Celebrating National Robotics Week

Happy National Robotics Week from VEX Robotics! This week is designed especially to inspire students in robotics and STEM-related fields, and to share the impact of robotics with audiences of all ages. There are so many ways that you can recognize National Robotics Week with your students using the VEX Continuum! Here are a few fun and engaging resources for each VEX platform that are sure to inspire your learners. Use the Table of Contents to navigate to the section that pertains to your specific VEX Platform.

Kid with VEX robot

VEX 123
VEX GO
VEX IQ
VEX EXP
VEX V5
VEXcode VR

VEX 123

Activities

VEX 123 Activities are simple, one-page exercises that are perfect to use as an extension activity or in a learning center setting. Because Activities are designed for independent student use, they are easy to follow and increase student autonomy. Activities cover a wide range of playful and challenging topics that reinforce computer science and STEM concepts. View our assortment of VEX 123 activities here. Filter activities by subject using the left hand sidebar on the Activities page. Consider having a National Robotics Week parade using the Robot Parade Activity!

Activity Series

To extend Activities, implement Activity Series, related sets of activities that can be implemented over the course of a few days. Activity Series include a Unit Overview, an overview of best practices for getting started, and a printable Student Certificate for students to earn upon completion! The Touch to Code Activity Series is perfect for introducing learners to sequences and coding.

Kids around VEX 123

Hour of Code

VEX 123 Hour of Code Activities are designed to be short, easy-to-implement activities that enable young learners to practice coding using fun scenarios. What better way to celebrate National Robotics Week than the Castle Crasher Activity? Students will strengthen their sequencing and coding skills by driving the 123 Robot to crash castles into the crash zone.

Kids using VEX 123

Through teaching educational robotics, you are enabling your students to understand our world more fully, develop computational thinking skills, grow through iterative problem solving, and learn about the professions of the future. What better time to leverage the benefits of educational robotics than National Robotics Week? Post your own ideas in the PD+ Community to inspire others, or sign up for a 1:1 Session with experts at VEX for assistance implementing any of these resources. We are excited to see how you incorporate the VEX Continuum to celebrate National Robotics Week!

VEX GO

Activities

VEX GO Activities are simple, one-page exercises that are perfect to use as an extension activity or in a learning center setting. Because Activities are designed for independent student use, they are easy to follow and increase student autonomy. Activities cover a wide range of playful and challenging topics that reinforce computer science and STEM concepts. View our assortment of VEX GO activities here. Filter activities by subject and by build using the left hand sidebar on the Activities page. To celebrate the development of adaptive devices for those with disabilities and robotic claws within industrial automation, consider implementing the Handy Helpers Activity!

Activity Series and STEM Labs

To extend Activities, implement Activity Series and STEM Labs, related sets of activities that can be implemented over the course of a few days. Activity Series include a Unit Overview, an overview of best practices for getting started, and a printable Student Certificate for students to earn upon completion! Activity Series and STEM Labs also include a Pacing Guide, Implementation Guide, Materials Lists, Build Instructions, and Connections of Content Standards. To celebrate real-world applications of robotics, consider implementing the Data Detectives: Bridge Challenge to explore how bridge inspectors use sensor data to assess infrastructure safety. Students could also examine variables that affect movement by building and racing a car using the Super Car STEM Lab!

VEX GO Data Detectives

Hour of Code

VEX GO Hour of Code Activities are designed to be short, easy-to-implement activities that enable young learners to practice coding using fun scenarios. What better way to celebrate National Robotics Week than the Robots on Parade Activity? Through creatively modifying the VEX GO Code Base to construct a new robot, students can celebrate different types of robots and their real-world applications, culminating in an exciting parade of robots.

Classroom using VEX GO

VEX GO Camps

Implement educational robotics through VEX Camps to celebrate National Robotics Week! All VEX Camps are free and bring exciting, thematic STEM activities to students. Connect with VEX experts through recorded, Online STEM Camps to build robots along with the VEX team. For example, VEX GO Camp Session 1- Super Car, is an easy to use, 1 hour camp that would make the perfect National Robotics Week Celebration. Students will follow along with a tutorial developed by VEX experts to build their own rubber band powered Super Car. They will then test the car to see how far it can drive and how many turns of the rubber band makes the car drive the furthest!

Classroom using VEX GO

You can even run your own VEX Robotics Camp through guidance from VEX resources. Run Your Own Camps are designed to be completed in 1, 3, or 5 days. What better way to celebrate National Robotics Week than exploring STEM Gadgets and Games? In this Camp, students will explore mechanisms that make their favorite gadgets, games, and toys by building and designing structures that use motion and force.

VEX IQ

Activities

VEX IQ Activities are simple, one-page exercises that are perfect to use as an extension activity or in a learning center setting. Because Activities are designed for independent student use, they are easy to follow and increase student autonomy. Activities cover a wide range of playful and challenging topics that reinforce computer science and STEM concepts. View our assortment of VEX IQ activities here. Filter activities by subject and by build using the left hand sidebar on the Activities page. Why not have a Block Party to celebrate National Robotics Week? In this Activity, students will practice using the Controller by collecting cubes and moving cubes into a scoring location as quickly as possible. Students could also complete the Code a Code Activity to code a celebratory secret message!

Activity

STEM Labs

For longer activities that provide an even deeper dive into STEM concepts, implement VEX IQ STEM Labs. STEM Labs include a Unit Overview, an overview of best practices for getting started, and a printable Student Certificate for students to earn upon completion! Activity Series and STEM Labs also include a Pacing Guide, Implementation Guide, Materials Lists, Build Instructions, and Connections of Content Standards. See this VEX Library article that outlines best practices for implementing VEX IQ STEM Labs. Try a game of Robot Soccer for National Robotics Week! In this STEM Lab, students will explore how robots use manipulators to grasp and transport materials by coding their IQ Robot to grab, pass, and score the most goals as a robot soccer player.

STEM Lab

Hour of Code

VEX IQ Hour of Code Activities are designed to be short, easy-to-implement activities that enable young learners to practice coding using fun scenarios. What better way to celebrate National Robotics Week than the Maze Race Activity? Students will put their critical thinking and coding skills to use by using the Bumper Switch to figure out where to turn to solve the maze! This activity is a great segue into real world applications of bumper sensors within the field of robotics.

VEX IQ Camps

Implement educational robotics through VEX Camps to celebrate National Robotics Week! All VEX Camps are free and bring exciting, thematic STEM activities to students. Connect with VEX experts through recorded, Online Robot Games Camps to build robots along with the VEX team. For example, the VEX IQ Robot Games Camp Session 2-Driving the Basebot, is an easy to use, 40-minute camp that would make the perfect National Robotics Week Celebration. Students will practice driving their BaseBot using the Controller as they navigate around obstacles and through a custom driving course!

VEX IQ

You can even create a custom camp by running your own! Run Your Own Camps are designed to be completed in 1, 3, or 5 days. What better way to celebrate National Robotics Week than the Robot Olympics Camp? In this Camp, students will build and code their VEX IQ robots to play soccer, run races, and more! As students compete in challenges, they will learn coding and engineering concepts.

VEX EXP

Activities

VEX EXP Activities are simple, one-page exercises that are perfect to use as an extension activity or in a learning center setting. Because Activities are designed for independent student use, they are easy to follow and increase student autonomy. Activities cover a wide range of playful and challenging topics that reinforce computer science and STEM concepts. View our assortment of VEX EXP activities here. Filter activities by subject and by build using the left hand sidebar on the Activities page. The VEX EXP Spin Your Wheels Activity is a wonderful way to highlight the role of mathematics in robotics through calculating how fast wheels spin using measurements within VEXcode EXP.

STEM Labs

For longer activities that provide an even deeper dive into STEM concepts, implement VEX EXP STEM Labs. STEM Labs include a Unit Overview, an overview of best practices for getting started, and a printable Student Certificate for students to earn upon completion! Activity Series and STEM Labs also include a Pacing Guide, Implementation Guide, Materials Lists, Build Instructions, and Connections of Content Standards. See this VEX Library article that outlines best practices for implementing STEM Labs. The Robot Soccer STEM Lab is an engaging way to teach about the use of manipulators, such as claws, in the field of robotics.

VEX EXP

Hour of Code

VEX EXP Hour of Code Activities are designed to be short, easy-to-implement activities that enable young learners to practice coding using fun scenarios. What better way to celebrate National Robotics Week than the Castle Crasher Activity? Students will practice their coding skills by coding their robot to knock over castles and clear all buckyballs from the field using the VEX EXP Speed Build.

VEX EXP Camps

You can even create a custom camp by running your own! Run Your Own Camps are designed to be completed in 1, 3, or 5 days. What better way to celebrate National Robotics Week than the Ring Leader Camp? Campers will work with their team to create a game strategy to score the most points in a two-part ring toss competition! Through the game, students will explore the difference between driver control and coding for autonomous movement within the field of robotics.

VEX V5

Activities

VEX V5 Activities are simple, one-page exercises that are perfect to use as an extension activity or in a learning center setting. Because Activities are designed for independent student use, they are easy to follow and increase student autonomy. Activities cover a wide range of playful and challenging topics that reinforce computer science and STEM concepts. View our assortment of VEX V5 activities here. Filter activities by subject and by build using the left hand sidebar on the Activities page. Many robots, including autonomous vehicles, operate using driving configurations specific to the task at hand; the VEX V5 Driver Configurations Activity is a fun way for students to test their driving skills using four different driving configurations.

STEM Labs

For longer activities that provide an even deeper dive into STEM concepts, implement VEX V5 STEM Labs. STEM Labs include a Unit Overview, an overview of best practices for getting started, and a printable Student Certificate for students to earn upon completion! Activity Series and STEM Labs also include a Pacing Guide, Implementation Guide, Materials Lists, Build Instructions, and Connections of Content Standards. See this VEX Library article that outlines best practices for implementing STEM Labs. The Medbot STEM Lab is an exciting method to teach students about the ways robots are used to transport medicine and supplies within hospital settings.

VEXcode V5

Hour of Code

VEXcode VR

Activities

VEXcode VR Activities are simple, one-page exercises that are perfect to use as an extension activity or in a learning center setting. Because Activities are designed for independent student use, they are easy to follow and increase student autonomy. Activities cover a wide range of playful and challenging topics that reinforce computer science and STEM concepts. View our assortment of VEXcode VR activities here. Implementation resources include a Pacing Guide, Standards Mapping, an Email Home, and Activity Answers. Filter activities by subject and by build using the left hand sidebar on the Activities page. Why not celebrate space robotics for National Robotics Week? The Crater Collection Activity is a perfect activity for beginners to explore the use of robotics to collect samples during space expeditions.

Activity Labs

To extend VEXcode VR Activities, implement Activity Labs, related sets of activities that can be implemented over the course of a few days. Activity Labs are organized by Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Levels to best meet the needs of each student. The VIQRC Virtual Skills - Slapshot Activity Lab is perfect for students to practice refining their code using sensor feedback through dispensing and launching disks in dynamic challenges.

Hour of Code

VEXcode VR Hour of Code Activities are designed to be short, easy-to-implement activities that enable young learners to practice coding using fun scenarios. What better way to celebrate National Robotics Week than the Coral Reef Cleanup Activity? Oceanographers are using robots to monitor the health of coral reefs, perform safety checks, and clean reefs in a minimally invasive manner. Through Coral Reef Cleanup, students practice their coding skills by driving the VR Ocean Cleaning Robot to collect as much debris as possible from the coral reef.

VEXcode VR

VEXcode VR Camps

Implement educational robotics through VEX Camps to celebrate National Robotics Week! All VEX Camps are free and bring exciting, thematic STEM activities to students. Connect with VEX experts through recorded, online Creativity in Coding Camps to build robots along with the VEX team. For example, the VEXcode VR Creativity in Coding Camp Session 1- Castle Crasher, is an easy to use, 1 hour camp that would make the perfect National Robotics Week Celebration. Students will practice their VEXcode VR coding skills through coding their robot to crash castles. Students will also use the pen on the VR Robot to code their robots to draw!

VEXcode VR Login

You can even create a custom camp by running your own! Run Your Own Camps are designed to be completed in 1, 3, or 5 days. What better way to celebrate National Robotics Week than the Robots on the Run Camp? Students will solve unique coding challenges as they code their robots to drive, turn, and draw to solve a maze with VEXcode VR.

Kids with VEX Robot

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