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Two Hour Hands-On Course

Sample Prompt

Create a derailed course description that describes a 2-hour
hands-on course on teaching computational thinking using
a low-cost STEM robot.

The target audience for this course is teachers that have
little or no experience with coding.  The goal is to get
them exposed to the ideas of teaching computational thinking
using a fun hands-on $35 STEM robot.

The robot is built around the Cytron RP2040 Maker Pi board.
It has two DC motors and a time-of-flight sensor as well
as a 128x64 monochrome display.

The students will need to have Thonny installed on their
desktops before the class begins.

The rough outline is:

1. What is computational thinking
2. Why are fun low-cost robots the best way to teach computational thinking
3. Overview of physical computing
4. Getting started with Thonny
5. Blinking an LED
6. Changing color on a NeoPixel
7. Playing a sound
8. Driving a motor
9. Reading the distance sensor
10. Updating the display
11. Running the collision avoidance program
12. Putting your robot in the robot corral

Use Bloom's taxonomy to create a prices list of learning objectives.

ChatGPT Response

Course Title: Teaching Computational Thinking with a Low-Cost STEM Robot

Duration: 2 Hours Target Audience: Teachers with little or no experience in coding.

Course Description

This hands-on workshop introduces educators to the fundamentals of computational thinking using an engaging and affordable $35 STEM robot built around the Cytron RP2040 Maker Pi board. Participants will gain confidence in teaching computational concepts by experimenting with physical computing tasks. The robot features two DC motors, a time-of-flight sensor, and a 128x64 monochrome display, offering a rich playground for computational exploration.

Through guided activities, participants will learn to program the robot using MicroPython in the Thonny IDE, perform basic tasks like blinking LEDs, driving motors, and updating displays, and eventually run a collision avoidance program. This session emphasizes experiential learning and equips teachers with the skills and confidence to bring robotics into their classrooms.

Learning Objectives (Using Bloom's Taxonomy)

Remembering

  1. Define computational thinking and its core concepts.
  2. Identify the hardware components of the robot, including the Cytron RP2040 Maker Pi board, DC motors, time-of-flight sensor, and display.

Understanding

  1. Explain why low-cost robots are effective tools for teaching computational thinking.
  2. Describe the role of the Thonny IDE in programming and interacting with the robot.

Applying

  1. Blink an LED and modify its timing through basic Python programming.
  2. Change the color of a NeoPixel LED using RGB values in code.
  3. Play a sound using the robot's onboard buzzer.
  4. Drive the motors to move the robot forward or backward.

Analyzing

  1. Analyze data from the time-of-flight distance sensor to determine proximity to objects.
  2. Break down how the collision avoidance program combines sensor input, motor control, and decision-making.

Evaluating

  1. Evaluate the effectiveness of the collision avoidance program by testing it in a simulated environment (robot corral).
  2. Assess the potential of using the robot as a teaching tool in different classroom contexts.

Creating

  1. Write and execute a simple program to update the robot's display with custom text or graphics.
  2. Combine individual programs to design a custom behavior for the robot.

Course Outline

Introduction (10 minutes)

  1. What is Computational Thinking?
    • Core principles: decomposition, pattern recognition, abstraction, and algorithm design.
  2. Why Fun, Low-Cost Robots?
    • How hands-on activities make abstract concepts tangible and engaging.

Exploring Physical Computing (15 minutes)

  1. Overview of physical computing and how the Cytron RP2040 Maker Pi board interfaces with sensors, motors, and displays.

Hands-on Activities (90 minutes)

  1. Getting Started with Thonny (5 minutes)
    • Brief walkthrough of installing and using Thonny to connect with the robot.
  2. Blinking an LED (10 minutes)
    • Modify LED blink timings to understand basic code structures.
  3. Changing Color on a NeoPixel (10 minutes)
    • Experiment with RGB values to create different LED colors.
  4. Playing a Sound (5 minutes)
    • Code the onboard buzzer to play tones.
  5. Driving a Motor (10 minutes)
    • Program motor controls for forward and backward movement.
  6. Reading the Distance Sensor (10 minutes)
    • Write a script to read and print sensor data in real time.
  7. Updating the Display (10 minutes)
    • Display text and simple graphics on the 128x64 monochrome screen.
  8. Running the Collision Avoidance Program (15 minutes)
    • Load and test a pre-written collision avoidance script.

Wrap-up Activity (5 minutes)

  1. Putting the Robot in the Corral
    • Test the robot's performance in a designated area to observe collision avoidance in action.

Closing (5 minutes)

  • Recap of key concepts.
  • Resources for continuing learning.
  • Q&A session.

Required Pre-Class Preparation

  • Install Thonny IDE on classroom desktops or laptops.
  • Ensure access to the STEM robot kit with Cytron RP2040 Maker Pi board.
  • Download workshop resources and pre-written scripts from the provided link.

This course not only empowers educators with the tools to teach computational thinking but also inspires confidence through a fun and approachable introduction to robotics and coding.