Learners start by using the Arcadia Earth app’s Keep the Great Lakes GREAT section to glean base knowledge of the North American Great Lakes and factors impacting the region. Students then extend their knowledge to discover water-land and water-human interactions. The Spray Away activity will deepen their knowledge of watersheds’ function and importance, and the effects of human-produced waste. Spray Away will also shed light on the effects of human-produced runoff waste and its harmful impact on the Great Lakes region. The lesson concludes with discussing and brainstorming solutions to mitigate harmful runoff processes and pollution. Although this lesson specifies the Great Lakes of North America, principles and concepts can be applied to any watershed.

Estimated time required: 1 class period.

Technology required for this lesson: Tablet or Smartphone.

In this activity, students will explore lines of reflection in the
augmented reality environment. They will manipulate the line of
reflection and observe its impact on the reflected image.

Estimated time required: 1-2 class periods.

Technology required for this lesson: Augmented Reality, Tablet or Smartphone.

For the Unit 2 Project, your students will choose from three different project options each with a different user, then use design thinking, robotics, and entrepreneurship to create a Sphero RVR solution for a real-world problem! The projects will guide the students through the problem, precedents of existing robotic solutions, users with interviews for empathy mapping, a budget worksheet for building, and finally a programming challenge that can be implemented and tested. In Lesson 1, each student will read all three project overview and choose the project they want to work on for the remaining lessons!

Estimated time required: 1-2 class periods.

Technology required for this lesson: Code Editor, Laptop/Desktop, Robotics Kit, Tablet.

In this lesson, students will learn more about their user and complete the first two steps in the Design Thinking process: Empathize and Define. In Lesson 2, each student will choose one user to create an Empathy Map for one user based on their Project Choice from Lesson 1, either 2A, 2B or 2C. Students should only work on the lesson that corresponds to their project choice. For example, if a student chose Project 2A, they would only work on the Project 2A Content.

Estimated time required: 1-2 class periods.

Technology required for this lesson: Code Editor, Laptop/Desktop, Robotics Kit, Tablet.

In this lesson, students will ideate, sketch designs for their RVR attachment and write pseudocode following the Unit 2 Lesson 3 Activity Worksheet. Note: Students should only work on the lesson that corresponds to their project choice. For example, if a student chose Project 2A, they would only work on the Project 2A Content.

Estimated time required: 1-2 class periods.

Technology required for this lesson: Code Editor, Laptop/Desktop, Robotics Kit, Tablet.

In this lesson, students will create a physical prototype of their RVR attachment and secure to their RVR then use Sphero Edu to write block code for their programming challenge that will be tested on the Challenge Map in Lesson 5. Note: Students should only work on the lesson that corresponds to their project choice. For example, if a student chose Project 2A, they would only work on the Project 2A Content.

Estimated time required: 2-3 class periods.

Technology required for this lesson: Code Editor, Laptop/Desktop, Robotics Kit, Tablet.

In this lesson, students will run their Sphero Edu program on the Challenge Map in the classroom, revise/debug the program as needed to solve the programming challenge, share their project with their peers, give/receive feedback on each other’s projects and finally record a video of the RVR running the Challenge Map, submit to your teacher and answer a series of reflection questions. Note: The lessons for 2A, 2B, and 2C are almost identical in this section. This is a great chance for students to teach each other about their specific project choice and user!

Estimated time required: 1-2 class periods.

Technology required for this lesson: Code Editor, Laptop/Desktop, Robotics Kit, Tablet.

This lesson introduces students to the Sphero RVR and some of its programming functions. Students will charge and connect the RVR to their device via Bluetooth connection. The Draw programming function will be demonstrated, and students will explore Draw on their own. Finally, students will practice vocabulary words from the AIR course and the book "Plastic, Ahoy!" by designing their own Pictionary cards to play Pictionary with the Sphero RVR as the ‘drawing utensil’ that will be programmed to trace out images and/or symbols that students have chosen to represent vocabulary words.

Estimated time required: 2-3 class periods.

Technology required for this lesson: Code Editor, Laptop/Desktop, Robotics Kit, Tablet.

This lesson introduces students to autonomous programming with the Sphero RVR. Students will learn about self-driving vehicles and how they work. Then students will see how to program the Sphero RVR using the Block Program Type. Finally, students will revisit The Docks map from Unit 0 Lesson 2 (Pseudocode Algorithm Activity) and working in pairs will program their RVR to navigate three different Map Challenges (and optionally to create their own map challenges).

Estimated time required: 2-3 class periods.

Technology required for this lesson: Code Editor, Laptop/Desktop, Robotics Kit, Tablet.

Students will explore the basic human senses, animal senses and then make connections to senses and sensors in robotics. Students will learn about the cuttlefish, a marine organism that uses adaptive camouflage by sensing its surroundings and environment. Students will be introduced to the concept of biomimicry and how we can use nature-inspired ideas to create innovative solutions to real-world problems. Finally, students will learn about the Sphero RVR color sensor and how to write a program that emulates a biomimicry solution – the Cuttlefish Robot.

Estimated time required: 2-3 class periods.

Technology required for this lesson: Code Editor, Laptop/Desktop, Robotics Kit, Tablet.

Students will learn about swarm and group behaviors in animals and robotics, with real-world examples, why the behaviors are important in nature, and potential applications with robotics for real-world problems. Students will be introduced to Infrared (IR) communication, in general, and then specifically in its use with the Sphero RVR. Finally, students will practice using the IR sensor by working in groups of 4 or more to program Leader and Follower RVR that use IR sensors – transmitters and receivers – to communicate or ‘talk’ to each other.

Estimated time required: 2-3 class periods.

Technology required for this lesson: Code Editor, Laptop/Desktop, Robotics Kit, Tablet.

In this activity, students will rotate two-dimensional figures, including rectangles, triangles, circles, trapezoids, and curves, in the augmented reality environment to form three-dimensional figures. They will explore the rotating of the figures at different distances from the axis of rotation and observe the impacts on the rotated figures.

Estimated time required: 1-2 class periods.

Technology required for this lesson: Augmented Reality, Tablet or Smartphone.

In this lab activity, students will reinforce their learning about percentages as well as percent increase or percent decrease.

Estimated time required: 1 class period.

Technology required for this lesson: Laptop/Desktop, VR Headset (Optional).

In this lab activity, students will apply what they have learned about converting fractions into decimals as well as changing decimals into fractions.

Estimated time required: 1 class period.

Technology required for this lesson: Laptop/Desktop, VR Headset (Optional).

In this lab activity, students will specifically find out if the two variables compared are proportional and non-proportional as well as linear or non-linear.

Estimated time required: 1 class period.

Technology required for this lesson: Laptop/Desktop, VR Headset (Optional).

In this lesson, students will learn about the importance of soil health. Utilizing the Arcadia EDU app, discussions, and activities, students will experience how human activity impacts various substrate conditions and how this influences living conditions.

Estimated time required: 1 class period.

Technology required for this lesson: Augmented Reality, Smartphone, Tablet, Tablet or Smartphone.

In this lesson, students will learn about the importance of soil health. Utilizing the Arcadia EDU app, discussions, and activities, students will learn how action can be taken to protect and restore our soil.

Estimated time required: 1 class period.

Technology required for this lesson: Augmented Reality, Smartphone, Tablet, Tablet or Smartphone.

Students explore the world of George Clinton and his impact on the music industry through sampling. They will start with a 5-minute activity where they listen to George Clinton talk about sampling and summarize his views. Next, they'll listen to songs that have sampled George Clinton's music, comparing them to the original versions. Students then create their own beat or song using George Clinton's music. After class, students have at least 20 minutes to continue working on their beat or song and can choose to share it on Instagram, email it to the teacher, or submit it to Kinfolk Education for a chance to be featured on social media. This lesson provides students with a hands-on way to understand the significance of sampling in the music industry and the impact of influential figures like George Clinton.

Estimated time required: 1-2 class periods.

Technology required for this lesson: Augmented Reality, Internet Connectivity, Laptop/Desktop, Smartphone, Tablet, Tablet or Smartphone.

Students discuss the concept of enclaves and how it relates to Earthseed, Sun Ra, and P-Funk. Small groups are assigned different questions to focus on and explore further. In the 10-minute exploration session, students read articles and come up with insights to present to the class. Finally, the 7-minute wrap-up session includes watching a clip of Sun Ra on ancestors and reflecting on the importance of online communities in shaping Black Futures and challenging dominant narratives. An extension of 20+ minutes of work time is also recommended for students to complete a survey about time and memory and review key vocabulary.

Estimated time required: 1-2 class periods.

Technology required for this lesson: Augmented Reality, Internet Connectivity, Laptop/Desktop, Smartphone, Tablet, Tablet or Smartphone.

The solar system is BIG, but just how big? It can be difficult to conceptualize just how small planets are compared to the distances between them! In this lesson we’ll be making models to help us understand.

Estimated time required: 1-2 class periods.

Technology required for this lesson: .