A Pollination Adventure with KIBO!
Contributed by: Hanna Loetz, Assistant Director, Goddard School Charlestown, https://www.goddardschool.com/schools/ma/charlestown/charlestown
Buzz Buzz’s Pollination Adventure with KIBO is an engaging activity where our young friends assisted Buzz Buzz in collecting pollen and returning it to the beehive. Buzz Buzz was unable to move on its own, so we utilized KIBO as a mode of transportation to carry him around.
We remembered that KIBO is a robot, not a human, so we had to guide it with the directional programming blocks since it can’t think on its own. We refreshed our understanding of the language KIBO employs – barcodes found on the blocks! We emphasized the importance of beginning with the start block and ending with the end block for KIBO to comprehend instructions accurately.
We then delved into activity blocks such as shaking, turning to the side, moving backward and forward, and spinning. Then we started our activity. On the ground, we marked a tape line with the hive picture on one end and the flowers picture on the other. On the flower picture were yellow pom-poms representing the pollen.
The task involved programming KIBO and Buzz Buzz to reach the flowers. Working in small groups, our children eagerly tackled the challenge. Initially, they tried using the forward block, but KIBO only managed to take a single step, falling short of reaching the flowers. They ingeniously overcame this by repeatedly pressing the button to advance KIBO step by step until Buzz Buzz reached the flowers, where they joyfully deposited the pollen. Subsequently, we introduced another method. We looked on a new block – the repeat block – explained its function. We counted the required repetitions until KIBO and Buzz Buzz reached the flowers, which turned out to be four times. We inserted the “four times” parameter card into the repeat block, and it worked like a charm.
Buzz Buzz had different ways to move: straight forward, or turning to the right or left. Each time, we had to find the right programming blocks for that action and place it in a sequence. Finally, we discussed the option of programming KIBO to perform the task continuously in the forever loop. When we programmed KIBO to do the task forever, the kids laughed a lot and had so much fun. Towards the end, I introduced the children to additional features of KIBO, such as its ear sensor for listening, the recorder for producing sound, its eye sensor for detecting light and darkness, and its telescopic function for gauging distances and it’s light bulb.
Our friends aimed to program KIBO to guide Buzz Buzz to flowers, gather pollen, and return to the hive. They explored KIBO’s functions and experimented with directional blocks and repetition to optimize movement. Through trial and error, they fixed errors like missing start/end blocks or miscounting repetitions. This taught them the importance of precise coding and sequencing. Experimenting with repetition, they learned its efficiency in simplifying tasks, enhancing their computational thinking. Overall, the activity sharpened problem-solving, coding, and critical thinking skills, fostering curiosity and fun while preparing them for future STEM endeavors.
