Robot workshop with Year 4



Simple circuit

Putting the bits together

Year 4 at Chesterton are learning about circuits at the moment, so I went in to spend the day doing a bristlebot / robot workshop.  We looked at a commercially produced hexbug and the kids figured what was inside - battery, switch and vibrating motor.

No sensors, no intelligence, but cleverly designed legs.

 

Then we looked at some home-made versions, using larger toy motors and simple slide switches.  One was made with wire legs and the other had a brush for a base.



Plastic cup Dalek

The children worked in pairs, listed all the parts they would need and stripped the connecting wires.  We used pliers and sticky tape to secure contacts; matchsticks and sticky tape to scupper the motors.   

They created all sorts of great stuff.



Brush beast

Helicopter



Brush aeroplane



Octopus