Part 2

Overview of Summer Teacher Workshops for In-class Use of

FLL/FTC Technology

July 28, 2008

Workshop Overview• Makes use of FLL/FTC kits with third-party

sensors, e.g., Vernier, Hitechnic, Mindsensors• Makes use of Robolab software, but other

software such as NXT-G, LabVIEW for Education, could also be used

• Taught how to develop Rigorous and Relevant Lesson plans that include assessment using a Hands-on, Inquiry-based Learning approach

• Goal: teachers working in triads, e.g., math, science and technology, to develop/run a peer reviewed lesson plan in their classroom

Use of Lego NXT Kits• LEGO elements can be a powerful teaching

tool for students of all ages– using LEGO bricks a kindergarten student can

explore the concept of numbers and sorting– add a few motors and sensors to those LEGO

bricks and high school students can learn about engineering and physics by building a robot or a set-up to measure mechanical advantage

• Having students from K-12 use the same/common toolsets allows more time to be focused on learning and exploring and less on learning how to use software, etc.

Sensors in FLL Kit

Output: 0-360 degrees

Output: 0-100%

Output: 0-100%

Output: 0 (not pressed)

or 1 (pressed)

Output: 3-255cm

Vernier Sensor Adapter for NXT

Used with various sensors having analog outputs.Values/units vary by sensor.

Dual force sensor

Light Sensor

Gas Pressure Sensor

About Robolab - Investigator• ROBOLAB is good environment for

programming, creating, learning and exploring with the LEGO NXT (and older RCX)– with an intuitive graphical interface, students of all

ages are able to create autonomous systems, collect data, compose music, and snap pictures

• ROBOLAB runs on top of the LabVIEW programming environment (including LVEE ‘09)– used by engineers and scientists in both institutions

of higher education and industry– a leading software development tool for

measurement and control applications

Key Investigator Windows

Select Programming Level 5, then click here to begin programming the NXT under Investigator, i.e., for data logging. Level 5 provides full NXT programming similar to Inventor/LVEE ’09.

Main windows: Program, Upload, Compute, View/Compare, Journal and Publish

Sample Investigator Program

• The following code takes 50 light sensor samples at a rate of 0.1 seconds per sample, i.e., sampling for 5 seconds in total

• You can enter, download and run this code on the NXT, then upload the data in investigator to view it

Sample of Third Party Sensors Covered in the Workshop

Temperature

Ultrasonic

Light & Temp

Gas Pressure

Instrumentation Amp

Accelerometer

Magnetic Field

Force

STRUCTURE OF A SENSOR PRESENTATION

1. Overview of the sensor (20 min) Description and experiment setup Robolab data acquisition code Data visualization and analysis Rigor and Relevance discussion

2. Group Activity (40 min) Each group experiments with the sensor in kit Take notes in engineering journal

3. Group Brainstorm R&R (15 min) Potential lesson plans? Take notes engineering journal

4. Class Discussion (15 min)

Surface Temperature SensorThe Surface Temperature Sensor is designed for use in situations in which low thermal mass or flexibility is required. Special features include an exposed thermistor that results in an extremely rapid response.

Surface Temperature Sample CodeExperiment: Examine temperature difference between different

colors of paper heated using a lamp. Procedure:1. Play a sound indicating when data logging begins2. Turn on lamp3. Collect temperature heating data every tenth of a second for a

total of 180 seconds, i.e., 1800 data samples 4. Play a sound to indicate time to turn of lamp and begin logging

temperature cooling data5. Collect cooling data for another 180 seconds

Download and run this code on the NXT, then upload the data to view

Visualization and Analysis:White Paper vs. Black Paper

Rigor/Relevance Framework Evaluation

Synthesis

Analysis

Application Understanding Awareness

6 5 4 3 2 1

1 2 3 4 5 Knowledge Apply in Apply Apply to Apply to discipline across real-world real-world disciplines predictable unpredictable situations situtations

A Acquisition

C Assimilation

D Adaptation

B Application

Application Model

The goal is to move learning experiences into Quadrant D

Rigor and Relevance Discussion• Easier: What colors absorb more heat?• Harder: Compare the cooling data to

Newton’s law of cooling, i.e.,

→

→

Rigor and Relevance DiscussionTemperature Probes:• Quadrant A – Identify the two

different parts of the curve• Quadrant B – Repeat this test

with different materials. • Quadrant C – Describe how

different conditions and/or activities might affect the results of this test.

• Quadrant D – Develop a procedure for assessing the cardio-vascular health of a subject based on the results of tests designed to measure the impact of exercise on the subject’s breathing rate using a temp probe.

Your Turn Session - Temperature1. Experiment with temperature probes (40 min)

Use ring stand, light, colored paper to recreate heating/cooling experiment

Log and visualize data

2. Brainstorm in your groups on classroom possibilities (15 min)

3. Class discussion (15 min)

Please use your journals to keep a record of your discussions and notes about sensors.

Rigor and Relevance

Lesson Plan

Format

Lesson Plan Format for R&RIdentify the R&R quadrant that best fits your lesson plan

1 2 3 4 5

This may be new but it is very helpful for determining the effectiveness of the lesson. The teachers devise sample pre/post-assessments over the course of this week.

Roughly 20 lesson plans results from the initial summer workshop using a wide variety of sensors, including:

– force sensor, e.g., for bridge breaking– magnetic field sensor, e.g., for measuring

power used by different forms of lighting– Ph sensor, e.g., for measuring the amount

of C02 in respiration

In-class Workshop Photos