Subject: Digital Technology
Year level: 3-6
Strand: Knowledge & Understanding and Processes & Production Skills
Sub-strand: Digital Systems, Investigating and Defining, Evaluating
Possible Curriculum Links:
Digital systems have components with basic functions and interactions that may be connected together to form networks which transmit different types of data (ACTDIK014)
Define a problem, and a set of sequenced steps, with users making decisions to create a solution for a given task
Develop collaborative criteria to evaluate and justify design processes and solutions
Link to the Resource:
https://www.lego.com/en-us/mindstorms
Cross curriculum priorities and general capabilities:
Critical and creative thinking
Personal and social capability
Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
Numeracy
Cross-curriculum links:
Mathematics
What is it:
Lego Mindstorms EV3 is a system that allows students to build, program and command which are easy and fun to used. The package comes with bricks, motors and sensors to create one of 17 types of robots that can shoot, drive, slam, crash and spin with control from a range of devices including smart phones and tablets. Students can also further program the robots with on computer coding program for more features. The robot can be deconstructed and formed into any of the other 16 models for more missions and actions.
https://www.lego.com/en-us/mindstorms/about-ev3
How to use it in the Classroom:
one example of how Lego Midstorms EV3 can be used in the classrooms is the students programming a robots to respond to the sense of touch through lights, sounds, colour and movement. the robot can be displayed in a public area, for example the front office or staff area, with a sign next to it “Do Not Touch”. The robot recorded data every time it was touched within a space of an hour. the students can then graph and analyse this raw data to investigate trends as well as self-control of adults.