Materials required
- Algorithms slides
Optional materials
- Algorithms worksheets
Learning Objectives
- Identify the key components of a robot and explain their functions.
- Identify the problem to be solved and develop a plan to address it using the Otto robot components.
- Use an iterative design process to improve the robot’s performance.
- Communicate ideas and results clearly and professionally to peers and teachers.
How would you solve this maze?
Start the lesson by asking students how they would solve the maze shown on the slide.
💡 To engage students, the teacher can interact with the robot image on the slide, using the keyboard arrows to move it while students suggest the robot’s actions to navigate the maze. To ensure active participation, the teacher can go around the class and ask each student to contribute the next move the robot should make.
On the next slide, the teacher will talk about algorithms. An algorithm is like a recipe or a series of steps to do something, just like the set of moves a robot follows to finish a maze. At this point, the teacher can give a little talk about the algorithms that students use in their everyday life without even realizing it. For instance, their morning routine before school or the steps they take to make a sandwich – all of these can be algorithms.
ℹ️ Nowadays, people often hear the word ‘algorithm’ in the context of an “invisible force” that decides what shows up on YouTube, Netflix, and social media suggestions. Students might mention this modern concept of algorithms, which can lead to another interesting talk about how these algorithms use what people like to decide what to show. On the next slide there are three use cases of algorithms, this case is mentioned there.
Activity: exploring mazes
Ask students to draw their own maze, placing a robot in the start. Then instruct them to exchange mazes between classmates and everyone will write an algorithm to solve the received maze.
At the end, the algorithms will be exchanged again to a new classmate who will verify if the algorithm solution is correct and understandable enough for anyone to read and replicate the solution.
Writing efficient algorithms
During the algorithm revision, it could happen in the case where a student thinks that a classmate’s solution is wrong due to a misunderstanding of the instruction. This situation can lead to an interesting conversation about the importance of writing clear enough algorithms and tips about how to do it correctly.
Lesson Evaluation
- Students drew their own maze designs and exchanged them with classmates.
- Each student wrote an algorithm to solve the maze they received.
- Lesson objectives were met as students demonstrated understanding of algorithms through practical application in maze-solving tasks.
- Students grasped fundamental concepts of algorithms and their real-world applications, evidenced by their ability to design, write, and evaluate maze-solving algorithms effectively.
