Sample Lesson Plan SPED

Using a flashlight to control objects at a distance
Lesson Plan May 2026 Student: Ben Author: Tim Lockwood
Time for Lesson 30 Minutes.
Objective: The student will be able to access a preferred activity by shining a flash on a target object.

Materials needed: 1 or 2 Flashlights, Light sensor (off when dark, on in light), Bubble Maker with a 110 volt converter, Finch Robot
Computer Running Quorum Studio  Computer program “BENLIGHT2”

Part One (SPINNING ROBOT)
Procedure
Hook: Dim the lights, Shine light on of the student’s desk. Point out the robot. It should be glowing blue and show other colors but not moving.
Modeling: The facilitator will shine the light on half of the robot. The robot will spin and change color.
Guided practice:Provide the student a flashlight and ask them to shine it on the robot. The facilitator and also use their light on the robot to insure the students is successful making the robot change directions and colors.
Independent practice:  If the student is successful, the teacher should turn off their light and move away from the student. Use this time to observe what is doing with the flashlight
Remove the Robot for the Student area to end part one.

Part Two (Making bubbles with the flashlight)
Place the bubble machine with the light sensor in the spot where the robot was.
Modeling: The facilitator will shine the light on half of the Bubble Machine’s White sensor. The Bubble machine will spin and Blow Bubbles
Guided practice: Provide the student a flashlight and ask them to shine it on the Bubble Machine. The facilitator can also use their light insure the students is successful making the bubbles.
Independent practice: If the student is successful, the teacher should turn off their light and move away from the student. Use this time to observe.

Assessment/Data Gathering
The robot is gathering data about successful the students targets the light. This data will presented as spreadsheet. The teacher is also using an attached Rubric to assess how the student is engaged in both the actives.

Why I created this lesson and activity.

I have seen the subject use a flashlight for sensory stimulation and I also observed how much he enjoys bubbles. I thought that I could combine the two into an activity that build targeting skill that may be useful as preferred activity.

Tim Lockwood, MS.  lockwood@mywebpad.net

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RUBRIC Using a Flashlight to Activate Devices Student Name__________________

* When using the robot, use the computer collected data to determine this percent. When using other devices use your observations to estimate it.

The mastery target is only 50% as mastery include both light on target and off target to stop the activity.

• The max score 8
• The minimum score is 2
• Mastery is a total score of 8 or 7
• Proficient is total score of 5 or 6
• Developing is a total score of 3 or 4

If a student remains at the Beginning level for more than 5 trials reevaluated the activity or adjust the rubric to a level where your can measure students progress.

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Computer code is shown below. 
use Libraries.Robots.BirdBrain.Finch
//Ben Light 2 remote control by flashlight
Finch finch
integer leftlight = 0
integer rightlight = 0
integer light=leftlight+rightlight
number d=1
repeat until finch:GetButton("A")
rightlight=finch:GetLight("right")
leftlight=finch:GetLight("left")
light =leftlight+rightlight
output "Right: " + finch:GetLight("right") + " Left:" + finch:GetLight("left")+" = " + light
//these if statements should have only one correct answer
if light<10 and light >-1
finch:SetTail("All", 0,0,15)
finch:SetMotors(0,-0)
finch:SetBeak(0,0,30)
finch:PlayNote(40,1)
finch:Pause(1)
end
if light<11 and light >20
finch:SetTail("All", 0,50,25)
finch:SetMotors(-6,6)
finch:SetBeak(50,0,40)
finch:PlayNote(62,1)
finch:Pause(1)
end
if light<30 and light >20
finch:SetTail("All", 50,50,25)
finch:SetMotors(12,-12)
finch:SetBeak(50,50,40)
finch:PlayNote(64,1)
finch:Pause(1)
end
if light<40 and light >30
finch:SetTail("All", 100,0,0)
finch:SetMotors(-24,24)
finch:SetBeak(0,0,100)
finch:PlayNote(65,1)
finch:Pause(1)
end
if light<50 and light >40
finch:SetTail("All", 100,0,100)
finch:SetMotors(24,-24)
finch:SetBeak(0,50,100)
finch:PlayNote(67,1)
finch:Pause(1)
end
if light<60 and light >50
finch:SetTail("All", 100,100,50)
finch:SetMotors(-60,60)
finch:SetBeak(100,50,100)
finch:PlayNote(69,1)
finch:Pause(1)
end
if light<70 and light >60
finch:SetTail("All", 50,33,100)
finch:SetMotors(70,-70)
finch:SetBeak(99,25,75)
finch:PlayNote(72,1)
finch:Pause(1)
end
if light<80 and light >70
finch:SetTail("All", 33,66,99)
finch:SetMotors(70,-70)
finch:SetBeak(100,80,60)
finch:PlayNote(88,1)
finch:Pause(1)
end
if light<120 and light >80
finch:SetTail("All", 90,66,33)
finch:SetMotors(80,-80)
finch:SetBeak(100,10,10)
finch:SetDisplay("0101011111111110111000100")
finch:PlayNote(88,1)
finch:Pause(1)
end
if light<200 and light >120
finch:SetTail("ALL",100,100,99)
finch:SetMotors(-10,10)
finch:SetBeak(0,50,100)
finch:PlayNote(96,2)
finch:Pause(1)
end
finch:SetTail(1,100,0,0)
finch:Pause(0.1)
finch:SetTail(2,0,100,0)
finch:Pause(0.1)
finch:SetTail(3,0,0,100)
finch:Pause(0.1)
finch:SetTail(4,100,0,100)
finch:Pause(0.1)
finch:SetBeak(100,100,0)
finch:Pause(0.12)
finch:SetDisplay("0000000000000000000000000")
end
finch:StopAll()
finch:Disconnect()