1. Introduction To Robot Decision Making
When - after the movement chapter and before the sensor chapter in the curriculum
Goal - students to develop a mental model of how robots make decisions
The lesson includes:
the 6th grade level mathematical concept of inequalities
how Boolean expressions use relational operators to make TRUE or FALSE decisions
What students know
At the end of this lesson students will be able to:
Describe what a Boolean expression is
Explain how inequalities (a concept taught in 6th grade math classes) are used to form Boolean expressions
Teacher background information
Boolean expressions
Relational operators
Example conditional statement
Note about Logical Operators
Teacher directions to implement the lesson
Help students understand what a Boolean expression is
Introduce students to the type of sensors that they are using
Introduce student to TRUE of FALSE decision making
Check students’ understanding of robot decision making
Assign students to describe how robots make decisions

2. How do robots make decisions?
540 mm
Evaluate the statements below. What do you notice about them? Be prepared to discuss.
“The robot is more than 400mm from the wall”
Distance from wall > 500mm
Distance from wall == 500mm
400mm > Distance from wall
“The robot is 540mm long”
Distance from wall == 540mm
“The robot is not 540mm from the wall”
Distance from wall < 1000mm
Ask students to look at the picture and then evaluate the statements in RED.

3. Discussion What do these statements have in common?
Why might it be useful to be able to say whether the robot is more than 500mm from the wall or not?
“The robot is more than 400mm from the wall”
Distance from wall > 500mm
Distance from wall == 500mm
400mm > Distance from wall
“The robot is 540mm long”
Distance from wall == 540mm
“The robot is not 540mm from the wall”
Distance from wall < 1000mm
Ask students:
“What do these statements have in common?”
“Why might it be useful to be able to say wheterh the robot is more than 500 mm from the wall or not?”
EXPECT ANSWERS LIKE:
They are all either true or false
They all compare numbers
They all check whether something is true or not

4. 2<5 (2 is less than 5) What is the answer? True or False
Question – what is the answer?
True
When students answer go to the next slide

5. True or False
2<5 (2 is less than 5)
“2<5” is called a Boolean expression. Boolean expressions help computers make decisions.
Question – what is this?
It is a Boolean expression
Background for the Teacher - Boolean expressions are derived from Boolean logic which is a form of Algebra that reduces all values either TRUE or FALSE. Boolean logic is named after the nineteenth century mathematician George Boole. Computers and robots make decisions based on Boolean logic.
A Boolean expression is a three-part clause that consists of two items to be compared, separated by a comparison operator. 
For example, 5>3 (5 is greater than 3) is a Boolean expression and the result of that expression is TRUE.
Boolean expressions compare values using relational operators. Relational operators compare the two values and the result is either TRUE or FALSE.
Teacher note – ask if this is true or false

6. What are the parts of a Boolean expression?
Boolean Expressions
2<5
What are the parts of a Boolean expression?
Review the parts of a Boolean expression
A Boolean expression is a three-part clause that consists of two items to be compared, separated by a comparison operator. 
Boolean expressions compare values using relational operators. Relational operators compare the two values and the result is either TRUE or FALSE.
Teacher note – ask if this is true or false

7. Common Relational Operators
2<5
The“<“ sign compares two numbers and is called a relational operator.
Common Relational Operators
equal to
not equal to
greater than
less than
greater than or equal to
less than or equal to == !=
> 
< 
>=
<=
Introduce the concept of a relational operator
Relational operators compare the two values and the result is either TRUE or FALSE.

8. Review of Boolean expressions
5<3 is this expression true or false
A Boolean expression is a three-part clause that compares two values that are separated by a relational operator and results in a value that is TRUE or FALSE.
Which are the two values?
Which is the relational operator?
Background for the Teacher - Boolean expressions are derived from Boolean logic which is a form of Algebra that reduces all values either TRUE or FALSE. Boolean logic is named after the nineteenth century mathematician George Boole. Computers and robots make decisions based on Boolean logic.
A Boolean expression is a three-part clause that consists of two items to be compared, separated by a comparison operator. 
For example, 5>3 (5 is greater than 3) is a Boolean expression and the result of that expression is TRUE.
Boolean expressions compare values using relational operators. Relational operators compare the two values and the result is either TRUE or FALSE

9. How do robots make decisions?
540 mm
Look at each statement below and decide if it is TRUE or FALSE.
“The robot is more than 400mm from the wall”
Distance from wall > 500mm
Distance from wall == 500mm
400mm > Distance from wall
“The robot is 540mm long”
Distance from wall == 540mm
“The robot is not 540mm from the wall”
Distance from wall < 1000mm
Which of these statements are true and which are false?
Which are Boolean expressions and which ones are not?