ROBOTICS

COURSE SYLLABUS
Introduction:
Welcome to Robotics! This course is a full year curriculum developed for high school
secondary education programs. The curriculum is designed to appeal to a students
imagination by using motion, light, sound, and tactile feedback to introduce new
concepts. These activities introduce students to a variety of basic principles in the fields
of computer programming, electricity and electronics, mathematics and physics. Many of
the activities facilitate hands-on presentation of design practices used by engineers and
technicians in the creation of modern machines and appliances, using common
inexpensive parts. The course will gradually shift from introductory robotics
programming to its use in the underwater robotics field. The culminating activity will be
the design and production of an underwater robot suitable for entry into the MATE
regional competition in May.

Textbook(s): Whats a Microcontroller?, Robotics with the Boe-Bot, and Applied

Robotics with the SumoBot, Parallax Inc., 2008. UNDERWATER ROBOTICS: Science,
Design & Fabrication, WestCoastWords, 2010.

Class Rules/Policies: The following is an abbreviated list of rules and regulations in this
classroom. Laboratory safety procedures are discussed in detail before any labs take
place. Cape Henlopen Sch Dist rules of conduct established by the school board are
utilized and the disciplinary policies are strictly adhered to in this laboratory-oriented
classroom.
1. If you miss work due to an extended absence, you have the same number of days
you missed to make up the assignment.
2. It is your responsibility to get assignments, make up assignments, and reschedule
tests and quizzes. You are not in 2nd grade any longer!
3. Late work will not be accepted for any reason except for school closing or family
emergency. (Parent note required)
4. No one will be allowed to use the rest room and water fountain without your
agenda book. The privilege of using the rest room and water fountain may be
taken away if it is abused.
5. You have a set time to get to class, use the time wisely and be inside the
classroom when the bell rings. You are late otherwise and will be written up as
being tardy. This includes having your textbook and notebook open on your desk.
Grading Policy:
Evaluation (Tests and Quizzes)
45-55%
Laboratory Activities
35-45%
Classwork, Homework, Notebooks 15-20%

Scope and Sequence:

September

Ohms Law/Physics
Underwater Robotics
Whats a Microcontroller?

October

Whats a Microcontroller?
Underwater Robotics
Making a simple ROV

November/December Whats a Microcontroller?

Robotics with the Boe-Bot
Underwater Robotics
January/February

Robotics with the Boe-Bot

Underwater Robotics

March

Underwater Robotics

April/May/June

Underwater Robotics

Special Projects:
Science Olympiad
Science Olympiad is a yearly competition held at Delaware State University in March.
We will be building, as part of our class laboratory projects, the robots and vehicle events
for this competition. I certainly understand that spring events like sports will conflict
with the actual event, therefore it is possible for the student to complete the graded
project and receive credit even in the event that they would be unable to attend the
competition.
ROV Regional Competition
The ROV regional competition will be held in May in Norfolk Virginia at Old Dominion
University. All travel expenses will be taken care of for our robotics teams. As stated
above, it is understood that some of our students will be unable to attend due to other
factors. We anticipate taking up to four (4) teams this year to the Mid-Atlantic region. In
the event that we win our regional, only those team members actually in attendance
will be allowed the opportunity to go to the international competition in June. This year
the international competition will be held in Florida.
FIELD TRIPS
Students will be going on field trips throughout the year to further enhance their
educational experience. These trips are an optional part of the curriculum; however the
assignments associated with them are not. The cost of these trips will be minimal and the
students will be missing a maximum of one school day while participating. The field
trips tentatively include:

April/May 2012

Mid-Atlantic Regional ROV competition

June 2012

International ROV competition

SUPPLEMENTAL PROJECTS
Response Essays
Students will be presented with newspaper, magazine, and journal articles that relate to
the current topics of study. The articles are involved in the curriculum of the course to
enhance the material presented. Students will be asked to write a response essay of the
article, usually 2-3 typed pages in APA format. These will be evaluated when the
notebook is collected, but the students may turn in these essays at any time during the
marking period. They should be placed in the notebook in the reflections/ response
essays section.
The Final Exam
The final exam for the robotics course will consist of the design, construction, and
presentation of a team ROV suitable for entrance into the regional robotics competition.
All international rules must be adhered to which means that the completed project must
include:
1.
2.
3.
4.

A poster display
An engineering evaluation
A technical report
A mission score

The complete rules are found on the MATE website: www.marinetech.org