Education Technology


Calculator Controlled Robots - Mission 3: Turns and Mazes

Activity Overview

The third mission is to program your robot to navigate a maze, retrieve a secret package, and return to the original starting point. As always should your robot be discovered or captured, your teacher will disavow any knowledge of your mission. Good Luck

Before the Activity

Discuss how many different ways you can program your robot to turn. Which ways might be best for navigating a maze? How can you make a 90 degree turn? Layout a practice maze with meter sticks on each side about one foot apart. Start with two straight runs with a right angle turn in between them.

Download the attached program "Maze" and "GO" or to create the new program MAZE (see PROGRAMMING INSTRUCTIONS if needed). See the attached PDF

Purchase the Norland Calculator Robot at: www.smallrobot.com/scimath

During the Activity

Please see the attached PDF for more details for this activity.

After the Activity

Review student results:

  • As a class, discuss questions that appeared to be more challenging
  • Re-teach concepts as necessary