Download Robotic Arm - Science with Miss Carrone

Robotic Arm
The Challenge
Design and build a robotic arm that can pick up objects.
Materials
Printed Material
Student Handout - Robotic Arm Design Portfolio with Group Rubric Student Handout (per group)
1 Science notebook (per student)
Reusable
1 Ball, tennis (per student)
1 Glue gun (per group)
1 Scissors (per group)
Consumable
1 Cardboard, rectangle, 40 x 30 cm (per group)
10 Craft sticks (per group)
10 Straws, plastic (per group)
1 String, kite, 10 m (per group)
10 Paper fasteners, brass (per group)
5 Rubber bands (per group)
10 Paper clips (per group)
1 Tape, duct, 50 cm (per group)
4 Glue sticks, hot (per group)
Preparation
1) Gather the necessary materials.
2) Write the design challenge and criteria on the board or on a piece of chart paper.
3) Duplicate a copy of the Design Portfolio and the Group Rubric for each group.
Procedure and Facilitation Points
1) Introduce the challenge and define the problem.

Review the main functions of the systems of the human organism. Arrange students into groups of two or
three. Assign each group one body system: circulatory, respiratory, skeletal, muscular, digestive,
excretory, reproductive, integumentary, nervous, and endocrine. Tell students that you will read (or
display) different clues for each of the body systems. If the clue relates to their body system, they should
stand up and say their body system name after the clue is read.

Clues:
1) Maintains a stable internal environment, or homeostasis. (Endocrine)
2) Protects the body’s internal organs from exposure to the outside environment. (Integumentary)
3) Removes wastes from the body. (Excretory)
4) Breaks down food so that it can be used for energy. (Digestive)
5) Provides structure and support for the body and its muscles. (Skeletal)
6) Supplies the blood with oxygen. (Respiratory)
7) Circulates blood through the body. (Circulatory)
8) Attached to bone to allow the body to move. (Muscular)
9) Allows humans to continue as a species. (Reproductive)
10) Sends information through the body as electrical impulses. (Nervous)
11) Supplies cells with oxygen and nutrients and removes wastes. (Circulatory)
12) Removes carbon dioxide from the blood. (Respiratory)
13) Stores minerals and contains materials to make new blood cells. (Skeletal)
14) Allows movement in internal organs such as the heart and intestines. (Muscular)
15) Converts food into simpler substances for the body to absorb. (Digestive)
16) Filters water and fluid from the blood. (Excretory)
17) Excretes waste, helps rid the body of heat, and synthesizes Vitamin D. (Integumentary)
18) Sends signals in the form of hormones which control growth, reproduction, and metabolism.
(Endocrine)
19) Controls all the systems in the body. (Nervous)
 Introduce and discuss the design challenge: design and build a robotic arm that can pick up objects.
 Discuss the following criteria.
Criteria
The robotic arm must be made out of a given set of materials.
The robotic arm must be at least 40 cm in length.
The robotic arm must include a hand that can pick up an empty Styrofoam cup.
The robotic arm must have a hand that has at least four fingers.
2) Research and explore the problem.

Give each group a copy of the Design Portfolio. Assist them in completing Part 1 in the Design Portfolio.

In Part 1, students will explore the motion of their own arm and hand as they pick up a tennis ball.
Distribute a tennis ball to each student. Students will pick up the tennis ball with their dominant hand, while
their other hand is used to make observations of the movement occurring inside of their arm and hand.

Give students the following directions:
1) Place your nondominant hand around the arm of your dominant hand and pick up the ball.
What do you feel?
2) Release the ball. What do you feel?
3) Place your nondominant hand around the wrist of your dominant hand and pick up the ball.
What do you feel?
4) Slowly release the ball. What do you feel?
5) Place your nondominant hand on the top of your dominant hand and pick up the ball. What do
you feel?
6) Slowly release the ball. What do you feel?
7) Pick up the ball again with your dominant hand and use your nondominant hand to feel the
movement in your fingers. What do you feel?
8) Release the ball. What do you feel?

Show students the materials they can use in designing and constructing their robotic arms:
cardboard, craft sticks, straws, string, paper fasteners, rubber bands, paper clips, duct tape, hot
glue, and scissors.
3) Brainstorm and design a solution to the problem.

Review the design challenge. Ask students to discuss how their exploration ties in with the design
challenge.

Give the groups time to come up with one or more solutions to the challenge.

Make sure students sketch or describe their solutions in the Design Portfolio. They must also list the
materials and tools they wish to use in their construction.
4) Build, test, and analyze the solution.

Monitor as the students complete the building and testing process.

Ask questions and redirect thinking as necessary.

To test each robotic arm:
1) Place a foam cup on a flat surface. 2) Each group should demonstrate that their robotic arm can pick up
the cup.
5) Improve or redesign and retest the solution.

Give the groups time to analyze the criteria in the Design Portfolio.

Assist the students in redesigning and retesting, as needed.
6) Present and share the results.

Allow time for each group to present their results.
7) Evaluate your solution and answer the following questions.

Let other groups ask questions. Discuss as desired.

Complete the Group Rubric for each group. Discuss with students.