Hazlet Township Public Schools COURSE OF STUDY FOR Computer Construction II and Robotics June 2009 Nicholas Formica
UNIT NUMBER AND TITLE: 1, Introduction and initial configuration BRIEF SUMMARY OF UNIT: Students will review the Course information and begin to prepare their desktop computers for development use. This will include building the computer, installing software, and setting user preferences. LINK TO CONTENT STANDARDS: Standard: 8.1 All students will use computer applications to gather and organize information and to solve problems. Standard: 8.2 All students will develop an understanding of the nature and impact of technology, engineering, technological design, and the designed world as they relate to the individual, society, and the environment. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS THAT WILL FOCUS TEACHING AND LEARNING: What are the steps necessary to prepare your computer for the task at hand? GUIDING QUESTIONS: What hardware is required for a computer to function? What software is required for a computer to be usable? What software and hardware is necessary to communicate with robotics equipment? What configuration is necessary to prepare a computer for development work? ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS: A: STUDENTS WILL KNOW: How to setup a computer from simple parts, including hardware, the operating system, and software installation B: STUDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND THAT: Proper configuration is essential to a productive computer. Proper maintenance and updates help to ensure a stable development platform. C: STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO: Configure, build, and install software on a computer. Choose utilities that will aid in configuration and management of a computer Schedule maintenance for a computer ASSESSMENT (EVIDENCE OF KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTAND?) STUDENTS WILL: Answer the essential and guiding questions. Complete and hand in progress sheets Build a computer Setup the Operating System Configuring settings, software, utilities, and preferences Download and install updates and configure the computer for proper maintenance SUGGESTED SEQUENCE OF LEARNING ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY AND OTHER RESOURCES: Teacher presentation of course material. Student activities to research methods of configuring a computer. 1
Teacher presentations of computer configuration steps. Students will create a plan to build up their computer. Students will document the software used to ensure software license compliance. Teacher evaluation of each step of the building and configuration process. Students will begin using their computer for development work 2
UNIT NUMBER AND TITLE: 2, Robotics and Vex BRIEF SUMMARY OF UNIT: Students will be introduced to the robotics world with examples of different types of robotics and the school s Vex robotics kits. They will learn how to assemble and maintain their robotics kits. LINK TO CONTENT STANDARDS: Standard: 8.1 All students will use computer applications to gather and organize information and to solve problems. Standard: 8.2 All students will develop an understanding of the nature and impact of technology, engineering, technological design, and the designed world as they relate to the individual, society, and the environment. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS THAT WILL FOCUS TEACHING AND LEARNING: What makes a machine a robot? GUIDING QUESTIONS: How are the Vex kits considered robots? What makes the Vex kits useful for various problems or tasks? What are the various components to the Vex robotics kits? ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS: A: STUDENTS WILL KNOW: What is qualifies a machine as a robot. What is included in the Vex Kits. Tools required to assemble the robotics kits. Safety precautions necessary for the kits. B: STUDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND THAT: They must remain organized during all phases of their projects and assignments. They are required to follow safety rules and regulations set forth in the class. The robotics kits are not simply a toy, but a learning tool. The flexibility of the robotics kits are limited only to supplies at hand and ingenuity. C: STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO: Build a basic robot (squarebot). Catalog and keep track of components needed and used. Identify all robotics kit components. ASSESSMENT (EVIDENCE OF KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTAND?) STUDENTS WILL: Answer the essential and guiding questions. Maintain an organized work area. Complete and hand in design/build progress sheets. Identify by name the various robotics components. Participate in robotics discussions. Follow directions to build a basic robot (squarebot). Safely test the robot for build quality and functionality. 3
Distinguish the difference between a machine and a robot. SUGGESTED SEQUENCE OF LEARNING ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY AND OTHER RESOURCES: Teacher presentation of the robotics world. Students complete worksheet on differences between machines and robots. Teacher presentation on the Vex robotics kits. Students identify and inventory of robotics kits parts. Students will build and test the robot. 4
UNIT NUMBER AND TITLE: 3, What is the Design Loop? BRIEF SUMMARY OF UNIT: Students will learn what the design loop is and how it is used to solve technology and everyday problems. LINK TO CONTENT STANDARDS: Standard: 8.1 All students will use computer applications to gather and organize information and to solve problems. Standard: 8.2 All students will develop an understanding of the nature and impact of technology, engineering, technological design, and the designed world as they relate to the individual, society, and the environment. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS THAT WILL FOCUS TEACHING AND LEARNING: How does one scientifically solve a problem? GUIDING QUESTIONS: What are essential parts to solve a problem? Why are there specific steps to solving a problem? How is the design loop used in industry? ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS: A: STUDENTS WILL KNOW: What the design loop is. Why the design loop is used. Examples of common tasks that can be applied to the design loop B: STUDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND THAT: The design loop is required for all future assignments. The design loop s format is flexible given teacher requirements. The design loop should be used on a continual basis, not just at the end of an assignment. C: STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO: Create a design loop documentation format. Use the design loop to aid the design process. identify terms like: design brief. Quickly identify a problem and fit all aspects of the design process into the design loop steps provided. ASSESSMENT (EVIDENCE OF KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTAND?) STUDENTS WILL: Answer the essential and guiding questions. Discuss examples of problems easily solved using the design loop Create their personalized design loop format (based on teacher template) Solve a simple problem using the design loop Use the computer for all steps other than hand sketches 5
SUGGESTED SEQUENCE OF LEARNING ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY AND OTHER RESOURCES: Class discussion on solving everyday problems and large complex projects. Students will generate examples of design loop friendly problems, and problems that are difficult to fit into the design loop. Students will take the format and create their own template/format. Teacher will evaluate and review formats supplied by students. Students will solve a simple problem to demonstrate the use of the design loop. 6
UNIT NUMBER AND TITLE: 4, How to write a program BRIEF SUMMARY OF UNIT: Students will learn the key components to a programming language. These components are common to most languages and are the foundation to understanding how to program language. Students will write basic programs that focus on learning simple instructions and programming syntax. LINK TO CONTENT STANDARDS: Standard: 8.1 All students will use computer applications to gather and organize information and to solve problems. Standard: 8.2 All students will develop an understanding of the nature and impact of technology, engineering, technological design, and the designed world as they relate to the individual, society, and the environment. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS THAT WILL FOCUS TEACHING AND LEARNING: Is a computer intelligent? GUIDING QUESTIONS: What is a line of code? What is syntax? How does a program flow? What is a compiler? ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS: A: STUDENTS WILL KNOW: The basic layout of a compiler program Terms like: syntax The process of planning program using a flow chart Basic instructions that allow a program to function. B: STUDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND THAT: Computers cannot figure out what you really mean. A program can be written many ways, but each must be absolutely precise. C: STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO: Create a flow chart Write a basic program. Change basic code to alter the function of a program. Debug basic programs Plan, code, compile, and test a basic program. ASSESSMENT (EVIDENCE OF KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTAND?) STUDENTS WILL: Answer the essential and guiding questions. Create a basic flow chart of a sample program given to them. Create a program based on supplied code and their flow chart. Discuss problems and resolutions in writing a computer program. Compile and upload the program to the vex kits. Test the programs and both repair and change the program to alter the output (action of the robot) Document each solution using the design loop portfolios. 7
SUGGESTED SEQUENCE OF LEARNING ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY AND OTHER RESOURCES: Teacher presentation of the differences between source code, compiled code, a flow chart, human thought (what we interpret as a program), and the program output. Student worksheets on the various parts of understanding what a computer program is. Class exercises of flow chart creation of pseudo code. Class exercises of source code creation of the flow chart Students will write their first program (sample), compile the code, and run the program on the vex robots Students will correct errors and alter the code to change the operation of the robot. 8
UNIT NUMBER AND TITLE: 5, Loops, conditional statements, variables, and other instructions BRIEF SUMMARY OF UNIT: Students will begin to learn the importance of instructions that can perform complex tasks. They will also begin to work with variables to provide more flexibility than declaring a simple value. LINK TO CONTENT STANDARDS: Standard: 8.1 All students will use computer applications to gather and organize information and to solve problems. Standard: 8.2 All students will develop an understanding of the nature and impact of technology, engineering, technological design, and the designed world as they relate to the individual, society, and the environment. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS THAT WILL FOCUS TEACHING AND LEARNING: Why are there different ways to solve problems? GUIDING QUESTIONS: What is a loop? What is a conditional statement? What is a life example of one? Why are variables used? (in math) ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS: A: STUDENTS WILL KNOW: The instructions or arguments necessary to create conditional statements and loops. The instructions or arguments necessary to create and use variables. Specialized instructions specific to the Vex robots. B: STUDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND THAT: Loops are powerful programming tools that can easily render a program useless of improperly written Conditional statements are similar to tradeoffs made in life (everyday events). Many programs can be considered correct, but the simplest ones are often the best programs. C: STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO: Create a basic conditional statement Create a loop Use variables to precisely control the output of a program ASSESSMENT (EVIDENCE OF KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTAND?) STUDENTS WILL: Answer the essential and guiding questions. Participate in class discussion. Write various programs to demonstrate the ability to use the various instructions taught. Save the growing set of programs on their computer in an organized fashion, maintaining backup copies of the previous programs. Build, test, and modify the robot to suit the needs of the current program/problem. Document each solution using the design loop portfolios. 9
SUGGESTED SEQUENCE OF LEARNING ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY AND OTHER RESOURCES: Teacher lesson on advanced instructions. Students will create a program using the new instructions available. Teacher lesson on loops and conditional statements and the common programming pitfalls of this type of code. Students will create a program that utilizes a simple while loop. Students will create a program that utilizes a simple conditional statement. Teacher follow-up lesson on loops and nested statements. Teacher lesson on the use of variables instead of fixed values. Students will create a program that utilizes variables to finely control the robots. 10
UNIT NUMBER AND TITLE: 6, Simple machines BRIEF SUMMARY OF UNIT: Students will learn review the 6 simple machines and why they are still important in high school and beyond. LINK TO CONTENT STANDARDS: Standard: 8.1 All students will use computer applications to gather and organize information and to solve problems. Standard: 8.2 All students will develop an understanding of the nature and impact of technology, engineering, technological design, and the designed world as they relate to the individual, society, and the environment. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS THAT WILL FOCUS TEACHING AND LEARNING: What would you consider an elegant design GUIDING QUESTIONS: What is the simplest object that you consider a machine? What type of solution is often considered the best solution? What are some machines that could also be considered simple machines? ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS: A: STUDENTS WILL KNOW: The six simple machines use for the Vex Robots. Other simple mechanisms that can be useful for solving individual problems The building techniques necessary to create a simple machine on their Vex kits. B: STUDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND THAT: Although simple in nature, using the simple machines still requires construction knowledge and precision. Simple solutions have two major advantages over more complex ones: 1. it often just works better, 2. it is easier to modify and repair as needed. C: STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO: Build each of the six simple machines and have them interact with each other using the vex robotics kits. Use the simple machines to solve various problems ASSESSMENT (EVIDENCE OF KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTAND?) STUDENTS WILL: Answer the essential and guiding questions. Participate in class discussion and activities. Build a simple machine robot. Solve a problem using only the simple machines. Document each solution using the design loop portfolios. 11
SUGGESTED SEQUENCE OF LEARNING ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY AND OTHER RESOURCES: Teacher demonstration of the six simple machines. Student activity to use each of the six simple machines for uncommon uses. (demonstrating the importance of angles, pulley sizes, etc.) Students will build their robot to use 2 of the six simple machines to pass a ball from point A to point B. Students will build their robot to solve a problem using only simple machines. Class discussion on the uses and limitations of simple machines. 12
UNIT NUMBER AND TITLE: 7, Gears, servos, and linkages BRIEF SUMMARY OF UNIT: Students learn about setting up wheels with different gear ratios, how to setup servo motors, and how to create linkages. LINK TO CONTENT STANDARDS: Standard: 8.1 All students will use computer applications to gather and organize information and to solve problems. Standard: 8.2 All students will develop an understanding of the nature and impact of technology, engineering, technological design, and the designed world as they relate to the individual, society, and the environment. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS THAT WILL FOCUS TEACHING AND LEARNING: How are complex movements achieved with relatively simple devices? GUIDING QUESTIONS: What type of mechanism is in a: transmission, steering rack, trunk release/hinge? What are the fundamental differences and similarities between a servo and a motor? Why are gears necessary for motors? What type of motions can linkages mimic over a short/long range of motion? ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS: A: STUDENTS WILL KNOW: The relationship between the number of teeth in gears and the resulting ratios. The definition of a servo and how it is used B: STUDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND THAT: Sometimes the problem requires a fairly complex solution. Gears, servos, and linkages are used to mimic or create specific types of motion C: STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO: Create a wide range of gear ratios to multiply either speed or torque as needed. Use a servo to precisely define the position. User linkages to convert reciprocating motion into linear motion. ASSESSMENT (EVIDENCE OF KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTAND?) STUDENTS WILL: Answer the essential and guiding questions. Participate in class discussion. Complete worksheets on the subject. Build the robot to solve the various problems. Document each solution using the design loop portfolios. 13
SUGGESTED SEQUENCE OF LEARNING ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY AND OTHER RESOURCES: Teacher lesson on gear ratios Student activity to create a robot that powerful and a robot that is extremely fast. Teacher lesson on servo motors Student activity to create a robot that turns like a car. Teacher demonstration and video on linkages. Student activity to create a robot that uses a gear, servo (or motor), an linkage to pickup and drop an object. 14
UNIT NUMBER AND TITLE: 8, Combining mechanics and programming BRIEF SUMMARY OF UNIT: Students will begin exploring the importance of mechanical design along with electronic control (programming). Most machines today work well because of the synergy between the controller and the mechanics of a device. Students will develop their programming and mechanical skills together. LINK TO CONTENT STANDARDS: Standard: 8.1 All students will use computer applications to gather and organize information and to solve problems. Standard: 8.2 All students will develop an understanding of the nature and impact of technology, engineering, technological design, and the designed world as they relate to the individual, society, and the environment. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS THAT WILL FOCUS TEACHING AND LEARNING: What makes a machine a robot? (from Unit 2) GUIDING QUESTIONS: What are the limitations and freedoms offered by programming? What are the limitations and freedoms offered by a machine? How do you make your machine into a unique and successful robot? ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS: A: STUDENTS WILL KNOW: The limitation of both programming and mechanical design. The importance of communication between all members of a project. B: STUDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND THAT: Both programming and construction (mechanical design) rely on each other and that in industry this is even more apparent. Many robots have sophisticated mechanisms(programming and mechanical) to compensate for the other s shortcoming. C: STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO: Find the limitations of a design and come up with a solution that masks its limitations. Build and program a robot that hides its programming and mechanical weaknesses. ASSESSMENT (EVIDENCE OF KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTAND?) STUDENTS WILL: Answer the essential and guiding questions. Participate in discussions. Create programs and robotics structures that compensate for the other s limitations. Document each solution using the design loop portfolios. 15
SUGGESTED SEQUENCE OF LEARNING ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY AND OTHER RESOURCES: Teacher demonstration of a piece of machinery that has many limitations that are masked. Teacher demonstration of a piece of machinery that is built to have no weak links. Discussion of its actual considerable weaknesses. Class discussion of the problems of previous assignments and proposed solutions/masks. Students will attempt to mask the problems they previously occurred. Students will perform a demonstration of how they attempted to mask the previous problems and provide documentation of their findings. Students will create disable-bot that is designed to have no weakness and compete for the last robot running. Class discussion of the difficulties in creating a competitive robot. 16
UNIT NUMBER AND TITLE: 9, Using your robotics expertise to solve a real problem. BRIEF SUMMARY OF UNIT: Students will work with other classes to solve a problem (in the other class) using robotics. (cross curricular with various classes and either the TV Production of Global Communications class as a special interest segment) LINK TO CONTENT STANDARDS: Standard: 8.1 All students will use computer applications to gather and organize information and to solve problems. Standard: 8.2 All students will develop an understanding of the nature and impact of technology, engineering, technological design, and the designed world as they relate to the individual, society, and the environment. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS THAT WILL FOCUS TEACHING AND LEARNING: Outside of this class, where have you benefited from the robotics industry? GUIDING QUESTIONS: What are some tasks the Vex robot could perform to make your everyday life easier? How could you enhance the Vex robot with readily available parts (anything) to make it better? What do you see robots doing for mankind in the future? ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS: A: STUDENTS WILL KNOW: How prevalent robotics are in our everyday life. Hoe to create a robot that can solve and everyday problem B: STUDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND THAT: Robotics are going to continue change what a machine can do vs. what a human can do. It is going to be very important in the future to stay ahead of the wave of robotics in many industries. C: STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO: Create a robot that can perform everyday tasks using ready available materials. ASSESSMENT (EVIDENCE OF KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTAND?) STUDENTS WILL: Answer the essential and guiding questions. Participate in class discussions. Establish a connection in the school to solve a problem in another class or other part of the school. Create a robot that can solve an everyday problem in school. Document each solution using the design loop portfolios. SUGGESTED SEQUENCE OF LEARNING ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY AND OTHER RESOURCES: Class discussion on robotics in everyday life. Cross curricular project with various parts of the school to solve a real problem Students will research, design, build, program, and troubleshoot a robot that solves the real problem in the school. Students will formally present their findings in class. 17
UNIT NUMBER AND TITLE: 10, Networking Computers - Advanced BRIEF SUMMARY OF UNIT: Students will learn to work in a mixed platform environment and share files, printers, internet, etc. so that the end user can work seamlessly. LINK TO CONTENT STANDARDS: Standard: 8.1 All students will use computer applications to gather and organize information and to solve problems. Standard: 8.2 All students will develop an understanding of the nature and impact of technology, engineering, technological design, and the designed world as they relate to the individual, society, and the environment. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS THAT WILL FOCUS TEACHING AND LEARNING: What must be in place to allow two computers to share information and services? What configuration must be done to each computer to allow shared information and services? GUIDING QUESTIONS: What is a communication standard that most computers use? What is Internet Explorer s part in the Microsoft Anti-Trust cases? What is the importance of an openstandard? ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS: A: STUDENTS WILL KNOW: How to create a workgroup, share files, and share printers using Windows/Linux networking How to share resources using platform independent software B: STUDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND THAT: Computers today are all about networking and sharing. It is very simple to share a lot of resources, so security is important C: STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO: Configure a router for proper sharing of resources outside of their sandbox Create network shares within a workgroup. Create ftp and http shared resources Create a server based resource sharing system ASSESSMENT (EVIDENCE OF KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTAND?) STUDENTS WILL: Answer the essential and guiding questions. Participate in class discussion Complete worksheets to demonstrate knowledge of important settings. Create various shared resources that have reasonable levels of security. Configure their computer as a mini-server of various resources 18
SUGGESTED SEQUENCE OF LEARNING ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY AND OTHER RESOURCES: Teacher demonstration of networked resources used everyday by the high school. Mini-tour of the server room of the high school Teacher lesson on sharing windows resources. Students will begin sharing resources on their computer with user accounts. All changes are to be documented. Students will attempt to access each other s shared resources and document problems/issues. Teacher lesson on servers and virtual machines Students will create a mini-server as a virtual machine. (Linux) Students will use the provided router to create NAT translation and port forwarding to their mini-server. Class discussion on risks of sharing various resources. 19
UNIT NUMBER AND TITLE: 11, Troubleshooting Computers - Advanced BRIEF SUMMARY OF UNIT: Students will solve real computer problems that occur for end users all the time. Students will have to use specialized, yet readily available software/hardware to: restore data, restore the operating system, backup information, etc. LINK TO CONTENT STANDARDS: Standard: 8.1 All students will use computer applications to gather and organize information and to solve problems. Standard: 8.2 All students will develop an understanding of the nature and impact of technology, engineering, technological design, and the designed world as they relate to the individual, society, and the environment. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS THAT WILL FOCUS TEACHING AND LEARNING: Why are there services like the Geek Squad? GUIDING QUESTIONS: What free/cheap software/hardware is available to repair non-functioning computers? Why do computers commonly stop working? Could you fix your home computer last time it stopped working? Can you now? ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS: A: STUDENTS WILL KNOW: The common computer repair tools and utilities used for most common computer problems. B: STUDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND THAT: Most computer problems typically fall under just a few categories. The most important thing on a computer is the data, not the program C: STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO: Restore lost data Reinstall windows Find drivers, programs, utilities Backup data Troubleshoot common hardware problems ASSESSMENT (EVIDENCE OF KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTAND?) STUDENTS WILL: Answer the essential and guiding questions. Participate in class discussion. perform data recover, backup, and troubleshooting activities and document findings. Create a computer repair toolset. SUGGESTED SEQUENCE OF LEARNING ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY AND OTHER RESOURCES: Class discussion of computer crashes and lockups and the common causes. Class discussion of typical solutions and resolution methodologies. 20
Students will perform a backup of their system and attempt to restore their backup onto another (replacement) drive. They will document findings. Students will perform a recovery of files on a damaged drive. They will document findings. Students will troubleshoot their non-functional computer. They will document findings. The class will work together to create a utility flash drive and/or CD to troubleshoot and repair common problems. The class will also create a checklist for most common computer maintenance tasks to prevent catastrophic data loss. 21
UNIT NUMBER AND TITLE: 12, 3D map construction BRIEF SUMMARY OF UNIT: Students will learn to develop 3D gaming maps for a computer game. They will also learn text commands, scripts, 3D workspace management, and texturing and its relevance in the gaming world. LINK TO CONTENT STANDARDS: Standard: 8.1 All students will use computer applications to gather and organize information and to solve problems. Standard: 8.2 All students will develop an understanding of the nature and impact of technology, engineering, technological design, and the designed world as they relate to the individual, society, and the environment. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS THAT WILL FOCUS TEACHING AND LEARNING: What makes a computer/video game difficult to develop? GUIDING QUESTIONS: What is a game engine? What are the main skills a video game developer needs? What makes a video game fun to play? ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS: A: STUDENTS WILL KNOW: Common video game development terminology. The tools used to generate 3D maps and textures. B: STUDENTS WILL UNDERSTAND THAT: Video game design is very complex and difficult to master. A game map consists of several parts to be considered complete. C: STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO: Work in a 3D workspace. Create a set of maps that are considered complete. ASSESSMENT (EVIDENCE OF KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTAND?) STUDENTS WILL: Answer the essential and guiding questions. Participate in class discussion. Work individually to create various 3d game maps. Work in small groups to create a class 3D map set. Present their maps formally and discuss difficulties. SUGGESTED SEQUENCE OF LEARNING ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY AND OTHER RESOURCES: Teacher demonstration of the 3D map software. Students will try out the software and discuss confusing parts of the program. Students will make their first basic map. Teacher demonstration of how to create entities and spawn points 22
Students will repair their first map and undergo testing. Students will create 1 individual advanced map that has a theme of their choice. Students will pair off and create 1 advanced map that has a common class theme. The class will test the themed map set and repair issues. 23