SPIKE™ Prime Set

The Coach

Design, build and program a training coach in order to improve the process of mastering something.

120+ min.
Intermed.
Years 7-9 or Key Stage 3
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Lesson plan

1. Prepare

  • Read through the pupil material in the LEGO® Education SPIKE App.
  • Plan accordingly, this project is designed to be completed over multiple classes.

Part A

2. Engage (10 Min.)

  • Use the ideas in the Ignite a Discussion section below to engage your pupils in a discussion relating to this lesson.
  • Explain the lesson.

3. Explore (35-55 Min.)

  • Have your pupils work in pairs to brainstorm about something they'd like to become an expert at.
  • Ask them to think about things that they could invent to help them.
  • Make sure that they incorporate the use of data in their idea.
    *Allow them some time to make prototypes with the bricks.

4. Explain (10 Min.)

  • Ask your pupils to build and program their training device.
  • Have them put together a demo of their training program.
  • Remind them to describe their trainer and their goals.

Part B

5. Elaborate (60 Min.)

  • Facilitate a sharing session in which everybody gets to present their training program and what their trainer is good at (or not so good at).

6. Evaluate

  • Give feedback on each pupil's performance.
  • In order to simplify the process, you can use the assessment rubrics that have been provided.

Ignite a Discussion

Start a discussion about how to become an expert at something. Ask relevant questions. Here are some examples:

  • What's something that you'd like to become an expert at?
  • How do people use apps to master new skills?
  • How data is used in training apps to track a person's progress?

Building Tips

Open-Ended Solutions
This project is designed so that every pupil or team can have a unique solution.

Example Solution
Here's an idea that you could use to inspire your pupils' design process.

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Coding Tips

Main Program

SPIKE Life Hacks The Coach Teacher Solution - en-gb

Differentiation

Simplify this lesson by:

  • Having the teams work on a specific topic (e.g. training for a marathon), this will allow teams to share ideas and to help each other
  • Providing specific programs that you'd like them to use in their projects

Take this lesson to the next level by:

  • Asking the teams to develop a real training program for a real person

    ▷ Have them conduct interviews with the person in order to identify their needs, and then verify whether they've developed an appropriate solution

Assessment Opportunities

Teacher Observation Checklist
Establish a scale that suits your needs, for example:

  1. Partially accomplished
  2. Fully accomplished
  3. Overachieved

Use the following success criteria to evaluate your pupils' progress:

  • The pupils are able to identify the key elements of a problem.
  • The pupils are autonomous in developing a working and creative solution.
  • The pupils are able to communicate their ideas clearly.

Self-Assessment

Have each pupil choose the brick that they feel best represents their performance.

  • Blue: I've successfully created a training program for my favourite activity.
  • Yellow: I've successfully created a training program that solves the problem in a creative way.
  • Violet: I've successfully created a training program that solves the problem in a creative way and I've presented my ideas clearly.

Peer-Assessment
Encourage your pupils to provide feedback to one another by:

  • Having one pupil use the coloured brick scale above to score another pupil’s performance
  • Asking them to present constructive feedback to one another so that they can improve their group’s performance during the next lesson
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Language Arts Extension

To incorporate the development of language arts skills:

  • Ask your pupils to use text, images, sketches, etc. to record their design process, creating an Inventor Notebook to document their work.
  • Have them create a website presenting their training program.

The pupils who enjoyed this lesson might be interested in exploring these career pathways:

  • Healthcare Science (Medical and Health Careers)
  • Information Technology (Computer Programming)
  • Information Technology (Game Programming)
  • Information Technology (IT Applications)
  • Education and Training (Teaching)

Teacher Support

The pupils will:

  • Design a solution that can help to improve everyday life

LEGO® Education SPIKE Prime Set

Algorithms

  • Designs solutions (algorithms) that use repetition and two-way selection i.e. if, then and else. (AL)
  • Understands that iteration is the repetition of a process such as a loop. (AL)

Programming & Development

  • Uses post-tested loop e.g. ‘until’, and a sequence of selection statements in programs, including an if, then and else statement. (AL)
  • Understands the difference between, and appropriately uses if and if, then and else statements. (AL)
  • Uses a variable and relational operators within a loop to govern termination. (AL) (GE)

Pupil Material

Student Worksheet

Download, view or share as an online HTML page or a printable PDF.