At Alder Creek Middle School, students design, build, program, and solve problems with LEGO® robotics kits! Thanks to a $3,520 grant from Excellence in Education, the robotics program expanded to provide more opportunities for students with a wider range of interests, abilities, and learning needs.
Technology and math teacher Jonathon Levin first introduced LEGO SPIKE Prime robotics kits through a previous Excellence in Education grant. As students became more confident, many were ready to take on increasingly complex engineering challenges. At the same time, some students needed materials that offered a more accessible entry point into robotics.
This latest grant addressed both needs by funding LEGO SPIKE Prime Expansion Sets for students ready to extend their designs, along with LEGO SPIKE Essential Sets that provide additional support for novice learners and students with individualized learning needs.
The expanded collection serves students participating in the ACES rotation, with approximately 300 students visiting the Tech Lab each year to explore STEAM concepts.
Students have said that they “are satisfying to play with” and they’re impressed with the opportunity to build robots.
“Thank you for supporting robotics and STEM at ACMS,” said Mr. Levin. “Students get so excited when their ideas and programming come to life through the robots. They naturally engage with critical thinking and problem solving when addressing challenges with their robots. It is amazing to see how knowledge moves around the room when students are collaborating or competing with the robotics challenges.”
The program helps students move beyond following instructions and begin creating challenges and solutions of their own. As students imagine new ways to use the robotics materials and programming tools, they develop collaboration, digital literacy, engineering, and creative thinking skills while becoming designers of their own learning experiences.
Every grant funded through Excellence in Education helps bring meaningful learning opportunities into TTUSD classrooms. This investment in robotics gives students the tools to explore new ideas, tackle new challenges, and discover what they’re capable of building next.
Help us provide more opportunities just like these by donating to Excellence in Education here! Want to get more good news like this in your inbox? Sign up for our newsletter here.