Lesson: Programming iRobots For: Geometry Unit: End Chapter 1 By: Peter Konstantopoulos

Standards B Use estimation to solve problems for which an exact answer is not needed E Recognize that the degree of precision needed in calculating a number depends on how the results will be used and the instruments used to generate the measure A Select and use appropriate units and tools to measure to the degree of accuracy required in particular measurement situations B Measure and compare angles in degrees and radians C Demonstrate the ability to produce measures with specified levels of precision G Solve problems using analytic geometry I Model situations geometrically to formulate and solve problems.

Important Knowledge, Concepts, Principles, Skills, and Facts Distance = Rate x Time Measurement – distance and angles. How to measure angles with a protractor. Coordinate System.

Objectives Students will be able to program an iRobot to complete a series of simple task. Given a maze, geometry students will be able to use their measurement and angle knowledge to guide their robot through it.

Assessment Students will receive 25 points for completing Challenge one. Students will receive 25 points for completing Challenge two. Students will receive 50 points for completing Challenge three Students will be deducted 2 points every time they hit a wall. The group that finishes in the shortest time will receive 10 bonus points.

Materials Laptop with Flash Program Software iRobot iRobot Maze Software Maze made out of 2x4's

Procedures Warm-up If you had to guide a blind person through the maze, and you could only talk to them on the phone, how would you do that? Have the students share out.

Procedures Arrange students into pre-determined groups. Students will then be told that a programming language is how we tell the iRobot what to do. There will be three challenges. Challenge 1 and 2 will be completed on the first day. Challenge 3 will be completed on the second day.

Challenge 1 Introduce students to the go forward code. Students will have to program the iRobot to travel a straight distance and stop in a specific zone. Once the group passes the first challenge, then we can move on to the second. Completion of this task will earn the student 25 points.

Challenge 2 Introduce students to the code that will make the iRobot travel around a corner. Students will once again have to make the iRobot travel a specific short distance and stop in a zone. Once the group passes the second challenge, then they can move on to the third. Competition of this task will earn the student 25 points.

Challenge 2 Course

Challenge 3 The students will now have to program the iRobot to travel through a maze. The group will be graded on how far the iRobot makes it through. If the iRobot finishes the maze, they earn the next 50 points. (Proportional points will be rewarded for how far the iRobot makes it) Two points will be deducted every time the iRobot hits a wall. The team whose iRobot finishes with the fastest time will early 10 bonus points.

Challenge 3 Course

Closure Have the students think about several reasons why it may be important to program iRobots, or any robot, to complete a task. Why is it important to know geometry for this lab, and for robot programming?

Extension Students will write a short 2 page reaction paper. Part one will be about their iRobot lab experience. For part two, the students will research new developments in Robotics and write about two specific examples.

Other Labs Dr. Gail Rosen and her students, as part of the D K-12 program will come in and perform several other labs with the students.

DNA Trees

Procedures Students will learn how to program Matlab to create evolution trees and determine how far back a common ancestor existed.

The Tree

Intro to Bio Informatics Students use the NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information) to compare genes in Human, Dogs, and Pigs. Students will upload and examine the GULO-P gene in Humans. They will then run the sequence through the BLAST program and compare the gene to that of a pig. The students will then perform the same task and compare the human GULO-P gene with that of a dog.