Instruction Guide: EV3 - Exploring Test Circuits using Port View

Submitted by Randy Steele on 14 October, 2013 - 12:29

In this Lesson we have 3 Primary Instruction Resources:

  1. The 1st resource is a EV3 Trainer lesson that describes the ports on the EV3.
  2. The 2nd resource is a EV3 Trainer lesson that helps Students learn to navigate the EV3 Menus.
  3. The 3rd resource is the EV3 Port View ppt for this lesson.

 

RESOURCE 1

The 1st resource is a EV3 Trainer lesson that describes the ports on the EV3:

Basic > Getting Started

  • Getting Started 3: Ports

 

Have students walk through the lesson on the EV3 ports and answer the questions below the video.

 

RESOURCE 2

The 2nd resource is a EV3 Trainer lesson that helps Students learn to navigate the EV3 Menus:

Basic > Getting Started

  • Getting Started 4: Menus

If you did not cover this as part of the preceeding "Power the Brick" Lesson, have students walk through this EV3 Trainer lesson on the EV3 menu system and answer the questions below the video.  Pay particular attention to the Port View App, as this will be used in the following exercise.

 

RESOURCE 3

Use the EV3 Port View ppt for this portion of the Lesson.

Have student power up EV3 Bricks by pressing the Center button. This can take about 45 seconds. When the Brick Status Light  turns green, the EV3 Brick is ready. To turn the EV3 Brick off, press the Back button (grey button on left of brick below screen) until you see the Shut Down screen.

Walk students through EV3 top level men using left/right buttons.

Review with students that the EV3 Brick Interface contains four basic screens .

  • Slide 1
    • Run Recent - This screen will be blank until you download and run programs. It shows you the most recently run programs.
  • Slide 2
    • File Navigation -  This screen is where you will access and manage all the files on your EV3 Brick, including files stored on a SD Card. You can also do this in EV3-G. It's probably easier to do it using EV3-G.
  • Slide 3
    • Example of what you could see when you open the Nav screen.
  • Slide 4
    • Brick Interface - 5 preinstalled applications that are ready to use.  The 5 programs are:
      • Port View- used to view sensor values. We will use this mode today.
      • Motor Control
      • IR Control
      • Brick Program - used to write programs directly on the Brick (no computer involved). We will use this in the Hardware, Software, FirmwareUnit (Unit 3)
      • Brick Datalog
  • Slide 5
    • Settings - used to control features of the EV3.
      • Have students select Settings by using the right arrow.
      • Have student select Volume from the sub-menu
      • Have student lower volume to “50%” (by pressing left/right button)
      • Back out to top level menu by pressing Back button
  • Slide 6
    • Navigate top level menu back to “Brick Interface” screen and select Port View.
      • Have students attach sensors and motors.
      • Walk students through the Port View menu using left/right buttons.
        • The upper part of the screen shows the motors.
        • The lower part of the screen shows the sensors.

Have students work through the Port View Worksheet to explore the function of each of the sensors.

See the Answer Key for the Port View Worksheet for the key learning students should take away for each of the sensors.