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Dash is Seein’ Stars

July 4, 2025

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It's a Star-Spangled Sketch Party” 🎇

Happy 4th of July! 🎆

Ready to bring some extra sparkle to your Independence Day celebrations? In this challenge, Dash the robot uses the Sketch Kit acccessory to draw a five-pointed star—just like the ones on the American flag!

Teachers and parents can use this fun activity to introduce students (or kids at home) to basic geometry, angles, and coding loops. As Dash grooves across the page, your learners will see math and creativity come together in one star-tastic display of STEM magic. 🌟

The Star-Drawing Challenge

Objective:
Program Dash to draw a 5-pointed star using the Sketch Kit.
Key Geometry Concept:
- A five-pointed star has exterior “turn” angles of 144°.
- Dash will move forward to draw each line segment, then turn 144° before drawing the next.
The Magic Number:
- Exterior angle per point = 144°
- Total rotations = 5 × 144° = 720° (two full spins!)
Step-by-Step Sequence:
1. Attach a marker to Dash using the Sketch Kit.
2. Place Dash at your starting point on the paper.
3. In your coding environment, set up a loop that repeats 5 times:
  - Move forward to draw one line of the star.
  - Turn right (or left) 144° (One challenge is that the angles available for programming Dash jump in increments of 15˚, so you’ve got 135˚ or 150˚ available. We chose to use 150˚ and you can see that the last point doesn’t come to a perfect vertex. Talk to your kids about the effect of the imprecision on the final outcome).
4. Run the program and watch Dash trace out a crisp, perfect star!

5. Extensions & Discussion:

- Angle Exploration: What happens if you change the turn angle? Try 72° or 108° and compare the shapes.
- Scaling Up: Adjust the forward distance in your loop to draw a larger or smaller star.
- Creative Twist: After the star, have Dash draw “Sparkler” patterns by adding short zig-zag lines at each point.

6. Why This Matters:

Geometry in Action: Kids see how angles add up and how loops make repetitive drawing simple.
Coding Confidence: A clear, repeatable pattern boosts understanding of loops and sequences.
Holiday Fun: Blending 4th of July spirit with STEM keeps learners engaged and inspired!