In this project, students will utilize multiplication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills track scores in the RoboToss Game. Students will construct the robot and use multiplication to figure out how many points were scored. This project works very well both as a whole group project and as a math station.

 

 

1. Building the Robot

Please view the activity Robot Machine: RoboToss Game for instructions on building and programming the robot.

2. Setup the Game

Students will be tossing hacky sacks from about 5 feet away from the robot. Create a line using tape or Rectangle Connectors that students can stand behind.

Print out the score sheets found here. Each student will need their own score sheet.

Arrange for students to be in groups of 3, although this project can also be done individually or in pairs.

Give each group of students hacky sacks to toss.

3. Playing the Game

Students will take turns tossing 10 hacky sacks into the robot. Depending on where the hacky sack lands the student will score points.
 

In the example above, students would score 1 point for landing it in the center cube, 2 points for landing in the U Connector cubes, and 3 points for landing in the L Connector cubes. Each student will keep track of scores similar to the example below.
 

Student: Joy	Hacky Sacks Made	Point Value	Total Points
Center Cube	3	1	3
U Connector Cube	2	2	4
L Connector Cube	1	3	3
		Final Total:

After a student has thrown 10 hacky sacks, each student will record the scores on their individual score sheets.

At the end, award the winning team or student one of Barobo's Linkbot Stickers.
 

 If students are having difficulty making an acceptable amount of hacky sacks into the robot, increase the number of hacky sacks the students toss to 10.
 

 If the students are still struggling, move the distance away from the robot to 3 feet instead of 5 feet.
 

4. Applying Math

Students will use multiplication to find their total score. In the score sheet above, Joy scored 3 hacky sacks in the center cube, 2 hacky sacks in the U Connector Cube, and 1 hacky sacks in the L Connector cube.

To find Joy's totals in the center cube, multiple the number of hacky sacks scored by the value of that cube. Joy scored 3 hacky sacks into the center cube worth 1 point each, so the total would be 3 x 1 = 3. Students will continue this process for each of the cubes.

At the end, students will add the totals of each cube to find the total points scored. For Joy, her totals from each cube were 3 + 4 + 3, so 10 points total.

5. Extensions

Adjust the scoring of each cube to use multiplication with different numbers. For example,
 

By changing the values of each cube, students are able to practice multiplication with any number. This extension works very well with multiplication fact fluency.