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Understanding the various methods of giving directions.
Realising why some methods of giving directions are better in certain situations.
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| Resources |
Vocabulary |
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Centimetre rulers
Full circle protractors or 10 versions
Resource sheet enlarged to at least A3
Robots 1 and 2 notesheets – one between two
Small cone-like objects for the North/South Robots
Small toy people for the Left/Right Robots
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north, south, east, west, left, right, forwards, backwards, angles, degrees,diagonally, full turn, half turn, quarter turn, right angle |
| Organisation |
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Near achievement pairs on mixed tables (each table must have someone who can use a protractor)
A large copy of the resource sheet, arranged on the carpet or a tabletop with children around the edge
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| Whole Class Preparation: (about 15 mins) |
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What is a robot? A robot needs to have instructions in order to work.
A farmer decides to buy a robot to feed the animals on his farm.
There are two types of robots on the market: – a magnetic robot that can tell N, S, E and W, number of steps, and Drop – a robot with a face that can tell Left, Right and Forward, number of steps and Drop
Gather the children around the large grid with the resource sheet.
How could the North/South Robot get from start to A? North 2, West 2.
Are there any other ways? How could it get from A to B?
How could the Left/Right Robot get from Start to A? Forward 2, Left, Forward 2 (or F2, L, F2) if facing upwards to begin. The L/R robot may need an extra instruction to face the correct way so may take longer.Ask children in different positions around the grid, to comment in order to highlight the need for each player to put themselves into the robots’ shoes, rather than using their own orientation of left and right.
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| Paired Work: (about 15 mins) |
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Give out copies of the Robots 1 notesheet.
In pairs, children plan instructions for both types of robots.
The farmer wants to know which would be best for his farm. You will need to give feedback on which robot is best for the farm and why.
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| Class Sharing: (about 15 mins) |
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Which point did you go to first? Did anyone start the other way?
Ask children to give you the directions for the N/S Robot and get them to write these on the board. Ask them to do the same for the L/R Robot with a face.
Which robot should the farmer buy? Why? List reasons on the board and note that all of them are important.
Ensure that all the children understand that north is ‘absolute’ (fixed). How can we tell where north is?
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| Group Preparation and Paired Work: (about 15 mins) |
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The farmer decides to try out two more sophisticated models of N/S and L/R Robot. They run on batteries and are taking the long way around the farm, so they keep running out of energy! How could you direct the N/S Robot without having to stick to the grid lines, moving from E to F? NW. Give out Robots 2.
What about when it’s not exactly NW? How about Start to G? Agree on ‘between NE and E’. Now first estimate and then use protractors to agree on 65o, F3. The children may need some help with the protractors.
How many degrees in a full turn? Half a turn? Quarter of a turn? What else is a quarter turn called? A right angle. So, the new N/S Robot understands degrees clockwise from N, and distance.
The new L/R Robot understands R, L, F and B as well as degrees and distances, and to turn now needs a number as well as R orL. So Start to G is R65o, F3, but what about the next move? This will need emphasis and extra time.
Work on the remaining moves for the two new robots (some groups on each) and think about which of the robots is best and why. Note: measurements need only be accurate to 10degrees. Emphasise the importance of estimation as a check.
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| Class Sharing: (about 5 mins) |
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Write on board a couple of the children’s examples of the two robots’ moves.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of both improved robots?
How do the instructions of any of the four robots link with reading maps?
Which method of giving directions are useful for: navigating at sea; giving directions to someone to get from school to the station; orienteering in mountains; giving directions in a block
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