Feb 21: Sphero Robotics
🚀 Sphero SPRK+ Robotics Challenge
Today’s Mission: Explore, race, code, and engineer with Sphero robotics.
🛠️ Step 1: Pick Up Your Robot
Grab one Sphero SPRK+ for your team.
Set up at a table and get ready to roll.
👥 Step 2: Form Your Team and Create a Name
Team up in groups of 2–3 people.
Choose a robot-inspired team name to represent you for the day.
Example names:
Circuit Breakers
Quantum Rollers
Botzilla
Byte Force
📲 Step 3: Download the Sphero EDU App
You’ll only need one app today:
👉 https://edu.sphero.com/downloads
Make sure Bluetooth is ON
Connect your device to your team’s Sphero SPRK+
🌀 Step 4: Drive & Test
Open the Sphero EDU app
Tap the Drive tab
Use the joystick and speed controls to practice:
Try this:
Drive in a straight line
Spin in place
Make a full circle
Stop exactly where you want
🏁 Step 5: Maze Time Trial – Remote Control
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Use the Drive tab to manually steer your Sphero through the taped floor maze.
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This is a speed challenge: fastest team to finish wins.
Rules:
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Stay inside the maze
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If you role outside the blue tape, return to the start
🔲 Step 6: Code Your Sphero to Roll in a Square
Now that you’ve practiced driving and navigating manually, it’s time to start coding.
🎥 Tutorial:
Watch this video: Code Sphero to Move in a Square (YouTube)
💡 Task:
In the Sphero EDU app, go to Programs → Create a New Program → Blocks
Use “roll” blocks to program your Sphero to move in a square
Adjust speed, angles, and time as needed to tighten up the square
Goal: Create clean 90° turns and a square path that returns close to your starting point.
🔷 Step 7: Code the Maze
Using the same block-coding style, program your Sphero to navigate the full maze on its own.
Tips:
Start with forward movement and turns
Add delays to fine-tune your timing
Test often and adjust your code based on results
🎈 Step 8: Balloon Pop Battle – Drive & Design
This final challenge is engineering + remote control only.
Build Instructions:
Place your Sphero inside a clear plastic cup
Tape a balloon to the back of the cup
Tape a popping tool (like a skewer) to the front
Test how it drives with your setup and adjust as needed
Battle Instructions:
Use the Drive tab for remote control
Pop other teams’ balloons
Protect your own balloon!
🏆 Victory: Last balloon standing or the most pops within the match time.
🧠 Final Reflection
At the end of the session, we’ll discuss:
What made a design successful?
How did testing improve your performance?
How does this type of design thinking show up in real-world engineering and robotics?
🌍⚽ Sphero World Cup: Robotics, Physics, and Teamwork
Overview
Students become robotic engineers and international athletes in the Sphero World Cup! Each team represents a country and codes or drives their Sphero robot to compete in matches of precision, power, and control. The activity combines physics, engineering, and math through an inquiry-based, fast-paced soccer tournament.
🧩 Learning Objectives
By the end of this session, students will:
Apply Newton’s Laws of Motion to analyze Sphero movement and collisions.
Experiment with speed, friction, and angles to optimize control and accuracy.
Use block coding to automate movement and simulate realistic soccer plays.
Collaborate and iterate on designs and strategies in a competitive setting.
Recognize global teamwork by connecting their “country” to STEM innovation worldwide.
🧠 STEM Connections
Science (Physics of Motion)
Observe how force and friction impact Sphero’s velocity on different surfaces.
Explore momentum and impact during collisions (Newton’s 3rd Law).
Relate Sphero acceleration to force and mass (F = ma).
Technology (Programming & Sensors)
Use the Sphero Edu App to control direction, speed, and duration.
Apply loops or conditionals to simulate dribbling, passing, or goal attempts.
Use built-in sensor data (accelerometer, gyroscope) to record movement data.
Engineering (Design & Strategy)
Build soccer field.
Create team shields or lightweight bumpers for their “national” robot.
Analyze gameplay and redesign tactics for improved control or accuracy.
Mathematics (Measurement & Angles)
Calculate average velocity (distance ÷ time).
Determine optimal approach angles for shooting at the goal.
Track shot success rates and graph results for data analysis.
🔍 Inquiry Prompts
What surface gives your Sphero the most predictable motion?
How does speed affect accuracy when approaching the goal?
What happens to control when you increase the turning angle?
Can your team program a repeatable “goal shot” using code instead of manual driving?
How do your results demonstrate Newton’s Laws?
🏗️ Materials
1 Sphero robot per 2–4 students
Cell phones with Sphero Edu app
Painter’s tape (to mark field boundaries)
Stopwatch or timer (optional)
Flags or printed labels for countries
⏱ Lesson Flow (60 minutes)
| Segment | Time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Kickoff & Team Assignment | 10 min | Introduce the Sphero World Cup; assign each group a “country.” Discuss how robotics connects globally (Japan, Germany, Brazil, etc.) |
| 2. Practice & Calibration | 10 min | Teams learn to calibrate and drive their Spheros, experimenting with speed and control |
| 3. Coding & Strategy | 10 min | Students design a short program for kickoff or shooting. Encourage looping and speed changes |
| 4. Tournament Play | 20 min | Run short matches (2–3 minutes each). Teams score goals and collect data on speed, accuracy, and control |
| 5. Reflection & World Cup Awards | 10 min | Debrief with physics and coding insights. Give awards: “Best Control,” “Fastest Sphero,” “Best Programmer,” “World Cup Champions” |
🏆 Scoring Options
1 point per goal
+1 point for coding-based plays
+1 point for creative design or teamwork
Bonus points for accurate physics explanations during reflection
🌐 Global & Career Connections
Sports Engineering: Smart soccer balls, motion sensors, and robotic referees.
Computer Science: Real-time tracking in FIFA and player analytics.
Robotics: Autonomous drones and field robots used in training and broadcasting.
International Collaboration: Innovation hubs around the world — Germany (mechanical engineering), Japan (robotics), Brazil (sports tech), USA (AI & sensors).