l Projects

Required Lessons: Controlling Wheels

A Bee Waggle dance is how bees communicate the location of nectar sources to their fellow bees. It’s an amazing ability, well described in this short video.

Create an approximate bee waggle dance. Your Finch should:

1. Do a waggle dance by moving forward while rocking its tail back and forth a few times.
2. Execute a full circle by setting one wheel to 10% and the other to a faster speed.
3. Repeat step 1.
4. Execute a full circle in the other direction by setting the other wheel to 10% and the other to a faster speed.

Required Lessons: Variables

Read the instructions for the beginner lesson to learn about the bee waggle dance. Make your Finch’s waggle dance express the distance to an object. Your Finch should:

1. Measure the distance sensor one time when button A is pressed.
2. Execute a waggle dance as described in the beginner lesson, but where the number of times the Finch’s tail wiggles during the dance expresses the distance measurement. More wiggles should indicate a larger distance measurement.

Dress your Finch up as a bee! Be sure to use masking tape to attach things to your Finch. Do not use hot glue or duct tape.

Discuss the threats being posed to wild bee species across the world, and brainstorm how you may be able to help bees find food sources.