Lesson plan overview

Most lessons have been designed to be completed in 90 minutes; however this will vary based on a student’s age and ability. All lesson plans have been linked to the Australian curriculum. Please see a complete list of references at meetedison.com/.

Lesson 1: Get familiar and set up

Technology skills – Students familiarise themselves with the programming environment and how to download a program to the robot.

1. Set up and become familiar with Edison using barcode programs
2. Open software and become familiar with how to move icons
3. Download test program

Lesson 2: Robot movement – driving

Introduction to sequential programming – Students learn how the robot responds to command icons and bring together the concepts of time, speed and distance.

Program 1 – Drive the robot forward (Worksheet 2.1)
Program 2 – Drive the robot backward (Worksheet 2.2)
Program 3 – Drive the robot forward and backward (Worksheet 2.3)
Program 4 – Speed play (Worksheet 2.4)

Lesson 3: Robot movement – turning

Sequential programing and basic geometry – Students learn how the robot responds to time and geometry and how they can achieve driving control of the robot.

Program 1 – Right turn (Worksheet 3.1)
Program 2 – Left turn (Worksheet 3.2)
Program 3 – Right and then left turn (Worksheet 3.3)
Program 4 – Mini maze (Worksheet 3.4)

Lesson 4: Maze challenge and Mexican wave

Reinforce learning – Students use knowledge from lessons 1 through 3 to achieve two fun open ended activities.

Program 1– Driving challenge (Worksheet 4.1)
Program 2 – Mexican wave robot style (Worksheet 4.2)

Lesson 5: Design brief 1 – My program

Creative thinking and problem solving – Students come up with their own challenge and conceptualise how the robot can provide a solution. Students may select their own topic, state the program’s purpose and explain where it could be used in the real world.

1. Identify a problem that the robot can solve or a fun movement to music
2. Describe the problem or the movements the robot needs to make
3. Write the program and test it
4. Failure – The first attempt is never successful. Document it and Keep trying!
5. Describe the programming icons used and what they do
6. Demo – Students demonstrate their robot’s program to the class

Lesson 6: Clap sensing

Introduction to inputs (sensors) – Students learn how to make the robot respond to outside stimulus (claps). This lesson also includes a fun class activity.

Program 1 – Flash LED in response to a clap (Worksheet 6.1)
Program 2 – Drive in response to a clap (Worksheet 6.2)
Program 3 – Dance in response to clapping (Worksheet 6.3)

Lesson 7: Detect obstacles

Introduction to the concept of obstacle detection and artificial intelligence – Students program the robot to make decisions (artificial intelligence) in response to obstacles in the robot’s environment.

Understanding infrared obstacle detection (Worksheet 7.1)
Program 1 – Detect an obstacle and stop (Worksheet 7.2)
Program 2 – Detect an obstacle and avoid (Worksheet 7.3)
Program 3 – Detect an obstacle and avoid in a loop (Worksheet 7.4)
Program 4 – Right and left obstacle detection (Worksheet 7.5)

Lesson 8: Line sensing and tracking

Industrial like robotic behaviour – Students learn about basic robot sensing and control similar to that used in advanced automated factories and warehouses.

Understanding the line tracking sensor (Worksheet 8.1)
Program 1 – Drive until a black line (Worksheet 8.2)
Program 2 – Drive inside a border (Worksheet 8.3)
Program 3 – Follow a line (Worksheet 8.4)
Video – Humans need not apply

Lesson 9: Respond to light

Environmental measurement and programming mathematics – Students learn about measuring light levels, storing them in memory and performing mathematics to control the robots behaviour.

Understanding variables (Worksheet 9.1)
Program 1 – Light level alarm (Worksheet 9.2)
Program 2 – Automatic lights (Worksheet 9.3)
Program 3 – Light following (Worksheet 9.4)
Animal behaviours in robotics

Lesson 10: Design brief 2 – My program

Creative thinking and problem solving – This is the second design brief where students come up with their own challenge and conceptualise how the robot can provide a solution

1. Identify a problem that the robot can solve or action it can take
2. Describe the problem or the action the robot needs to make
3. Write the program and test it
4. Failure – The first attempt is never successful. Document it and Keep trying!
5. Describe the programming icons used and what they do
6. Demo – Students demonstrate their robot’s program to the class