Bot Builders camp plan
Use this page when running Bot Builders: Build & Code Your Robot as a 5-day camp.
At a glance
| Day | Blocks | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Setup, Stage 1, Stage 2 | Robots are built, paired, moving, and lighting up. |
| 2 | Stage 3, Stage 4, Stage 5 | Students add sound, distance sensing, and crash avoidance. |
| 3 | Stage 6, Stage 7, Stage 8 | Line following, manual control, and maze solving work. |
| 4 | Stage 9, Stage 10, catch-up | Students build sumo and soccer challenge behaviors. |
| 5 | Arena tests, repair, parent demo | Students show reliable robot behavior in a shared space. |
Minimum viable finish
A student should leave with a robot that drives, responds to one sensor, and completes one challenge.
Coach triage
- If hardware fails, swap batteries and cables before debugging code.
- If pairing is slow, run a small group demo while helpers fix devices.
- If a student is ahead, have them tune sensor thresholds for the actual room lighting.
Common stuck points
- Low batteries look like code bugs.
- Sensor values change with floor color and room lighting.
- Robots need a marked testing lane so they do not collide during debugging.