TEXAS CTE LESSON PLAN

www.txcte.org

Lesson Identification and TEKS Addressed

Career Cluster Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

Course Name Robotics I

Lesson/Unit Title Intro to Robotics I - Part 1 - Overview

TEKS Student 130.408.(c) Knowledge and Skills

Expectations
(1) The student demonstrates professional
standards/employability skills as required by business and
industry.
(D) The student is expected to demonstrate time-
management skills in prioritizing tasks, following
schedules, and performing goal-relevant activities in a
way that produces efficient results
(3) The student participates in team projects in various roles.
(A) The student is expected to explain the importance
of teamwork in the field of robotics
(4) The student develops skills for managing a project.
(B) The student is expected to develop a project
schedule and complete work according to established
criteria
Basic Direct Teach Lesson
(Includes Special Education Modifications/Accommodations and
one English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS) Strategy)

Performance Objective:
Instructional
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to demonstrate
Objectives
they have developed an appropriate knowledge of robotic
systems by passing the Introduction to Robotics Part 1 quiz.

Specific Objectives:
 Define what a robot is.
 Describe common robot applications.
 List and discuss three types of robotic controls (remote,
autonomous, tethered).
 Identify the different parts and pieces and how the
different robot sub-systems relate to each other.
 Name the parts of a robot.
 Describe feedback as used in a robot system.
 Explain the difference between Electrical
Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, and Industrial
* Special Education Modifications or Accommodations, if applicable
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 Engineers.

Rationale It is critical that students have a basic knowledge of robotic systems

and explore careers in the highly diverse technical fields that are
evolving.

Duration of Lesson Teacher’s Discretion

Word Wall/Key
 Robotic Control – Remote
Vocabulary
 Robotic Control – Autonomous
(ELPS c1a,c,f; c2b;
 Robotic Control – Tethered
c3a,b,d; c4c; c5b) PDAS
II(5)  Electrical Engineers
 Mechanical Engineer
 Industrial Engineers

Instructional Aids:
Materials/Specialized
1. Introduction to Robotics Part 1: Overview Quiz answer key
Equipment Needed
2. Pictures of various robots
Equipment Needed:
1. Computer with internet access
2. Overhead projector and screen
Materials Needed:
1. Paper and pen/pencil
2. Introduction to Robotics Part 1: Overview Quiz for each
student
Anticipatory Set SAY: Today we are going to learn how to build a robot.
(May include pre- Before we do, we must go over a few basics.
assessment for prior ASK: Does anyone know what a robot is? (Allow time for the
knowledge) students to answer.)
SHOW: Pictures of a robot from researched websites and other
resources.
ASK: Is this a robot? (for each one) Is this what you think a robot
is? What about this?
SHOW: Point to a printer.
ASK: What about that?
SAY: Technically, it is. It is not something that we generally
consider a robot, but it senses and manipulates its
environment, it is electronic, and it has a brain and a
computer program.
SAY: So, a robot is not always what we think it is.

Direct Instruction * I. Brief History

A. Robots are a relatively new concept.
B. The first robots were imaginary products of
fiction writers until the 1960s.
C. Real robots are primarily used in industry and

* Special Education Modifications or Accommodations, if applicable

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 are nothing like fictional robots.

II. Factors in Robot Use

A. Robots can be used in environments that humans are not
suited for.
B. Industrial environments need to be designed for robot use
(instead of humans).
C. For many years robots were designed and built based on
their own capabilities. and NOT based on industry
requirements.
D. Electrical and mechanical engineers dominated the design
and construction of early robots.
E. They still do (to some degree) but major breakthroughs in
robot use came when Industrial Engineers influenced the
design of both robots and manufacturing processes to
optimize productivity.

III. Robots Eliminate and Create Jobs

A. Some types of jobs are eliminated (routine, manual labor).
B. Other types of jobs are created (technical, skilled).
C. Many jobs are available in the robotic industry because
robotics requires creativity and improves the quality of life.

IV. Introduce Robotics by Covering some of the

Definitions
A. “What is a robot” does not have a single definition.
B. View and discuss some of the pictures given.
C. Compare and contrast industrial versus humanoid.
D. Our focus will be on student robots suitable for a high school
class.

V. Robot System Categories

A. Systems are sometimes called subsystems.
B. This is just one example of a general way to categorize robot
systems
C. The block diagram is an overview of functions.
D.Focus on the feedback loop from output back to input. This
feedback can either be positive (recognition and
identification) or negative (error correction).
E. Sensors provide input, actuators provide output.

VI. Types of Control

A. We will be using one of these types at one point or another in
the class
B. Most high school robotic contests are assumed to use
autonomous control, but the reality is they generally use
remote control
C. Tethered control might seem to be a
contradiction to the way a robot is generally
perceived, but virtually all industrial robots are
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 fixed in place and hard wired to a power source.
C. The offshore oil and gas industry also uses a large number of
tethered robots for their work

VII. Power
A. Batteries are the primary source for student robots
B. batteries have limitations, one being the amount of power
they can provide, another being that they are relatively heavy
C. Heavy, meaning they are one of the heaviest
parts of the robot.
D. Motors will require the most power and the
highest voltage; the electronic control systems
(microcontroller and joystick) use less power and
lower voltage.

VIII. Evolution
A. The evolution in sensing and control is the
evolution of robots
B. Robots are not intelligent the way humans are.
Robotic intelligence is related to the ability of a
computer program to recognize and respond to its sensed
input

Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for all special education students

must be followed. Examples of accommodations may include, but
are not limited to:
NONE
Guided Practice * The teacher will guide the instruction about robotic
definitions and assemblies.

Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for all special education students

must be followed. Examples of accommodations may include, but
are not limited to:
NONE
Independent
Students are expected to be able to discuss characteristics of real
Practice/Laboratory
robots and compare them to imaginary or fictional robots
Experience/Differenti
ated Activities * Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for all special education students
must be followed. Examples of accommodations may include, but
are not limited to:
NONE
Question: What is a robot?
Lesson Closure
Answer: Usually an electromechanical machine which
is shown what to do by computer and electronic
programming
* Special Education Modifications or Accommodations, if applicable
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 Question: What is the difference between a motor and a servo?
Answer: A motor rotates continuously 360 degrees;
and a servo goes to a position and holds there.
Introduction to Robotics Part 1: Overview Quiz, and definitions.
Summative/End of
Lesson Assessment * Individualized Education Plan (IEP) for all special education students
must be followed. Examples of accommodations may include, but
are not limited to:
NONE
1. Student Competition websites
References/
a. BEST Robotics Inc.: www.bestinc.org
Resources/
b. FIRST: www.usfirst.org
Teacher Preparation c. MATE: www.marinetech.org
2. Industry websites
3. Textbooks:
a. Pearson (2002) Introduction to Robotics in CIM
Systems, 5TH edition (IRSA) by James Rehg
b. Glencoe, McGraw-Hill (2004) Glencoe Technology
Today and Tomorrow (Teacher Annotated Edition)
c. E.D.C. Publishing (1984-05) Robotics (Usborne New
Technology) by Tony Potter
d. Delmar Publishers (1988-12) Robotics: An
Introduction (Electronics Technology) by Douglas R.,
Jr. Malcolm
e. McGraw-Hill Companies (1994-06) The McGraw-
Hill Illustrated Encyclopedia of Robotics &
Artificial Intelligence
f. Prentice Hall (1998-06) Robotics: Introduction,
Programming, and Projects (2nd Edition) by
James L. Fuller
Teacher Preparation:
Review the lesson and preview the Introduction to Robotics Part 1:
Overview.
Research websites and other resources to obtain pictures of various
robots to show students.
Additional Required Components

English Language
Proficiency Standards
(ELPS) Strategies

College and Career

Readiness
Connection1
1
Visit the Texas College and Career Readiness Standards at
http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/collegereadiness/CRS.pdf, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
(THECB), 2009.
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 Recommended Strategies

Reading Strategies

Quotes
Multimedia/Visual
Strategy
Presentation Slides +
One Additional
Technology
Connection
Graphic
Organizers/Handout

Writing Strategies
Journal Entries + 1
Additional Writing
Strategy

Communication
90 Second Speech
Topics

Other Essential Lesson Components

Enrichment Activity Have students research and write a report on important robots,
(e.g., homework either those used in industry or found in popular media. Have
assignment) students focus on what technologies were necessary to build the
robot, or those technologies that we currently do not have that
would be necessary for that particular robot.
Family/Community
Connection

CTSO connection(s) TSA, SkillsUSA

Service Learning
Projects

Lesson Notes

* Special Education Modifications or Accommodations, if applicable

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