The Experimental Zone ~ Have A RoboBlast & A Contest For You and Your Family!
3:07 AM, Apr. 11, 2007
My daughter recently announced she was going to invent a robot that could fold clothes. Whew! I'm relieved because it is one chore everyone in our house loathes!
Ohhh, this conjures up an idea for contest...but, before the contest info....
Check to see if a team near you is competing...it's great fun to watch and the webcast quality is excellent.
To celebrate, let's have our own RoboBlast!
Below are two robot related units to enjoy with your family. Even though some activities in the "RobotUnit" are for younger ages, you will still find older students enjoy them. There are some teaching tips in the "RobotUnit" file. The "RoboticExplorations" file can easily be completed by older students, but younger children might enjoy it, if completed with an adult or older sibling.
The prize is a "RIC: Robots in the Classroom" Robotics Unit Study from Treasure Box Press (A $55 value!)
(Yes! That's a Lego Technic kit that comes with this unit!)
Your child will learn everything from the history of robots (you'll be surprised how far back "robots" go in history!), end-effectors, unusual robotic inventions, the engineering design process, robotic building techniques, gears, gear ratios.
The neatest thing...there is a Lego Technic set included which contains a battery box. So, you're child will make some motorized robotic arms (on a small scale, of course). Plus, they'll learn to use and worm gear, slip clutch and a variety of other gears.
Includes an 80 page student workbook, teacher's guide and all the Lego pieces you need to complete the building projects.
How to Enter...
You'll need one of your children to enter. Simply ask them, "What type of robot would you invent to help with chores around the house?"
Leave a comment HEREdescribing the type of robotic invention your CHILD would like to invent for you (What would this robot do? Any neat features? What would you call your robot?) Please do give us the details!
I will put all names into a (clean) butterfly habitat and pick out the winner. We will do this on Wednesday, April 17th. (You may be paying taxes that day, but we'll be giving away free stuff...TAX FREE!)
**IMPORTANT**
If you ALSO blog about this contest on YOUR blog, I''ll put your name in twice! But, let me know in your comment here that you blogged about it!
Thank you for visiting and see you next week on the Porch!
Michelle
Michelle and her husband have been homeschooling for 9 years. They are the owners of Treasure Box Press. Michelle holds a Master's degree in Child Development and Family Studies. She serves as the Judge Advisor for the North Carolina FIRST (www.usfirst.org) Lego League and a judge for the www.FIRST.org World Festival. She is the author of numerous Sam's Science Adventures, including "RIC: Robots in the Classroom", all available through www.TreasureBoxPress.com. She spent 15 years in the biotechnology industry before turning her heart toward home.
By Brett age 7---------------- POP BOB...He has big square body, square legs and feet, and real life hand. POP BOB makes beds. You just push the button on him and he makes your bed. He has a TV in his belly so when you go to bed you can watch. He takes bad dreams and turns them into good.
By Sara age 9....... Name of robot Elizabeth.
She is made to wash dishes. You push a button and tell her what to do and she will do them. She has a washer and dryer in her tummy so you can have your clothes washed too. She has a phone on her hip for answering your calls. Her fingers separate and out pops a feather duster.
Evan, age 10
My Robot, the Ferdinand-A-Tron 2000, is a highly complex, humanoid machine. His method of cleaning my room is simple, though. Vacuum cleaners come out of his feet and lots of tiny nanotrons pop out of his chest to dust my dresser. For picking up the garbage, the Ferdinand-A-Tron 2000 has a claw hand that picks up the cans, then dumps them in his back for disposal. The nanotrons take care of the bathroom with their scrubbing brushes and soap.
That is my robot that does my chores. This helps my Mom because 'Ferdinand' is also an expert chef. He is also a certified foot massager. He doesn't just clean my room either ... actually, he cleans ALL the rooms!
signed, MisterX (http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/misterx)
Kristina (http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/onfire)
Jonam, age 12
My robot K9H6.53 is extrememly helpful for cleaning houses. His main cleaning tool is chest-mounted, aerosol cans of bacteria-eating nanobots. His other tool is suction pads on his feet to clean dirt off floor tiles. The rest is up to you. He has variable servos with the ability to attach different tools to them.
Store price: $3000.29. (plus GST)
http://www/homeschoolblogger.com/bloggerjoe
My son said that his robot would have a containable incinerator in it's body. It would incinerate the garbage into nothing. He just added that it would recycle it and turn it into something new as well. Hmmmm.....
My daughter said that her robot would make her bed. It had an opening in it's tummy. The door would open and large, stretchy arms would come out and do the sheets and stuff. You could also store the sheets, blankets in it's body.
hmmmm.
(I'll take an order of BOTH of those robots please.)
I would invent a robot that would that would clean out the dishwasher, and my bedroom. My robot would do what I say, and would help around the house. It would have 8 arms, so it could do alot of stuff at the same time.
My son (ds 11) would invent a robot that would clean up all the mess, wipe counters and have a broom and vacuumn and he would call it the clean-a-nator.
My 5 yo son:
I named my robot "Gray." Gray would go get mail for me and would read me stories. He would wake me up in the morning. He would play cards with us. He can fold towels. He can do anything I want him to do.
My 8 yo son:
My robot's name is "Spikey." He can clean the whole house and do every chore. He has a security camera and a detector that detects if a person entering the house is a good guy or a bad guy. If the person is a bad guy, Spikey would electrocute him for 1 hour and call 911.
My 13 yo daughter:
If I could invent any robot, it would be a girl robot dog. Her name would be "Helper." She would do laundry, wash dishes, clean bathrooms, vacuum, pick up toys, cook, mop, and dust. She would sing beautifully and could play any games. She would be very intelligent and could fly.
*I blogged about this contest.* http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/servingtheKingofkings/
Curious about The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine but not quite ready to commit to a subscription without seeing it first?
Check it out for FREE! We're so certain you'll love our publication that we'll gladly send a FREE sample to anyone new to The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine - we even cover the shipping!
Welcome to the HSB announcement blogboard from The Old Schoolhouse Magazine,
LLC. We hope you will enjoy the articles posted here by the Porch Team. Please feel free to leave comments!
~ Tia Linschied, Senior Editor of HSB
• Purposeful Planning - E-Book ($9.95)
This time-tested method of planning will give your family new direction for the future.
Start today! Choose the dates for your planning weekend,
read her book which has the entire “how to” included, and go for it!
Our e-Newsletters give you wonderful, informative information about homeschooling, news bits, contests and PRIZES for homeschoolers, articles to encourage you, calls for writers, free unit studies and lesson plans, and just a lot of FUN. Bring the community to your inbox – and no worries, we never sell, trade or give your email or any other information out to anyone.
Come join the homeschool party!
The Homeschool Minute is our most
popular newsletter, full of encouragement and support just for YOU!
Subscribe to *FREE* newsletters offered by The Old Schoolhouse Magazine.
Curious about The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine but not quite ready to commit to a subscription without seeing it first?
Check it out for FREE! We're so certain you'll love our publication that we'll gladly send a FREE sample to anyone new to The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine - we even cover the shipping!
