March 14: 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
🌍⚽ 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).
🎳 Code Your Sphero to Bowl a Strike
Now that you’ve practiced controlling your Sphero and writing basic movement programs, it’s time to put your coding skills to the test in a bowling challenge.
You’ll program your Sphero to roll down a lane and knock over bowling pins!
💡 Task:
In the Sphero EDU app, go to:
Programs → Create a New Program → Blocks
Build a program that rolls your Sphero down the bowling lane and knocks down the pins.
Use roll blocks to control:
Speed – faster balls hit harder, but may miss the target
Heading (direction) – adjust the angle so your Sphero lines up with the pins
Time/Distance – control how far your Sphero travels
🎯 Challenge Goal:
Program your Sphero to knock down as many pins as possible.
Start with 3 pins, then increase the challenge to 6 or 10 pins.
🏆 Bonus Challenge:
Can you code your Sphero to bowl a strike?
Can you adjust your code to curve the ball and hit the pins from an angle?
🔬 STEM Tip:
Real bowlers adjust angle, speed, and spin to control their ball.
Engineers and programmers do the same thing by adjusting variables in code.
If you’d like, I can also help you add a competition structure (like a Sphero Bowling Tournament bracket) which works really well for Upward Bound or Talent Search groups and keeps the energy high.