making faces pico guide
TRANSCRIPT
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Are you looking or ideas on how to run a PicoCricket workshop? This guide
provides suggestions or a workshop called Making Faces. In the workshop,
participants use crat materials to create the ace o a person or animal, then attach
their creation to a motor and program it to spin in dierent ways.
AgesThe workshop can be adapted or
a wide variety o ages, rom youngchildren (ages 7 and up) to adults.
Goals of the WorkshopThis workshop is designed to help participants:
MakingFacesMakingFacesMakingFaces MyFirstPicoCricketWorkshopSuggestions for Workshop Facilitators
DurationDesigned to be 2 to 3 hours
Become interested in andeel capable o creating withnew technologies
Make a creative project that can move
Learn to program objects to movethrough a sequence o steps
Gain direct hands-on
experience with motors
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I possible, set up chairs sothat everyone begins acingeach other, around a tableor in a circle o chairs.
SetupSetupSetup
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Computers should be set up with PicoBlocks
sotware and a Beamer. Ideally there should be enough
table space next to each computer so that participants can
go back and orth between building their projects
and programming.
I there are computers
near the initial circle, you may
want to start with the monitors oor laptops closed, so that workshop
participants are not distracted.
For each moving ace sculpture, youwill need the ollowing setup:
axle
cable
motor connector(black LEGO squares
at each end)
motor board
PicoCricket
motor
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Another way to group materials is to
use colored masking tape on the table to
separate and label dierent types o materials
(such as dierent PicoCricket parts). You
might want to use an inexpensive vase to
hold the pipe cleaners.
SetupSetupSetup
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Set up a table with materials.
Below is a list with some suggested materials.Feel ree to adapt the list. Consider usingrecycled materials, natural items, and otherlocally available materials.
Make sure thematerials table is readily accessible.
I you are working with young children or i
the materials table is not easily accessible or all
participants, you may want to put a small
collection o materials on each table or
ease o access.
Materials (feel free to vary) Purpose styrofoam balls (or scrap pieces of styrofoam)
paper plates (plain, for drawing on)
construction paper
Basic structure (face)
pipe cleaners (also known as chenille sticks )
ribbon, yarn, or crepe paper
Floppy stuff (hair, arms, etc.)
googly eyes
felt tip markers
beads, bells, gems
Eyes and other features
hot glue gun with sticks (low melt)
tape (clear, masking, and/or duct tape)
rub-on glue stick
Attaching
scissors Cutting
You may want to group similar
materials together on the table. One wayto organize the materials is to set them out
in plastic cups and plates.
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Part1:IntroductionandInspiration
Part1:IntroductionandInspiration
Part1:IntroductionandInspiration www.picocricket.com
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OverviewTo begin the workshop, welcome everyone,introduce yoursel and give a brie overviewo the workshop.
We will make faces
that can spin and
make sounds.
We will make facesusing craft materials,
then learn to program
them to move and
make sounds.
You can make a spinning
sculpture with the face of
an animal, person, or any
other character you choose.
Here are some examples o overview statements:
I participants are meetingeach other or the frst time,go around the circle and askeach to say their name.
To get in the spirit o the workshop,
in addition to their name, you could
ask them to make a ace (surprised,
unny, or other expression).
Introductions
You could do this in the ormat o a
name game where each person in
the circle has to say the name and make
the acial expression o each person who
went beore them, and then add their
own name and make a ace.
Thereore the last person ends up
naming and repeating the acial
expression o every person in the
circle, starting with the rst person
and ending with their own.
An alternative
to making a face
would be to name a
favorite animal
Photo:KathyJo
yce
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Sample ProjectsShow an example project to give participantsa sense o what they can create. You candemonstrate how to create a project duringthe workshop. Or, i you preer, you canprepare the project beore the workshop.
I you show more than one
sample project, try to select projects
that appeal to kids with dierent interests
or styles. For example, you could show a
ace o a cute animal and one o a unny
character. Keep the examples simple.
Part1:IntroductionandInspiration
Part1:IntroductionandInspiration
Part1:IntroductionandInspiration www.picocricket.com
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Here is one way to create an example:
Place a Styrooam ball
on a LEGO axle. You can attach
googly eyes or gems or eyes. Use pipe
cleaners to add ears or other eatures,
such as whiskers or a cat or antennae
or an insect.
Then, stick the axle in a
LEGO motor. Connect the motor
to your PicoCricket, as shown
on page 2.
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Part1:IntroductionandInspiration
Part1:IntroductionandInspiration
Part1:IntroductionandInspiration www.picocricket.com
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Demonstrate how to programthe motor to spin.
Introduce programming
10motor
onforturn motor on for 1 second
make sure theCricket is on
Want to try more?You can tell the motor to reverse direction
and that the antenna arepointing at the Beamer
50motoronfor
motor on for 5 seconds
press the round button toplay the program again
50motor
onforonfor 5 seconds
50motoronfor
onfor 5 seconds
gets set to reverse
gets set to reverse
motor
onfor
on
10
click to highlight andtype any number
reverse
reverse
double-click to sendprogram to the PicoCricket
double-click to sendprogram to the PicoCricket
double-click to sendprogram to the PicoCricket
If you want to add sound...
plug in the soundbox
play a sound(you can choose which soundby clicking on the arrows)
50motor
onfor
50motor
onfor
reverse
reverse
Kittenplaysound
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Some people do not get ideasrom talking or drawing, but are able to get ideas
rom tinkering with the crat materials. Point out the
dierent types o materials that are available on
the materials table.
I you have hot glue,
make sure to give saety warnings.
(You may want to designate a dangerous
table with the hot glue and/or
sharp tools.)
Part2:CreatingPart2:CreatingPart2:Creatingwww.picocricket.comwww.picocricket.com
Have paper available or
those who want to sketch their ideas.
Help participants brainstorm ideas or their
Making Faces project. What ace they like to
create. Do they have a avorite animal?
A avorite cartoon?
Brainstorming
Introducing Materials
You may want to give participants the option to
work with someone else or on their own. However,
i there are not enough materials then ask everyone to
nd one or two people to work with.
Forming Groups
Encourage participants to take materials
and start making a ace. I they dont know where
to start, encourage them to start experimenting
with a motor or other materials.
Diving in
Photo
:Ka
thy
Joyce
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You can
draw a face on a
paper plate.
Part2:CreatingPart2:CreatingPart2:Creatingwww.picocricket.comwww.picocricket.com
For a step-by-step
intro on how to programPicoCrickets, see the PicoCricket
Getting Startedguide.
Ideas for Creating FacesThere are many dierent ways tocreate aces.
Or, use construction
paper to create an animal or
other character.
You can usemasking tape to attach the
creation to an axle.
Participants often
naturally move back and
forth between creating and
programming.
You can change the power,
timing, and direction to get dierent
kinds o motion.
Programming Tips
forever
1
reverse
motoronfor
setpower
25
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Part3:SharingandReflecting
Part3:SharingandReflecting
Part3:SharingandReflecting www.picocricket.com
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What would you
try next?
Hold an exhibition o projectsat the end o the workshop.Ask each person or group todemonstrate their project.
You may want to ask:
Does it have
a name?
What does it do?
What was the
hardest part?
What surprised you?
What is the name of
your creation?
Potential questions include:
What is your
favorite aspect?
What is a problem
you had to solve when
making it?
How did you
solve it?
What does the
program do?
If you had moretime to work on it,
what would you do?
What were the steps
you took to create it?
What piece of advice
would you give to someone
else working on a project
like this?
Show and Tell
You might ask participants to document their projects.Documentation can take the orm o an exhibit label,a design notebook, or a story about their creation.
Documentation
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Part3:SharingandReflecting
Part3:SharingandReflecting
Part3:SharingandReflecting www.picocricket.com
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Participants can sketch a drawing o
the overall creation, as well as close ups o
their avorite part. They could also make a
diagram to illustrate how it works.
Participants can document theirproject using multiple media
and representations.
The participation and
perormance o the group can be
assessed, in addition to looking at each
individuals learning process. The diversity
o projects created is oten an indication
that learners appropriated the concepts
and developed their own ideas.
Using a video or digital camera,
they can document their creation in action.
A video camera can also be used to record an
interview or documentary about the steps they
went through to create their project.
One way to assess learning
is through learners conversations
and questions during the process o
creating their project. Another way is by
observing how and what engaged
participants interest.
The documentation that participants
produce gives a window into assessing
their learning. Here are some other
strategies or assessment.
Assessment
Photo:
Kathy
Joyc
e
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Part3:SharingandReflecting
Part3:SharingandReflecting
Part3:SharingandReflecting www.picocricket.com
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Some educators nd it helpul
in planning curriculum to consider three
aspects o learning: aective, cognitive, and
technical. These are refected in the goals o
the workshop listed at the beginning o this
guide: increasing interest and condence;
learning to program; and gaining
experience using a motor.
You may also want to
document your own refections,
including things you want to remember and
improve next time. You may also want to ask
participants or their suggestions o things theymight change to improve the workshop
or uture participants.
Math:Numbers can control lengtho time and number o repetitions.
Programming:Making a simple computerprogram involves putting together a sequenceo steps that can repeat.
Design process:The basic design processinvolves coming up with an idea, creatingand problem-solving, sharing and refecting.
Creative thinking:You can come up withmore than one way to solve a problem.
Engineering:Attaching parts is a majorchallenge in constructing objects.
Art:You can create a acewith dierent expressionsand character.
Assessmentcontinued
Concepts integratedinto the activityThe ollowing are some o theconcepts that are integrated into
the workshop.
Photo:KathyJoyce
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ResourcesResourcesResourceswww.picocricket.comwww.picocricket.com
EducatorsVisit the PicoCricket Educators pages:
http://www.picocricket.com/educators.html
Motion Modules
Find out how to build LEGOmechanisms to make creations move:
http://www.picocricket.com/motion.html
PicoCricket Getting Started Guide
The Getting Started Guide shows how to program,step-by-step, and oers tips on the last page:
http://www.picocricket.com/pds/Getting_Started.pd
PicoCricket Troubleshooting PageNeed help getting the PicoCricket to work?
Visit the online Troubleshooting page:
http://www.picocricket.com/troubleshooting.html
Organizing a WorkshopRead additional suggestions or how to set
up and run a workshop:
http://www.picocricket.com/organizing.html
Workshop Themes
Planning your next workshop? Browse avariety o themes or PicoCricket workshops:
http://www.picocricket.com/themes.html