Grade 5 Unit 5 STEM Project:
Programming Polygons
Coding teaches you problem-solving and computational-thinking skills. This year, you have had the opportunity to learn more about coding. This unit, you will get to bring coding to life by learning how to program our Spheros to make shapes!
Before You Begin
1. Choose Groups / Seven Habits: Carefully choose your group to work with. All groups must have 2 or 3 students. Before you begin the project, discuss the Seven Habits. How will you use these habits to work together? At the end of this project, you will complete an individual Leadership Self-Assessment about your contributions to the group.
2. Create a Shared Folder: Create a shared folder in Google Drive. Include each partner's name and "Unit 5 STEM" in the title of this folder. Share this folder with each partner AND Ms. Kerley: [email protected] . Make sure each partner and your teacher can "edit" anything in this folder when you share it. Everything for this project must be saved here!
3. View Rubric: View the Rubric for this project. Discuss the expectations for this project with your team.
2. Create a Shared Folder: Create a shared folder in Google Drive. Include each partner's name and "Unit 5 STEM" in the title of this folder. Share this folder with each partner AND Ms. Kerley: [email protected] . Make sure each partner and your teacher can "edit" anything in this folder when you share it. Everything for this project must be saved here!
3. View Rubric: View the Rubric for this project. Discuss the expectations for this project with your team.
Program Spheros on Macrolab
4. Class Sphero Rules and Expectation: Click this link to read about our class rules and expectations for using our Spheros. This page also contains videos about how to turn on and connect a Sphero to a device, as well as tutorials about how to use Macrolab.
5. Learn How to Program: Follow the instructions on the SPRK Polygons and Angles Student Guide to learn how to program the Sphero using the app Macrolab. Follow the instructions to program a class Sphero to make a square and an equilateral triangle. You do NOT need to do the final challenge where it asks you to program a pentagon.
6. Program 3 Additional Quadrilaterals: Use your knowledge of the characteristics of Quadrilaterals to program the Sphero for at least 3 more Quadrilaterals (in addition to the square you already programmed.) Use the most specific name for each Quadrilateral you program.
5. Learn How to Program: Follow the instructions on the SPRK Polygons and Angles Student Guide to learn how to program the Sphero using the app Macrolab. Follow the instructions to program a class Sphero to make a square and an equilateral triangle. You do NOT need to do the final challenge where it asks you to program a pentagon.
6. Program 3 Additional Quadrilaterals: Use your knowledge of the characteristics of Quadrilaterals to program the Sphero for at least 3 more Quadrilaterals (in addition to the square you already programmed.) Use the most specific name for each Quadrilateral you program.
Create Presentation
7. Create Quadrilateral Presentation: Create a presentation or display (may be online or on paper) about the Four Quadrilaterals you programmed - the square plus 3 additional. Presentation must include:
8. WOW Factor: How will you go above and beyond in this project? Do not limit yourself to just one idea!
Ideas:
- Include Screenshots: Or printed pictures of Macrolab scripts for each programmed quadrilateral.
- Define Characteristics: A picture of the four quadrilaterals and a description of characteristics. What are the other quadrilateral names each one could also be classified as? (Ex. If you programmed a “Rectangle”, it can also be classified as a parallelogram or quadrilateral.)
- Compare and Contrast: the characteristics of the 4 Quadrilaterals. What makes it unique from the others? (Ex. A Rectangle and a Rhombus are alike because they have 4 sides and 2 sets of parallel lines. They are different because a Rhombus must have 4 congruent sides, while a Rectangle must have 4 90 degree angles…)
8. WOW Factor: How will you go above and beyond in this project? Do not limit yourself to just one idea!
Ideas:
- Create a video showing the programmed Sphero for each quadrilateral.
- Program the Sphero for EVERY triangle or quadrilateral we are learning about in this unit.
- Create and present/record a song, rap, or poem about the characteristics of triangles or quadrilaterals
- Write a creative story about why you needed to program a device to travel in these different shapes (is it a security camera, a self-driving vacuum, or other device?)
- Or come up with your own WOW factor idea!
Reflect
9. Group Project Assessment Rubric: Make a copy of the Group Project Self-Assessment and save it to your Unit 5 STEM Project folder. Write an explanation for the number of points you deserve in each category to determine your grade on this Project.
10. Leadership Self-Assessment: Make a copy of the Leadership Self-Assessment for each person in your your group and save them to your Unit 7 PBL folder. Make sure you retitle each one to include the name the group member completing the self-assessment.
10. Leadership Self-Assessment: Make a copy of the Leadership Self-Assessment for each person in your your group and save them to your Unit 7 PBL folder. Make sure you retitle each one to include the name the group member completing the self-assessment.