Tuff-Bot Lessons
Lesson 1: Introduction to Tuff-Bot
Objective: To introduce students to Tuff-Bot and its components.
Begin by introducing Tuff-Bot to the students. Explain what it is and what it does. Show them the different components of Tuff-Bot, such as the motors, wheels, and buttons.
Show them how to press the buttons to move and turn Tuff-Bot. Explain the functions of the Go, Clear, and Pause buttons.
Have the students work in pairs or small groups. Give each group a Tuff-Bot and have them explore using it. Encourage them to experiment with the commands for moving and turning Tuff-Bot.
Once the students have had a chance to explore Tuff-Bot, bring the class back together and ask them to share their observations. Encourage them to describe what they learned about Tuff-Bot.
Lesson 2: Basic Programming
Objective: To teach students the basics of programming Tuff-Bot.
Start by explaining to the students what programming is and why it’s important. Give them some examples of programming languages and how they’re used.
Explain to the students how Tuff-Bot can be programmed using a computer or a tablet. Show them how to connect Tuff-Bot to a device and how to use the programming software.
Have the students work in pairs or small groups to plan and write a simple program for Tuff-Bot. Start with basic commands such as moving forward, turning, and pausing. Encourage them to experiment with different combinations of commands.
Once the students have written their programs, have them test them out with their Tuff-Bots. Encourage them to troubleshoot any issues and make adjustments as needed.
Take a field trip with Tuff-Bot to an area outside the classroom. Have the students program Tuff-Bot to explore the environment. After their experiments, bring the students back together and discuss with them what worked with Tuff-Bot in the outside environment and what didn’t work as expected. Why do they think tasks didn’t work?
Lesson 3: Sensors
Objective: To teach students how to use the sensors on Tuff-Bot.
Begin by explaining to the students what sensors are and how they work. Show them the different sensors on Tuff-Bot, such as the light sensor and the obstacle detection sensor.
Have the students program Tuff-Bot to move from a lighted area into a dark one, such as a tunnel, so they can see the light sensor turn its headlights on. The can experiment to see the amount of light turns on or off the headlights.
Have the students work in pairs or small groups to write a program for Tuff-Bot that uses the obstacle avoidance sensor.
Encourage the students to troubleshoot any issues and make adjustments as needed.
Lesson 4: Advanced Programming
Objective: To teach students how to write more complex programs for Tuff-Bot.
Start by reviewing the basic programming commands that the students learned in Lesson 2. Remind them how to move Tuff-Bot forward, turn, and stop.
Introduce more advanced programming concepts such as loops using an app. Show the students how these commands can be used to create more complex programs.
Have the students work in pairs or small groups to write a more complex program for Tuff-Bot. Encourage them to use loops and conditional statements to create a program that performs a specific task, such as navigating a maze or following a line.
Once the students have written their programs, have them test them out with their Tuff-Bots. Encourage them to troubleshoot any issues and make adjustments as needed.
Lesson 5: Final Project
Objective: To have students apply what they’ve learned by creating a final project using Tuff-Bot.
Have the students work in pairs or small groups to come up with a final project using Tuff-Bot. Encourage them to be creative and think outside the box.
Have the students write a program for their Tuff-Bot that accomplishes the task they’ve chosen.
Project ideas might include:
- creating a maze for Tuff-Bot and programming it to follow the path through it
- creating a town and programming Tuff-Bot to visit various places
- creating an obstacle course for Tuff-Bot to navigate