Students will become familiar with Inventor Level 3.

 Students will improve upon vehicle designs from part 1.

 Students will develop a flowchart of algorithm that requires the vehicle to complete an obstacle course.

 Team Challenge Kit (1 per group)

 RoboLab software

 Copies of programming symbols for each group

 Construction Paper

 Glue

 Bottles and tape for obstacle course

 Rubric

 Robotics log for each student

(45-minute sessions)

Day 1- Introduce Inventor Level 3 and design flowcharts.

Day 2- Program and revise vehicles.

Day 3- Test and revise programs and vehicles.

Day 4- Test and revise programs and vehicles.

Day 5- Class demonstrations.

1. Demonstrate how to use Inventor Level 3 of RoboLab. Students will need to “pin” palettes to the desktop and know shortcuts for wiring, deleting bad wires, etc.

2. Introduce the class to the obstacle course their vehicles will need to complete. Start vehicle at “Start.” Press run. The vehicle should travel about one meter and knock over the first bottle. Then it will need to turn or curve right to go around the second bottle positioned approximately one meter away. Finally the vehicle will need to head straight toward the finish line.

		start		finish

3. Students will work in the same groups as Part One. Pass out additional flowchart symbols for students to use with Inventor Level 3. Arrange the symbols on construction paper to show exactly what the vehicle will do in the correct sequence. After getting approval from the teacher groups may glue down the symbols and wire them together using a black marker. Be sure to stop motors with a stop sign and end the program with a stoplight.

4. Be sure to discuss with students how to make the vehicle turn. Setting one motor on power level 5 and stopping the other motor will allow the vehicle to curve or turn. Students will need to experiment to find the correct combination. Depending on the design of the vehicle having the motors turn in opposite directions sometimes allows the vehicle to turn as well. Also manipulating the amount of time the vehicle turns will determine the arc the vehicle will travel so it can get all the way around the second bottle.

5. Students will also find they need to compensate for the tipped over first bottle. After knocking the bottle over it may get in the way of the vehicle’s path. Some groups may figure out that by backing up a bit the vehicle will create a clear path to continue to the second bottle.

6. Groups may all be on the computers at the same time programming. Some students in each group may want to be revising their vehicles while the others are on the computers.

7. Download completed programs, but keep the programs running on the computers. Students will certainly need to return to revise. Keeping the programs running saves time by not having to log in again.

8. Test the vehicles on the obstacle course and revise programs as well as vehicle designs.

9. Set a deadline for completion.

1. Have all groups gather to watch the results. The main objective is to complete the course. It might be fun to time each vehicle to see which one can complete the course the fastest.

2. Have each group tell about their vehicle and program design. Other students may want to ask questions or make comments.

3. Evaluate each group using the rubric

4. Each student will write about and evaluate their experience in their logs.