Introducing the Newest Olympians: Dash, Dot, and Cue Robots!

Representing the Global Coding Community

Friday, Feb. 9, marks the opening of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics! And, not surprisingly, Dash, Dot, and Cuehave decided to show off their skills by competing in not just one or two, but several of the winter sports.

Carrie Willis (@carriewillis18) and Chris Berry from Valley Preparatory School hooked their students into the Winter Games with a familiar theme song!

How will you have your students participate, too? First, you may want to have students research the country they’d like to represent! Then, challenge them to redesign their country’s flag by incorporating some Dash, Dot, and Cue artwork. (See our photos folder on Facebook for some digital artwork files!)

Next, join in the Olympic fun and games!

Dash Olympics! #teacholympics #nonfiction #csforall #inelearn @WonderWorkshop pic.twitter.com/2kxlMhBiGO

— Allison Schalk (@MrsSchalkLHS) February 7, 2018

Alpine skiing: Dash and Cue love downhill skiing! Use cones, cups, or flags to create a giant slalom course. Mark a starting line with masking tape and have your class count down to the start. See whose program leads Dash or Cue to carve the most elegant curves across your linoleum or rug snowfield.

Edited: 3rd Graders participating in The Dash Robot Winter #Olympics Slalom Ski event! @WonderWorkshop More Info: https://t.co/iPkO1hWOIs @TpTdotcom pic.twitter.com/q6570GOapS

— Lindsey Bishop (@lbishop510) January 31, 2018

Biathlon: Turn your alpine course into a cross-country course, add some targets, and you have the ever-fascinating biathlon! Set up targets with cups and use the Launcher accessory to replicate this Scandinavian tradition.

Figure skating: Sync up two Dash robots to one program (possible in Blockly, Wonder, Xylo, or Path) for some pairs skating: Code both robots to “glide” with graceful curves and spins. Or use the Connecting Block Connectors to have Dash carry Dot over its head during some beautiful ice dancing in sharp figure eights. Students can choose their skate music or program Dash to play some original music on the Xylophone!

Winter Olympics challenge with @WonderWorkshop! Students will be using #Dash and #Dot to compete in #curling, #figureskating, #skiing, and #speedskating @MuraokaCVESD #SMEdigitalmedia @CVESDShift @CVESDNews pic.twitter.com/FTPfoyptng

— Dawn (@dawn_seiter) February 2, 2018

We are celebrating the Olympics in the library today! Working with gr4’s in @3kidzmum’s class @allistonunion to create “figure skating” routines with @WonderWorkshop’s Dash! #measurement #geometry #problemsolving #coding pic.twitter.com/kw7Ml5A34C

— Jess Longthorne (@LongthorneJess) February 9, 2018

Bobsledding: Create a course with sharp curves for Cue or Dash. Build two block walls and have the robots navigate between them. Make it a race and time each student’s attempt through the course so that they need to balance speed and precision, just like the bobsled teams!

Ice hockey: Create an L-shaped attachment using DIY materials — think LEGOs, craft sticks, and pipe cleaners — and attach it to Dash or Cue with the Building Brick Connectors. Program the robot to move its head to advance and shoot a “puck” (use a checker!) into a “net.” Can you have Dash or Cue robots work in teams to advance the puck?

Curling: For the sport similar to ice hockey (but not!), craft a stick-like apparatus and have teams of four Dashes or Cues take turns pushing the “curling stones” or “curling rocks” (checkers again!) into their opponents’ concentric circles — don’t they look like our CleverBots’ eyes? You could use the Bulldozer Bar, too.

The Curling event at Dash Winter Olympics at @hillviewreads! @WonderWorkshop. #JEFCOED #redefiningready #morethanascore pic.twitter.com/12epNyB2eV

— Amanda Dykes (@amandacdykes) February 5, 2018

Exhibition event: Test out a new sport this winter — the Snowball Toss! With a skill set honed in its early robot days, Dash can use the Launcher to toss “snowballs” through snow-covered hoops and baskets (think cups, bins, and trash cans). Or have your classroom design an exhibition event of their own!

Gearing up for the #Olympics with our @Frippsfalcons @WonderWorkshop we will be #coding #dash to play #hockey all next week. Stay tuned for the excitement #frippsrocks #adst #think35 pic.twitter.com/bOOyOYyNT7

— Jennifer Fernandes (@jfernj) February 6, 2018

Let the games begin! Share your Olympic trials with us @WonderWorkshop and use the hashtag #WonderOlympics.