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🤖 Weeks 24-25: Dash Robot Adventures

Unit Overview
Grade Level Grades 1-2
Duration 2 sessions (30 min each)
STREAM Focus T (Technology), E (Engineering), M (Math)

Weeks 24-25: Dash Robot Adventures

🎯 Learning Objectives

STEM Objectives

Students will be able to: 1. Program Dash robot using block coding 2. Create sequences with multiple commands 3. Use loops to repeat actions 4. Navigate Dash through challenges

Faith Integration Objectives

Students will be able to: 1. Connect programming to following God's plan 2. Understand perseverance when code doesn't work 3. Practice patience and problem-solving as virtues

Weeks 24-25: Dash Robot Adventures

🙏 Faith-Reason Integration

Catholic Teaching Connection

Following God's Path — Just as we program robots to follow our commands, God has a plan for our lives. Sometimes the path isn't straight, but God guides us. We trust and follow, even when we can't see the end.

Scripture Connection

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." — Proverbs 3:5-6

Saint Connection

Blessed Carlo Acutis — A young tech-loving Catholic who used his computer skills to serve God. He showed that technology can be used for good and for faith.

📚 Materials Needed

  • Dash robots (1 per group of 2-3)

  • iPads with Blockly app

  • Floor tape for paths/mazes

  • Challenge cards

  • Construction paper for destinations

Session 1: Dash Basics & Paths

📝 Lesson Procedure (30 minutes)

Opening Prayer & Introduction (4 min)

Prayer: "Lord, help us learn to guide Dash today. Just like we program the robot, help us follow Your guidance in our lives. Give us patience when things don't work the first time. Amen."

Introduce Dash:

  • "Dash is a robot we can program!"

  • Show Dash's features: eyes, lights, sounds, wheels

  • "We'll use the Blockly app to tell Dash what to do"

Blockly Introduction (6 min)

Basic commands demonstration:

  • Move forward — Dash drives forward

  • Turn — Dash turns left or right

  • Light — Change Dash's eye color

  • Sound — Make Dash talk or make sounds

Show how to:

  • Drag blocks onto the workspace

  • Connect blocks together

  • Press "Start" to run the program

Guided Practice (8 min)

Challenge 1: Make Dash move forward and change color.

Together:

  • Drag "move forward" block

  • Add "set eye color" block

  • Run the program

Challenge 2: Make Dash move forward, turn, move forward.

Students try with partners.

Free Exploration (8 min)

Open exploration time:

  • Try different commands

  • Make Dash dance

  • Create a short program

Teacher circulates: "What did you make Dash do?"

Closing (4 min)

Share: Groups show one thing they programmed.

Faith Connection: "Programming takes patience! When something doesn't work, we try again. That's how it is with following God too — sometimes we make mistakes, but we keep trying!"

Closing Prayer: "Thank you, God, for the gift of learning. Help us be patient when things are hard. Amen."

Session 2: Dash Challenges

📝 Lesson Procedure (30 minutes)

Opening Prayer & Review (3 min)

Prayer: "Jesus, guide our minds and hands today. Help us work together and never give up. Amen."

Quick review: "What commands did we learn for Dash?"

Loop Introduction (5 min)

New concept: Loops

  • "A loop repeats commands over and over"

  • "Instead of putting the same block 5 times, we can use a loop!"

Demonstrate:

  • Show "repeat" block

  • Put actions inside loop

  • "Repeat 4 times: move forward, turn right" = a square!

Challenge Course Setup (2 min)

Set up floor challenges:

  • Simple path with tape

  • Start and end points marked

  • Optional obstacles

Challenge Time (15 min)

Teams work on challenges:

Challenge 1: Follow the Path

  • Program Dash to follow the taped path

  • Start to finish without going off track

Challenge 2: Navigate Around

  • Program Dash around an obstacle

  • Return to starting area

Challenge 3: Shape Drawing (if time)

  • Make Dash trace a square or triangle

Teacher support:

  • "What do you need Dash to do first?"

  • "How will you fix that?"

  • "Try it and see what happens!"

Celebration & Reflection (5 min)

Teams share successes.

Reflection:

  • "What was challenging?"

  • "How did you solve problems?"

  • "What would you do differently?"

Faith Connection: "When your program didn't work, you didn't give up — you tried again! That's called perseverance. God wants us to keep trying, even when following Him seems hard. He's always there to help us get back on track!"

Closing Prayer: "Thank you, God, for robots and coding and learning. Thank You for friends who help us figure things out. Help us follow Your path with trust and perseverance. Amen."

✅ Assessment

Session 1

  • Created a simple Dash program

  • Used at least 2 different commands

  • Participated in exploration

Session 2

  • Attempted challenge course

  • Used loops in programming

  • Demonstrated perseverance in debugging

📎 Home Connection

"We programmed Dash robots! Ask your child: 'What did you make Dash do?' 'What was tricky?' 'How did you solve problems?' Talk about how we can persevere in life — keep trying even when things are hard, trusting God to guide us!"

Unit Version: 1.0 | Last Updated: 2025-12-05