Introduction

Recap last week’s lesson with the Bee-Bots and some of the key terms we’ve learned over the last few weeks: programming, algorithm, debug.

What was the biggest difference between the Bee-Bot and 2Go? Remind the children about turning left and right as opposed to moving left and right. How far is each turn? (90 degrees or a quarter turn) Get the children to stand up and practise turning left and right in quarter turns:If I do two turns, which way would I be facing? If I’m facing the windows and turn left three times, which way will I face? etc

Go back to 2Go in Purple Mash.

 

 

Choose any of the backgrounds and then click settings and change the movement controls to the last of the four input options, which switches to turning, like a Bee-bot. Make sure 90 degrees is selected for each turn.

 

 

It also allows movement like a Bee-Bot with turning left and right. Emphasise that it will be easier if they always enter 1 for the number of turns (one 90 degree turn each time). The biggest challenge is getting used to the fact the the up arrow button does not mean 'go up', it means 'go forwards' and that can be any direction. It all depends which way the turtle is facing. 

Have a go at an example with the class on the board. Choose a start and end point and ask them to give you instructions, one at a time.

 

 

Main tasks

Ask them to have a go on their own and getting from one place to another, using any of the backgrounds. Try to stick to the paths if there are any on the background.

 

Make your own maze

You can create your own backgrounds to use as mazes or challenges. Click on the file button > New and choose Make my own.

 

 

Switch to the Tools option and use the pens and the straight line tool to draw out a maze. We've added start and end points with other coloured areas.

 

 

 

Mazes don’t even need to be that neat and tidy, they can just scatter some splodges around the screen.

 

 

Then put the robot back to the start and swap seats with the person next to them to try and guide the robot through each others’ mazes.

For this last part the children should pair up with the person next to them on one computer.

Final challenges

To round off all their work with directions, moving and turning. Ask them to have a go at the Challenge section in 2Go.

File menu > New > Challenges.

 

 

Work through them in order. They go from the most simple controls to the most complex, so remind them to check on each challenge which type of controls they have been given. On each challenge it gives them target circles to guide their turtle to.

 

 

After each challenge is completed be sure to click Try another.

 

 

Plenary

Review their work at the end. What did they find difficult today? How successful were they at predicting the movements using turning?