Virtual Robot Academy

Okay - I did not get any response from my PowerPoint Maze projects from students, so lets get back to what we know how to do.This is going to get a little crazy - right now all of you have seen and worked with either a VEX EDR or Lego EV3 robotics system.  Obviously, those are locked up in my classroom and I can't get them out for you to use, but I would still like to be able to get you to understand how to program the robots before we return to school - 

I found RobotC online at http://www.robotc.net/download/vexrobotics/ and found to make it work you need you to go to http://www.robotvirtualworlds.com/download/ and download the software for the robot you are going to use.  It works great but the trial period only lasts 10 days. By the time some of you started to use it, others' trials would already be over. 

So, instead, I am going to switch everyone over to Lego EV3 - Amazon has a great version of it for us to use - play.gocoderz.com if you are in my class, please click join class, then use the code "slimyfootball" to join my class and enter your information so that I can give you credit.  If you are not in my class, you will need to get a code from your teacher, or go to:

https://gocoderz.com/amazon-future-engineer/?utm_source=Email_Campaign&utm_medium=Amazon&utm_campaign=2020

and follow the links you find there to explore on your own.

Below will be the instructions on how to use it:

Step 1 - Go to play.gocoderz.com and select “Join a Class” to join the class, not log in. The code for Mr. J’s class is slimyfootball - all lowercase, all one word - it was not my choice, it was randomly generated - although one of my daughter’s favorite Sesame Street characters is Slimy the worm and she would think that him playing football was hilarious. 

Step 2 - Use the Sign in with Google option to sign in using your ID#@stu.sandi.net as your email and your password that you use to log into computers at school as your password. 

Step 3 - Once logged in, you will have 3 sets of projects to choose from.  Please start at Novice despite some of you having more advanced programming skills.  The activities will guide you through the use of Blockly to code an EV3 robot through a series of challenges that get more and more difficult as you go.

Maze Mania

Sorry you have to be logged into your stu.sandi.net account to view these files correctly.  I am working on creating everything outside the district's servers, but it is a slow process. Check out www.mrjsotherroom.blogspot.com and see if it works better for you - please let me know.

Okay, for Anna, Thomas and all of the other kids that keep checking my site just in case I post something good, this lesson was created a long time ago - I had two previous students (Max and Alex) return to my class from their sophomore year at UCLA.  They were working on a degree in video game design. WHAT!?!? They were actually going to college to learn to design video games? Yes, they were taking classes in video game concepts to help them create their own video games.

The game they were assigned to create their second year was based on an old Atari game called Asteroids and they created it using a "jump to" feature in Microsoft PowerPoint.  I could not find the one that they had given me to play as it was years ago, but I found THIS ONE online.  

It got me started thinking about using PowerPoint at a middle school level to have my students come up with their own games.  Over the next few weeks I will be publishing game making videos and look forward to any creations you come up with to share with others.  

If you have fun creating these on your own, please share this website with others.  If you think of ways to make it better shoot me an email at cjohnson10@sandi.net.  Feel free to share your creations with me through your Google drive and I will link them at the bottom for others to see and use.  

Have fun!

Maze Mania - Part 1

if you have trouble viewing this video here, try it on YouTube at https://youtu.be/DmeqczKyiFw
For written instructions (.pdf) from within our district click here

Maze Mania - Part 2 - Moving Walls

if you have trouble viewing this video here, try it on YouTube at https://youtu.be/4cZfIeBirr4
For written instructions (.pdf) from within our district click here

Maze Mania - Part 3 - Triggers

if you have trouble viewing this video here, try it on YouTube at https://youtu.be/9Gn0PtN-tLU
For written instructions (.pdf) from within our district click here

PowerPoint Maze Template

PowerPoint Maze 2

My PowerPoint Maze with Old School Levels

to get past the Zelda levels you might have to ask your mom or dad if they remember how to get out of the lost forest - it's that old

Check Canvas

Right now, I am not assigning any new work.  Please use this time to look back through your assignments in Canvas and make sure that everything is turned in to the best of your ability. A zero on an assignment means that you did not turn anything in. Please get something turned in so that I can grade it.

Citizenship Self Assessment

Today in class, everyone will be filling out a Citizenship Self Assessment.  We will be going over the instructions as a group but each student will fill out the Google Sheet as an individual.  Please make a copy of the Citizenship Self Assessment into your GTT Turn in Folder.  Being honest about your behavior for the last grading period, please fill in the score for each category that best describes your efforts, then submit it into Canvas.

While you are waiting for everyone else to get logged in, please make a copy of this Citizenship Rubric into your Google Drive.  This part does not have to be put into your GTT Turn in Folder as you will not be turning the rubric in.  It is simply a reference for you to use so that you can keep improving your citizenship grade in this class. 

6.2.3 Resistance

Please make sure your kit is in order at the beginning and end of every build session

For the lesson today, you are going to use your multi-meter and a few resistors to explore resistance

Step 1) Open the worksheet for 6.2.3 Resistance.  Please make a copy into your GTT Turn in Folder to be turned in before the end of class on Friday.  You may also want to open up 6.2.3a Resistance Color Bands, but there is nothing to fill out or turn in on it.

Step 2) Watch the video below for background knowledge and the circuits that you will need to design today. You will want to answer the questions while watching the video, pausing and rewinding as needed.

Step 3) Using the calculator built in to your computer, please calculate the resistance based on the color codes then use your multi-meter to check the actual resistance.

Step 4) For the last part, use the "insert" tab at the top of the Google Doc to create a colored rectangle to take the place of the color code on each of the resistors shown.

If you are from outside our district, requesting access does not work.  All of my files are set to "shared" with anyone whom has the link, the videos are being blocked at the district level on both sides.  If you have your teacher email me at cjohnson10@sandi.net, I will gladly share all of my files. PLEASE do not "request access" it does not do any good.

6.2.2 Switches, Diodes and LEDs

Please make sure your kit is in order at the beginning and end of every build session

For the lesson today, you are going to use a Snap Circuit Kit to design and explore switches, diodes and LEDs - Please use the 3 volt side of the power supply module only.

Step 1) Open the worksheet for 6.2.2 Switches, Diodes and LEDs.  Please make a copy into your GTT Turn in Folder to be turned in before the end of class on Friday.  

Step 2) Watch the video below for background knowledge and the circuits that you will need to design today. Use the "insert" tab at the top of the Google Doc to create a drawing of your schematic of each circuit that is shown in the video.

Step 3) Using the Snap Circuit Kit and working with your partner, you will build a circuit with a lamp and slide switch, a motor with a push button, a diode with a lamp and a diode with an LED.  

6.2.1 Circuit Design

Please make sure your kit is in order at the beginning and end of every build session

For the lesson today, you are going to use a Snap Circuit Kit to design and test series, parallel, and combination circuits

Step 1) Open the worksheet for 6.2.1 Circuit Design.  Read it all of the way through and make a copy into your GTT Turn in Folder to be turned in before Friday.  

Step 2) Watch the video below for background knowledge and the circuits that you will need to design today. Use the "insert" tab at the top of the Google Doc to take a picture using your web cam to show that you built each circuit that is shown in the video.

Step 3) Using the Snap Circuit Kit and working with your partner, you will build a series, parallel and combination circuit and answer all of the related questions.  


If you are from outside our district, requesting access does not work.  All of my files are set to "shared" with anyone whom has the link, the videos are being blocked at the district level on both sides.  If you have your teacher email me at cjohnson10@sandi.net, I will gladly share all of my files. PLEASE do not "request access" it does not do any good.