This lesson includes resources provided by the following:
Joe Olayvar & Evelyn Lindberg in association with the Washington State Library
Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy from Carnegie Mellon University
📕 Click here to access the LEGO Mindstorms EV3 Programming Basics document in its entirety.
▶️ Click here to access the entire LEGO Mindstorms EV3 YouTube playlist from the Washington State Library.
🎓 Click here to access the free online EV3 course from Carnegie Mellon University.
Before you continue, ensure that you have completed the following builds:
Color Sensor (aka Color Sensor Down)
Before continuing, ensure that you have added the following app to your Chromebook:
LEGO® MINDSTORMS® Education EV3
No Chromebook? No problem! Similar software is available for a variety of platforms. See the LEGO MINDSTORMS software downloads page for details.
Move Straight (forward)
Within your EV3 programming software, connect a steering block to the start block on the canvas.
Configure the steering block as follows:
Mode: Number of Rotations
Power: 30
Rotations: 1
OTHERS: default settings
Run your program to ensure that it performs as expected.
📸 Document It: Capture a screenshot of your completed program and upload or paste it onto the Formative canvas.
Move Straight (backward)
Within your EV3 programming software, connect a steering block to the start block on the canvas.
Configure the steering block as follows:
Mode: Number of Rotations
Power: -30
Rotations: 1
OTHERS: default settings
Run your program to ensure that it performs as expected.
📸 Document It: Capture a screenshot of your completed program and upload or paste it onto the Formative canvas.
Make a 90-degree turn (right)
Within your EV3 programming software, connect a steering block to the start block on the canvas.
Configure the steering block as follows:
Mode: Number of Rotations
Direction: 50
Power: 30
Rotations: 1
OTHERS: default settings
Run your program to ensure that it performs as expected.
📸 Document It: Capture a screenshot of your completed program and upload or paste it onto the Formative canvas.
Make a 90-degree turn (left)
Within your EV3 programming software, connect a steering block to the start block on the canvas.
Configure the steering block as follows:
Mode: Number of Rotations
Direction: -50
Power: 30
Rotations: 1
OTHERS: default settings
Run your program to ensure that it performs as expected.
📸 Document It: Capture a screenshot of your completed program and upload or paste it onto the Formative canvas.
Move the Arm (up)
Within your EV3 programming software, connect a medium motor block to the start block on the canvas.
⚠️ Manually set the arm to its horizontal/down position.
Configure the steering block as follows:
Mode: Number of Rotations
Power: 30
Rotations: 0.3
OTHERS: default settings
Run your program to ensure that it performs as expected.
📸 Document It: Capture a screenshot of your completed program and upload or paste it onto the Formative canvas.
Move the Arm (up then down)
Within your EV3 programming software, create a program that raises the arm to its up/vertical position and then lowers it to its down/horizontal position.
⚠️ Manually set the arm to its down/horizontal position.
Run your program to ensure that it performs as expected.
📸 Document It: Capture a screenshot of your completed program and upload or paste it onto the Formative canvas.
Combine a Move and Arm Action
Within your EV3 programming software, connect a steering block and a medium motor block.
Configure the steering block to move straight at power 30 for 2 rotations.
Configure the medium motor block to lift the arm from its horizontal/down position to its vertical/up position.
⚠️ Manually set the arm to its down/horizontal position.
Run your program to ensure that it performs as expected.
📸 Document It: Capture a screenshot of your completed program and upload or paste it onto the Formative canvas.
Play Sounds
⚠️ Ensure that the sound on your computer is set loud enough to hear the sounds from your program.
Within your EV3 programming software, connect a sound block.
Configure the sound block to play a file from the LEGO Sound Files folder.
Run your program to ensure that it performs as expected.
📸 Document It: Capture a screenshot of your completed program and upload or paste it onto the Formative canvas.
Put it all together
⚠️ Manually set the arm to its down/horizontal position.
Within your EV3 programming software, create a program that:
Moves the robot straight forward for 3 rotations.
Raises the arm to its vertical/up position.
Plays an animal sound.
Turns the robot 180 degrees to the right.
Lowers the arm to is horizontal/down position.
Plays a triumphant sound.
Run your program to ensure that it performs as expected.
📸 Document It: Capture a screenshot of your completed program and upload or paste it onto the Formative canvas.
🧠 Retrieval Practice:
Summarize the content of this lesson. What topics, ideas, and vocabulary were introduced?
