Code and Go Mice
Welcome to the science of computational thinking! In this workshop, students learn how to code using a Code and Go Robot Mouse which can be programmed with travel directions to navigate through mazes.
By the end of the workshop, students will understand how to code specific commands, and how they are combined to form a program. They will problem solve by developing the ability to decompose a problem into sub-problems and how to write specific sets of instructions – similar to how a computer scientist writes code to instruct a computer to perform a desired action.
What You Need
Activity 1: Human Maze
No materials needed.
Activity 2: Mouse Maze
- 9 Code and Go Mice (1 per group)
- 9 sets of coding cards (1 per group)
- 14 blue "forward" arrows
- 4 yellow "backward" arrows
- 4 red "fun action" cards
- 4 orange "left" arrows
- 4 purple "right" arrows
- 9 sets of blocks (14 per group)
- 9 Maze Mats
- 9 Task Cards
- 9 Mouse Instruction Cards
Activity 3: Mouse Race
- 4 Code and Go Mice
- 4 sets of Coding Cards
- 4 sets of laminated pictures, each containing:
- 4 Cats
- 4 Mouse Traps
- 1 Cheese Wedge
- 4 Maze Mats
- 4 Mouse Instruction Cards
Extra materials:
- AAA batteries
- Phillips head #1 screwdriver
- 8 Cheese Wedges
Guide:
What To Do
Activity 1: Human Maze
- Have students give you instructions on how to get to a specific location in the classroom using the steps "step forward", "step backward", "turn left", "turn right" and "stop".
- Walk through the classroom, following the students’ instructions.
- Encourage them to give very specific instructions and follow any non-specific instructions as literally as you can. For example, if they tell you to walk forward, continue walking until you run into a wall or desk. If they tell you to turn left, rotate 90˚ to your left and do not proceed forward until they tell you to.
Activity 2: Mouse Maze
- Hold up a mouse to show the class what they look like.
- Place the mouse on a desk (or any other surface) at the front of the room, so that students can see how it moves.
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Alternatively, demonstrate the mouse on a wall by gently holding the mouse against it so that the wheels grip, and moving your hand with the mouse. This way the students don’t have to move from their seats.
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- Instruct the students to make groups of 2-3 (modify this number to suit the class size).
- If there is a chalkboard or dry erase board in the classroom, you can write the functions of the mouse’s buttons on the board.
To make the maze:
- Make your maze by placing the blocks on the black lines of your mat, the mouse cannot pass any black line covered by a block.
- The mouse moves on the white squares.
- When your maze is ready, put the arrow cards in the right order to plan your instructions, and then give the mouse your instructions by pressing its arrow buttons in the same order as the cards.
Activity 3: Mouse Race
- Divide the class into four groups.
- The groups should be bigger than the groups from Activity #2 but adjust the exact number of students to suit the class size. You could get groups from the previous activities to join with another group.
- Hold up the laminated picture set.
- Give the groups 5 minutes to build their mazes.
- When a group raises their hands to tell you they are done, check the maze to ensure it is possible for the other group to get their mouse to the end. For example, the group creating the maze cannot have the end cheese square blocked on all four sides by cats or mousetraps.
- Depending on the age and attention level of the students, you may need to be more specific about where you want each group to move.
- Wait for the groups to switch, and until you have their attention back.
- When all teams are done, direct them to put their materials back in the bags. Collect the materials from the students and proceed to the wrap-up discussion.
Discovery
Computers are unable to read and understand the English language like we can, so computer scientists or software engineers use code to turn a computer into a functional and useful piece of equipment. Code is a set of instructions written in a programming language that a computer can understand (e.g., Python, HTML, etc.). These programming languages are designed in such a way that they can be easily converted into zeros and ones (binary) “behind the scenes”, so that a computer can understand the instructions. A computer reads this code line by line and follows the commands that it has been given, just like how you follow the steps of a recipe when baking a cake! When a computer scientist or software engineer creates a large set of code, it is called a program. Programs tell computers how to perform certain actions, like how to use the internet, open a file, or play a game. Almost anything that uses electricity, from laptops to cars, uses programs to function!
If you have access to YouTube, you can show the “That’s a Real Job!” videos created by Let’s Talk Science featuring ethical hackers and robotics engineers.
What's Happening?
Computers are unable to read and understand the English language like we can, so computer scientists or software engineers use code to turn a computer into a functional and useful piece of equipment. Code is a set of instructions written in a programming language that a computer can understand (e.g., Python, HTML, etc.). These programming languages are designed in such a way that they can be easily converted into zeros and ones (binary) “behind the scenes”, so that a computer can understand the instructions. A computer reads this code line by line and follows the commands that it has been given, just like how you follow the steps of a recipe when baking a cake! When a computer scientist or software engineer creates a large set of code, it is called a program. Programs tell computers how to perform certain actions, like how to use the internet, open a file, or play a game. Almost anything that uses electricity, from laptops to cars, uses programs to function!
Investigate Further
If you have access to YouTube, you can show the “That’s a Real Job!” videos created by Let’s Talk Science featuring ethical hackers and robotics engineers.