Unit & Lesson Plans

The Robotics: Assistive Design for the Future program is designed to integrate engineering and technology into middle school students’ after school and in-school curriculum. This robotics unit incorporates a number of the Engineering/Technology Standards from the Massachusetts State Curriculum Frameworks. The goal for this program is to give middle school students an opportunity to learn fundamental principles of engineering through inquiry-based, design activities.

The curriculum is based on the students designing, building and programming a LEGO robot. The students will form teams or “companies” and work together to create a LEGO robot prototype that will serve as an assistive device for some physically challenged population. The students will first participate in exercises or “company trainings” to learn the Engineering Design Process, building with LEGO bricks, and programming with ROBOLAB. With these tools, the students will work through the steps of the Engineering Design Process and create their very own robotic assistive device. Their work will culminate in a final presentation where they will present their product to a panel of judges.

The unit consists of ten lessons which take approximately 10 hours of instructional time with students.

STANDARDS ADDRESSED IN UNIT
2.1 Identify and explain the steps of the engineering design process, i.e., identify the need or problem, research the problem, develop possible solutions, select the best possible
solution(s), construct a prototype, test and evaluate, communicate the solution(s), and
redesign.
2.2 Demonstrate methods of representing solutions to a design problem, e.g., sketches, orthographic projections, multiview drawings.
2.3 Describe and explain the purpose of a given prototype.
2.4 Identify the appropriate materials, tools, and machines needed to construct a prototype of a given engineering design.
2.5 Explain how such design features as size, shape, weight, function, and cost limitations would affect the construction of a given prototype.
3.1 Identify and explain the components of a communication system, i.e., source, encoder, transmitter, receiver, decoder, storage, retrieval, and destination.
6.3 Identify and describe three subsystems of a transportation vehicle or device, i.e., structural, propulsion, guidance, suspension, control, and support
7.1 Explain examples of adaptive or assistive devices, e.g., prosthetic devices, wheelchairs, eyeglasses, grab bars, hearing aids, lifts, braces.