Year 9 Digital TechnologiesUnits 1 and 2
YEAR 9 DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES • WEEK 5

Finish, Stack, Engineer, and Code the Cube Collector

This week starts with a practical catch-up and testing lesson. Some groups still need to finish the Cube Collector Clawbot, while others are ready to begin Stack and Score. Once the robot is working, you will investigate the tipping problem and engineer a more reliable solution.

After the robot is physically more reliable, you will move into autonomous coding for cube collection and scoring.

💻 VEXCODE HELP

Use this if you need help opening VEXcode, connecting your robot, configuring devices, downloading a project, or checking robot setup.

Open VEXcode help
📘 NOTEBOOK GUIDE

Use this if you need a reminder about how to record build progress, testing, changes, evidence, and reflection properly.

Open notebook guide
🐍 PYTHON API

Use this if you are checking Python-style function calls or building an extension version of your autonomous code.

Open Python API
🎯 THIS WEEK
  • finish building or checking the Cube Collector Clawbot
  • start or revisit Stack and Score using driver control
  • observe when the arm, claw, or stacked cubes make the robot unstable
  • engineer and test one improvement to reduce tipping, wobbling, or dropping
  • prepare for autonomous cube collection using path planning
  • test movement, arm, and claw actions separately before combining them
📘 ENGINEERING NOTEBOOK

Your notebook is evidence this week. It should show both engineering design and coding progress.

  • build progress or build checks
  • Stack and Score test results
  • the tipping or dropping problem you observed
  • your suspected cause
  • the change your group tested
  • path plans and autonomous code testing
✅ BY THE END OF WEEK 5
  • your Cube Collector Clawbot should be built or checked
  • your group should have attempted Stack and Score
  • your group should have recorded the arm/claw stability problem
  • your group should have tested one engineering improvement
  • your group should have started autonomous movement planning or coding
📌 IMPORTANT
  • Do not add random parts without a reason.
  • Do not change lots of things at once.
  • Do not optimise speed before the robot is reliable.
  • Do not start full autonomous coding until movement, arm, and claw tests work separately.
Lesson 1: Catch up, Stack and Score, then observe the problem
📝 TODAY'S RECORDING

Record where your group started, what you completed, how Stack and Score went, and what physical problem you noticed when using the arm and claw.

🧭 CHOOSE YOUR STARTING POINT

Different groups are at different stages. Start in the section that matches your group.

Still building?
Finish the Clawbot build and get a teacher build check before driving.
Built but not tested?
Start Driver Control and practise drive, arm, and claw movement.
Already driving?
Begin Stack and Score, then record the arm/claw stability problem.
🔧 WHAT TO DO
  1. If your robot is unfinished, complete the Cube Collector Clawbot build first.
  2. Check the arm and claw move freely before driving.
  3. Start the Driver Control program on the Brain.
  4. Practise driving, turning, lifting the arm, lowering the arm, opening the claw, and closing the claw.
  5. Set up the Stack and Score practice activity.
  6. Use driver control to pick up and move one cube.
  7. Try to stack or score cubes carefully.
  8. After your first serious Stack and Score attempt, test what happens when the robot lifts or carries stacked cubes.
  9. Watch for tipping, wobbling, dropping, arm strain, or unstable driving.
  10. Record the engineering problem and one possible cause in your notebook.
⚠️ ENGINEERING PROBLEM TO NOTICE AFTER STACK AND SCORE

When the Clawbot lifts or carries stacked cubes, it may tip forward, wobble, or drop the cubes. This is not just a driving problem. It is a design and strategy problem.

Try to figure out why this is happening. And then plan (in your engineering notebook) and execute an engineered solution that might solve the problem.

 

First, collect good evidence: when does it happen, what changes it, and what might be causing it?

Second, note it down in your engineering notebook and try to plan a solution

Third, build that solution into your bot

✍️ WHAT TO WRITE IN YOUR ENGINEERING NOTEBOOK
  1. Write the date and lesson title: Lesson 1 - Catch up, Stack and Score, then observe the problem.
  2. Record your starting point: still building, built but not tested, or ready for Stack and Score.
  3. Record what your group completed today.
  4. Record one Driver Control result.
  5. Record one Stack and Score result.
  6. Describe what happened when the robot lifted, carried, or stacked cubes.
  7. Write any possible causes of tipping, wobbling, or dropping.
  8. Write one idea your group might test next lesson.
✅ WHAT COUNTS AS FINISHED
  • build progress or build check completed
  • Driver Control tested
  • Stack and Score attempted if robot is ready
  • arm/claw stability problem observed
  • possible cause recorded
  • teacher notebook check completed
🛟 IF YOU GET STUCK
  • If the build is unfinished, do not skip to scoring.
  • If the robot does not drive, check battery, Controller pairing, and motor ports.
  • If the arm jams, check the build before forcing it.
  • If the cube drops, check claw grip and arm height.
  • If the robot tips, slow down and observe exactly when it happens.
🚀 IF YOU FINISH EARLY
  • attempt Speed Stack
  • compare two driver strategies
  • test whether lower arm height improves stability
  • sketch one possible engineering modification for next lesson
Lesson 2: Engineer a better solution and re-test
🧰 USE THESE RESOURCES
🎯 TODAY'S CHALLENGE

Use yesterday's evidence to engineer a better way to lift, carry, stack, or score cubes. Your solution must be tested, not just guessed.

🔧 WHAT TO DO
  1. Start with your Lesson 1 observation notes.
  2. Choose one cause your group thinks is most important.
  3. Choose one engineering improvement to test.
  4. Change only one main thing at a time.
  5. Test the robot again using the same cube setup.
  6. Record whether the change helped, made no difference, or made the robot worse.
  7. Run Stack and Score again using the improved robot or strategy.
  8. Decide whether to keep, change, or reject your idea.
  9. If your robot is now reliable enough, open the autonomous preparation resource.
  10. Begin planning how the robot could complete part of the task without driver control.
💡 POSSIBLE SOLUTION TYPES

There is not one correct answer. Your group must choose an idea, test it, and use evidence.

Lower the arm height when carrying cubes
Slow the arm or drivetrain movement
Change how the claw grips the cube
Reduce sudden turns while carrying cubes
Add support or stabilising structure
Change the strategy so cubes are pushed or carried lower
✍️ WHAT TO WRITE IN YOUR ENGINEERING NOTEBOOK
  1. Write the date and lesson title: Lesson 2 - Engineer a better solution and re-test.
  2. Describe the problem your group is trying to fix.
  3. Write your suspected cause.
  4. Sketch or describe your proposed improvement.
  5. Record the test setup.
  6. Record the test result.
  7. Write whether the change helped.
  8. Write whether your group will keep, change, or reject the idea.
  9. Start an autonomous path plan if your robot is ready.
✅ WHAT COUNTS AS FINISHED
  • one suspected cause selected
  • one improvement tested
  • before-and-after evidence recorded
  • Stack and Score re-tested if robot is ready
  • autonomous planning started if robot is ready
  • teacher notebook check completed
🛟 IF YOU GET STUCK
  • Check whether the robot tips because the arm is too high.
  • Check whether the cube is held too far forward.
  • Check whether speed or sudden turning makes the problem worse.
  • Check whether the build is loose or uneven.
  • Ask for a build check before adding new parts.
🚀 IF YOU FINISH EARLY
  • test your improvement twice in a row
  • compare two improvement ideas
  • measure whether the robot succeeds more reliably
  • start the autonomous path plan for Coding for Cubes
Lesson 3: Autonomous coding for cubes
🧰 USE THESE RESOURCES
  • Cube Collector Lesson 3: Coding for Autonomous Movements Introduction
  • Cube Collector Lesson 3: Coding for Autonomous Movements Learn
  • Cube Collector Lesson 3: Coding for Autonomous Movements Practice
  • Preparing for Autonomous Challenges Lesson Summary
  • Path Planning Lesson Summary
  • [Spin for] Lesson Summary - Blocks
  • Coding for Cubes Challenge Activity
🎯 TODAY'S CHALLENGE

Move from driver control to autonomous coding. Your robot should complete a planned sequence using code, not controller driving.

🔧 WHAT TO DO
  1. Open the Coding for Autonomous Movements resources.
  2. Start from your path plan, not from random blocks.
  3. Create a movement-only test first.
  4. Test one drive or turn section from the same starting position each time.
  5. Add an arm-only or claw-only test.
  6. Combine the first working movement with the first working arm or claw action.
  7. Record the result.
  8. Make one change only, then test again.
  9. When your smaller sections work, attempt the Coding for Cubes challenge.
  10. If your block code is reliable, use the Python API reference as an extension.
✍️ WHAT TO WRITE IN YOUR ENGINEERING NOTEBOOK
  1. Write the date and lesson title: Lesson 3 - Autonomous coding for cubes.
  2. Draw or update your autonomous path plan.
  3. Write your movement-only test.
  4. Record whether the robot moved correctly.
  5. Write your arm or claw test.
  6. Record whether the arm or claw action worked.
  7. Record the first combined test.
  8. Write one change you made after testing.
  9. Record whether the change helped.
✅ WHAT COUNTS AS FINISHED
  • path plan used before coding
  • movement-only test completed
  • arm or claw test completed
  • combined routine attempted
  • testing evidence recorded
  • teacher check completed
🛟 IF YOU GET STUCK
  • Go back to the last section that worked.
  • Test movement without the arm first.
  • Test the arm or claw without driving first.
  • Check whether the problem is path, turn amount, arm height, claw timing, or robot stability.
  • Do not change speed, distance, turn angle, and arm timing all at once.
🚀 IF YOU FINISH EARLY
  • improve your path so the robot wastes less movement
  • make the robot succeed twice in a row
  • add a repeated section where appropriate
  • translate one working block sequence into Python
  • compare your block logic with the Python function calls

📍 Looking ahead

Next, we will keep building autonomous routines as we work on your assessment. The key idea is that reliable robotics needs both good code and a physical robot that can actually perform the task.

Keep your improved Cube Collector Clawbot assembled, save your best code file, and make sure your notebook clearly shows your build, engineering, and coding evidence.