Get the Gold!

LEGO® Education Computer Science & AI Grade 3 - 5

Unit 1 • Lesson 1

Student Sheet

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Mission

A treasure of gold is waiting!

Your job is to build a horse and carriage, then write a program that helps your robot travel from the castle to the gold and safely back home again.

Along the way, you'll learn one of the most important ideas in computer science:

Sequences

Every computer program follows a sequence of instructions. If the instructions are in the wrong order, the robot won't do what you expect!

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New Vocabulary

Sequence

A sequence is a list of steps that happen in a specific order.

Think about:

• Making cereal
• Brushing your teeth
• Walking to school

If you do the steps in the wrong order, things won't work very well!

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Troubleshoot

To troubleshoot means to find a problem, figure out what caused it, and fix it.

Great programmers don't expect their code to work perfectly the first time.

They test.
They learn.
They improve.

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Warm-Up Questions

Before you start building, think about these questions.

1. What steps do you take to get from your home to school or to a park?

Try writing them in order.

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2. What steps do you take to brush your teeth?

Can someone else follow your instructions exactly?

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Build Your Robot

Follow the building instructions from:

Book B1
Page 16

Take your time building carefully.

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Build Challenge

Can you make your model even better?

Try adding:

• A cargo carrier for carrying gold
• Decorations to make your castle look impressive

Be creative!

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Coding Time

Go to:

code.LEGOEducation.com

Enter PIN:

1202

Run the example program.

Watch carefully.

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Think Before You Code

What do you think this sequence does?

Talk with your partner before pressing Run.

Were you correct?

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Your Challenge

Create a sequence that helps your robot:

• Start at the castle
• Travel to the gold
• Pick up the treasure
• Return safely to the castle

Remember...

Computers only do exactly what you tell them.

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Test Your Program

Run your code.

Did it work?

If not:

• Change one thing.
• Test again.
• Keep improving.

That is what programmers do every day!

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Reflection

Answer these questions after you finish.

1. What steps do you take to get from your home to a park or school?

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2. What steps do you take to brush your teeth?

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3. What do you think the example sequence does?

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4. Write your own sequence that moves the robot from the castle to the gold and back to the castle.

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5. Did you encounter any problems?

How did you troubleshoot them?

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Challenge Yourself!

Can you make your robot:

• Take a different path
• Travel faster
• Add extra turns
• Pick up two pieces of gold
• Return to the castle using fewer commands

Programmers are always looking for better solutions!

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Congratulations!

You just learned how to use sequences to control a robot.

Every game, app, website, and robot uses sequences to tell computers exactly what to do.

You are thinking like a computer scientist!

https://youtu.be/y3-KUJsUurY

LEGO Education Computer Science & AI Kit: The Ultimate Getting Started Guide

You Placed Your Order and the Kit is on the Way... Now What?

Congratulations! You've ordered the LEGO Education Computer Science & AI Set. Whether you're a classroom teacher, homeschool parent, after-school educator, or robotics enthusiast, you're about to unlock dozens of engaging STEM lessons that teach coding, engineering, artificial intelligence, and problem-solving through hands-on building.

But before you dive into your first lesson, there are a few important steps that will make your experience smooth and successful.

This guide walks you through everything you need to do before building your first robot.

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Step 1: Create Your Free LEGO Education Teacher Account

Before your kit even arrives, head over to LEGO Education and create a free teacher account.

Why?

Because all lesson plans, teaching guides, presentations, and instructional materials are housed within the LEGO Education platform.

With a free account, you'll gain access to:

• Complete lesson plans
• Teacher guides
• Student activities
• Curriculum resources
• Computer Science & AI learning progression

Creating your account early means you'll be ready to start teaching the moment your kit arrives.

What to Do

1. Visit the LEGO Education website.
2. Create a free educator account.
3. Verify your email address.
4. Log in and explore the Computer Science & AI lesson library.
5. Bookmark the lessons you'll want to teach first.

Sprattronics Tip: Spend a few minutes reviewing the overall lesson progression before your kit arrives so you'll already understand the learning objectives.

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Step 2: Unbox Your Computer Science & AI Kit

Your kit has arrived!

Now comes the fun part.

Take some time to unpack everything and familiarize yourself with the components.

Inside the kit you'll find:

• Motors
• Sensors
• LEGO building elements
• Storage trays
• Charging cord
• Step by Step Build Instructions

As you unpack:

Check Your Inventory

Make sure all components are included and undamaged.

Organize the Pieces

The trays are designed to keep parts sorted and easy to find.

Charge Everything

Before your first lesson, charge:

• Smart Controller
• Motors
• Sensors (if applicable)

Starting with fully charged devices prevents interruptions later.

Bookmark the LEGO Education Coding Canvas

Go to CODE.LEGOEducation.com on the computer or tablet you'll be using.

Explore the interface.

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Step 3: Update the Firmware

This is the step many people skip—and it's often the reason they run into problems.

Firmware is the software built into your hardware devices.

Updating firmware ensures:

✅ Better performance

✅ Improved reliability

✅ Access to the newest features

✅ Fewer connection issues

✅ Compatibility with current lessons

Before You Begin

You'll need:

• Your Smart Controller
• Motors
• Sensors
• Internet-connected computer
• Fully charged components

Firmware Update Process

1. Open the LEGO Education Coding Canvas
2. Click the BLUE Connect Button in the top right corner.
3. Select the component you will be connecting.
4. Follow the firmware update prompts.
5. Update every motor and sensor.
6. Wait for each update to complete before disconnecting devices.

Take your time during this process.

A fully updated kit will save you countless troubleshooting headaches later.

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Step 4: Complete Your First Lesson — Inputs and Outputs

Now it's time to build your first robot.

The Robot Rookie lesson is designed as a beginner-friendly introduction to the Computer Science & AI platform.

This lesson introduces students to:

• Building instructions
• Inputs and outputs
• Motors
• Color sensors
• Basic Sequences
• Testing and iteration

What Students Build

Students create a Robot Server and Color Scanner.

The robot uses a color sensor to detect different colored bars and then responds using motor outputs.

Key Learning Concepts

Students discover that:

Inputs are information coming into the robot.

Examples:

• Colors detected by the sensor
• Button presses
• Sensor readings

Outputs are actions performed by the robot.

Examples:

• Motor movement
• Sounds
• Lights
• Screen messages

Through experimentation, students begin making predictions about how different inputs affect outputs.

This foundational understanding becomes the basis for future coding and AI lessons.

Challenge Extension

After completing the guided activity, encourage students to:

• Create their own color sequences.
• Predict outputs before running programs.
• Improve the reliability of their design.
• Trade sequences with someone else and see if they can accomplish the same outcome.

This engineering mindset is how we maximize your education!

Here is a student worksheet to track your learning and log your discoveries!

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What's Next?

Once you've completed Robot Rookie, you're officially up and running with LEGO Education Computer Science & AI.

From here, you'll continue exploring:

• Programming fundamentals
• Sensors and data
• Robotics engineering
• Artificial intelligence concepts
• Real-world problem solving

Each lesson builds upon the skills introduced in Robot Rookie.

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Your LEGO CS & AI Launch Checklist

☐ Create your free LEGO Education account

☐ Explore the lesson library

☐ Unbox and organize your kit

☐ Charge all components

☐ Bookmark the LEGO Education Coding Canvas

☐ Update firmware on every device

☐ Complete the Robot Rookie lesson

☐ Start building your robotics and AI skills

Congratulations! You're ready to begin your LEGO Education Computer Science & AI journey.

Architecture Week Challenge: Build a LEGO Elevator!

Can you design and build a working elevator using LEGO Robotics?

This week at Sprattronics Learning Lab, your mission is to take your minifigures from low to high—just like real engineers do in skyscrapers around the world!

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Watch the Challenge Video First

Before you start building, watch this video to see the challenge in action and get some ideas:

https://youtu.be/h0yWNmQ0FrY

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How Do Elevators Work?

Elevators may look simple, but they are powerful machines designed with engineering and safety in mind. Most modern elevators use a system called a traction system.

Here are the key parts:

1. Cables (String)

Real elevators use steel cables to lift and lower the car.
For your build, you can use string to do the same job!

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2. The Car (Lift)

This is the part where people (or your LEGO minifigures) ride.
Your challenge is to design a car that:

• Holds your cargo securely
• Moves smoothly up and down

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3. The Sheave (Drum)

The sheave is a rotating wheel or drum that the cable wraps around.
When it spins, it pulls the cable and moves the elevator.

In your build:

• This could be a LEGO wheel or a custom drum
• It will likely connect to a motor

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4. The Motor & Controls

To make your elevator move, you’ll need:

• A motor to turn the sheave
• A way to control movement (buttons or sensors)

You can use:

• LEGO SPIKE Essential
• LEGO SPIKE Prime
• LEGO Education Science or Computer Science kits

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Your Challenge

Design and build a LEGO elevator that:

✅ Lifts an object or minifigure up
✅ Lowers it back down
✅ Uses a string and rotating drum system
✅ Stays stable while moving

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Bonus Challenges (Try One!)

• Can your elevator stop at multiple floors?
• Can you use a sensor to control when it stops?
• Can your elevator lift something heavy?
• Can you make it faster or smoother?

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Engineering Tips

• Keep your structure strong and stable
• Make sure your string doesn’t tangle
• Test often and improve your design
• If it doesn’t work the first time—that’s part of engineering!

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Show What You Built!

We’d love to see your designs!
Share your elevator and explain:

• What worked well?
• What did you improve?
• What would you do differently next time?

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What You’re Learning

By completing this challenge, you are practicing:

• Engineering Design
• Problem Solving
• Mechanical Systems
• Real-World Architecture Concepts

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Now it’s your turn…

Can you build an elevator that really works?

Can You Design a Video Game About Animal Senses?

Your Challenge

Create a video game where the main character survives using its senses.

You’ll need to:

• Choose an animal
• Build a world around it
• Decide how its senses work
• Add predators or dangers
• Create a scoring system

Your mission is to design a game that shows how animals sense, process information, and respond in order to survive.

Why Animal Senses Make Great Video Games

Animals experience the world in ways that humans don’t. Some navigate through sound, others through touch, smell, hearing, or even electrical signals. We want to turn those abilities into a core game mechanic.

• Teach science concepts through gameplay
• Encourage creative problem‑solving
• Design mechanics based on real biology

We like making video games and especially love getting inspired by our weekly themes.

Step-by-Step: How to Design Your Animal Senses Game

1. Choose Your Animal

Start with an animal known for a strong or unusual sense:

• Bat (echolocation)
• Snake (heat sensing)
• Shark (electrical signals)
• Mole (touch and vibration)
• Owl (vision and hearing)

Ask yourself: What sense does this animal rely on the most?

2. Build Your World

Design an environment where that sense truly matters.

Examples:

• A dark cave for echolocation
• Underground tunnels for touch-based navigation
• Deep ocean environments with limited visibility
• A nighttime forest where sound is key

Ask: What makes this world challenging without that sense?

3. Define the Sense Mechanic

This is the heart of your game. Think about what the player actually does to “sense” the world and what information they receive.

Examples:

• Press a button to send out a sound wave
• Detect vibrations when near objects
• See heat signatures instead of shapes
• Follow scent trails that guide movement

This mechanic is what makes your game unique.

4. Connect Sensing to Action

Tie the gameplay back to real science:

Sense → Brain → Action

In your game, the player:

• Senses something
• Interprets what it means
• Reacts quickly

Example: Hear a sound → recognize danger → dodge

5. Add Predators and Obstacles

Every good game needs tension. Add threats such as:

• Predators (foxes, birds, snakes)
• Environmental dangers (rocks, walls, traps)

Ask: What is trying to stop your animal?

6. Create a Scoring System

Give the player a clear goal.

Ideas:

• Collect food
• Survive as long as possible
• Gather items or resources

Scoring examples:

• One point per food item
• Bonus points for streaks
• Increasing difficulty each level

7. Increase the Challenge Over Time

As the player improves, the game should push back.

You can add:

• More enemies
• Faster movement
• Shorter sensing windows
• More complex environments

Example Game 1: Echolocation (Play as a Bat)

You play as a bat navigating through darkness using echolocation. You send out a chirp, the sound bounces back, and you “see” obstacles and insects through sound alone.

Goal: Catch mosquitoes while avoiding obstacles.

What it teaches:

• Animals use sound to gather information
• The brain processes echoes to understand distance and shape
• Survival depends on quick reactions

Play Echolocation, a Sprattronics Game!

Example Game 2: Underground Survival (Play as a Mole)

You play as a mole moving through dark tunnels, relying on touch and vibration.

You sense nearby insects, avoid predators like ferrets and foxes, and navigate tight spaces.

Goal: Eat as many insects as possible without being caught.

What it teaches:

• Some animals rely on touch instead of sight
• Underground environments require different strategies
• Predators create constant pressure and decision-making

Play Underground Survival, a Sprattronics Game!

Your Turn

Design a video game that highlights how an animal senses the world.

Remember:

• Choose an animal
• Build a world
• Design a sensing mechanic
• Add predators
• Create a scoring system

Game Ideas to Get You Started

• A snake detecting heat signatures to hunt
• A shark sensing electrical pulses in the water
• An owl hunting by sound in total darkness
• An ant following scent trails
• A frog reacting only to movement

Final Challenge

Can you design a game where the player truly understands how an animal experiences the world? Be sure to include how it looks, how it senses, thinks, and survives.

Share your game with us!

Scratch Coding Challenge: Build Flappy Bird

In this challenge, you will build your own version of Flappy Bird in Scratch.

Flappy Bird was one of the most downloaded mobile games in the early days of touchscreen devices. The idea is simple:

• Your bird falls because of gravity
• Every time you press a key, the bird flaps upward
• Obstacles move across the screen
• Your goal is to fly through the gaps without crashing

This isn't meant to be cookbook coding.

Great programmers learn by breaking problems into pieces and experimenting with solutions.

So first you’ll see the core pieces of the game, then you can try building them yourself. After that, you can scroll down for a full walkthrough solution.

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The Game Design Challenge

Before looking at the solution, see if you can build these features.

1. Create a Bird

Your game needs a main character.

Your bird should:

• Start near the middle left of the screen
• Be small enough to move easily between obstacles
• Have two flying costumes so it can flap its wings

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2. Add Gravity

The bird should constantly fall downward.

When the game starts:

• Gravity should begin pulling the bird down
• The bird should fall faster over time

Hint:
Use a variable to represent gravity.

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3. Add Flapping

When the player presses a key:

• The bird should jump upward
• The bird should flap its wings
• The player should not be able to hold the key to fly forever

Hint:
You may need to wait until the key is released before allowing another flap.

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4. Create the World

Your game needs a background.

Ideas:

• A blue sky
• Clouds

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5. Create Obstacles

Flappy Bird is about flying between obstacles.

Your obstacles should:

• Appear on the right side of the screen
• Move toward the left
• Disappear when they leave the screen
• Spawn every few seconds

Hint:
Use clones to create new obstacles.

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6. Randomize the Obstacles

To make the game interesting:

• Obstacles should appear at different heights
• Players should not be able to memorize the pattern

Hint:
Use the pick random block.

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7. Detect Collisions

The game should end when:

• The bird touches an obstacle

When this happens:

• Show a Game Over message
• Stop the game

Hint:
Use broadcast messages.

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8. Add a Score

Each time the bird successfully passes an obstacle:

• Increase the score by 1

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Full Walkthrough Solution

Below is one way to build the game.

Your solution may look different — and that’s okay!

Here is a Scratch build of the game: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/1287185411

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Step 1: Create the Bird

1. Open Scratch
2. Click Create
3. Delete the default cat sprite
4. Click Choose a Sprite
5. Select a bird (for example, Toucan)

Position the bird:

when green flag clicked
go to x: -120 y: 0
set size to 50%
switch costume to flying costume

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Step 2: Create Gravity

Create a variable called:

gravity

Then add this code:

when green flag clicked
set gravity to 0
forever
    change gravity by -1

Now make the bird move using gravity:

forever
    change y by gravity

The bird will now fall and accelerate downward.

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Step 3: Add Flapping

Now allow the player to flap upward.

if <space key pressed>
then
    set gravity to 10
    switch costume to flap
    wait until <not space key pressed>

This does three important things:

• Gives the bird an upward push
• Shows the flapping animation
• Prevents the player from holding the key to fly forever

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Step 4: Create the Background

Click Stage → Choose Backdrop → Paint

Create a simple sky:

• Light blue background
• Optional clouds or ground

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Step 5: Create the Obstacles

Create a new sprite called Obstacle.

Draw a pipe or tall rectangle.

Hide it at the start:

when green flag clicked
hide

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Step 6: Spawn Obstacles

Create clones every few seconds.

when green flag clicked
forever
    wait 3 seconds
    create clone of myself

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Step 7: Move Obstacles

Tell clones what to do when they appear.

when I start as a clone
show
go to x: 270 y: (pick random -100 to 100)
repeat until <x position < -250>
    change x by -5
end
delete this clone

Now obstacles move across the screen.

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Step 8: Add Collision Detection

Create a new sprite called Game Over.

Add this code:

when green flag clicked
hidewhen I receive [Game Over]
go to x:0 y:0
show
stop all

Now detect collisions in the bird sprite:

forever
    if <touching obstacle>
    then
        broadcast [Game Over]

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Step 9: Add Scoring

Create a variable called:

score

In the obstacle sprite, add this before deleting the clone:

change score by 1
delete this clone

Each time an obstacle leaves the screen, the player earns a point.

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Step 10: Test Your Game

Try to beat your high score!

Your game should now include:

✔ Gravity
✔ Flapping controls
✔ Moving obstacles
✔ Random obstacle positions
✔ Collision detection
✔ Game over screen
✔ Score counter

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Make Your Game Even Better

Try improving your game with new features:

• Add sound effects when the bird flaps
• Add a sound when you crash
• Add a floor that causes game over
• Speed up obstacles as score increases
• Add background music
• Create different levels

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Challenge:
Can you make your game harder the longer someone survives?

That’s how many of the best arcade games work!

Development Guide: Code a Mini Economy Town in Scratch

This guide explains how to build a dice-powered city simulator in Scratch. You will learn how to manage a virtual economy, use cloning to build a visual city, and create a multi-level progression system.

You can check out this project on Scratch. Dicy City Scratch

We made a more polished version here. Check out the YouTube video below.

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Step 1: The Economy Engine

The Goal: Create a dice-rolling mechanic that generates money.

• Setup Variables: Create variables for Coins, Dice Total, and Roll Count.
• The Dice Sprite:
  • Give your Dice sprite 6 costumes (one for each side).
  • When the sprite is clicked, use the pick random 1 to 6 block to set the Dice Total.
  • Switch the costume to match the number.
• The Payout System:
  • Use a Broadcast called Check Payout.
  • When the dice stops rolling, send the broadcast. Every building you own will "listen" for this and check if the Dice Total matches its specific winning number to give you Coins.

Step 2: Visual City Building (Cloning)

The Goal: Make buildings appear on the screen when you buy them.

• The Building Sprite:
  • Create one sprite for every building (Wheat Field, Cafe, Mine, etc.).
• The Buying Logic:
  • Create "Buy" code for each building. When clicked, check: if Coins > Cost.
  • If successful, subtract the cost from Coins and Create a Clone.
• Cloning the Building:
  • Now update the code for When I Start as a Clone.
  • Inside that block, update the Payout to the value of what happens when the dice rolls that number.
  • Add a script: when I start as a clone, use go to x: (random) y: (random) to place the building in your city area.
• Check Payout
  • When I receive Check Payout, check to see if the Dice Roll equals the activation number.
  • Update the number of coins by the payout value.

Step 3: Strategic Synergies (Math Operators)

The Goal: Create advanced buildings that give bonuses based on other buildings you own.

• Tracking Collections: Create variables to track totals, such as Total Flower Gardens or Total Mines. Every time you buy one, change that variable by 1.
• The Synergy Logic:
  • For a building like the Flower Shop (which pays out based on how many gardens you have), use the Operator blocks.
  • When the dice hits the Flower Shop’s number, use: change Coins by (Total Flower Gardens * 3).
  • This rewards the player for planning their city layout instead of just buying random items.

Step 4: Level Progression & Resets

The Goal: Create a sense of achievement by unlocking new items and clearing the board for a new challenge.

• The Level Variable: Create a variable called Level.
• Unlocking Content:
  • On your "Buy" buttons, use an if block: if Level > 2 then show else hide.
  • This keeps the screen clean and introduces new buildings (like the Mine or Restaurant) only when the player is ready.
• The Level-Up Script:
  • Create a script that constantly checks: wait until Coins > Goal.
  • When the goal is hit, show a "Level Up!" message.
  • The Reset: To start the new level, set Coins to 5, set Roll Count to 0, and use broadcast Clear City.
  • All building clones should have a script: when I receive Clear City, delete this clone.

Step 5: Adding Visual "Juice"

The Goal: Use motion to show the player exactly when and where they are earning money.

• Flying Coins:
  • Create a small "Coin" sprite.
  • When a building clone triggers a payout, it should create clone of Coin.
• The Animation Script:
  • Inside the Coin clone: when I start as a clone.
  • go to [Building Sprite] (the one that just paid out).
  • show.
  • glide 0.5 secs to [Coin Counter Display].
  • delete this clone.
• Unlocking the Second Die:
  • At Level 3, show a new button: "Roll 2 Dice."
  • When clicked, change the math to: set Dice Total to ((pick random 1 to 6) + (pick random 1 to 6)). This allows the player to finally hit high-number buildings like the Mine (11 or 12).

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Summary of Logic

By the end of this project, you have mastered:

1. Events: Using broadcasts to coordinate between the dice, the shop, and the city.
2. Cloning: Managing dozens of visual objects without creating dozens of separate sprites.
3. Conditionals: Checking if a player has enough money or has reached the correct level to proceed.
4. Math Operators: Creating complex economic bonuses that make the game strategic.