Day 2 | Ice-Breaking Activity: The “Hardware Treasure Hunt.”
Time: 9:30 AM – 10:00 AM (Before Session 1)
Objective: Familiarize students with the components in their kits and their technical names.
1. The Component “Speed-Meet.”
Ask the students to open their kits. Hold up one item at a time from your master list and have them find the matching part in their box.
- The Motor Driver: “Find the red board with the big black ‘chimney’ (heatsink). This is the L298N motor driver—the muscles of our robot”.
- The Power Source: “Locate the long, cylindrical blue/green batteries. These are 18650 Li-ion cells. They pack enough punch to move our motors”.
- The Mechanical Frame: “Hold up the clear or black plastic plates. This is your Acrylic Chassis”.
2. Mystery Component Challenge
To test their memory from Day 1 and spark curiosity for Day 2, ask the following:
- Challenge 1: “Find the component that looks like two tiny eyes.” (Answer: Ultrasonic Sensor) .
- Challenge 2: “Find the smallest motor in your kit that isn’t for the wheels.” (Answer: 9G Servo Motor) .
- Challenge 3: “Find the part that allows the robot to turn in any direction without a motor.” (Answer: Castor Wheel) .
3. The “Hardware Safety” Briefing
While they explore the boxes, establish two “Golden Rules” for the workshop:
- The Short-Circuit Rule: Never let the red (Positive) and black (Negative) wires of the battery touch each other directly.
- The “Check Twice, Power Once” Rule: Always show the mentor your wiring before plugging in the battery or USB cable.