Defining the Problem

Discuss how important it is to understand other people’s struggles in order to identify schoolwide problems.
- What types of problems affect us ALL in some way, even if it does not appear so directly (e.g., litter, healthy food options)?
- Use examples from historical or current examples (e.g., civil rights movements, wildlife conservation).
Ask the class, “What kinds of problems do you run into around our school that are unjust or unfair?”
- Select student volunteers to call out a few example problems (e.g., school bullying, lack of nutrition in school lunches, too much waste).
Work with the class to brainstorm similar schoolwide problems. List the problems on the whiteboard or poster paper.
- Try to avoid smaller classroom problems and urge students to consider more universal problems that stem from larger social or emotional injustices.
- Do not judge ideas as good or bad at this time.
- Once you've gotten all ideas written down, read them aloud.
Discuss possible accessories that students could design for Dash to help solve some of the identified problems.
- Could Dash tell a story to teach students about the benefits of eating healthy foods?
- Could Dash help pick up litter after lunch?
Discuss how students could program Dash to demonstrate the accessory.
- Could you use a function to have Dash sing a song about healthy foods?
- Could you use a conditional to have Dash react to obstacles while picking up litter?