Organization

Have teams unpackage (if necessary) and organize trays as illustrated on kit cover placards 

• Stress the need to keep organized to reduce building times (finding parts)  

The pdf file of the NXT kit placards [1] contains a complete kit inventory on page 3. This can be printed out for students to use to verify the complete contents of their kit.

NXT Kit parts survey

This Parts Survey [2]  is a resource form Carnegie Mellon University's Robotics Academy (http://www.education.rec.ri.cmu.edu/ [3])  Robotics Engineering Vol. 1 product (http://www.education.rec.ri.cmu.edu/content/lego/curriculum/rev1_index.htm [4]).

Below are some points to emphasize as you walk students through the Parts Survey:

Electronics (mostly located in lower tray) NXT brick

• Ports
  • Inputs (4) for sensors
  • Outputs (3) for motors or lights 
  • USB (1) for computer downloads
• Buttons
• Screen 

Battery (rechargeable & cover for AA’s) Motors

• Students can manipulate orange hub 
• Insert any axle and attach any wheel to demonstrate motion

Sensors

• Students can speculate on functions
• Light
  • notice LED light emitter and detector 
• Sound
  • notice foam microphone cover
• Touch
  • notice axle connection to extend sensor reach 
• Ultrasound
  • notice emitter and receiver

Wires 

• Students can attach to brick/motors/sensors
• USB cable for downloading 
• Connectors cable for sensors/motors (different lengths)
• Lego adaptor cable for lights (and old style sensors)

Lights (in upper tray)

• Connect to output port with adaptor cable

Specialty Parts

• Balls
  • Used for some challenges
• Lego dude
  • Used for some challenges (students can assemble)

Wheels, Gears and Axles

• Axles
  • Students can attach to other elements
  • Lengths measured in “beam holes”
  • Structural and Functional uses
• Bushings
  • Student can slide on to any axle
  • Attach gear to medium length axle and insert in any beam 
  • Students can use bushing on opposite side of beam to keep gear in place.  [5]
• Wheels and hubs
  • Students can assemble all three types
• Gears
  • Students can speculate on different uses

Structural Components

• Beams & Studded Beams
  • Students can compare lengths
  • Notice different types of small 2 stud beams
    • Axles attach rigidly to one type (student can attach) 
    • Axles pass and rotate freely through another type
•  Angled Beams
  • Notice some have axle connections at ends
• Studded Bricks
  • Colored bricks fit over lights as colored lens (students can attach)
• Plates 
• Studded Plates
  • 1/3 thickness of bricks
• Curved Beam plates
  • ½ thickness of beams

Connectors

• Pegs
  • Short and long friction pegs
  • Axle/pegs; friction and non-friction
    • Students can test difference by building two “propellers” with friction and non-friction pegs 
• Joints
  • Axle and pegs fittings
    • Students can attach pegs and axles to explore different configurations (or wait until Part Exploration, next)
• Peg-Joints
  • Students can assemble structures using these with beams and axles (or wait until Part Exploration, next)