Session 5 — Robot Olympics, Event 1: Line Race

Opening concept: Fair competition requires fair rules. Engineers set the rules.

Activity:

• Line-following race on a shared, teacher-built track. Tight curves, figure-8 shape, one section with a gap.
• Students program Edison to follow the line as fast as possible. Speed vs. accuracy tradeoff.
• Heats and finals. Record times.
• Engineering debrief: what parameter changes affected speed? What caused failures?

Materials: Devices, USB cables, large line-track mat (black tape on butcher paper), timer