Bowling Bots Challenge

Thymio Bowling Lesson Key Concepts

Turn Thymio into a bowling robot and explore how robotics, programming, and design work together! This lesson focuses on building, coding, and improving performance using Thymio and simple materials:

• Build bowling pins using LEGO or toy pins.
• Create a program in Scratch or VPL3 to knock down pins automatically.
• Test how timing, movement, and design affect performance.
• Advanced: Add LEGO attachments to improve reach and power.
• Advanced: Try to knock down more pins with a single program.

Lesson Overview

In this lesson, students will:

1. Build a set of bowling pins.
2. Create a program that moves Thymio to knock them down.
3. Test and adjust timing, speed, and direction.
4. Improve their robot or program to increase success.

By the end of this lesson, students will understand how programming and design affect movement and results.

Important Notes:

Do not use the remote control. The robot must run using a program only.

Tips for this Lesson:

1. Start with a few pins before adding more.
2. Test your program step by step.
3. Adjust speed and timing for better accuracy.
4. Try different attachments to improve performance.

Products/Materials

The following products and resources can be used in this lesson:

FUN FACT!

Did you know that many robots use pre-programmed movements to complete tasks automatically? Just like your bowling robot, they follow instructions to perform actions without human control!

Download the Lesson PDF Files Below:

Check out the video tutorial/solutions below: