For a Google doc version of this lesson, click here. You will be prompted to make a copy.
Overview
This hands-on lesson promotes the integration of technology and health education, encouraging students to consider the impact of their dietary decisions on overall well-being.
In this lesson, students will utilize coding skills to guide a robot through a maze of numbers and letters. By creating a key that associates these symbols with nutritious food items, students will not only enhance their coding abilities but also reflect on the significance of making healthy food choices.
Essential question
How can we make informed choices about our nutrition in a world full of unhealthy eating options?
Subjects
Health, engineering, math, social studies, science
Estimated time
One 60-minute class session
Grades
6-12
Materials
- Computers with internet access
- Access to VEXcode VR platform: https://vr.vex.com/
- Paper
- Pencil
Introduction
Embark on a journey into the world of nutrition, where we'll explore the impact of providing healthy foods to a community. Just like navigating a maze, making healthy decisions about what we eat can sometimes feel like a challenging path to navigate. However, we can steer ourselves toward better health outcomes by making the right choices.
Vocabulary
- nutritious foods: Foods that provide essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals necessary for optimal health and well-being. Examples include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and dairy products.
- less nutritious foods: Foods high in calories, sugar, unhealthy fats, and/or processed ingredients with little nutritional value. Examples include sweets, fried foods, sugary beverages, and processed snacks.
- maze navigation: The process of guiding someone or something through a maze using specific instructions to reach specific objectives or destinations.
- key creation: Creating a legend or guide that pairs symbols or representations in the maze with actual food items, helping to identify nutritious and less nutritious options.
- VEXcode VR Platform: An online tool that allows users to code virtual robots to perform various tasks in simulated environments.
Warm up activity (15 min)
- View The Wall Street millionaire bringing healthy food to those in need in its entirety. As students watch, they will jot down the healthy foods that Grocery Ships uses to feed their clients.
- Students will narrow their list by picking four of the healthy foods from the list and then adding four less healthy foods, making a total of eight foods. They will then take the list and assign each of them one of these numbers or letters (1,2,3,4,A,B,C,D). They may not use a letter or number more than once.
Main activity (45 mins.)
Amazing healthy food choices
- Students can work individually or team up with a partner.
- Students will go to https://vr.vex.com/
- Students will click on the “Select Playground” button at the top of the page and then choose the “Wall Maze” playground.
- Students will code a “nutrition robot” to navigate through a maze. They will use their food list as a key to see where they need to go as they navigate the maze. Students will direct their robots to each of the letters or numbers assigned to a healthy food before reaching the end of the maze. They will avoid less healthy food choices.
- Students can use the information below to assist in their maze navigation.
- Blocks – Use Drivetrain blocks to code your robot to complete the challenge.
- [Drive for] - drives the robot forward or in reverse for a specified distance
- [Turn for] - turns the robot right or left for a specified distance
- Use a sensor – The VR Robot is equipped with multiple sensors that can help navigate the maze
- The {Distance found object} Boolean block reports a true or false value and is used in blocks with hexagonal (six-sided) spaces
Note: For additional assistance, go to VEXcode VR – VEX Library
Extension activity
- Students will view Traditional Native foods are the key ingredient in the Sioux Chef's healthy cooking They will discuss other traditional foods based on nationalities and determine if those foods are healthy.
- Discuss what constitutes nutritious and less nutritious food choices using the MyPlate guidelines. Engage students in thinking about their own food choices.
- Encourage students to design their own nutrition-themed maze, including a variety of food choices and obstacles representing common challenges in maintaining a healthy diet (e.g., convenience, cost).
- More invention lessons can be found here.
Standards
ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.3 & 9-10.3: Follow precisely a multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks.
Math-Content 6.RP.A.3: Use ratio and rate reasoning to solve real-world and mathematical problems.
HS-ETS1-3: Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on scientific knowledge, student-generated sources of evidence, prioritized criteria, and trade-off considerations.
NGSS-MS-PS2-1: Apply scientific ideas or principles to design an object, tool, process or system.
About the lesson author
Lori Colangelo has over 25 years of experience as an educator and currently serves as an instructor at the Hopewell Area School District in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania. Passionate about education, Lori frequently presents at international conferences, mentors new STEM teachers, and develops curricula for several prominent educational technology companies. In her free time, she loves traveling with her husband and spending time with her family.
Watch Lori Colangelo in this Educator Voice: Creating lifelong learners through robotics and equity
Are you interested in learning more about how you can get involved in invention with your students? Sign up here for PBS News Hour Classroom's Invention Educator Network where teachers from various subjects and grade levels come together to discuss all things invention & innovation. Check out our Invention Education collection, including lessons on robotics.
Fill out this form to share your thoughts on Classroom’s resources.
