TEACHER GUIDE · SW5 · RVR ROBOTICS
RVR Robotics: Draw, Move, See, Talk
One robot system, four capabilities, and visible evidence for every mission.
TOPIC
Robotic systems: output, control, input, and communication
OBJECTIVE
Students will program an RVR to draw, move precisely, respond to color, and coordinate with another robot.
DEMONSTRATION OF LEARNING
Students will submit program evidence, test results, and a revision claim for each mission.
The core teaching route
Teach the five-day deck whole group, then use the matching Sphero EDU lesson during work time. The Sphero lessons contain the live build steps. The mission sheets are the accountability layer: students must record the robot ID, add screenshots or photos, log results, and explain what they changed.
A student who clicks through the Sphero lesson without producing the required evidence has not completed the mission.
Teacher resources
Download the complete teacher deck · Make a Google copy
Student mission sheets are available as editable Word files and print-ready PDFs inside each assignment.
Five-day flow
| Day | Teaching + activity | Deck | Proof of work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 · Draw | Teach the three Sphero program types. Students plan, run, photograph, and revise one robot drawing. | Slides 1 to 11 | Drawing Mission |
| Day 2 · Move | Students test heading, speed, duration, distance, wait, and continue. Seven runs support one precision claim. | Slides 12 to 20 | Precision Movement Lab |
| Day 3 · See | Students build the green-to-red color route, add the color sensor, and explain input, decision, and output. | Slides 21 to 28 | Color Sensor Mission |
| Day 4 · Talk | Pairs build leader and follower programs, send an infrared freeze message, and prove the exchange works. | Slides 29 to 35 | School-of-Fish Challenge, part 1 |
| Day 5 · Coordinate | Teams use at least two robots to maintain a formation without hand steering, then film and explain a revision. | Slides 36 to 40 | School-of-Fish Challenge, part 2 |
Materials + room setup
- Charge and label RVRs before class. Put each robot ID on the robot and its mission sheet.
- Plan one robot for every two or three students. Talking and coordination require at least two robots running together.
- Mark safe driving lanes with tape. Keep feet, backpacks, and loose cables outside the lane.
- Prepare butcher paper or large paper and washable markers for Drawing.
- Prepare solid color cards or paper for Seeing. Sphero confirms RVR can use ordinary color cards.
- Test Sphero EDU in Chrome or Edge and verify the robot ID and battery icon appear after pairing.
Sphero EDU setup
The direct lesson links work without a copied Canvas integration. If you want student progress inside Sphero EDU, create your own class and assign the same lessons there. Do not reuse another teacher's class code.
Direct lessons: Drawing Movement Color sensor Infrared
Fewer-robot route
- Run one robot station while other teams plan, annotate code, or complete prediction rows.
- Project the leave-up work slide so waiting teams know the next evidence requirement.
- For Talking, rotate teams through one leader/follower pair. Each team must explain one message, one response, and one revision even if it shares the hardware.
Grading
Drawing, Movement, Color Sensor, and School-of-Fish are each 5-point evidence checks. The Drawing checkpoint is 10 points with unlimited attempts. Xello remains a separate 5-point check-in.
Each mission sheet is short enough to use during class and still requires the proof that matters: a connected robot ID, program or run evidence, observed results, and a revision or systems explanation.
Before students begin
- Open each direct Sphero lesson and the teacher deck.
- Download or print the mission sheets you want students to use.
- Use Student View to test every Canvas file link and submission route.
- Test district Xello access, then publish the Xello check-in when assigning it.