inches Student Workbook Worksheets to help you build your own robot inspired by nature

Transcription

1 inches 1 2 Student Workbook Worksheets to help you build your own robot inspired by nature

2 Contents Nature Observation Macro Nature Observation 3 Micro Nature Observation 4 Nature Identification 5 Nature Observation Videos 6 Tracking Animal Communications 7 Animal Communication Types 8 Tracking Plant Movements 9 Tracking Animal Movements 10 Tracking Plant Growth 11 Tracking Facial Movement 12 Mechanisms Engineering Design Process 13 Basic Mechanisms 14 Invent Your Own Mechanism 15 Design a Mechanical Pegboard 16 Understanding Forces 17 Forces in Mechanisms 18 Mechanisms in Toys 19 Motion Conversion 20 Invent a Bio-Mechanism 21 Circuits & Motors Motor Comparison 22 Final Project Plan Your Bio bot 23 Reflect & Redesign Log 24 Additional Planning Pages 27 Parent Consent Form 37 2

3 Nature Observation Macro Nature Observation Explore your environment and create a Nature Survey. Draw Draw the plants and animals you observe. Date Time Weather Describe The Environment Mammals Where are you? Draw a map of your location. Reptiles / Insects Describe Your Map Label your map showing what you found and where. Reflect What did you discover? Plants Birds Nature Observation 3

4 Nature Observation Micro Nature Observation Sit somewhere quietly for 5 minutes and record the environment. Sight What do you see? Smell What do you smell? Sound What do you hear? Where are you? Draw a map of your location. Focus Focus on something that interests you. Draw it! Describe Describe what you re focusing on! Reflect What can you learn about the environment? Is there anything you observed that surprised you? If yes, what was it? Nature Observation 4

5 Nature Observation Nature Identification Learn to identify plants and animals. Observe Draw and describe a plant or animal you want to identify. Date Time Weather Draw and describe what is unique about this plant or animal. Why does it interest you? Draw and describe a plant or animal you can compare this one to. What are the differences? Reflect Use a field guide or other resource to try to identify your plant or animal. What species do you think it is? Nature Observation 5

6 Nature Observation Nature Observation Videos Observe Observe animals in their environment. Click on the animal name or type the web address into your browser. Birds Allen s Hummingbird Red Winged Black Bird Starling Starling and Pigeon Mourning Dove Red Tailed Hawk Northern Mockingbird Crow Reptiles and Amphibians Red Eared Slider Western Fence Lizard Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake Japanese Striped Snake Red Eyed Treefrog Mammals Coyotes Eastern Fox Squirrel Raccoon Bobcat Insects Flame Skimmer Dragonfly Ant Monarch Butterfly Cricket Nature Observation 6

7 Nature Observation Tracking Animal Communications Learn to identify methods of animal communication. Observe Observe an animal in its environment and study how it communicates with other animals. Draw and describe any visual, auditory, tactile, or chemical communication that you observe in stages, or frames. Watch Nature Observation Videos if you have trouble finding animals to observe. Frame 1 Frame 2 Frame 3 Reflect How would you create the communication observed mechanically? What mechanisms could you use and how? Be specific. Nature Observation 7

8 Nature Observation Animal Communication Types Observe Animals communicate in many different ways. See if you can identify these communication types while observing nature and list them in the spaces provided! Auditory Communication Songbirds such as blackbirds, sparrows, and mockingb1rds sing to communicate warnings and attract mates. Tactile Communication Cats lick and groom each other to show affection and build bonds. Visual Communication Anole Lizards do push-ups, head-bobs, and flash their colorful dulap (a large flap of skin on their neck) to attract mates and fend off competitors. Chemical Communication Skunks spray a stinky chemical compound containing sulfur to ward off predators and other percieved threats. Nature Observation 8

9 Nature Observation Tracking Plant Movements Observe and record plant movements Describe Describe a plant that interests you. Why did you pick this plant? Draw Draw a plant. Date Time Weather Location Draw a close-up Observed Movements Draw plants that you observe, using arrows to show their motions. Reflect How could you create the movements observed mechanically? What mechanisms would you use and how? Be specific! Nature Observation 9

10 Nature Observation Tracking Animal Movements Observe and record animal movements. Observe Observe an animal and record its movements. Draw one movement in 3 time points, or frames, and describe the type of movement observed. Frame 1 Date Time Weather Frame 2 Frame 3 Reflect How would you create the movement observed mechanically? What mechnisms could you use and how? Be specific. Nature Observation 10

11 Nature Observation Tracking Plant Growth Observe and record plant growth in a natural environment. Draw a plant Observation #1 Draw a close-up Date Time Weather Location Describe Describe the size, shape, color, and other details of the plant you observed. Observation #2 Visit your plant after a few days. What growth do you observe? Draw the plant Draw a close-up Reflect Date Time Weather Location How could you create the growth and other changes observed in the plant mechanically? What mechanisms would you use and how? Be specific! Nature Observation 11

12 Nature Observation Tracking Facial Movement Learn to identify universal facial expressions and their role in human communication Observe Date Time Weather Observe human nonverbal communication and facial expressions. Draw and describe facial movements that you observe in stages, or frames. Frame 1 Frame 2 Frame 3 Reflect What universal facial expression did you observe? How would you create the the facial expression mechanically? Be specific. Nature Observation 12

13 Mechanisms Engineering Design Process Use the engineering design process to solve a design challenge. Inspiration Find the Engineer a Skyscraper for the Wind design challenge and watch the inspiration video on curiositymachine.org Plan Plan your design and label what materials you ll use. Build Describe your building process and any problems you encountered. Redesign What can you do to improve your design? How will you change it? Test Test your design! Does it work like you thought it would? Reflect What did you learn from your design? How can you apply what you ve learned to future inventions? Mechanisms 13

14 Mechanisms Basic Mechanisms Identify and interpret basic mechanism functions Crank Classify Classify machines you see in daily life as basic mechanisms. Analyze Hypothesize the function of the basic mechanism Gear Cam Belt Joint Mechanisms 14

15 Mechanisms Invent Your Own Mechanism Use your understanding of basic mechanisms to invent your own mechanism. What function will your mechanism perform? Plan What available materials can you use to build your design? Draw an existing mechanism that inspires your design. Draw Draw your invented mechanism design and label what materials will be used and where. How will your mechanism move and transfer motion? How can it be used with other mechanisms as part of a larger machine? Mechanisms 15

16 Mechanisms Design a Mechanical Pegboard Build a pegboard that lets you test multiple linkage systems and types of motion. Plan Draw your design plan and label the types of motion you want it to create using arrows. Build & Test Build and test your design! What types of motion did you create, and where? Reflect How can you apply linkage systems to your design? Mechanisms 16

17 Mechanisms Understanding Forces Record 3 contact forces and 1-2 natural forces acted out in class. Example: 2 students push to create applied contact forces. The forces are equal and opposite, so they are balanced. 1st Scenario: 2nd Scenario: 3rd Scenario: Mechanisms 17

18 Mechanisms Forces in Mechanisms Identify forces you think cause different mechanical motions. Draw & Describe Draw arrows to indicate the direction you think forces are acting, and list the forces in the space provided. Even if you re not sure, make a guess and see if you re right! Pulley Cam Bevel Gear Crank Linkage Crank Slider Lever Gears Mechanisms 18

19 Mechanisms Mechanisms in Toys Observe moving toys and form ideas about how they work. Draw Draw a mechanical toy using arrows to show motion and forces. Label the forces you observe. Hypothesize Draw the mechanisms you think make the toy work! Remember to use arrows to show forces and motion. Mechanisms 19

20 Mechanisms Motion Conversion Identify different types of motion conversion in mechanical systems Observe Explore the websites listed below. Find different types of motion conversion! Robives Boston Exploratorium BBC Design and Tech Cornell Mechanisms Draw & Describe Draw & describe the complex mechanisms you observe converting motion. Identify the motions converted and the forces involved. / Rotary / Intermittent Linear / Rotary Mechanisms 20

21 Mechanisms Invent a Bio-Mechanism Design a mechanism that mimics movement in plants, animals or humans. Example: Squirrel tail-flicking to communicate danger: Use straws, string, and beads. Pulling the green string folds the tail and pulling the blue string strainghtens it. Draw &Describe Draw & describe the motion you want to mimic mechanically. Use arrows to show motion. Design Draw a design that you think will be able to mimic the motion you observed. Use arrows to show how motion will be coverted.. Mechanisms 21

22 Circuits & Motors Motor Comparison Compare Compare the pros and cons of these common motors when designing your Bio bot. Motor Type Good Bad Notes DC Motor inexpensive easy to use safe Servo Motor Stepper Motor Solenoid easy to control with microcontroller (such as Galileo) several shaft couplers for easy mechanical connections can spin in stops and starts can spin in stops and starts can be controlled precisely reliable linear motion easy and reliable to use not powerful stalls easily small shaft can be difficult to work with somewhat expensive loud not very powerful connecting to microcontroller can be frustrating (reference manual if available, or search for your motors instructions online) small shaft travel distance connect +/- terminals to power supply reverse polarity to reverse direction of spinning speed determined by voltage 3 wires: +/-/control. wire colors not standardized, must reference manual to connect correctly have between 4-8 wires, complicated to connect requires programming & hardware to control two wires, no polarity usually require volts to operate Information in this table and more can be found at Watch Videos of motors in motion: DC Motor Servo Motor (Lego) Stepper Motor Solenoid Circuits & Motors 22

23 Final Project Plan Your Bio bot Find inspiration in your nature observations and draw a plan for a design. What movement do you think will be able to mimic? Consider what you ve learned about mechanisms, and how to control them with circuit, motors, and hardware! Bio bot Inspiration 23

24 Final Project Reflect & Redesign Log Log your learnings, reflections, and improvements to your design. Remember to persist and learn from problems and failures! Example Date Reflection & Learnings Redesign Notes Oct. 10th Oct. 12th 1st design: I built a robot that moves like a squirrel s tail out of straws, string, and cardboard. I m using a servo motor to make it start and stop moving suddenly, but for some reason it s not working. I got my motor to work after re-programming! However, my mechanism isn t moving like I thought it would. I think it has something to do with the way motion is being transferred from its input mechanism. I think I should do some more research on programming my motor, and make sure that it is getting power. I m going to try redesigning the crank slider input mechanism. Maybe if I use a larger wheel the motion transferred will be larger and more noticeable. Date Reflection & Learnings Redesign Notes 24

25 Final Project Date Reflection & Learnings Redesign Notes 25

26 Final Project Date Reflection & Learnings Redesign Notes 26

27 Final Project Additional Planning Pages 27

28 Final Project 28

29 Final Project 29

30 Final Project 30

31 Final Project 31

32 Final Project 32

33 Final Project 33

34 Final Project 34

35 Final Project 35

36 Final Project 36

37 Parent Consent Form Imagine, Invent, Engineer I understand that the information my child has supplied is correct. My child can post his/her projects, pictures, and videos to the website and interact with others in the Curiosity Machine community. I understand my child may recieve promotional updates about upcoming design challenges and site improvements. Child s Curiosity Machine Username Child s Birth Date Parent/Guardian Full Name Relation to Child Address Date Signature 37