What's a MAKERSPACE Picture a place alive with excitement All around you creative crafters and techies in training are constructing amazing projects Welcome to a makerspace Makerspaces are areas where people come together to create They are the perfect places to make incredible robotics projects Makerspaces are equipped with all kinds of materials and tools But a maker's most important tool is his or her imagination Makers find brand new ways to build their own robots They find ways to put new twists on existing robotics projects To do this makers need to be creative problem solvers Are you ready to become a maker
BEFORE YOU GET STARTED GET PERMISSION Ask an adult for permission to use the makerspace and materials before starting any project MAKE A PLAN Read through the instructions and gather all your supplies ahead of time Keep them organized as you create BE RESPECTFUL Share tools and supplies with other makers When you're done with a tool put it back so others can use it BE SAFE Working with electricity can be dangerous so be careful Keep your power source switched off when connecting wires Ask an adult for help when you need it
WHAT IS A ROBOT A robot is a machine that is designed to do a job Some robots operate automatically Others are controlled remotely by people or computers Robots come in all shapes and sizes Some look like machines Other robots are built to look like humans Robots can do many jobs They help build cars and vacuum floors Some robots are toys that are fun to play with There are several things to consider when creating robots and choosing materials to build them CNTI 03 _ ClorB
CIRCUIT POWER A robot gets power from an electric circuit A circuit is a closed loop that electricity can travel through It needs a power source such as a battery It also needs a conductor such as a wire A circuit also has a load This is a device the circuit powers such as a light bulb A switch opens and closes the circuit This turns the power off and on LITTLEBITS Little Bits is a brand of electronic building blocks LittleBits parts include motors power sources and LED lights The pieces are magnetic so they're easy to fit together CUBELETS Cubelets is another brand of electronic building blocks They are cubes that connect to each other magnetically Each type of block makes up part of the circuit By connecting them in the right order you can build many different types of circuits
