Robot Diaries Mini Project: Biological Systems - Rob Ruddle

Students will create a model of a biological system that demonstrates how that biological system works.  More specifically, the model should demonstrate how the system reacts when performing a certain task. Student research will be necessary. The inspiration for this project came from the demonstration we saw  yesterday in which sensors were attached to a man to create a graphical model how h is body reacts when hitting a golf ball.  this activity could also be extended by having students label systems, subsystems, and components. While sensors would be very expensive for a school district, there are plenty of youtube videos that demonstrate things in slow motion.  additionally, some might have access to high speed cameras  and will be able to create their own slow motion videos.    The difficulty I see with this project is that this will only  work for systems you can see from the outside of the body.
 
Rob Ruddle

Concept Exploration & Concept Mapping - Rob Ruddle

Five Integration Ideas for the Robot Diaries Materials
By: Rob Ruddle

1. Poe-Bots

The students will create a robotic reenactment of an Edgar Allen Poe work. The teacher can limit the works that can be chosen. This could be done solo or in groups of two. This idea could also be applied to the works of Shakespeare and others.

2. Debate of Current Events

The students will work with a partner to perform a debate about a current event. Their robots will act out emotions to accompany their arguments in an attempt to convince the rest of the class to side with them.

3. Anchor-bot

The students will create a robot that represents a news anchor. The news anchor will introduce a new scientific or technological breakthrough (within the past year). The news story should talk about the background behind the breakthrough, the current effect, and the potential future impacts.


4. Talk Show

Students will work with a partner to create a robotic host and interviewee. The interviewee will be a person from American History (the teacher can provide a list). The host will ask questions and the interviewee will answer the way the person probably would have answered.

 

5. Angles

Students will create a robotic device that teaches about angles. The device should be able to show congruency, supplementary angles, and complimentary angles. The students can then use their devices to teach younger students about angles.