This year we started competing in robotics. The students had to engineer and design a robot that had to complete a very complicated set of tasks.
They couldn't rely on pre-made parts that just screwed together with hex wrenches, which is about all we had. To make things fair (and harder) we were supplied with the materials to build and constricted to only these materials. We received plywood, sheet metal, plastic sheets, rope, PCV and metal conduit, connectors, and a bunch of other odds and ends. This meant the kids needed hand tools to build their ideas.
This next year I want to supply them with all of the tools they need to be successful. They have to market their product to a board of professionals, document the engineering process, and create an exhibit to show off their "company and product." The product is their robot. They have the tools to design, program, and market. Now they need the tools to build any robot they can design.
About my class
This year we started competing in robotics. The students had to engineer and design a robot that had to complete a very complicated set of tasks.
They couldn't rely on pre-made parts that just screwed together with hex wrenches, which is about all we had. To make things fair (and harder) we were supplied with the materials to build and constricted to only these materials. We received plywood, sheet metal, plastic sheets, rope, PCV and metal conduit, connectors, and a bunch of other odds and ends. This meant the kids needed hand tools to build their ideas.
This next year I want to supply them with all of the tools they need to be successful. They have to market their product to a board of professionals, document the engineering process, and create an exhibit to show off their "company and product." The product is their robot. They have the tools to design, program, and market. Now they need the tools to build any robot they can design.
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