Pinecrest Preparatory Middle



Team Robotics

2020-2021

Instructor: Mr. Rafael E. Sanchez

Room Number: 2102

Email: rsanchez@

Office hours: Mondays & Wednesdays. By Appointment Only

Course Description

This introductory course encourages students to use VEXcode VR to learn and practice computational thinking and coding. Each lesson and unit walks the students through a particular Computer Science concept, leading your student to complete independent challenges applying what they have learned. 

 

Course Standards

Learning coding will help students develop 21st century job skills.  Most of today’s professional math and science fields have a computational component.  Additionally, skills such as the ability to analyze and solve unstructured problems and to work with new information are extremely valuable in today’s knowledge economy.  This course will help students become creators, not just consumers, of technology.   

Course Text

VEX Online Resources

Authors:

ISBN:

Course Outline:  

|Unit 1: Introduction and Fundamentals   |Lessons:  |

|  |Getting Started with VEXcode VR  |

|This Unit shows you the value of VEXcode VR and how easy it is to use. This Unit |Opening an Example and Running Your First Project  |

|also outlines the structure for the course, giving you a preview of what is to be |Block Shapes and Their Meaning  |

|expected, and providing you with the tools to be successful.   |Tips and Tricks with VEXcode VR  |

|Unit 2: Moving Your Robot   |Lessons:  |

|  |Computer Science Fundamentals   |

|In this Unit, you will solve the Castle Crasher challenge. You will learn to |Driving for Distance & Change Parameters in the [Drive |

|use VEXcode VR to make the VR Robot use the Drivetrain commands in other to move |for] Block  |

|around the Castle Crasher Playground. You will also learn how to sequence commands|Turning the VR Robot & Turn to Heading  |

|correctly in order to knock over all castles on the playground.   |Castle Crasher Challenge  |

| |Unit Exam.  |

Page Break 

 

|Unit 3: Repeating Behaviors   |Lessons:  |

|  |Drawing with the Pen, Draw a Square, Mini Challenge  |

|In this Unit, you will solve the Draw a House Challenge. You will learn to use the|Repeating Actions, Flow of a Project with a [Repeat] |

|Pen tool on a VR Robot to draw different shapes on the Art Canvas Playground. You |Block  |

|will also learn how to use loops in VEXcode VR to repeat a set of |Draw a House Challenge  |

|behaviors multiple times, such as drawing the sides of a square.   | |

|Unit 4: Navigating a Maze  |Lessons:   |

|  |What is a Bumper Sensor?  |

|This Unit will show you how to use sensor input sensor input to navigate the VR |Using the [Wait until] Block  |

|Robot regardless of its surroundings, instead of “hard-coding” movement with only |Driving Until Pressed, Using Drivetrain Commands to |

|Drivetrain commands. This is an important first steps in being able to build an |Navigate the Wall Maze  |

|effective algorithm. You will work on the Wall Maze Challenge using VEXcode VR to |Wall Maze Challenge  |

|navigate the VR Robot through the Wall Maze Playground from start to finish. You | |

|will learn how to use the Bumper Sensor and the [Wait until] block to solve the | |

|Wall Maze Challenge.   | |

|  | |

| |Lessons:  |

|Unit 5: Detecting Walls from a Distance  |Distance Sensor  |

|  |Using Comparison Blocks and Driving Until Near  |

|In this Unit, you will navigate the VR Robot from start to finish through the Wall|Drive to the Letter ‘A’, Turn Left to Reach the Letter |

|Maze Challenge without bumping into walls! You will learn how to use the Distance |‘B’, Mini Challenge  |

|Sensor on the VR Robot with comparison blocks to solve the Wall Maze challenge  |Wall Maze Challenge  |

Page Break 

|Unit 6: Knowing Your Location  |Lessons:   |

|  |Location Sensor  |

|In this Unit, you will complete the Drive to Three Numbers challenge and use the |Driving to a Set of Coordinates (x-axis)  |

|Location Sensor to navigate the VR Robot to three different blocks from the |Driving to a Set of Coordinates (y-axis)  |

|Drivetrain, Sensing, and Control categories in the correct sequence in order to |Drive to Three Numbers Challenge  |

|solve the Drive to Three Numbers challenge.   | |

|Unit 7: Decisions with Colors  |Lessons:  |

|  |Eye Sensor  |

|In this Unit, you will be introduced to the importance of conditional statements. |Using the Front Eye Sensor with [Wait until]  |

|You will explore why conditional statements, such as the [If then] block need to |Using Conditionals  |

|be used with loops, such as [Forever] blocks, in order for the VR Robot to behave |Repeated Behaviors  |

|as intended. You will learn how to use the Eye Sensor and conditional statements |Disk Maze Challenge  |

|to solve the Disk Maze Challenge. In the Disk Maze Challenge, the VR Robot will | |

|navigate through the Disk Maze Playground from start to finish using the Eye | |

|Sensor to detect colors.   | |

|Unit 8: Moving Disks with Loops  |Lessons:  |

|  |What is an Electromagnet?   |

|In this Unit, you will learn the importance of sensor feedback and nesting loops. |Plan, Project, Use Electromagnet.   |

|You will learn how to use the Electromagnet on the VR Robot to pick up and drop |Picking Up and Moving Disks  |

|disks to solve the Disk Mover challenge. You will apply skills learned in previous|Using Nested Loops  |

|Units to create a VEXcode VR project that uses VR Robot Sensors and loops to solve|Disk Mover Challenge  |

|the Disk Mover Challenge.   | |

Page Break 

|Unit 9: Developing Algorithms  |Lessons:  |

|  |What is an Algorithm?  |

|The Unit introduces you to algorithms. Back in Unit 2, you solved the Castle |If/Else Conditional Statements  |

|Crasher Challenge on the Playground where the layout did not change. In this Unit,|Using Multiple Sensors Together  |

|you will have to solve the same challenge, but on a Playground that changes the |Dynamic Castle Crasher Challenge  |

|layout with each reset. This introduces the need for an algorithm that uses a | |

|sensor feedback instead of a sequence of simple commands.   | |

 

Methods of Assessment:  

Students will be assessed weekly using one or more of the following methods:  

• Summative Assessments (Exams/Projects) -----------------------40% of grade 

• Formative Assessments (Quiz/Projects) ----------------------------35% of grade 

• Classwork (Lessons/Assignments) ----------------------------------- 25% of grade 

No screenshots for completion of assignments will be accepted.  

 

Grading:  

|Grade  |Assignment  |Course G.P.A  |

|A  |90-100%  |3.50-4.00  |

|B  |80-89%  |2.50-3.49  |

|C  |70-79%  |1.50-2.49  |

|D  |60-69%  |1.00-1.49  |

|F  |0-59%  |0-.99  |

 

Late Work:  

Incomplete, late work will NOT be accepted for partial grade. All late work must be completed and turned-in by the final deadline provided. It is at the discretion of the teacher if there will be points deducted for late assignments. 

Plagiarism:  

Taking someone’s work, sharing your work with someone, borrowing someone’s work, paying someone to do your work, and/or submitting something that is not yours will result in an immediate zero on the assignment or project. There will be no chance to make it up. 

 

Virtual Classroom Expectations: 

1.Treat all people with respect.  

2.Maintain a safe learning environment.  

3.Students should be signed in to Zoom, before the period begins.  

4.Behavior that interferes with learning will not be tolerated. 

5.Food and Gum are not allowed during class. 

6.Students are expected to be honest and ethical in their academic work. 

7.Be an active participant in class. 

8.Cell phone, music or other devices not used for learning are not allowed.  

9.Restroom breaks are limited to between classes. 

10.Use appropriate language and vocabulary.  

11.Turn in completed assignments on time. 

 

Attendance Policy:  

If you are absent, it is your responsibility to contact the teacher to obtain missed assignments upon your return to school. Make-up assignments will only be graded if your absence is excused.   

It should be noted that all class work, due to the nature of the instruction, is not readily subject to make-up work.  Students must make-up assignments for classes missed within three school days of the return to school.   

 

Supplies:  

• Electronic device to access courses and complete coursework.  

• Writing utensils (pens, pencils, highlighters) 

• Binder & Paper or Notebook   

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download