This week’ s programming challenge was to collect your shopping using ultra sonic sensors to stop in front of the package in order to pick it up, then bring it home. This involved lots of maths calculations to work out suitable rotations and distances. We also included sound at suitable times to indicate starting, reversing and stopping. It was another focused and fun session-enjoyed by all.
This morning Emma Chittick came to teach us more about technology and how it is changing the way we live and work. The whole class very much enjoyed programming robots to pick up a package and take it to a box in the middle of the classroom and then come back. It was like the robot was a Amazon worker. We had to program it to pick a package off the shelf and take it to a delivery van and go back to the shelf to get another. But there were a few extra challenges we had to include in our programs. We had to add fun sounds in different places so you could tell what the robot was doing e.g. reversing. One of the robots dropped off their package and made a beeping sound as if to tell other workers they had dropped off a package. And another robot made a cheerful sound when it got back to the shelf. Another robot made a sound to signify that they had started their program.
Towards the end of the session, we demonstrated our programs to the whole class, two pairs at a time. We also started off all of the robots at the same time to see whose robot would get the package to the middle of the classroom and make it out alive! One robot made in and out all three times without crashing or missing the van! It was really fun and we can’t wait until the next session!
By Lauryn and Molly
Today Emma Chittick came in to P5/6 and P6/7 to run our last session. We have had so much fun and learnt so much about programming and engineering. Emma also told us about all the STEM jobs that we could do when we are older and the modern apprenticeships.
Our final robot wars was really exciting.
Today we have been concentrating on building a vehicle that moves without wheels. There were lots of different great ideas.
In class we have been looking at phones and how the technology has changed over time. We have been making posters to demonstrate this.
We have also sent home questionnaires to find out what our parents and families think about mobile phone technology. The answers we have received back have been great to discuss and will feed into our planned debate later in the week. We have also researched various arguments for and against mobile phones in preparation for our debate.
We had a lovely afternoon making two more types of bird feeders. Next week we will go and tie all the feeders to our feeding stations and the trees. P4/5/6/7 have worked really well, the 🐦 are certainly appreciating it!
