Wait til your class gets their hands on this! Aspiring engineers design a working robotic arm in the fifth and final installment in a series of ocean exploration lessons. Pupils learn about the use of underwater robots in ocean exploration, then plan and create an arm that allows the robot to grasp objects and bring them back to the ship.

Concepts

ocean exploration, the deep sea, robots, engineering design, simple machines

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Additional Tags

science

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Instructional Ideas

• Invite engineers from the community to visit the class and assist with the robotic arm build
• Display the class' designs in the library or other central location

Classroom Considerations

• Place students in groups of two to four
• Spend some time discussing hydraulics, pneumatics, and types of machines before beginning the lesson

Pros

• Most of the materials needed for the projects are simple and easy to locate
• The teacher's guide includes patterns to assist with the robotic arm build

Cons

• None

Common Core

7.EE.B.4.a