1. Navigate with Nanobots (STEAM Design Challenge)
Megan Tucker
Steam specialist/Gifted Teacher/Tech Resource Teacher
Hillsboro Charter academy

2. What is a design process?
A design process is a systematic problem-solving strategy, with criteria and constraints, used to develop many possible solutions to solve or satisfy human needs or wants and to narrow down the possible solutions to one final choice.
– ITEA Standards for Technological Literacy

4. Ask
What do we need to know to get started?
What are we trying to accomplish?

5. Ask: STEAM Design Challenge
How can you engineer a HexBug NanoBot Ultimate Maze for a robotic bug to complete without your assistance (aside from turning it on) with the goal of including the most elements and completing the maze in the shortest time possible?
Winning team includes the most elements in the shortest time.

6. Explore
How are we going to complete the task?
What materials will we use?

7. Explore: Criteria Maze should include the following elements:
Path of ‘bug” at least 12 inches long
Travel from start to finish without escaping or being touched
Make at least 2 right angle turns (90 degrees)
Make a sound it does not naturally make
Climb over something (elevation change/hill)
Travel through a tunnel

8. Explore: Constraints Materials: Aluminum Foil (1 sheet)
Empty Toilet Paper Rolls (2)
Copy Paper (1 sheet)
Empty Paper Towel Roll (1)
Construction Paper (1 sheet)
Construction Tools
Sticky Notes (5 notes)
(*Not allowed in solution):
Craft Sticks (1 jumbo)
Scissors*, 1 Yard of Masking Tape, Ruler*, Timer*
Pipe Cleaners (1 regular)

9. Model: 1+1=3 Sketch a technical drawing of your design.
Carry out your plan and test your maze.
You have 10 minutes to brainstorm your design as a group.
Once the 10 minutes is up, only those with a sketch will be able to start to build the model that was created.
You will have 30 minutes to build and test your solution to the challenge.

10. Evaluate
Was it successful?
Why or why not?
Sketch a technical drawing of the team’s final design.

11. Evaluate: Test Checklist
Path of ‘bug” at least 12 inches long
Travel from start to finish without escaping or being touched
Make at least 2 right angle turns (90 degrees)
Make a sound it does not naturally make
Climb over something (elevation change/hill)
Travel through a tunnel
**If you don’t have all the boxes checked, please think about how to try to redesign your model to include what is missing.

12. Explain What piece of the maze are you most proud of engineering?
What is an area for improvement?
What did you see that you liked in another group’s design?
How could you change your design for next time?

14. Virginia Science Sols Kindergarten: K.1 Sci.Method/K.2 5 Senses
1st Grade: 1.1 Sci.Method/1.2 Force and Motion
2nd Grade: 2.1 Sci.Method
3rd Grade: 3.1 Sci.Method/3.2 Simple Machines
4th Grade: 4.1 Sci.Method/4.2 Force and Motion
5th Grade: 5.1 Sci.Method/5.2 Sound

15. HCA STEAM 212° Rubric

16. Added bonus files on Sched.org
STEAM Wish List and Basic STEAM Consumables List
STEAM Guest Speaker Outline
STEAM Quarterly Rubric to Assess 21st Century Skills (Collaboration, Communication, Creativity, and Critical Thinking)
Video links and songs to promote teamwork and engineering
Teacher Grant Opportunities

17. Any questions? Please contact me at megan.tucker@hillsborocharter.org