The robot followed the line. Then it did not. Then, after a small change to the code, it followed the line again. That loop — try, notice, adjust — was the real work of the term.
Built from scratch
The club started with a simple question: how does a machine know where it is going? Learners began with sensors, moved on to motors, and spent several weeks learning why a robot that works on the table does not always work on the floor.
They built the chassis themselves, wired the components, and wrote the first version of the code in small steps. Nothing was copied from a finished project. When something failed, the group had to work out which part of the system was responsible.
The useful part was the failure
At the showcase, the robot performed in front of visitors from other schools. It also stopped halfway through its first run. The team reset it, checked the sensor, and tried again. That calm response was more impressive than a flawless demonstration would have been.
Montessori classrooms call this ‘control of error’: work that shows the child what needs adjusting, without an adult stepping in immediately. A line-following robot offers the same feedback in a different material.
What the showcase taught us
The learners practised explaining their thinking to adults they had never met. They learned to divide a task, to keep a simple log of changes, and to disagree about a solution without losing momentum. Those are transferable skills, and they showed up in the classroom the following week.
Where next
The club continues this term with a new challenge: a robot that can sort objects by colour. Families who would like to know more about clubs and after-school activities can explore school life or ask the office.