Robot Code Break User Manual

Root’s friend Square is hiding, and we need
your help to find them! Square has been
sending us clues in the form of code and
puzzles. Use your programming and math
skills to crack the codes, collect answers,
decode the mystery and find Square!

You’ll Need: Activity Packet, a Root

Robot, Root’s Fold-out Whiteboard

Grid, Dry-Erase Markers and a pencil.

Ideal for Grades 5-8

Name:

Grades 5-8

You

Root’s friend Square is hiding, and we need

Root the Coding Robot is hiding, and we

your help to find them! Square has been

need your help to find it. Root has been

sending us clues in the form of code and

sending us clues in the form of code and

puzzles. Use your programming and math

puzzles. Use your programming and math

skills to crack the codes, collect answers,

skills to crack the codes, collect answers,

decode the mystery and find Square!

Need:

Root’s friend Square is hiding,
and we need your help to find them!

Square has been sending us clues in the
form of code and puzzles. Use your
programming and math skills to crack
the codes, collect answers, decode the
mystery and find Square!

decode the mystery and find Root!

You’ll Need: Activity Packet, a Root

You’ll Need: This activity packet

Robot, Root’s Fold-out Whiteboard

and a pen or pencil.

Grid, Dry-Erase Markers and a pencil.

Ideal for Grades 1-4

Ideal for Grades 5-8

Activity

Packet

Root

Coding

App

Root

Coding

Robot

Dry Erase

Markers

Fold-Out

Whiteboard

Grid

Pen/

Pencil

How to Read Root Code

Reading Root Code is a lot like
following step-by-step instructions.

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

These pieces of code tell Root
which instructions to follow when
something happens.

Some code tells Root to
move or turn.

This code tells Root how
many times to repeat the
instructions inside.

Other code tells Root to
start drawing lines to
everywhere it drives.

This code helps Root
remember numbers that
change when something
happens, like somebody
scoring a point in a game.

Example
Code:

1

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Read the code from top to bottom to follow
Root’s instructions.

You’ll use Root Code to solve the puzzles in this
packet and crack the code to where in the
world Root is hiding!

2 3

Challenge: Treasure Map

Can you follow the code to see where Root ends?

Open your fold-out whiteboard grid and place Root on the bottom-left

1.
corner as pictured

Copy the code on

2.

the right into your
Root Coding app.

Connect to Root and

3.
press Play to watch
Root follow the code.

Draw an “X” on the

4.
grid square where
Root stops.

You’ll Need:

Use the Root Map below to find the correct clue. When you are finished, write the clue’s letters in the Answer Box.5.

Root Map

If Root landed on grid spot shown on the left with the red “X”,
the answer is “J K P”

If Root landed on grid spot shown on the left with the orange “X”,
the answer is “M W Q”

If Root landed on grid spot shown on the left with the green “X”,
the answer is “S R I”

If Root landed on
grid spot shown on
the left with the blue
“X”, the answer is
“A H R”

Have you found the letters? Turn to page 11 to

write the code in the spaces beside Code #1.

Code #1

1 2 3

1

1

Mystery MelodyMystery Melody:

Printable Music Sheet

Mystery Melody

COPY the code below into a blank coding project.1. PLACE Root on the Mystery

You’ll Need:

2.
Melody Printable Music Sheet.

4

cm / s

4

cm / s

when

Mystery MelodyMystery Melody:

Printable Music Sheet

4

E

when

C# D# F# G# A#

C D E F G A B C

D

when

7

C

when

Press PLAY and LISTEN.

3.

4.

Circle the song’s name in the Melody Machine. WRITE its letters in the Code Key.

Melody Machine

Which song was Root playing?

A A S. Mary Had a Little Lamb

W O O . Old Macdonald

Code #2

7

N

e

x

t

P

a

g

e

S E Y. The Star-Spangled Banner

Have you found the letters? Turn to page 8 to

write the code in the spaces beside Code #2.

2

2

Mystery Melody:

Printable Music Sheet

3

Learn: Navigate by Shape

Root

Game

Piece

start moving forward

1. Use scissors to cut out
the Root Game Piece.

square

2. Guide the Root Game
Piece through the color
maze by following the

continue along maze

triangle

color-turn code on the left.

3. If your Root drives over
any letters, write them into
the Code Key in the order

continue along maze

circle

continue moving forward

that you find them.

A K

A

UNPLUGGED: No Robot, No Device

Code #3

1 2 3

Have you found the letters? Turn to page 11 to

write the code in the spaces beside Code #3.

H C

C

B

N

L

N

I

L

P

O

4

Challenge: Shape Maze

1. Use the Root Game

start moving forward

Piece from the previous
challenge.

UNPLUGGED: No Robot, No Device

Code #4

square

continue along maze

triangle

continue along maze

circle

continue moving forward

2. Guide the Root Game
Piece through the color
maze by following the
color-turn code on the left.

3. If your Root drives over
any letters, write them into
the Code Key in the order
that you find them.

O

1 2 3

Have you found all three letters? Turn to page 11 to

write the code in the spaces beside Code #4.

C

X

C

3

M

L

Q

K

A

Y

E

O

W

N

F

4

T

H

5

Learn: Coding Shape Wheels

Use this guide to help you with the Shape Wheel Challenges.

This code draws a square by putting a pen
down and then moving forward and turning
again and again four times.

4

3

2

To spread out all
of the squares
that you draw,
add a small turn
right after each
square.

To draw lots of
squares over and
over, you can place
your Repeat Loop
inside another
Repeat Loop!

1

12

# of shapes in your wheel

# of sides in your small shapes.

This number tells
you how spread out
your shapes will be.

11

10

12

9

Looks like
Root
finished its
shape
wheel!

1 2

3

4

3

1

2

30

78

4

5

6

6

Challenge: Shape Match

You’ll Need:

1. Place a marker in Root’s center.

2. Place Root in the center of the whiteboard grid.

3. Copy the code next to #1 into the Root Coding app. Press play and watch Root draw.

5. Write the letter of the matching shape below into the Cross Off bank at the bottom of the page.

6. Repeat steps 2-5 for all three sets of code.

H

M

B

V

2 31

3

3

16

120

120

Cross Off

Root’s WHY answer does NOT CONTAIN these letters.

Turn to the Letter Bank on page 11 and CROSS THEM

OFF of the list.

7

Spirograph Math

You’ll need your Root Robot, fold-out whiteboard grid, and the
Root Coding App for this activity.

First, copy the code on the right into a blank coding project.1.

Place a marker in Root and move Root to the center of your

2.
fold-out whiteboard grid.

Press Play and

3.
watch Root draw
the programmed
spirograph.

When Root is

4.
finished drawing,
follow the directions
in the Super-Secret
Lie Detector.

You’ll Need:

Super-Secret Lie Detector

Read the statements to the right. If a
statement is false, cross it out. If it is
true, circle it. When you are finished,
write the remaining letters in the
Answer Box.

F. The final shape contains 12 diamond shapes.

T. The spirograph contains 24 circles.

G. The outside border is shaped like a hexagon.

X. The final shape contains 7 hexagons total.

W. The entire shape contains 16 triangles.

O. The entire shape is smaller than Root.

Cross Off

Root’s WHY answer does NOT CONTAIN these letters.

Turn to the Letter Bank on page 11 and CROSS THEM

OFF of the list.

8

Learn: Using Variables

Use this guide to help you with the Variable Challenge.

A variable is a piece of code that helps your
robot remember and change numbers.

This code’s variable is called “myNumber.”
Right now, the variable is equal to 0.

This code can be used to count how many times Root’s bumpers are
pressed. When the program starts, we tell Root that myNumber is 0.

Then, every time Root’s bumpers are pressed, we tell Root to add 1 to

This code tells
Root to change
myNumber every
time a bumper is
pressed.

When Root’s left
bumper is pressed,
myNumber will
equal 1.

When Root’s right
bumper is pressed,
myNumber will
equal 1.

whatever myNumber currently is. That means, if we
pressed Root’s bumpers three times, we would do
the following math:

myNumber

myNumber

myNumber

myNumber

= 0

=

myNumber 1

=

myNumber 1

=

myNumber 1

+

+

+

myNumber starts out at 0.

When a bumper is pressed, we add 1 to
myNumber.

Now

When a bumper is pressed again, we add
another 1 to myNumber. Before this bump,
myNumber was 1.

Now

When a bumper is pressed again, we add
another 1 to myNumber. Before this bump,
myNumber was 1.

Now

myNumber

myNumber

myNumber

= 1

= 2

= 3

9

Variable Math String

You’ll Need:

First, read the code instructions below.1. Follow the sequence below. Keep track

0

+

3.
of what myNumber equals by doing the
math in your head (like a robot) or on a
piece of scrap paper.

When you reach the end, write the final
number that myNumber equals in the
blank circle.

myNumber

0

myNumber myNumber

myNumber

1

myNumber

–

*

myNumber

myNumber myNumber

Next, read the example sequence below. myNumber starts

2.
as 0. We add 1 to myNumber every time the right bumper
is pressed.

myNumber myNumbermyNumber

0 1 2

/

Variable

If the final number is 1, your answer is “B V E”

Math

If the final number is 2, your answer is “ K N P”

Decoder

Circle the TRUE
statement and
write its letters in
the Answer Box.

If the final number is 3, your answer is “W W L”

If the number is 0, your
answer is “A T S”

Circle the number in the last circle,

4.
then follow the instructions in the
Variable Math Decoder below.

Cross Off

Root’s WHY answer does NOT CONTAIN these letters.

Turn to the Letter Bank on page 11 and CROSS THEM

OFF of the list.

10

10

8

Crack the Code!

Code #1 (from page 2)

1 2 3

Where?

To figure out where Root’s friend

Square is hiding, you must solve
the puzzles on pages 2-5.

When you complete each puzzle,
write the letters in the correct
spaces on the right.

When you have filled in all of the spaces above, it’s time to crack the code!
Follow the directions below for how to fill in the letters in the spaces below from left to right.

1.

Start at the top of the column of letters in the “1” spaces. Write all of the letters going
down from top to bottom.

2.

Now go to the top of the “2” column. Write all the letters going down from top to bottom.

3.

Now go to the top of the “3” column. Write all the letters going down from top to bottom.

4.

You’re finished! Now read the secret message.

Code #2 (from page 3)

Code #3 (from page 4)

Code #4 (from page 5)

1 2 3

1 2 3

1 2 3

Why?

To figure out what Square went

to go see, you must solve the
puzzles on pages 7-10.

When you complete each
puzzle, CROSS OUT the letters

you find in the Letter Bank on

the right.

When you have solved all the
puzzles, write the remaining
letters from the Location
Decoder in order from left to
right in WHY box.

Where is Root hiding?

C M A B H L K N E V

C G P A X R F S

Why is Root there?

11

11