Example lessons

What students learn

• How wheel size, weight and friction change how far a car rolls
• Running a fair test by changing only one thing at a time
• Measuring distance and recording results in a table

How the session runs

1. Build a simple four-wheel car from the VEX GO kit.
2. Roll it down a ramp three times and measure how far it goes.
3. Swap the wheels or add weight, then test again.
4. Compare results as a group and explain which change worked best.

What students learn

• What a gear ratio is, and why a small gear turning a big gear goes slower
• Counting turns to compare speeds
• Trading speed for strength in a mechanism

How the session runs

1. Build a fan driven straight from the motor.
2. Add a pair of gears and count how many times the fan turns.
3. Try three gear combinations and record the turns for each.
4. Pick the fastest setup and explain why it works.

What students learn

• Writing and running Python commands to move a robot
• Using a for loop instead of repeating the same lines
• Working out the turning angle for any regular shape

How the session runs

1. Drive one side of the square with a single drive command.
2. Add a turn, then repeat the pair four times by hand.
3. Replace the repeated lines with a for loop.
4. Change the loop to drive a triangle and a hexagon.

What students learn

• Reading a sensor value in code
• Using if and else to make a decision
• Testing a program and fixing it when it does not work

How the session runs

1. Attach the Eye Sensor to the front of the robot.
2. Print the sensor reading to see how it changes near an object.
3. Write a loop that drives until the sensor detects an object.
4. Test on a course with obstacles and improve the stopping distance.