open and close the jaws of the alligator by running the motor for 1 second each time.

Which motor do you need to use to open and close the alligators jaw? This one or this one ?

Try and modify the code to see if the Hungry Alligators jaw will close when it senses motion (i.e. your hand in its jaw)?

(Hint: You need to use the icon that programs the duration of the movement - ).

Dont forget to pair it with . Remember: 1 second is equal to 10, 2 seconds is equal to 20.

1C Find the sound the alligator makes when it eats. Choose the suitable icon or icons that you need to use.

Challenge 2:

Create a new project, and try and recreate this piece of programming code:

Hint: For the , icon, place your cursor over the abc icon and when it becomes a T, you can write in something

like The Hungry Alligator feels hungry in the Display icon.

Write something to add onto this with the icon.

Choose a suitable Display Background too by typing in a number.

Modify aspects of this code. What can you change to make it different?

Challenge 3 (Extension Activity):

Use Morse Code or make up your own language to communicate (in sounds, or some other way) a word or message

with another Lego WeDo pair.

Hint: Have a set of rules for what is considered a dot or a dash, and a pause (pauses help to separate when a letter or

number is finished). For example, is sound 13 = 1 dot.

Here is a table of Morse Code: