Quick Look 
Summary
This lesson introduces electricity, batteries and motors using a LEGO® MINDSTORMS robot. The associated activity guides students to build a simple LEGO set-up and see the practical implementation of the concepts discussed. Before studying the importance of electricity and how it is crucial for robot movement, students consider various electronic devices they use in their daily lives so that they have an understanding of how engineers use electricity to power such devices, including robots. The lesson starts with a brief introduction to electricity and the working of batteries. A simple electrical circuit demonstration highlights how three basic electrical devices (buzzer, LED and motor) are driven by electricity. An activity at the end further reinforces these concepts. **Note: This lesson uses the retired LEGO NXT robot which is no longer available for purchase.Engineering Connection
Students see how an electrical circuit can drive an electric device, including the concept of electrical energy in a battery being converted to light (LED), sound (buzzer), and mechanical energy (movement of motor). In the activity, students are asked to design a program to perform a particular task which utilizes programming skills and engineering design. Through this lesson and activity, students build a basic understanding of how robots work and would get an appreciation of how engineers in the real world build such devices.
Learning Objectives
After this lesson, students should be able to:
- Explain that a battery stores energy that can be used as electricity to make a motor turn.
- Explain that electrical circuits convert chemical energy stored in the batteries to other forms of energy such as light, sound and mechanical energy.
- Explain how electric motors are one way to make robot parts move.
Educational Standards
Each TeachEngineering lesson or activity is correlated to one or more K-12 science,
technology, engineering or math (STEM) educational standards.
All 100,000+ K-12 STEM standards covered in TeachEngineering are collected, maintained and packaged by the Achievement Standards Network (ASN),
a project of D2L (www.achievementstandards.org).
In the ASN, standards are hierarchically structured: first by source; e.g., by state; within source by type; e.g., science or mathematics;
within type by subtype, then by grade, etc.
Each TeachEngineering lesson or activity is correlated to one or more K-12 science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) educational standards.
All 100,000+ K-12 STEM standards covered in TeachEngineering are collected, maintained and packaged by the Achievement Standards Network (ASN), a project of D2L (www.achievementstandards.org).
In the ASN, standards are hierarchically structured: first by source; e.g., by state; within source by type; e.g., science or mathematics; within type by subtype, then by grade, etc.
NGSS: Next Generation Science Standards - Science
| NGSS Performance Expectation | ||
|---|---|---|
|
4-PS3-2. Make observations to provide evidence that energy can be transferred from place to place by sound, light, heat, and electric currents. (Grade 4) Do you agree with this alignment? |
||
| Click to view other curriculum aligned to this Performance Expectation | ||
| This lesson focuses on the following Three Dimensional Learning aspects of NGSS: | ||
| Science & Engineering Practices | Disciplinary Core Ideas | Crosscutting Concepts |
| Make observations to produce data to serve as the basis for evidence for an explanation of a phenomenon or test a design solution. Alignment agreement: | Energy can be moved from place to place by moving objects or through sound, light, or electric currents. Alignment agreement: Energy is present whenever there are moving objects, sound, light, or heat. When objects collide, energy can be transferred from one object to another, thereby changing their motion. In such collisions, some energy is typically also transferred to the surrounding air; as a result, the air gets heated and sound is produced.Alignment agreement: Light also transfers energy from place to place.Alignment agreement: Energy can also be transferred from place to place by electric currents, which can then be used locally to produce motion, sound, heat, or light. The currents may have been produced to begin with by transforming the energy of motion into electrical energy.Alignment agreement: | Energy can be transferred in various ways and between objects. Alignment agreement: |
| NGSS Performance Expectation | ||
|---|---|---|
|
4-PS3-4. Apply scientific ideas to design, test, and refine a device that converts energy from one form to another. (Grade 4) Do you agree with this alignment? |
||
| Click to view other curriculum aligned to this Performance Expectation | ||
| This lesson focuses on the following Three Dimensional Learning aspects of NGSS: | ||
| Science & Engineering Practices | Disciplinary Core Ideas | Crosscutting Concepts |
| Apply scientific ideas to solve design problems. Alignment agreement: | Energy can also be transferred from place to place by electric currents, which can then be used locally to produce motion, sound, heat, or light. The currents may have been produced to begin with by transforming the energy of motion into electrical energy. Alignment agreement: The expression "produce energy" typically refers to the conversion of stored energy into a desired form for practical use.Alignment agreement: Possible solutions to a problem are limited by available materials and resources (constraints). The success of a designed solution is determined by considering the desired features of a solution (criteria). Different proposals for solutions can be compared on the basis of how well each one meets the specified criteria for success or how well each takes the constraints into account.Alignment agreement: | Energy can be transferred in various ways and between objects. Alignment agreement: Engineers improve existing technologies or develop new ones.Alignment agreement: Most scientists and engineers work in teams.Alignment agreement: Science affects everyday life.Alignment agreement: |
International Technology and Engineering Educators Association - Technology
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The development of technology is a human activity and is the result of individual and collective needs and the ability to be creative.
(Grades
6 -
8)
More Details
Do you agree with this alignment?
State Standards
Missouri - Science
-
Describe how new technologies have helped scientists make better observations and measurements for investigations (e.g., telescopes, electronic balances, electronic microscopes, x-ray technology, computers, ultrasounds, computer probes such as thermometers)
(Grade
5)
More Details
Do you agree with this alignment?
Worksheets and Attachments
Visit [www.teachengineering.org/lessons/view/umo_robotsandhumans_less2] to print or download.Introduction/Motivation
Electricity is all around us and we use it daily at home, school and work. In today's lesson you will learn about the concept of electricity and how it is used to power a variety of devices using electrical circuits. Then we'll make an engineering connection through an activity that uses the concepts for the design of a ball shooter, in which you'll do some basic programming with LEGO robots.
Lesson Background and Concepts for Teachers
Use the How Does a Robot Work? Presentation (a PowerPoint file) to present the lesson content to students. A separate PowerPoint file is provided for the associated activity, NXT Ball Shooter. Refer to the guidance below for how to use the slides. In advance, make copies of the pre/post assessment sheets, which are embedded in the PowerPoint file. Also prepare for a short demo that uses a breadboard; see materials list, below. Begin by handing out the pre-assessment sheet on slide 2 and asking students to fill them out.
How does a Robot work? (Slides 1-13)
- (Slide 2) Four pre-assessment questions.
- (Slides 3-6) Introduce students to the concept of electricity, electric current and batteries.
- (Slide 7) Explain what an electric circuit is and show the "Create a Lemon Battery" video (6:47 minutes) using the provided link. The video shows the usage of a lemon as a battery and how it forms an electric circuit to light an LED. Explain how the electric charge flows from one terminal of the battery to the other, as shown in the video.
- (Slide 8) Explain how a circuit can be open or closed and and that a circuit must be closed for current to flow.
- (Slide 9) Relate the concept of electric circuit and current flow to explain how the battery produces electricity.
- (Slides 10-11) Show a 10-minute demo. Before class, prepare the breadboard circuit shown on slide 11 using the Materials List for Demonstrations below.
- Obtain the components and connect them on a breadboard, as shown on slide 11.
- Refer to the following YouTube videos to learn the basics of breadboards (video 1 and video 2).
- If you are not familiar with electric circuits, watch this detailed video clip (rmvb) to learn how to assemble the electric circuit on the breadboard. The clip provides narration with step-by-step instructions.
- Use red wires to connect all the positive terminals of the devices and black wires to connect all the negative terminals. When storing the circuit, leave the negative terminal of the battery unconnected.
- (Slides 12-13) The LEGO robot battery passes power to the robots' motor.
- (Slide 13) Note that the internal motor configuration of a LEGO robot is similar to the other motor students worked with.
- Next, conduct the NXT Ball Shooter associated activity to give students an opportunity to explore how electricity is used in a robot.
Materials List for Demonstrations
Breadboard components required for the demonstration
- breadboard
- Rectangular High-Brightness Blue LED Lamp
- 76dB Piezo Electric Buzzer
- DC motor (1.5-3V)
- hook-up wire 22AWG (Note: Buy "solid" wire, not "stranded")
- CR123 3V Battery
LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT kit with software: You need at least one set per 2-3 students for the activity. A single one can be used to demonstrate to the class in the lesson.
- LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT robot, such as the NXT Base Set (5003402) at https://shop.education.lego.com/legoed/en-US/catalog/product.jsp?productId=5003402& isSimpleSearch=false&ProductLine=NXT
- LEGO MINDSTORMS Education NXT Software 2.1, available as a single license (2000080) or a site license (5003413) at https://shop.education.lego.com/legoed/en-US/catalog/product.jsp?productId=prod120017&isSimpleSearch=false&ProductLine=LEGO+MINDSTORMS+Education+NXT
- computer, loaded with NXT 2.1 software
Associated Activities
- NXT Ball Shooter - Students explore how electricity is used to make a robot arm move.
Lesson Closure
The goal is to ensure the students understand the concept of electricity, electric circuits and how electricity powers LEGO NXT robot motors. Make the point that a battery is the power source used to drive motors in the LEGO robots and the motor in turn makes the robot move. Mention real-life examples like how cell phones are powered on only after charging their batteries. Conclude by making sure students understand that electrical devices typically convert electrical energy to other forms such as light (LED), sound (buzzer) or motion (motor).
Assessment
Pre- Assessment Quiz
Before starting the lesson, administer the four-question pre-assessment quiz (slide 2) in which students write down their understanding of the basics related to electricity, batteries, motors, etc. Review their answers to gauge their base understanding of the subject matter.
Post-Assessment Quiz
After students finish the associated activity, administer a four-question post-asssesment quiz (slide 16) to make sure they understand how a robot works. After they have finished writing their answers, discuss the answers as a class (slide 17). Review student answers to gauge their individual comprehension of the subject matter.
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References
Carr, Karen. "Electricity." Kidipede - History for Kids. Accessed 10/26/2011. http://www.historyforkids.org/scienceforkids/physics/electricity/
Hurbain, Philippe. NXT Motor Internals. Accessed 10/26/2011. http://www.philohome.com/nxtmotor/nxtmotor.htm
Physics4Kids.com: Electricity and Magnetism: Introduction. Accessed 10/26/2011. http://www.physics4kids.com/files/elec_intro.html
Copyright
© 2013 by Regents of the University of Colorado; original © 2010 Curators of the University of MissouriContributors
Kalyani Upendram; Ajay Nair; Satish NairSupporting Program
GK-12 Program, Computational Neurobiology Center, College of Engineering, University of MissouriAcknowledgements
This curriculum was developed under National Science Foundation GK-12 grant no. DGE 0440524. However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policies of the National Science Foundation, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government.
Last modified: July 17, 2023
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