Make Sphero Fly! Classroom Design Project / Challenge

thingiverse

This is a project that teachers could do with their class. It basically consists of the students designing ramps to see which team can make Sphero jump the farthest. I designed and tested a simple ramp as an example. How I Designed This I designed my example ramp by thinking about skateboard ramps. They have that long spline with the little fillet at the top. The front of the ramp needed to be adjacent to the ground so the Sphero could actually begin it's ascent. I made several sketches, then made the digital design. After I finished the design, I printed it out on a Makerbot Replicator 2X. Original Sketches Project: Make Sphero Fly! Overview & Background: By completing this project, students will learn basic designing, how and why different ramp designs work better, momentum, velocity, and working as a team. Objectives: Learning to use angles, curves, and splines when designing Learning about motion and velocity Working as a team Ramp Designing Audiences: Grades don't matter, but I recommend grades 6-8. (middle school) Students should have a basic idea how to design simple shapes in a 3d designing program. Subjects: Engineering Designing Physics Math Skills Learned (Standards): Upon completing the project, students will have learned how to incorperate curves and splines into their designs, how to work together, and how to design a ramp. Lesson/Activity: Step one: Split all students into teams. Give each team a laptop or other computer, paper, and pencils. Step two Make sure each team is working together. (20 mins) Step three: Give a time warning. (10 mins) Step four: Dismiss class. Print all designs. Fill tray with sand. Prepare for next class. Step five: Begin next class. Give each team their ramp. Test the ramps by putting tape under them, then taping them five inches in front of the tray of sand, putting a yardstick or other measuring tool beside it, and giving the contesting team the sphero. The team must then run the sphero over their ramp and onto the sand. Measure the jump. Repeat for all teams. Step six: Compare results. Discuss why some failed, why some worked. Dismiss class. (Optional:) Grade ramps. Setup Duration: Approx. 2 half hour sessions, plus printing time. Preparation: Students should already have a basic idea how to design simple shapes in Solidworks or other 3d designing program. Each team will need a laptop or computer, 3d designing program, paper, and pencils. You will also need a Sphero and least one 3d printer. A flat tray (baking tray) sand, and a yardstick are used to measure the jumps. Rubric & Assessment: By the end of the day, students will have a physical ramp that they designed. Teachers could grade by the distence, design quality, and/or printability of the ramp.