Robotics: Lessons

Appropriate for Grades 3-6

Beyond Black Boxes

A wonderful set of activities for students in grades 3-5 to experience making machines using Lego-blocks to solve problems. The examples are quite interesting.

Technology Standard 3: Understands the relationships among science, technology, society, and individual
Technology Standard 4: Understands the nature of technological design
Technology Standard 5: Understands the nature and operation of systems

The Tech Museum: Robotics

Activities and lesson ideas that help students grades 4-6 understand more about robots and robotics. Most do not require that the school have an actual robotics kit. This site also provides an opportunity to control a robot via a Shockwave™ movie.

Technology Standard 3: Understands the relationships among science, technology, society, and individuals
Technology Standard 4: Understands the nature of technological design

Robot Discovery

A webquest that leads students through the question of what robots are and what they can and cannot do for us.

Technology Standard 3: Understands the relationships among science, technology, society, and individuals
Technology Standard 4: Understands the nature of technological design

Appropriate for Grades 6-9

J and J's Robotics Just for Teachers

If you are just thinking about teaching some robotics in grades 6-8, this is a great page for you. It has a tested, and sequenced lesson plan for a unit on robotics and some great tips for how to organize things. They used Robolab kits and/or MindStorms.

Technology Standard 3: Understands the relationships among science, technology, society, and individuals
Technology Standard 4: Understands the nature of technological design
Technology Standard 5: Understands the nature and operation of systems

Educational Robotic Activities

A set of tutorials appropriate for students in grades 6-8. These make a good set of lessons for getting students to understand the basics. Some of the activities require the use of a Handy Board, but others could be used with any kit.

Technology Standard 3: Understands the relationships among science, technology, society, and individuals
Technology Standard 4: Understands the nature of technological design
Technology Standard 5: Understands the nature and operation of systems

Rover Races

If students have already built some rovers using a robotics kit, such as Lego MindStorms, this is an excellent activity for them to undertake. Be sure to have students' preplan and write down their plan prior to letting them race, to be sure they practice good problem-solving skills. Otherwise, it turns into a trial-and -error type exercise. This goes well with study of the planets unit.

Technology Standard 4: Understands the nature of technological design
Technology Standard 5: Understands the nature and operation of systems

Tufts Lego Curriculum

Designed for anyone interested in using Lego materials as the basis for learning about robotics. Many, many different building and programming activities as well as tutorials and graphics. Search the activities and you can find challenge cards to give the students as well as an overview of each activity. There are activities appropriate for any skill level and any grade level.

Technology Standard 3: Understands the relationships among science, technology, society, and individuals
Technology Standard 4: Understands the nature of technological design
Technology Standard 5: Understands the nature and operation of systems

Lego Mindstorms Community - Arctic Mission

Gives step by step directions for using Lego Mindstorms robotics kits to carry out a simulated mission to design a Robotic Cargo Vehicle to deliver supplies to a group of geologists in the Arctic.

Technology Standard 3: Understands the relationships among science, technology, society, and individuals
Technology Standard 4: Understands the nature of technological design
Technology Standard 5: Understands the nature and operation of systems

Robotics Academy

A lesson that integrates writing, mathematics, career exploration, and science in an immersive project of robot-building. This group also puts out a commercial, expanded version of this curriculum. Also available in Spanish.

Technology Standard 3: Understands the relationships among science, technology, society, and individuals
Technology Standard 4: Understands the nature of technological design
Technology Standard 5: Understands the nature and operation of systems

Robotic Constructor

An online application that allows a student to construct robots to collect cubes scattered through a maze. Very game-like, but good way to choosing robotic components that work in particular environments and do specific work. Must allow a pop-up window to see the actual constructor.

Technology Standard 4: Understands the nature of technological design
Technology Standard 5: Understands the nature and operation of systems

Control Your R.O.V.

This online application simulates two different methods of robotic exploration - remote control and preprogramming. They illustrate some of the advantages and disadvantages of each approach. Very hands-on and can be frustrating at times, just like real robotics.

Technology Standard 4: Understands the nature of technological design
Technology Standard 5: Understands the nature and operation of systems

Appropriate for Grades 9-12

BattleBot Building Tips

If your students can't wait to be involved in Robot Wars, here is a place where they can learn from other students. The students at Logan have devised a very user-friendly introduction to robots. Designed for students in grades 9-12, it probably could be used with students even younger. You can download the PDF file so every student can have a copy which is nice if you are a one-computer classroom.

Technology Standard 3: Understands the relationships among science, technology, society, and individuals
Technology Standard 4: Understands the nature of technological design
Technology Standard 5: Understands the nature and operation of systems

SOFIA Telescope Engineering Experiments

Designed for students in grades 10-12, this set of tutorials and experiments helps students understand the priniciples necessary for controlling a huge telescope while flying. It guides the students through building their own simulated model. Very cool. The experiments are very detailed and relatively easy to carry out. Handy Boards are the robotics kit of choice here.

Technology Standard 3: Understands the relationships among science, technology, society, and individuals
Technology Standard 4: Understands the nature of technological design
Technology Standard 5: Understands the nature and operation of systems

Blade Runner - What Is Human

Designed for students in grades 10-12, this lesson idea builds on the movie "Blade Runner" and the novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" to help students explore what it means to be human. It includes several exercises to help students think deeply about this topic. Most students find this topic quite interesting.

Technology Standard 3: Understands the relationships among science, technology, society, and individual
Technology Standard 5: Understands the nature and operation of systems