🇬🇧 Crane Automation (micro:bit)Explore this automation lesson and learn about the Sustainable Development Goals surrounding health and well-being, industry, innovation and infrastructure. In many robotic and automated creations, determining the ideal position of the motor can be challenging. Explore how to get different results by changing the motor, the code and adjusting the mechanical structure. | | | |
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| | Facilitators set the groundwork for students to understand the purpose and components of the project with a well-defined set of learning objectives. By delving into the lesson's fundamentals, students gain the confidence and insight to craft their unique renditions of the project. | Assign this lesson as a student resource. Have students read the list then watch the video.
This section prepares students to engage the lesson. The listed student objectives are a basic platform to get started, and students are encouraged to modify these and set their own goals based on their interests and areas for growth. Throughout the teaching of this entire lesson, the facilitator provides an opportunity for students to collaborate with each other and provide feedback on their individual or group project. | | | Equip students for before starting the lesson by familiarizing them with frequently used vocabulary words, enhancing their writing skills, and engaging in constructive building exercises. | Get familiar with Sustainable Development Goals & vocabulary. Assign this lesson as student resources. Have students read the list and watch the video.
As students progress in the lesson, they will reflect on their learning with a group conversation or sketching in a journal in the Reflect section. This process includes assessing their own progress and identifies next steps to improve their project that are meaningful to them as they go into Challenges section. | | | Recognize the importance of automation in the development of technologies that enable humans to work faster, safer, and more efficiently. | When reading text, students apply vocabulary from Preparation section described in text. For students engage in rich images complementing the text and showing colorful science and engineering infographics and image media illustrating these concepts applying vocabulary terms. They'll see examples of a topics discussed, which gives them insight, especially when students lack access to see these inventions in person.
After reading the text, in a discussion, ask students to describe what the tone and mood of text is. For example, reading as melancholy or as determination. It highlights the stories of innovators, who faced challenges and setbacks, but persevered to make groundbreaking contributions where students can idenfity the tone of the text as informative and appreciative. The mood and tone is written as inspirational, informative, and appreciative. Students can infer that the author intends to inspire readers by showcasing the inventors' perseverance and innovative spirit.
Read and answer questions in Warm-up.
This section prepares students to engage the lesson. The listed student objectives are a basic platform to get started and students are encouraged to modify these and set their own goals based on their interests and areas for growth. Throughout the teaching of this entire lesson, the facilitator provides an opportunity for students to collaborate with each other and provide feedback on their individual or group project. | | | Explain how cranes have utilized the mechanical advantage of levers throughout history and in the modern world to build and construct, as well as the human role in operating cranes. | Ask students about the role of technology in construction today. Prompt them to consider how cranes and other machines are used in modern building projects. They will explore how ancient civilizations, such as the Greeks and Romans, used crane technology to achieve remarkable architectural feats. How did the understanding of levers help ancient engineers in designing cranes? Summarize the key points discussed during the lesson, emphasizing how ancient crane technology played a crucial role in the construction of iconic structures. Encourage students to reflect on the enduring legacy of these ancient engineering marvels and their continued influence on architectural and construction practices today.
Start the by discussing the role of cranes in construction and how they have been used throughout history. For GOAL 3 - GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING ask students what risks could people face in this labor-intensive work of lifting large stones with cranes and pegs? Then discuss potential risks such as physical strain, accidents, injuries, etc. For GOAL 9 - INDUSTRY, INNOVATION, AND INFRASTRUCTURE, how are the cranes limited in terms of the work and the loads they could lift? Highlight limitations related to vertical lifting, directional constraints, and load capacity. Then to tie in both global goals, ask how has automation improved the operation of cranes, and what role do human operators play in modern crane operation? Highlight the shift from manual labor to automated operation and the role of skilled operators. This greatly reduces injuries.
Read and answer questions in Imagine. Have a short group reflection. This section prepares students to engage the lesson. The listed student objectives are a basic platform to get started and students are encouraged to modify these and set their own goals based on their interests and areas for growth. Throughout the teaching of this entire lesson, the facilitator provides an opportunity for students to collaborate with each other and provide feedback on their individual or group project. | | | Create a 2D crane for exploring levers with linkages for mechanical advantage. | Refer to prior knowledge in the Preperation section on mechanical linkage systems and how it can be used to achieve the up-and-down motion of the crane. Have students test their cranes by attaching a small weight to the end of the linkage system and observing if it can lift and lower the weight smoothly. Ensure that the linkage system is properly connected to the base and designed to move vertically.
Ask students to identify the forces involved in the operation of the crane, including the force exerted by the crane's arm (pull or push) and the force of gravity on the lifted object. Assess students' understanding by observing their participation in the crane simulation activity and their ability to explain the forces involved in operating a mechanical crane before controlling with programming in the Build section. | | | Build a controlled system using levers to move the crane to lift and drop. | Identify the forces involved in the operation of the crane when it's using robotic hardware and software to exert force into the crane's arm instead of their hands. Including the force exerted by the crane's arm (pull or push) and the force of gravity on the lifted object. Assess students' understanding by observing their participation in the crane simulation activity and their ability to explain the forces involved in operating a mechanical crane now controlling with programming in the Build section. Ask students to share observations and differences in crane operation now that they have both perspectives.
You'll guide students in building a hands-on project involving the construction of a mechanical crane operated by a micro:bit. To teach students about the integration of computing systems (micro:bit) with mechanical systems (crane) and how to troubleshoot simple hardware and software problems during the project. Introduce the project's first programming objective to build a mechanical crane that can be controlled by a micro:bit using button presses. Depending on your students' programming skills, you can guide them through writing the code for the micro:bit or provide a pre-written code for them to upload. The code should allow the micro:bit to respond to button presses (e.g., button A to lift, button B to lower) and control the servo motor's movement. Encourage students to troubleshoot any issues that may arise, such as the crane not responding correctly to button presses, checking if the servo motor is correctly attached, etc. Use this opportunity to teach common troubleshooting strategies.
Students transiting from Warm-up and Imagine sections enter Create understanding the general concept of crane constructions and how this model is using levers to lift and lower before using the micro:bit. Discuss the materials students will be using for their models. Provide students with the necessary materials and guide them in building, explaining the step-by-step process.
After the initial testing phase, encourage students to discuss to ideas, brainstorm solutions, and work together to improve their models. Allow each group or student to present their models to the class. They can explain their design choices, any problems they encountered, and how they solved them.
Curriculum for Excellence
For TCH 2-06A - TECHNOLOGIES, TCH 2-07A - TECHNOLOGIES, TCH 2-09A - TECHNOLOGIES, TCH 2-10A - TECHNOLOGIES, TCH 2-12A - TECHNOLOGIES this purpose is to evaluate students' ability to analyze the impact of lifestyle choices on the environment, suggest sustainable living practices, propose technology-driven solutions for sustainability, apply design and engineering skills to solve problems, and recognize suitable materials for tasks. Provide students with examples of technological solutions that promote sustainability, such as renewable energy systems, waste reduction technologies, or eco-friendly transportation. Assign a design challenge and ask students to discuss which materials would be most suitable for each task, considering their properties. Assess their ability to recognize material properties and make informed decisions about material selection. Ask students to analyze sustainable living practices or lifestyle changes to minimize the environmental impact. | | | Reflect on the role that crane automation could play in improving the industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure as well as health and wellbeing. | As students progressed throughout this the lesson, they reflect on their learning with the following questions which can be discussed all together as a class or within each group. You can use the Student Journal asset as a helpful resource to capture ideas and process on the computer or printed ahead of time and distributed. This process includes assessing their own progress and identifies next steps to improve their project as progress into the next section Challenges. | | | Extend your learning through real-world design challenges. | Have students decide and research their chosen topic to gain a deeper understanding on a topic of interest related to the lesson. They can research online or choose one from the provided list of topics. After they engage the research phase and once students have a good grasp of their chosen topic, pick a challenge card at the end of section. The challenges are based on real-world problems. Guide students to think of potential solutions to incorporate into their prototype previously built. This may involve making design modifications or adding new features to address the challenge.
When approaching the Challenges section, this is an opportunity for groups collectively to research a topic of interest in searching on their own or start from a list of student-friendly resources online. When exploring a topic of interest, student groups will apply this knowledge to extend their projects. Student groups can work with little guidance as they engage the card randomizer and pick a challenge to continuously iterate on their project model design. There are open-ended ideas to further improve on the watermill model to continue the design process. |
SDGs | |
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Goal 3
Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. | Begin sharing stories or videos of individuals who have overcome health obstacles. Encourage students to discuss their feelings and thoughts about these experiences. Share strategies for managing stress, staying active, eating nutritious foods, and seeking help when needed. Encourage students to reflect on their own well-being practices. Provide resources such as articles, videos, and presentations that cover topics like healthy lifestyles, disease prevention, vaccination, and mental health. Encourage students to create awareness campaigns advocating for improved healthcare access, affordability, and policies to ensure health equity for all. | Goal 9
Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation. | Create a sense of responsibility towards building sustainable infrastructure and utilizing resources mindfully. Provide resources such as articles, videos, and discussions that explore different forms of innovation (technological, social, organizational) and their potential benefits. Conduct class debates and discussions that encourage students to critically assess the ethical and societal implications of technological advancements. Assign projects or discussions that challenge students to propose sustainable infrastructure solutions for specific challenges in their local area. Guide students in creating awareness campaigns or presentations to promote sustainable development principles within their school or community. |
Curriculum for Excellence | |
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SCN 2-04a
By considering examples where energy is conserved, I can identify the energy source, how it is transferred and ways of reducing wasted energy. | Demonstrates understanding of the law of conservation of energy (energy can be converted from one form to another but cannot be created or destroyed). Identifies the common types of energy (kinetic, potential, electrical, chemical, light, sound and heat) used in energy transfers and transformations that occur in everyday appliances. Explains that when energy transfers and transformations take place, energy is converted into ‘useful’ and ‘wasted’ energy, for example a mechanical braking system transforms kinetic energy into heat energy which is dissipated to the atmosphere as ‘waste’ heat | TCH 2-06a
I can analyse how lifestyles can impact on the environment and Earth’s resources and can make suggestions about how to live in a more sustainable way. | Explains how and why it is important to conserve energy. Discusses the advantages and disadvantages of how technologies impact on the environment for example, renewable energy technologies. | TCH 2-07a
I can make suggestions as to how individuals and organisations may use technologies to support sustainability and reduce the impact on our environment. | Discusses the advantages and disadvantages of how technologies impact on the environment for example, renewable energy technologies. | TCH 2-09a
I can extend and enhance my design skills to solve problems and can construct models. | Uses tools and equipment in order to carry out a task safely. Uses a range of methods to join and strengthen materials. Estimates and then measures accurately using appropriate units and tools. Creates a range of ideas and chooses a suitable solution. Evaluate solutions and explain why they are or are not suitable | TCH 2-10a
I can recognise basic properties and uses for a variety of materials and can discuss which ones are most suitable for a given task. | Recognises characteristics of groups of materials such as wood, plastic and metal. Selects suitable materials to use in a task. Discuss the uses of materials. | TCH 2-12a
I can extend my knowledge and understanding of engineering disciplines to create solution. | Understands the difference between different engineering disciplines. Understands different energy types. Builds/simulates solutions to engineering problems. | TCH 2-13a
I understand the operation of a process and its outcome. I can structure related items of information. | Compares activities consisting of a single sequence of steps with those consisting of multiple parallel steps, for example, making tomato sauce and cooking pasta to be served at the same time. Identifies algorithms/instructions that include repeated groups of instructions a fixed number of times and/or loops until a condition is met. Identifies when a process is not predictable because it has a random element, for example, a board game which uses dice. Uses a recognised set of instructions/ an algorithm to sort real worlds objects for example, books in a library or trading cards. | TCH 2-14a
I can explain core programming language concepts in appropriate technical language. | Explains the meaning of individual instructions (including variables and conditional repetition) in a visual programming language. Predicts what a complete program in a visual programming language will do when it runs, including how the properties of objects for example, position, direction and appearance change as the program runs through each instruction. Explains and predicts how parallel activities interact | TCH 2-14b
I understand how information is stored and how key components of computing technology connect and interact through networks. | Demonstrates an understanding that all computer data is represented in binary for example, numbers, text, black and white graphics. Describes the purpose of the processor, memory and storage and the relationship between them. Demonstrates an understanding of how networks are connected and used to communicate and share information, for example the internet. | TCH 2-15a
I understand the operation of a process and its outcome. I can structure related items of information. | Creates programs in a visual programming language including variables and conditional repetition. Identifies patterns in problem solving and reuses aspects of previous solutions appropriately for example, reuse code for a timer, score counter or controlling arrow keys. Identifies any mismatches between the task description and the programmed solution, and indicates how to fix them. |
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