Week 1
Abstract:
● Introduce Mars Rover
● Familiarize students with Lego robots
● Remote control will be used to give students a concept of turns
○ Understand basics of the brick, the wheels, the motors, input and output
● NXT-G software will be introduced
○ Print to screen block
Agenda for Today’s Class:
1. Snack time, naturally
2. Introduce Mars Curiosity theme → some sweet ass YouTube videos with some sweet
music (NO RADIOHEAD)
a. Have students name their “rovers”
3. Introduce brick, motors, ideas of input and output
4. Discuss the potential and power of remote controlled objects (cars, war drones, MARS
ROVER)
a. Discuss the value of something being remote controlled (Mars rover would be
useless)
i.No need to program a specific path
ii.Ability to adapt to an environment
5. Introduce NXT remote control
6. Have students play around with robots and remote controls (with code from mentor)
7. Introduce NXT-G software by showing them remote control code
a. Add display block to remote control code: “LIFE ON MARS!!!”
Equipment Required:
● Fully-built NXT brick with remote control and remote control code
● A stellar attitude
Links to Related Fields:
This lesson illustrates the fundamental idea behind the Mars rover: a robot that be controlled
remotely. Further lessons will illustrate how Curiosity gathers data and makes decisions.
Goals for the Lesson:
Students should come away from this first session with a solid knowledge of their block and an
understanding of how a robot makes turns. Students should also understand print to screen
blocks.
New/Important Icons:
Detailed Lesson Description
1. Introduce Mars Curiosity theme (10 minutes)
Our time at DSA this semester will be framed by the current Mars exploration. It is important that
you, as a mentor, read up on Curiosity and know enough about it to be as excited as the
mentees will be!
Activity: Mars Facts
2. Introduce brick, motors, ideas of input and output (10 minutes)
The mentees are starting from square one, just like you did. Introduce them to the various the
parts of their rover first: the body (the brick) and the wheels, the lettered ports for output, and
the numbered ports for input. Next, go over the difference between input and output: input takes
information from the outside world (think the Martian environment!) and gives it to the rover,
output is delivered to the Martian world from the rover. Connect the ideas of input and output to
real world examples: a vending machine uses the ideas of both input and output (the money is
the input, the giving of the soda is the output), a car also uses these ideas (how hard you press
the pedal is the input, the change in speed is the output).
Activities: Introduce Your Rover, Input vs. Output
3. Discuss the potential and power of remote controlled objects (cars, war drones,
MARS ROVER) (5 minutes)
a. Discuss the value of something being remote controlled (Mars rover would
be useless)
Take a couple minutes to talk with your mentees about the advantages of being able to remotely
control an object. Start with things your mentees might be familiar with: remote control cars,
helicopters, or airplanes. Then connect that idea with the Mars Rover. How useful would a rover
be if you couldn’t control it from Earth?
i.No need to program a specific path
Start with the example of driving a remote controlled car around a room. The remote control
allows it to navigate around objects like chairs and couches, even if they’re not always in the
same places. In the same way, the Mars Rover can navigate the Martian landscape, avoiding
collisions with rocks and Martians, controlled remotely from Earth.
4. Introduce NXT remote control (10 minutes)
As a mentor, it is important that you familiarize yourself
with the remote control before beginning the lesson. Be
sure you know what every button & wheel does! If one
of your mentee asks you, you should be able to quickly
explain. Focus on explaining the different types of turns
that the rover can do: pivot (one wheel moving, the other
staying stationary), point (both wheels moving in
opposite directions), and “car” (both wheels moving in
the same direction at different speeds).
5. Have students play around with robots and remote controls (with code from
mentor) (15 minutes)
Encourage mentees to try out the different kinds of turns. Also try to facilitate a discussion about
when to use what kinds of turns, including point and pivot turns
6. Introduce NXT-G software by showing them remote control code (20 minutes)
The remote control code will be pre-written. Show it to your mentees and see what they think.
Have them take guesses at what certain blocks might do: if no one has any guesses ask them
what the block with the gears might do. (Hint: It’s the motor block).
Explain the program block by block. Just like you would read a book, you read an NXT program
from left to right. Bring back the idea of input vs. output (have your mentees look back at their
worksheet). Get your mentees to brainstorm which blocks would be receiving input from the
remote control (sensor block) and which ones would be outputting (motor blocks).
Don’t expect your mentees to understand everything, but it’s important that they understand
what a program looks like and what it is made up of (blocks on blocks on blocks).
b. Add display block to remote control code: “LIFE ON MARS!!!”
Now comes the real test. Introduce your mentees to the Display block: what it does and why it
might be useful (example: the rover sends a message back to mission control after it encounters
a Martian). Ask them if it is an input or output block (it’s an output block). Let them play around
with the options for the block, changing the settings, until they figure out how to make the rover
say “LIFE ON MARS!!!”