Lesson 5: Self Design Challenge

How does the weight and friction of the game objects affect the actual cycle time of your manipulator?

What unexpected mechanical failures occurred during high-intensity movement that weren't visible during testing?

How must your strategy shift when facing a robot with a different drivetrain or reach capability?

Cycle Time: The amount of time it takes to pick up a game object, transport it, and score it.

Driver Iteration: Adjusting the control scheme or physical robot to better suit the person operating it.

Defensive Strategy: Tactics used to impede an opponent's scoring without violating game rules.

Failure Analysis: The process of investigating why a component broke or underperformed during the heat of competition.

Consistency: The ability to perform the same task successfully multiple times in a row.

NGSS HS-ETS1-4: Use a computer simulation or physical model to iterative test a design by prioritizing criteria and trade-offs.

ITEE STEL-2T: Optimize a design by logic and/or data analysis to maximize its performance.

Description: This is a tournament-style "Game Day." Teams compete in timed matches of "Swept Away." Between matches, teams have a "Pit Area" where they can perform quick repairs, swap batteries, or make minor code/mechanical tweaks based on what they observed in their last round.

Purpose: To provide a high-stakes environment that tests the limits of their construction. It validates the research and building phases while highlighting the importance of reliability and "repairability" in engineering.

DOK Level: Level 3 (Strategic Thinking) & Level 4 (Extended Thinking). While the game is Level 3 (strategic play), the Post-Game Analysis is Level 4, as students must synthesize their performance data to suggest final design iterations.

In this course, we recognize that students enter the lab with varying levels of technical experience. Our differentiation strategy employs a 'Scaffolded Autonomy' approach. We provide structured, step-by-step guidance for foundational concepts while offering open-ended, 'Design Challenge' extensions for advanced learners. By utilizing peer-mentorship models, diverse instructional media (visual, tactile, and digital), and flexible project pathways, we ensure every student can move from consumer to creator at their own pace.

• "The Scouting Report." Students must watch one match they are not in and identify one strength and one weakness of an opponent's design.