How the Botball Program relates to the National Science Standards
Here are a few examples of how Botball can be used in the classroom to address the National Science Standards. Because the equipment is reusable, it can be the basis of activities for years to come!
Inquiry
During the actual Botball season, students are presented with a set of open-ended challenges. As a group they problem-solve, invent strategy, design a pair of original robots, and test their creations’ performances under a variety of conditions. Students often find that they must test multiple designs until they meet their objectives. Botball robotics equipment promotes inquiry-based group activity, and can be used over and over again in as many experimental designs as the students can imagine.
Observing, Measuring, Classifying
Classroom discussions might involve:
- Comparing the five senses of humans to those of robots
- Describing a robotic design qualitatively, observing it quantitatively (torque, speed, distance) over time, and incorporating the standard units for all measurements
- Classifying the many types of robot components (types of sensors, motors, power sources, structure, etc.)
Experimenting
There are an unlimited number of opportunities for teachers to apply the scientific method to research. The Botball website features content-learning activities designed to assist teachers in the development of research questions and completion of a projects, which can be qualitative or quantitative in nature.
Graphing and Interpretation
Quantitatively, the computers used in Botball can record and store sensor readings (distance, reflectivity of objects, number of objects). Data can be graphed manually or downloaded to a PC and displayed using spreadsheet or database software (graphing, calculating, and categorizing). This information can be used for interpreting the results of an experiment and testing a hypothesis.
Communication
Documenting the group engineering process in a web-based log is a fundamental part of Botball, stimulating precise, descriptive writing skills. Such topics as team organization and project management are discussed, and students must detail the processes and policies for their group interaction. To further develop communication skills, students are encouraged to give original presentations at the National Conference on Educational Robotics, a summer component of the Botball Program.