1. Year 9 Subject Selection - Robotics -
“We want our students to develop the knowledge and skills to enable them to think for themselves and have the creativity and tenacity to be able to stand up to a problem and solve it.”

2. Course Description
This is a beginning course in robotics. We will be utilizing Lego NXT kits, RoboLab software and various Lego Robotics materials. The objective of this course is to introduce the student to basic programming as well as problem solving strategies. This course will involve students in the development, building and programming of LEGO NXT robots
Students will work hands-on in teams to design, build, program and document their progress.
Topics may include motor control, gear ratios, torque, friction, sensors, timing, program loops, decision-making, timing sequences, and propulsion systems .
Course Objectives
Students will learn, understand and apply the following -
How to collaborate in groups and teams
How to design robots for specific activities and scenarios
How to use RoboLab programming software
Gears, pulleys, torque, friction, timing, sensors, and program loops
To design, develop and complete robotic activities and challenges
Students with their robotic, programmed snow-mobiles.

3. Student experiences in this unit
Most of the unit is hands-on
Assessment tasks
A student created movie showing some of our projects, mainly the popular RoboWars.
Students will work towards completing the following Assessment tasks
A written project exploring the use of robotics in our daily life and possible future directions. (10% of marks)
From a range of options for robotic projects, designed to match all abilities and knowledge levels, students will complete three robotic/programming tasks. (30%)
All tasks and results are shown online on SiMON and can be viewed anywhere with web access.

4. Subject pathway
The Year 9 Robotics course introduces students to computer programming, robotic design and instruction and the use of technology within business, industry and our personal lives. It provides foundation skills for later study in:
Year 10 Information Technology and Systems and Robotics
VCE Computing

5. Extra activities/costs?
There are no additional costs for this unit.
All robotics work is carried out in class and uses our Lego Robotics kits.
Required software is already installed on all school laptops.

6. For more information, please contact:
Paul Mlynarz ICT Co-ordinator
Our first robotic vehicle – ready for anything, with sound, light and touch sensors on-board