Lesson-by-Lesson Engineering Entries
Lesson-by-Lesson Engineering Entries ✍️
This page explains the engineering entry sheets you complete during assignment lessons.
These entries are your record of what actually happened while you designed, built, tested and improved your VEX IQ Gen 2 rover. They are not a memory dump at the end of the project. They are written evidence from the engineering process itself.
✅ Minimum requirement
You will have 10 assignment lessons. Your final portfolio must include at least 8 completed engineering entries unless you were sick or away with prior permission.
📌 Every lesson you attend
You must complete an engineering entry for every assignment lesson you attend. If you are in class, you are collecting evidence.
Important: this is individual handwritten evidence
The rover prototype may be group work, but your engineering entries are individual. You may talk with your partner about what happened, but your entry must be written in your own words.
Entries must be handwritten during class. They must not be copied from your partner or written later from memory.
How each entry sheet works
Each engineering entry sheet has space for the story of one assignment lesson. You are not just listing tasks. You are explaining what happened, what you noticed, what changed, and what evidence you recorded.
| Entry section | What to write |
|---|---|
| What I/we did today | Record what you built, coded, designed, tested, measured or changed. Be specific about the part of the rover or code you worked on. |
| Problem, test or checkpoint | Describe one important problem, test or checkpoint from the lesson. This might be something that failed, something you tested, or a key stage you reached. |
| What I noticed and thought | Explain what you observed and what you think may have caused the result, problem or behaviour. |
| What changed or was fixed | Explain what you changed, adjusted, rebuilt, re-coded or repaired. Include why you made that choice. |
| Result and next step | Record what happened after the test or change. Then explain what should happen next lesson. |
| Evidence space | Use this for a labelled sketch, labelled diagram, measurement, test result, code note, observation or photo reference. |
| Teacher feedback / sign-off | Get feedback or sign-off before the entry goes into your folder. This is part of your draft feedback and assessment evidence. |
Entry code
The entry code is a quick way to check that your entry has the required parts.
Date and lesson title
What you did
Problem, test or checkpoint
What you noticed and thought
What changed or was fixed
Result and next step
Evidence
Teacher sign-off / feedback
Strong entry example
Date: 24 April
Lesson: Assignment Lesson 2 - build and drivetrain testing
Partner: Sam
What we did: Built the main frame and attached the drivetrain. We tested both wheels by hand before connecting the motors.
Problem/test/checkpoint: The right wheel spun freely but the left wheel rubbed against the frame.
What I noticed and thought: The axle on the left side was not sitting in the same position as the right side. I thought the axle placement was causing the rubbing.
What changed/fixed: We removed the left wheel, adjusted the axle position, reattached the wheel and tested it again.
Result and next step: The wheel turned properly after the axle was moved. Next lesson we need to finish the object mechanism.
Evidence: labelled sketch of the wheel and axle, with an arrow showing where the axle moved.
Weak entry example
Build lesson
built robot
it was hard
fixed it
This is weak because it does not explain what was built, what the problem was, what was noticed, what changed, what happened after the fix, or what evidence was recorded.
Teacher feedback / sign-off
The sign-off box is not just about a signature. It lets your teacher give you quick draft feedback on whether your entry is complete or what needs strengthening.
If your teacher marks that more detail is needed, improve the entry before final submission. A signed entry should still be clear, specific and useful.
End-of-lesson routine
- Complete your engineering entry during the lesson.
- Add evidence such as a sketch, test result, code note, observation or photo reference.
- Ask for teacher feedback/sign-off before the end of the lesson.
- Place the completed entry sheet in your manila folder in order.
- Update your engineering entry progress tracker in the Starter Pack.
Before moving on
Your engineering entries should tell the story of your rover changing over time. A strong folder shows problems, tests, decisions, fixes and evidence, not just a list of things you built.