STEM Lesson Plan & Activities - SPHERO Year 4-6

Year 4-6 (and beyond..)

Tool: Sphero

Lesson 1:

Initial lesson idea – how can we use a sphero within a school environment?

Show Sphero and APP – allow students time to explore in Drive Mode on APP

Set simple challenge ‘Can you get Sphero to travel from A to B?

Class brainstorm – potential suggestions from students could include…

  • Delivering messages
  • Litter collection
  • First aid to student in playground
  • Delivering lunch orders
  • Rolling in paint and marking out athletics tracks

 

Coding discussion – in partners have a blind folded student – the partner needs to direct using language key words to get their partner to move from one place to the next. Reiterate that coding is about setting out simple steps/ instructions for something/ someone to follow.

Lesson 2:

Exploring Coding properties on APP – how to program etc.

Can they program it to follow a chalk drawing of a simple shape in the playground

Differentiate through variety and challenge of shapes drawn

Lesson 3:

Exploring how to code and program the Sphero to complete a more complex journey. Putting in obstacles – how to direct it to move around/ away from an obstacle

Put students into groups/ partners and decide on their Sphero Challenge.

Lesson 4-6:

Students to spend next 3 lessons developing and recording/mapping their progress and challenges. Emphasise need for students to note and explain challenges they have come across and their ways of solving problems.

Students can record their progress in a manner of their choice – dramatic, powerpoint, poster, video,

Lesson 7:

Putting presentations together and rehearsing.

Complete evaluation and reflection. Where they went well and what their challenges were.

Lesson 8: Presentation/ Transformation/ Evaluation to audience – peers and admin?

 

Other Big Picture Ideas for a Sphero:

Karijini Rescue;

Imagine a mini-prototype that could travel through the body – design its journey;

Mapping out a cross country course

Mapping routes through school

Using it as a school guide – eg kindy students to follow it for a tour of the school when they first arrive or to help new students navigate their way to library, art etc.