BB-8 Wrap-up

We got to play with a Sphero BB-8 robot for a month through the Vermont Robot Rodeo program.  The kids were pretty excited!  Ok, I was too!  Each class got a turn to see it and help me program it.  I was hoping to let each kid get a turn to program it individually during the time we had it, but unfortunately that didn't work out. It became difficult to manage one robot/iPad shared across an entire class of overly excited students.  I did try to get it into as many hands as manageable though.  Some students earned time with the robot for good CSR behavior and others were allowed to use BB-8 during their agreed upon break times.  We also used BB-8 and Dash for the enrichment group project.

The 4th and 5th graders, and the 2nd and 3rd graders, were tasked with creating an obstacle course and programming BB-8 to complete the course.  I also asked them to take photos and videos of the process so we could compile them into a final project to present.

The 4/5 group created their course using masking tape, cardboard, felt, Imagination Playground blocks, and Keva planks.  The 2/3 group experimented with masking tape tracks, unifix components, and Imagination Playground blocks and tracks.

We all learned a few valuable lessons!

• The Sphero BB-8 robot is harder to control than any of us expected!
• It's easy to create a cool track, but frustrating each time you have to simplify it for the robot.
• Eight-eleven kids trying to share one robot/iPad is tricky.  I brought in my Dash robot to help alleviate this problem, but the kids still really wanted to make BB-8 run the obstacle course!
• Dash is a lot easier to control and more predictable with it's behaviors.
• Technology troubles are super frustrating!  We had battery issues with Dash, "head" issues with BB-8, connectivity issues with both, and always the risk of low battery.
• Programming is fun!!

The 4th and 5th graders compiled their videos and photos into a final presentation to share:

The 2nd and 3rd graders ran out of time to make their movie, so I pulled their videos and photos together into a presentation:

With a lot of time and missed recesses (their choice), the 4/5 group was able to get BB-8 to mostly complete the track they had designed, with a few track modifications (removed ramps and stage).  The 2/3 group went through several track revisions and ran out of time to finish the track.  They had more difficulty with the programming as well.  Lots to learn for all of us!

I'm planning to keep Dash at school, or maybe buy a school one so my kids can have theirs back!  We also have Lego WeDos available, and EV3s for the more advanced programmers.  Everyone agreed that enrichment group is fun and robots are cool.  :)