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36-week robotics club

A full school year, from safety to a final showcase. 44 lessons · ~28.0 h · Schools and clubs

What is a robot?Robots in societySafety in roboticsThinking like an engineerTypes of robotsSense, think, act (the control loop)What is a sensor?DC and geared motorsServo motorsVoltage, current and resistanceOhm's lawYour first circuit: light an LEDPowering your robotStructures and stabilityBuilding a robot chassisGears and gear ratiosWheels and drivetrainsAlgorithms and sequencesPseudocode and flowchartsBlock-based codingLoops and repetitionConditional logic (if / else)IR line sensorsLine-following robotFeedback control and PIDDebugging codeUsing a multimeterMid-year robot challengeAutonomous decision makingUltrasonic distance sensorsInfrared distance sensorsObstacle-avoiding robotNavigation and route planningMaze-solving robotRobotics competitionsMini sumo robotState machinesUsing data to improve robotsRobotics, automation and AIRobot ethicsSustainable roboticsFinal project: plan, build, improvePresenting your robotShowcase and reflection
NowWhat is a robot?Week 1 · Foundations · Beginner · 15 min
GoalA full school year, from safety to a final showcase
Progress0%
Start the path

All lessons

  1. What is a robot?Week 1 · Foundations · Beginner · 15 minA simple, useful definition of a robot and how to tell a robot from an ordinary machine.
  2. Robots in societyWeek 1 · Robots & the world · Beginner · 25 minHealthcare, industry, farming, homes and education: where robots work today and what they change.
  3. Safety in roboticsWeek 2 · Foundations · Beginner · 20 minThe safety rules for electricity, batteries, tools and moving robots that every builder follows.
  4. Thinking like an engineerWeek 2 · Foundations · Beginner · 20 minThe engineering design process (ask, imagine, plan, build, test, improve) and the habits that make debugging easier.
  5. Types of robotsWeek 3 · Foundations · Beginner · 15 minMobile robots, robot arms, humanoids, drones and more, and what each is good at.
  6. Sense, think, act (the control loop)Week 4 · Foundations · Beginner · 20 minHow every robot runs the same loop, input → process → output, many times per second.
  7. What is a sensor?Week 5 · Sensors · Beginner · 20 minHow sensors turn the world into numbers, and the difference between digital and analog signals.
  8. DC and geared motorsWeek 6 · Actuators · Beginner · 25 minHow DC motors spin, how speed and torque trade off, and how to choose a gear motor for a robot.
  9. Servo motorsWeek 6 · Actuators · Beginner · 25 minMove to an exact angle with a hobby servo: how they work, how to code them and how to power several.
  10. Voltage, current and resistanceWeek 7 · Electronics · Beginner · 25 minThe three ideas behind every circuit, explained with a water-pipe analogy.
  11. Ohm's lawWeek 7 · Electronics · Beginner · 25 minV = I × R, the one equation you'll use in every robot circuit, with worked examples.
  12. Your first circuit: light an LEDWeek 7 · Electronics · Beginner · 30 minPick the right resistor for an LED, wire it on a breadboard and add a push button.
  13. Powering your robotWeek 7 · Electronics · Beginner · 30 minChoose batteries, estimate run time, and power motors and microcontrollers without resets or damage.
  14. Structures and stabilityWeek 8 · Mechanics · Beginner · 20 minWhy triangles are strong, what the centre of gravity is, and how to stop a robot tipping over.
  15. Building a robot chassisWeek 8 · Mechanics · Beginner · 30 minChoose materials, mount motors and batteries, and keep wiring tidy so your robot is easy to fix.
  16. Gears and gear ratiosWeek 9 · Mechanics · Beginner · 25 minTrade speed for strength with gears, and calculate gear ratios for your robot.
  17. Wheels and drivetrainsWeek 9 · Mechanics · Beginner · 25 minWheel size, differential drive, casters, tracks and omni wheels, and how a two-wheeled robot steers.
  18. Algorithms and sequencesWeek 10 · Programming · Beginner · 20 minWrite precise step-by-step instructions, the way a robot needs them.
  19. Pseudocode and flowchartsWeek 10 · Programming · Beginner · 20 minPlan a program in plain words or boxes and arrows before you write any code.
  20. Block-based codingWeek 11 · Programming · Beginner · 25 minSequences, events and commands with blocks in MakeCode, LEGO SPIKE and mBlock.
  21. Loops and repetitionWeek 12 · Programming · Beginner · 25 minRepeat actions without repeating code: for loops, while loops, and the robot’s forever loop.
  22. Conditional logic (if / else)Week 13 · Control & autonomy · Beginner · 25 minMake a robot respond to its sensors with if, else if, else, comparisons and logical operators.
  23. IR line sensorsWeek 14 · Sensors · Beginner · 25 minHow reflected infrared light detects a black line, and how two sensors steer a robot.
  24. Line-following robotWeek 15 · Projects · Beginner · 2–3 hBuild, wire, program and tune a two-sensor line follower, then upgrade it with proportional control.
  25. Feedback control and PIDWeek 16 · Control & autonomy · Intermediate · 40 minSmooth, accurate control with proportional (P), then PD and full PID, tuned on a line follower.
  26. Debugging codeWeek 17 · Programming · Beginner · 25 minFind and fix bugs calmly: read errors, print what’s happening, test one piece at a time.
  27. Using a multimeterWeek 17 · Electronics · Beginner · 25 minMeasure voltage, current, resistance and continuity, the essential debugging tool.
  28. Mid-year robot challengeWeek 18 · Projects · Intermediate · 1–2 hA timed team challenge that combines line following, obstacle detection and a finish zone, with rules, scoring and a rubric.
  29. Autonomous decision makingWeek 19 · Control & autonomy · Intermediate · 25 minHow autonomous robots sense, plan and act on their own, and how behaviours combine.
  30. Ultrasonic distance sensorsWeek 20 · Sensors · Beginner · 30 minMeasure distance with sound echoes using the HC-SR04, and use it to avoid obstacles.
  31. Infrared distance sensorsWeek 20 · Sensors · Intermediate · 20 minShort-range distance and obstacle detection with infrared: simple IR modules, Sharp sensors and time-of-flight.
  32. Obstacle-avoiding robotWeek 21 · Projects · Beginner · 2 hBuild a robot that roams a room and steers around obstacles with an ultrasonic sensor.
  33. Navigation and route planningWeek 22 · Control & autonomy · Intermediate · 35 minWall following, the right-hand rule, dead reckoning and how robots plan efficient routes.
  34. Maze-solving robotWeek 22 · Projects · Intermediate · 3 hBuild a wall-following robot that finds its way out of a maze, then think about shortest paths.
  35. Robotics competitionsWeek 23 · Robots & the world · Beginner · 25 minFIRST LEGO League, VEX, WRO, RoboCup Junior, sumo and line following: what they are and how to get started.
  36. Mini sumo robotWeek 24 · Projects · Intermediate · 3–4 hDesign a low, grippy robot that finds its opponent and pushes it out of the ring without falling out itself.
  37. State machinesWeek 26 · Control & autonomy · Intermediate · 30 minOrganise robot behaviour into clear states and transitions, the way competition robots are built.
  38. Using data to improve robotsWeek 27 · Control & autonomy · Intermediate · 30 minMeasure performance, log data, change one variable at a time and justify improvements with evidence.
  39. Robotics, automation and AIWeek 29 · Robots & the world · Beginner · 20 minHow the three ideas differ and overlap, with examples of each.
  40. Robot ethicsWeek 30 · Robots & the world · Intermediate · 30 minSafety, jobs, privacy, bias and responsibility: the big questions every robot builder should think about.
  41. Sustainable roboticsWeek 31 · Robots & the world · Beginner · 25 minEnergy efficiency, repairable design and e-waste, and how robots can help the environment.
  42. Final project: plan, build, improveWeek 32 · Projects · Intermediate · 3 sessionsPlan and build your own robot that solves a real problem: proposal, roles, prototype, testing with evidence and refinement.
  43. Presenting your robotWeek 35 · Projects · Beginner · 1 hExplain your design process, show your evidence and give a live demo, with a structure, tips and a peer-feedback rubric.
  44. Showcase and reflectionWeek 36 · Projects · Beginner · 1 hRun a robot showcase, assess each other fairly, reflect on what you learned and plan what to build next.