• The student will show an understanding of the transformation of energy as it moves through our world.
• The student will create a representation of the energy conversions happening in the scenario they are given using the Hummingbird Robotics kit.
• The student will create a report analyzing the energy conversion method given to their group and their recommendation on whether or not it is a cost-effective option for creating electricity in Nottoway County.
• The student will participate in an oral presentation of their robot, including a brief summary of the written report, a demonstration of the energy transformation robot, and an oral discussion of the problems they encountered during the build and their solutions.
• The student will develop the skills of collaboration, cooperation, and problem-solving while learning more about a way to generate electricity and the energy conversions required to produce electricity.

Lesson 1: Introduction to Hummingbird Robotics kit/Create visual programmer basics 

• Hummingbird Powerpoint from Tom Lauwers and hands-on instruction on the basic steps of using Hummingbird robotics kit. Students were asked to:
  • install 3 LEDs
  • make those lights flash in succession
  • install a tri-color LED
  • make it flash 3 different colors
  • install a servo & sensor

Lesson 2: Project problem introduction (see problem explanation above)

• Go over rubrics
  • Oral presentation http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&rubric_id=2492526&
  • Robot itself http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&rubric_id=2492525&
  • Written report http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php?screen=ShowRubric&rubric_id=2492527&
• Choose a method of generating electricity the group would like to research. Ask students what methods they can remember from class instruction. Put up a poster with a list after discussion:
  • Ways to generate electricity:
    • Hydropower (dam)
    • Wind
    • Solar
    • Geothermal
    • Nuclear
    • Burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas)
    • Biomass
    • Pedaling bicycles
• Students are asked to create a PowerPoint with images/captions, a vlog, a blog, a journal… something to log their process from plan through stages of testing and modification to the final product, and this will be the focus of the oral presentation.
• Begin research and planning

Lessons 3-5: Research and planning in the library

• Research requirements include using 2 media types and citing 3 distinct sources properly. Library has provided most recent published texts on energy types, purchased specifically to support this unit/curriculum. Instruction on online research, including website integrity delivered before research commencement. Students are encouraged to search for the following information:
  • Invention/discovery of…
  • Development of…
  • Historical applications of…
  • Environmental impact of…
  • Jobs created by…
  • Will new buildings need to be built? Cost?
  • Cost efficiency of…
  • *DON’T FORGET* -citations –charts –diagrams –graphs –tables
• Designing and creating a schematic of robots. Meet with the builder and planner to discuss the basic requirements of the robot (has to fit on the table, does NOT have to have “arms & legs & head”, needs to CLEARLY represent the energy transformations happening for their form of electricity creation; may use images from online (with citations) or draw/create out of craft materials

Lessons 6-9: Building of Robots, Troubleshooting, writing of reports in the library

• Checking to make sure students are journaling their troubleshooting as the robot works through stages of development
• Checking for minimum components
• Ironing out bugs
• Finalizing & printing written reports
• Rehearsing for presentations

Lesson 10: Oral presentations of robots in the library

• All students must participate
• Allowed one extra day in the library just in case!

This project is aligned with Next Generation Science Standard MS-ESS2-1: “Develop a model to describe the cycling of Earth’s materials and the flow of energy that drives this process,” as well as NGSS standards in engineering design (MS-ETS1-1 – MS-ETS1-3). It could be modified to address other standards related to energy transfer, such as MS-LS2-3. This project is also aligned with Common Core ELA anchor standards that focus on informative writing (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.2), research (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.W.7-8), and speaking and listening (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.CCRA.SL.4-6).