Mission 4: Get Moving

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Overview

Mission 4 puts CodeBot's motors to work. Students enable the motors, then apply power to each wheel to spin CodeBot in place, sweep it through a curve, and steer it to tag tennis balls. The mission wraps up by introducing CodeBot's speaker, where students play tones to add sound to their programs.

🎯 Mission Goal: Students will move CodeBot by enabling and giving power to the wheels.

🎯

Learning Targets

I can apply power to the wheels to spin the CodeBot.
I can apply power to the wheels to move the CodeBot in a curve (or circle).
I can control the movement of CodeBot to tag objects.
I can play tones on CodeBot's speaker.

💡

Key Concepts

Motors must be enabled before they can receive power.
Wheel power ranges from -100 percent (reverse) to +100 percent (forward) speeds.
If equal but opposite speeds are applied to the wheels, the 'bot will spin.
If positive but different speeds are applied to the wheels, the 'bot will move in a circle.
Use the sleep() function to keep the motors running.
The speaker can play a tone for a specified amount of time.

✅

Assessment Opportunities

Quiz after Objective 3
Submit program code, or give students printed code and have them explain each line: Objective 1, Objective 2, Objective 3, Objective 4
Code Tracing Chart as a debugging tool
Quiz or exit ticket with code. Have students explain the direction the 'bot will move.
Objective 3 Planning Guide
Submit final program code for robot tag
Submit Obj. 4 code for "Sound Off"
Level-1 Mission 4 Review Kahoot!

☑️

Success Criteria

Use wheel power to spin CodeBot
Use wheel power to move CodeBot in a circle
Use wheel power to move CodeBot so it tags tennis balls
Play at least two notes from the speaker

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Digital Resources

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Classroom Materials

▸Computer or Chromebook with internet access

🌍

Real-World Applications

Using motors, lights, and sounds in a timed sequence is animation. Using code to run the animation makes it automation - and many items and objects in the real world rely on it.

🎡Amusement park rides use timed motor sequences to create thrilling, precisely choreographed experiences.

🚗Cars use automated systems, like turn signals and cruise control, that run motors and lights without constant driver input.

🧹Automatic vacuums combine motors and sensors to navigate and clean a room on their own.

🚀

Extensions & Cross-Curricular

ExtensionFor Objective 3, tag all four tennis balls.

ExtensionPlay a short song, like a nursery rhyme, using the speaker.

Lang ArtsHave students write a short review about an animation or automation.

Performing ArtsLearn about music and note notation.

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Vocabulary

▾

Enable - Turning on a hardware system, like the motors, so it's ready to receive commands.

Wheel power - The speed sent to a wheel, from -100 percent (full reverse) to +100 percent (full forward).

Spin - Turning in place by sending equal but opposite power to both wheels.

Curve - Moving in an arc by sending different, same-direction power to each wheel.

Tone - A single musical pitch played through CodeBot's speaker.

Pitch - How high or low a tone sounds, set as a frequency.

🐍

New Python Code

▾

motors.enable(True) Enable CodeBot's motors.

motors.run(LEFT, 30) motors.run(RIGHT, -30) Apply power on the wheels to spin. Positive left, negative right spins clockwise; negative left, positive right spins counter clockwise.

motors.run(LEFT, 50) motors.run(RIGHT, 40) Sweeping circle (or curve) in a clockwise direction.

spkr.pitch(440) sleep(0.1) Play a tone on the speaker for a specific amount of time.

spkr.off() Turn off the tone.

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Standards

▾

CSTA Standards - Grades 9-10

3A-CS-03 3A-AP-16 3A-AP-19 3A-AP-21 3-AP-22 3-AP-23

CSTA Standards - Grades 11-12

3B-CS-02 3B-AP-17 3B-AP-22

Certiport IT Specialist: Python Standards

4.1

PCEP: Certified Entry-Level Python Programmer

Section 1.1 Section 1.2 Section 4.2

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Preparing for the Lesson

It isn't explicitly mentioned, but students should start a new file for this program code. File names should be descriptive - if students are submitting the file, have them include their name in the filename.
Have the Level-1 Mission 4 Assignment and Assignment Answers ready to hand out or post in your LMS for quick grading.
Print or share the Obj. 3 Planning Guide before students reach the robot tag objective - it's highly recommended for planning their code.
Have the Code Tracing Chart on hand as a debugging tool students can use throughout the mission, not just for Objective 3.
Pull up the Mission 4 Review Questions and have the Review Kahoot! link ready to launch for a class-wide review.
Keep the Mission 4 Final Code Solutions on hand as a reference if students get stuck or you want to compare approaches.

🧑‍🏫

Teacher Notes

Students can use the same file during the mission. For the final objective, they can use a new file, or they can just add the speaker code to the top of the current file.
Students may want to zoom out or change the camera view when running the code to see the 'bot move.
Give students time to experiment with different speeds. No need to rush through the objectives.
Give students time to experiment with different tones. No need to rush through the objectives.
Do a code tracing chart together. Talk about what works and what doesn't. Emphasize the importance of documenting your tries to help with debugging in the future.

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Lesson Outline

🗣️Warm-up / Hook

Have students write or discuss their answers before revealing them.

Question: If you wanted CodeBot to spin in place using its two wheels, what would each wheel need to do?
Question: Where have you seen animation or automation used in your everyday life?

Teaching tip: Have two students link arms and walk in opposite step patterns to physically demonstrate a spin before coding it.

💻Objectives 1-2: Spin & Curve

Students open CodeSpace, start a new file, and begin the Level-1 Mission 4 Assignment.

Teaching tip: Start with motors.enable(True), then spin CodeBot with equal but opposite wheel speeds, like motors.run(LEFT, 30) and motors.run(RIGHT, -30). Reverse the signs to change spin direction.

Teaching tip: Move into curves by giving both wheels positive but different speeds, like motors.run(LEFT, 50) and motors.run(RIGHT, 40) - the bigger the difference, the tighter the turn.

Have students submit their code, or hand them printed code to explain each line, for Objectives 1 and 2.

🎯Objective 3: Robot Tag

Before students start coding, have them use the Obj. 3 Planning Guide to plan how they'll drive CodeBot to tag all four tennis balls.

Teaching tip: Have students use the Code Tracing Chart as they test their plan - documenting what works and what doesn't builds a debugging habit they'll use all year.

Give the quiz once students can spin and curve CodeBot reliably. Have students submit their final program code for robot tag.

🔊Objective 4: Sound Off

Teaching tip: spkr.pitch(440) paired with sleep(0.1) plays a tone for a set time, and spkr.off() turns it off. Challenge students to play at least two notes.

Students can add the speaker code to the top of their existing file or start a new one. Have them submit their "Sound Off" code.

If students finish early or need extra support at any point in the mission, point them to the Level-1 Mission 4 Assignment Answers or the Final Code Solutions for reference.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑Post-Mission Reflection

Give a quiz or exit ticket with code and have students explain the direction CodeBot will move.

Have students work through the Level-1 Mission 4 Review Questions individually or in pairs.

Wrap up with the Level-1 Mission 4 Review Kahoot! Keep the Final Code Solutions on hand if you want to compare approaches during the debrief.

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