Activity 2.3.

4 Build a Block
Introduction
Pick up a pencil. What processes just occurred? How did your hand know where the
pencil was located? How did your fingers know when to close? How did your fingers
know when to stop squeezing?
Your mind processes many sensory inputs and then commands your muscles to
move in a manner that your mind controls. When you picked up the pencil, your eyes
perceived where the pencil was located; your brain calculated the distance and
direction to the pencil and commanded your hand to move there. Your brain told your
fingers to squeeze until your fingertips sensed the pressure of the pencil, and then
your brain commanded your fingers to stop squeezing and your arm to move the
pencil to the final destination. Wow! That was a lot of communication for something
that seemed so effortless.
You will now attempt to communicate directions to a partner. Your partner will recreate a unique structure that you create.

Equipment

Two sets of VEX pieces shown in the image below

Plastic sandwich bag (or similar) one per student

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Aerospace Engineering Activity 2.3.4 Build a Block Page 1

Procedure
1. Students will be divided into pairs using a method determined by the teacher.
Each student will be given one bag of VEX pieces as shown in the image above.
2. Partners will sit in chairs with their backs to each other. Each partner should have
one bag of VEX pieces. One partner is designated as student #1 and the other
as student #2.
3. Student #1 will use all of the VEX pieces to build a creative structure not visible
to student #2. This structure must have reasonable complexity as determined by
your teacher. An example is shown below.

4. Student #1 will keep the structure out of view of student #2.

5. Student #1 will give instructions to student #2, one sentence at a time, enabling
student #2 to build an exact replica of student #1s structure. The following rules
must be followed:
a. One sentence statements must be used. Provide one step at a time.
b. Once a step has been given, it cannot be repeated.
c. There should be one direction/step for each of the ten pieces.
6. When student #2 has completed the process, compare structures for accuracy.
7. Disassemble the structures.
8. Switch roles and repeat the procedure.
9. When all teams have finished, the teacher will lead a class discussion about the
aspects of communication that this task involved and why some teams had more
success than others.

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Aerospace Engineering Activity 2.3.4 Build a Block Page 2

Conclusion
1 Describe two reasons why this task may have been difficult to complete
successfully.
Two reasons why this task may have been difficult to complete successfully is
unfamiliar parts and their names and positions of where the pieces should be place.

2 If you could do the same task again, what would you change about the way you
gave your partner directions? Explain.
The way I would change about the way I give my partner directions is by naming
positions of the body part and rows before giving directions because without
knowing the proper location of the parts the result would either be different.

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Aerospace Engineering Activity 2.3.4 Build a Block Page 3