Some of the most popular paths and effective approaches to preparing students for their future involve using robotics tools. A significant subsection of STEM education, coding robots and other types of programmable devices enable a large percentage of the STEAM learning that occurs in our schools. Using educational robotics tools, students from Pre-K to college can develop key coding skills. This is largely because, among these various robot kits, many are compatible with various programming languages. So, beginning in Pre-K, a child might use the Cubetto Robot in screen-free coding activities. Then, they might move on to the Bee-Bot or Blue-Bot for CS experiences that are slightly more complex. And, by the time they're in kindergarten or first grade, they have a legitimate foundation and they're ready to continue developing fluencies in coding, problem solving, and even computational thinking.
One reason robotics in education is so effective is due to various advances in robotics equipment for schools. Beyond introducing the absolute basics of coding early on (and without a screen), students can then progress to one of the most basic forms of coding, which you might know as Blockly. So many robotics tools incorporate the Blockly coding language along with their corresponding programming environment. In fact, the Ozobot Evo, Root Robot, Edison Robot, and Dash Robot are among the most popular elementary robotics tools. These help children build on coding and technology knowledge as they prepare for the next step—text programming. In text coding, they can use tools like the databot 2.0, NAO Robot, and most of the others we've mentioned. And, through these experiences, they can develop STEM skills in a tangible way while using robotics tools to do so.
Kid Spark’s Mobile STEM Labs combine hands-on experience with robust, NGSS-aligned curriculum to inspire lifelong learning and teaching in STEM. Kid Spark’s four mobile STEM labs and detailed curriculum are designed for students in K-8 and are easy to use with or without prior STEM experience and each lab is entirely reusable
The Sphero Mini has been upgraded and now includes a new transparent shell and an educational bundle that unlocks cool, new ways to play and learn! In this week’s Tips and Tricks blog, we’ll talk about the activity kit’s new materials, how they affect the playability of the Sphero Mini, and cover some of the key concepts you need to
We love being able to share their stories and their work with you and hope this series continues to give all educators encouragement to try new things in the classroom! This month, we’re featuring Elissa Schaeffer, who has been using EdTech she received through one of our event raffles to run coding programs for elementary school students!
The Sphero Mini, which was previously available with a hard shell, has been remixed to provide a more transparent learning experience—literally. Keep reading to learn more about the new model and how it can be used in the classroom! Keep reading to learn more about teaching coding with the latest Mini model in elementary classrooms.
For this week’s Rising Resources, we took a look at the coding resource, PictoBlox. It’s created and supported by the STEMpedia team and allows students to create games, design their own interactive projects, and build their own programs for controlling robots. It can be used to introduce students to block coding and reduce intimidation.
With classes getting underway this past week in a lot of the country and other students really getting into the swing of things, we thought we’d take some time to reinforce how learning with technology can spur development and help them build some of the skills they’ll need most. This week, we’re taking a look at some of the best
Teaching coding and robotics in elementary school just got a great boost! With more convenient and robust Wonder Workshop bundles, STEM educators can teach programming more easily than ever! All six new options are now on our store and include as many as 24 Dash Robots to help energize experiential learning this school year!
Plug-and-play accessibility is a pretty common buzzword-like term around the EdTech world. While leaders of almost every company claim to provide solutions that are easy to use right out of the box, not all of them deliver in the ways that the Robo Wunderkind system does. And, that mission starts with an age-appropriate introduction to robotics and STEM in preschool.
Designed for highly inventive students, the Sphero RVR helps them unlock numerous avenues for creativity—namely that they can hack it using just a Raspberry Pi, Arduino board, or micro:bit. That, combined with this unique potential for customization, make this robot a powerful learning tool. Read on to learn more about it and when you can get your hands on one!
Heather Russell is a STEAM teacher from Ecoff Elementary in the Chesterfield (VA) County Public Schools. She is working hard to bring more coding and robotics opportunities to the students in the 39 elementary schools in her district and we’re more than happy to be able to reward her hard work and excellent application!
