Updates, Updates, and more Updates!

First things first -- 

Field Trip on Friday.  You must have a signed permission slip to be able to come!

We'll go from yesterday, back:

Yesterday, Lillith led the Pajamma Grammas in a game to demonstrate her core value -- We Have FUN!  She had her teammates build a Lego structure exactly like a sample she brought in...without actually touching the bricks -- They had to use chopsticks!

Next up for Core Values on this team is Patrick on Monday, 9/24, followed by Pascale on 10/5.

The Wise Old Owls discussed their progress over a snack, then both teams came together for a demonstration of line following and a discussion about how important it is for their robots to be consistent -- change the robot, and chances are you'll have to change the program. 

A group of kids from each team went with Bruce to work on perfecting the robot base for the Wise Old Owls and to work on attachments (the PGs).

A separate group went with Sarah (WOOs) and Ms. Greenelsh (PGs) to talk about project work.  

And the last group worked on programming the light sensor.  We got as far as writing a program to find a line and stop. Then we worked through the logic for following a line as seen in the picture below (we had it on the whiteboard, but I didn't get a picture).  

We translated the sample readings you see in the image using < and > operators and were just about to turn it into programming magic when our time was up.  So, Justin, Jacob, Henry, Alex and Lillith, we'll get back to this.  In the mean time, see if you can explain it to your parents and your teams!

Last week:

Both teams completed the base builds of their robots.  Some of the kids started basic programs, progress was made on mission detail and we are moving!

Teams also started on perfecting the 90 degree turn -- one right, one left.  The Pajamma Grammas finished over the weekend, and Sue will continue to work with the Wise Old Owls to finish theirs as soon as possible. 

Introducing the Pajamma Grammas!  Team 4894 has a name!  The team also met with Maria Fletcher, their Senior partner.  Information the team gathered in talking with Maria:

• Likes about getting older: more time, reflective, senior discounts
• Dislikes - aches/pains, arthritis in neck - sleeping & arthritis in hands, getting shorter
• Does worry about her friends with major problems - cancer, getting sick.

The team is planning to tackle the neck issue as their project research focus.  

Notes from the Wise Old Owls:

Dominique led the team in a game involving getting toothpaste back in the bottle (yes, it was just as sticky as you are imagining!), which was an excellent way to learn about the core value “what we discover is more important than what we win.”

• Blake, Jacob and Justin worked with volunteer Bruce Ikelheimer to build our base robot.  On Friday, the robot will begin to be used for programming, and sensors and attachments will be added as the team works on the missions.  
• Dominique and Ellie worked with Ms. Greenelsh to research and document the general issue of arthritis, so that we are in a great position to narrow in on the specific issue of opening jars.  
• Sam and Henry plotted out all the steps of our first mission, and have identified both the programming needs (robot will need to follow a line; robot will need to recognize and stop at the green medicine bottle; robot will need an arm to hook the green medicine bottle and bring it back to base.)

Another Important Note:

We will have another field trip on 10/12, which is an early release day.  We're planning to try to make the timing close to a normal school day, but wanted to give you as much notice as possible!