The K-8 Classroom Suite

The K-8 Classroom Suite is our answer to the four challenges educators named, and it covers kindergarten through eighth grade. It stands on three pillars: robot kits, curriculum and professional development. We have robots and robot kits, but we really pride ourselves on the other two pillars. Everything comes as one bundled, cohesive package, so a school has everything it needs to run the program well over the long term and keep students engaged year after year.

Three programs, one per grade band. Paving the Way with Treads (K-3) has curriculum versions for grades K, 1, 2 and 3, with 25 lessons per grade of about 30 minutes, used as a flexible tool in core classrooms such as math centers and ELA small groups. Taking Off with Pilot (3-5) has versions for grades 3, 4, 5 and General, with 25 lessons of 45 to 60 minutes in a unit that builds from day 1 to day 25 around the Pilot Robot Kit. Introduction to Robotics with Axle (6-8) has versions for grades 6, 7, 8 and General, with 45 lessons of 45 to 60 minutes; students build the Axle Robot Kit, then take it apart.

On purpose. Depending on the school and the students' prior experience, some third graders have never done robotics. Treads suits them, especially new third graders in the first semester, because its coding environment is simpler and easier to pick up. Other third graders are mechanically inclined, have done robotics before, or are ready for more. That is why there is also a third grade Pilot curriculum. Pilot is a kit that students put together, which suits children who thrive on hands-on learning, and the coding levels up a little. For a full K-8 pipeline, keep Treads for K, 1 and 2, then move third graders up to Pilot, because they will already have had Treads for three years.

The Treads Robot needs no assembly: students turn it on and start playing and learning right away. The Pilot Robot Kit has about 150 pieces that students put together with real-world tools, usually in one to three class periods; once built, Pilot uses its ultrasonic sensor to avoid hitting walls. The Axle Robot Kit is like Pilot's big brother, with about double the pieces, built with a screwdriver, a wrench and a ruler. It has an ultrasonic sensor and a light sensor on the bottom for line following. Pilot and Axle also come with a game controller that students learn to program. Every kit comes with all required tools and pieces.

Yes. All of our robots and all of our equipment are reusable. Students build Axle and take it apart at the end of the unit, which is also what lets one grade hand the robots on to the next. Treads is never taken apart, so it moves from classroom to classroom all day. The equipment stays with the school, so from year two the only cost to plan for is the license renewal.