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5 Ways to Teach Robotics (+1 Way to Get Funding)

Elementary/Middle School/High School

Students of all kinds think robots are cool. Boys, girls, first-graders, high-schoolers, introverts, extroverts, storytellers, and math whizzes all find something to like when a teacher brings a bot to class.

But teaching with robots goes beyond student enjoyment. It leads directly to student achievement. That’s because few areas of education highlight every letter in STEM quite like robotics. Building and programming robots takes creativity, coding, problem solving, communication, teamwork, perseverance, and much more. Robotics is a perfect combination of the physical and the logical, and a great way to prepare students as we march toward a future driven by artificial intelligence

Introducing robotics to your students can be easier and less expensive than you think. Read on to discover some of the hottest robotics education technology available, and meet some teachers who’ve added it to their classrooms without spending a penny of the school budget.

 

Ozobot Evo

Right out of the box, Evo shows off three tricks students can switch between, using their hands to interact with the bot’s sensor. Things get even more fun when they remix Evo’s code to teach it new tricks.

Want to get this for free? See how this teacher did it at DonorsChoose.org.

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Ozobot Evo

The smart and social robot that inspires creativity.

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Makeblock Airblock Drone

This transformable, flying robot with an innovative magnetic design lets kids quickly assemble and test different configurations. Drag-and-drop graphical software makes programming easy too.

Want to get this for free? See how this teacher did it at DonorsChoose.org

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Makeblock Airblock Drone

Code your own drone!

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Wonder Workshop Dash Robot

Dash is designed for students aged 6 and up, and is charged and ready to play out of the box. Dash can dance and sing, and it’s smart enough to respond to voices and sounds. Beginner-friendly challenge cards invite students to level up their coding skills through fun, hands-on activities. 

Teachers can use Wonder, Blockly, and other apps to create new behaviors for Dash.

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Wonder Workshop Dash Robot

Introduce robotics to lower grade levels.

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BristleBot

This simple micro robot consisting of a conventional toothbrush head and motor is as an affordable and accessible tool to quickly engage young students in STEM and robotics activity.

Want to get this for free? See how this teacher did it at DonorsChoose.org

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BristleBot

BristleBots are great for teaching engineering, motors, circuits, and principles of balance.

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TI-Innovator Rover

Rover rolls over roadblocks to learning by taking math off the page and bringing it to life in the real world – adding a physical dimension to graphic representations. It’s an on-ramp to more advanced coding, STEM, and robotics projects.

Want to get this for free? See how this teacher did it at DonorsChoose.org.

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TI-Innovator Rover

This programmable robotic vehicle drives conceptual curiosity in math, science and coding.

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Have questions about robotics or just want more ways to help students discover STEM? Ask the Ward’s Science Plus Us team at sciencehelp@vwr.com. Our in-house scientists and technicians are ready to answer even the toughest inquiries.