Spheros

🚀 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

  • Use the Drive tab to manually steer your Sphero through the taped floor maze.

  • This is a speed challenge: fastest team to finish wins.

Rules:

  • Stay inside the maze

  • 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?

 

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