Gradual Release Model

• Whole group: Diagram at least one simple robot construction and agree on common legend for diagrams
• Small group: Diagram and compare diagrams of various simple robot constructions
• *(Optional second day) Pairs: Diagram-and-trade exercise

Students will accurately diagram the flow of data in simple Cubelets robot constructions.

Teachers look for:

• Students debating with peers about details of their diagrams
• Students using symbols from the class legend
• Students explaining their diagrams

• Students investigate or review range of data values in Cubelets
• Students add data values to SENSE-ACT data flow diagrams
• Students add data values to data flow diagrams that include non-Battery THINK Cubelets, and only one SENSE Cubelet
• Students add data values to data flow diagrams that include 2 SENSE Cubelets

Students will demonstrate their understanding of data flow in Cubelets constructions by adding block values to their data flow diagrams and checking their work with the Bar Graph and/or the Cubelets app.

Teachers look for:

• Students use their understanding of Cubelets to defend their predictions of block value
• Students accurately use Bar Graph Cubelet or app to measure block value
• Students revise their predictions of block value based on data

• Teacher presents challenge
• Students work in groups to collaboratively design their robot construction using Data Flow Diagrams
• Students prototype and test their design
• Students revise their design until they are successful

Students will use Design Thinking to design and prototype edge-sensing robot constructions.

Teachers look for:

• Students iterating through the steps of Design Thinking
• Students using collaborative language
• Students planning and revising their designs using data flow diagrams

• Teacher presents challenge
• Students work in groups to collaboratively design their robot construction using Data Flow Diagrams
• Students prototype and test their design
• Students revise their design until they are successful

Students will use Design Thinking to design and prototype line-following robot constructions

Teachers look for:

• Students iterating through the steps of Design Thinking
• Students using collaborative language
• Students planning and revising their designs using data flow diagrams

• Introduce vocabulary: Loops
• Students investigate using Rotate Cubelets to design robots that move based on loops

Students will design a variety of loops for their Cubelets robot constructions and give examples about how loops are useful in other applications.

Teachers look for:

• Students explain how their loop works
• Students give examples of other applications of loops.

• Students design robots that communicate using various ACT Cubelets
• Students then add a looping feature to their robot to automate the message

Teachers look for:

• Students design a robot that communicates effectively
• Students try multiple designs of looping to automate their messaging

• Sentence Unscramble Warm Up
• Students use background knowledge to hypothesize whether (and when) order matters in Cubelets constructions
• Students investigate THINK Cubelets to collect evidence about whether order matters in Cubelets constructions
• Class combines evidence to determine whether order matters in Cubelets constructions

Students draw conclusions about whether (and when) order matters in Cubelets constructions.

Teachers look for:

• Students making connections to non-Cubelets instances where order matters
• Students intentionally investigating each Cubelet
• Student accurately recording evidence from their investigations

• Introduce basic animal gathering behaviors (scavenging, foraging, and elusive)
• Students design scavenger robot

Students will apply their understanding of Cubelets to design a robot that demonstrates scavenging behavior.

Teachers look for:

• Students use computer science language to discuss their challenge
• Students record milestone iterations of their design
• Students revise their design based on tests

• Introduce challenge & conditional statements
• Make connections to background knowledge
• Students investigate and incorporate Threshold Cubelet into an alarm clock
• Students design advertisements for their alarm clock design
• Students share their stories with classmates

Students design a light-detecting alarm clock based on conditional statements as shown by the Threshold Cubelet.

Teachers look for:

• Students intentionally incorporating the Threshold Cubelet
• Students making connections to other conditional statements
• Students creatively advertise their alarm clocks