Activity 05 Where's My Bamboo?

The aim of this activity is to help introduce the use of the Input Card and the Go! Card, the two triggering tangible programming blocks in this robot kit. Children will explore how to make mTiny execute a set of the commends of Coding Cards continuously. Meanwhile, they need to identify the mathematical correlation between the number of Coding Cards and the number of used map blocks when they make decisions on coding.

Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of this activity, children will be able to:
(1) Understand the concept of events and the use of triggering blocks;
(2) Execute a set of commands to make the robot take actions continuously;
(3) Identify the correlation between the number of the map blocks and that of the Action Cards.

Key Competencies

Resources

For Child
Input Card × 1	Go! Card × 1	Forward Card × 1	Turn Right Card × 1	Turn Left Card × 1
mTiny Toolkit × 1	Lawn × 4	mTiny × 1	Bamboo × 1

For Educator
Input Card × 1	Go! Card × 1	Forward Card × 1	Turn Right Card × 1	Turn Left Card × 1
mTiny Toolkit × 1	Lawn × 4	mTiny × 1	Bamboo × 1

Educator-Led Instructions

Main Activity

1. Hand out the map blocks and the Action Cards: each child should have 4 Lawn Map Blocks, 1 mTiny Map Block, 1 Bamboo Map Block, 4 Forward Cards, 4 Turn Right Cards, and 4 Turn Left Cards.

2. First, have children line up the five map blocks as shown below–the leftmost Lawn Map Block as the Starting Point and the rightmost Bamboo Map Block as the End Point.

1. Ask children: “How many steps should mTiny move from the Starting Point to the End Point? Please line up the appropriate number of Forward Cards to give your answer.”

2. Hand out mTiny Toolkits. Ask children to test their answers by commanding the robot’s movement through the Tap-to-Code Control mode.

:::warning Note: Children line up four Forward Cards and then tap each card for once time (rather than tap one for several times). It is necessary to be aware that they should tap one Coding Card for once time while using the Tap Pen Controller to tap the cards. :::

1. Introduce the Input Card and the Go! Card.

:::warning Note: The Input Card and Go! Card are triggering programming blocks. When the Input Card is tapped, the robot stands still (rather than executes the commend immediately) to wait for and remember what it needs to do (execute a set of command) next. :::

1. Hand out the Input Cards and the Go! Cards. Instruct children to execute them with the Forward Cards.

2. Invite children to design and assemble the route from the mTiny Map Block to the Bamboo Map Block. Explain the rule:

   1. The mTiny Map Block should be the Starting Point while the Bamboo Map Block should be the End Point this time.
   2. The shape of the route is open to design.
   3. Children should use the Input Card, the Action Cards, and the Go! Card together when they implement the set of commends.

3. You can show children some examples to inspire their ideas (please see the Attachment).

   Variations

   
   

4. You can also prioritize the route-planning session in the activity:

   1. Give children enough Lawn Map Blocks to build the road that bridges the Starting Point and the End Point.
   2. Ask children first to draw the arrows to indicate all the possible routes, and then to use appropriate Actions Cards to examine their planning.
   3. Give children enough Action Cards. However, if you want to set challenges, you can require children to consider and use the limited number of Action Cards while planning the route.

5. For advanced learners, you can offer them Repeat Cards and encourage them to replace the repeatedly-used commands of Action Cards with a Repeat Card. The number of Repeat Cards given to children depends on children’s mathematical knowledge.

Attachment

Here below are some examples of the assembling: