This summer's Robot Mini Golf for the Classroom professional development course in the Pathfinders Summer Institute was a blast, introducing a whopping 184 teachers to the engaging world of robotics and emotional expression. In Session C, we tackled the Cup-O-Lantern project, a 15-minute whirlwind of building a glowing robot that showcases emotions through the power of LEDs, a micro:bit, and the BirdBrain Technologies' Hummingbird Robotics Kit.
But the robots themselves had to shine (literally!). The challenge was to:
Criteria:
- Build a luminary-style robot with a glowing element.
- Utilize at least one tri-LED to create a vibrant display.
- Program the robot to express 3 distinct emotions using buttons and colors.
- STRETCH GOALS:
- Add an extra LED for even more dazzling effects.
- Make the emotional expressions loop and repeat for a continuous show using Buttons and Gestures in your code.
Constraints:
- Time: Just 15 minutes
- Materials: Whatever is available to you
Video caption: Participants got creative, building their Cup-O-Lantern robots using cups, cardboard boxes, recycled containers, and anything else that sparked their imagination, along with the magic of block-based coding in SNAP!
The Results?
A Zoom classroom full of glowing robots expressing 3 distinct emotions – Halcyon (peaceful and idyllic), Irate (really mad), and Ebullient (exuberantly happy). It was a testament to the power of integrating technology into the classroom for a fun and engaging learning experience.
Bring Robot Mini Golf and Cup-O-Lantern to Your Classroom!
If you're interested in bringing the excitement of Robot Mini Golf or the Cup-O-Lantern project to your own classroom, we'd love to hear from you! It's a fantastic way to introduce students to robotics, coding, and creative problem-solving – all while having a blast.
Contact us today to learn more! And remember, even if you don't have access to a fancy summer PD course, the Cup-O-Lantern project is a great example of how to get creative with limited resources. So grab some recyclables, dust off those LEDs, and get your students glowing with excitement!