Mindstorms and Sensors - August 19-23, 2002 Ages 9-12 This week, we did two projects: an obstacle course and a chain reaction. Below are pictures and descriptions of both. For the obstacle course, each group built an obstacle and a vehicle. We put all of the obstaces in a line to create the course, and then tested the vehicles to see how they managed the obstacles. In the chain reaction, each group built a machine that passed a ball to the next group. Pictures of our machines are below.
The Obstacle Course
	First the vehicles had to get around Guarav and Travis's spinning tube. (This is Guarav and Travis's car.)
	Then they had to get through Gus and Brian's curtains of rods. (Here is Brian and Gus's car.)
	Next they had to get up Ryan and Matt's ramp and down the other side. (This is Matt and Ryan's car.)
	Next they had to pass through Zach and Theodore's gate. (This is Zach and Theodore's car.)
	Not done yet! Then came Grant and Mason's spinning rope. (This is Mason and Grant's car.)
	Finally, the vehicles had to get through Chris and Isaac's tunnel and over their jump. (This is Isaac and Chris's car.)
The Chain Reaction
The chain started with Gus and Isaac's machine that shook the ball loose so that it fell into a tube.
Brian and Travis's machine kicked the ball along a tube so that it hit Guarav and Chris's touch sensor.
This started Guarav and Chris's machine, which moved a ball down a conveyor belt until it fell into a chute.
Then, the ball fell into Mason and Grant's cup, activating a light sensor. This pulled the egg-carton-lever up, spilling the ball out of the cup.
The movement of the egg carton triggered Theodore's light sensor, which kicked a ball off of a ledge.
Finally, the ball rolled down Ryan and Matt's ramp and fell onto the tire, which spun and threw the ball into one of the cups.