Among the many things I love and admire about preschoolers is their curiosity, confidence, and innate passion to learn. Tell them that today they're going to make robots, yes,real robots that work!, and they don't question that they'll be able to do it and that it's going to be a blast learning how it all works.
Granted, robots are right up there with exploding slime volcanoes in ultimate excitement-inducing potential, but they show this same passion to learn and to want to know how and why all the time.
My goal is to encourage and develop this passion and confidence, help them to learn how to ask questions, follow instructions to learn something, express their individual creativity and ideas, and to both ask for and give help whenever needed.
And in case anyone is wondering, indeed yes, four-year-olds can make robots, and they can understand how they work, too. This means that they learned about engineering, technology, physics, and, as we made DrawBots in this particular case art, too, as that was what the robots were built to produce.
Note that this activity was adapted for the classroom from an idea in Tinkerlab: A Guide for Little Inventors by Rachelle Doorley (Roost Books, 2014).
First, on top of a Dixie cup mark where you will cut an x-shaped hole (this is where the motor will sit).
So I am working on finding a better base material but in the meantime, Dixie cups do work (just don't last for long, so watch for an update). On the side, near the bottom as shown, mark a smaller x where you will cut a hole for the switch.
Have each child put the batteries in the pack, and teach them how to identify the positive and negative sides of the battery and how to tell where in the pack (or any other device that uses batteries) each side goes. I simply told them that the flat side of the battery goes next to the spring. You can get more in-depth if you wish or a child shows interest.
Have children push the holder around the motor, with the smooth side facing down (on the wire side, not the spindle side as shown above). You may need to help as it's a tight fit.
Have child thread the wires through the x-shaped hole, and work motor
bottom carefully into hole so that it (more or less) sits flat on top.
Lift up motor holder and help child glue gun it to the top of the cup.
What, give a four-year-old a glue gun? Yes, under supervision. For one
thing, it's either that or super glue which in my view holds significantly more risks, especially since I recommend using a
battery-powered (allows for more flexibility to work) low-temperature
cool glue unit. In addition, it's good to start learning early how and when to
use real tools properly and carefully. NAEYC (National Association for
the Education of Young Children) along with many other organizations and
child development specialists recommend just this.
Cup with motor sitting on top and glued in place, and wires dangling from the bottom
Bot with motor on top and wires dangling below
Child using Cool Tool glue gun to glue weight onto the motor before inserting on top of motor spindle. Explain that this
will help the robot balance. It took a bit of experimentation to figure
out this particular configuration. Fortunately I live with
technological-engineering minds who love hearing what I do with my
preschoolers and were happy to help ;). You may need to add an extra penny after Draw Bot is finished and you've tried it out.
Have child pull the red wire from the motor through the switch hole.
You will probably need to do this part, but explain what you are doing and why (that it's difficult to get the thin wire through the little hole so you are helping, and that you are now hooking up the switch to the motor. If you haven't already, explain that the switch is necessary to turn the robot off and on, otherwise it would never stop moving. Explain what a switch is using a light switch). Thread the red wire dangling down from the motor through one of the switch prongs, bend against covered wire, and tape with electrical tape or - more fun - narrow colourful duck tape. Let child choose tape pattern.
Motor hooked up to switch
Have child thread the red wire from the battery pack (explain that the battery pack is the power source so that the switch will now have power to work) through the remaining switch prong, bend back and tape as before. Child can then pull wires back in through the cup, and glue gun the switch to the side of the cup.
Have child locate both black wires, and explain that now you are going to connect them so that the motor will have power. You can go into more detail about how batteries work, electrical currents flowing through the wires, etc. as you wish or child asks. Twist the two black wires together, and tape.
Have child help push the wires up into the cup, put glue on the back of the battery pack, and adhere to side of cup. Press on outside of cup as well to help it stick.
Have child pick out three markers and patterns/colours of tape. Help them space the markers so that you end up with a tripod shape that will allow the DrawBot to stand upright. Assist child with double-taping the markers to the cup. This is logistically difficult for one person of any age to do. You can experiment with placement and angle of markers, as this produces different patterns. As long as the DrawBot stays upright when turned on, arrange the markers however you wish.
Here we have an upright, stand-alone DrawBot showing switch, motor, and balance weight.
One of my preschoolers holds a self-made DrawBot.
It was hard to wait to try them out, but they were very patient.
And..............it worked!
We waited until everyone was finished and the class turned on their DrawBots at the same time and watched them go! Each DrawBot created a different pattern, and the resulting group art was beautiful.
If above video doesn't work, please click on the below link, and enjoy!
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