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Robotics

TCEA Member Takes the Lead: Introducing the Galaxy Bot Battle

by Peggy Reimers
written by Peggy Reimers

I’m excited to share news about an initiative led by one of our dedicated members, Michael Goddard of Keene ISD. While TCEA is discontinuing providing an arena contest problem set, Michael has stepped up to create a new contest that preserves the familiar TCEA arena contest format that many teams have come to know and love. Introducing the epic Galaxy Bot Battle!

Galaxy Bot Battle

Michael Goddard’s “Galaxy Bot Battle” is designed to provide continuity for teams accustomed to the TCEA arena contest structure. Here are some key points about this new competition:

  • The game mat and board are identical to those used in recent TCEA arena games.
  • Game pieces are all familiar, having been used in previous years’ competitions.
  • The contest format closely follows that of the alliance team structure that TCEA has provided for the past three years. The contests were:
    • Build: Widgets (2021-22)
    • Go Go Cargo! (2022-23)
    • Hi, Bye Pizza Pie (2023-24)

North Texas Robotics Contest 2025 Featuring the Galaxy Bot Battle

For teams eager to put their robots to the test, and looking for a contest? Keene High School in Keene, Texas will be hosting the North Texas Robotics Contest on April 5, 2025, featuring the Galaxy Bot Battle game. Here are the details:

  • Date: April 5, 2025
  • Location: Keene High School, Keene, Texas
  • Cost: $50 per team
  • Registration: Opens in November 2024

Resources for Participants

To help teams prepare for the Galaxy Bot Battle, Michael has provided several resources:

Game Website

Game Manual

Score Sheet

Summary Video

One note, even if you are not participating in the contest, you have to check out the summary video. It is just so AWESOME! The 90-second driver controlled period is out-of-this-galaxy. Michael must be a big time Star Wars fan, and his creativity has shown through with all the tasks a team can attempt. And with so many ways to earn points, this is a great exercise in critical thinking, too!

TCEA Community Group

For those with questions or looking to discuss the game,  I encourage you to post in the TCEA Robotics Contest Group in the TCEA Community. You must be a TCEA member to access the Community. When you do arrive at this location, please post in the Robotics Contest Group using the subject “Galaxy Bot Battle, rule #” in your post title so that we can find and respond to your post easily.

I am so thrilled to see TCEA members like Michael Goddard taking initiative to keep the robotics competition spirit alive. While TCEA may no longer be organizing the arena contest, TCEA is proud to support and promote these member-led initiatives that continue to foster innovation and excitement in educational robotics. For our press release on the TCEA contests, please click here. If you are looking for past TCEA robotics game manuals, please reach out to Peggy at preimers@tcea.org and I can assist you. 

And as always,

Go Bot Go Go

Peggy

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Red truck with black wheels.
Robotics

2023-2024 TCEA Arena Robotics Contest

by Peggy Reimers
written by Peggy Reimers

TCEA has released a new robotics contest problem set: Hi, Bye, Pizza Pie. Darren Wilson, a long-time TCEA member and retired educator, and I wrote the 2023-2024 game manual. As the name suggests, the problem set is designed around the theme of pizza! While the TCEA state contest has been discontinued, TCEA members, and anyone who would like to, can use this problem set in their classroom, campus, or district.

Why is this robotics contest about pizza?

The pizza restaurant business is a booming industry that specializes in creating tasty pizzas using a variety of ingredients. Many restaurants have convenient ways to order, provide fast delivery, and efficiently cook pizzas to ensure customer satisfaction. Did you know there are more than 75,000 pizza restaurants all over the United States? That’s a lot of places to enjoy pizza. And get this, about 13% of people in the U.S. have pizza on any given day. That goes to show how much Americans love pizza!

Contest Components

2023-2024 TCEA Robotics Contest Manual Title Page

The structure consists of qualifier matches, seeded teams, alliance selection, and a single elimination tournament that Darren created for the robotics contest two years ago. Take a look at the materials and detailed information for Hi, Bye, Pizza Pie!:

Scheduled Contests

If you would like TCEA to run the app for scoring, please contact me, Peggy, at preimers@tcea.org. There is a $50 fee and no two contests can be on the same day. Take a look at some of our already-scheduled contests:

  • December 2, 2023 – Area 8: Texas Youth Robotics Alliance Kickoff Contest
  • December 9, 2023 – Mason ISD – Open Invitational
  • January 10, 2024 – Area 15 Robotics Contest
  • February 24, 2024 – The Island of Guam Robotics Contest
  • April 6, 2024 – Area 11 Robotics Contest

Check out this action-packed video from last year’s Go, Go Cargo! Contest

Video captured by the author.

Join the Robotics Group in the TCEA Community 

Questions? If you are a member of TCEA, join the Robotics Contest group to ask about Hi, Bye, Pizza Pie! Plus, find out what other coaches and sponsors are sharing about robotics around the state. If you have a question about the contest, this is the place to go. All questions get answered here!

Join Me for a Q&A on Zoom!

If you would like to get your questions answered in person, I will be holding an informal Q&A Zoom Meeting on Wednesday, November 1, 2023 at 4:30 p.m. Central. Please email me for the link. Until then, go bot, go!

Featured image: Designed by TCEA

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RoboticsSTEM/STEAM

The Perfect Robotics Activity for Beginners

by Peggy Reimers
written by Peggy Reimers

If I was a brand new robotics teacher, I would ask myself, “How in the world do I begin teaching my students robotics?” My best advice to you is to plan a couple of lessons and robotics activities that provide the following:

  1. An activity that gives you time to establish classroom routines
    • What does clean-up look like? 
    • Where do robots get stored? 
    • How do you handle parts that end up on the floor?
  2. An activity to introduce the Engineering Design Process
  3. A quick and easy project
  4. A short build that allows some freedom in construction

Remember, if you are new to robotics, don’t think you have to jump into the deep end and do it all! Just like driving a car, you learn to brake and drive forward. No one starts out parallel parking! So, let’s check out one of my favorite “getting started with robotics” activities.

Yo: The Robo-Waving Machine

I have used this project on several LEGO platforms, and it would also work well with VEX GO and VEX IQ. The only thing I have really changed about this robotics activity over time has been the name. First, I called this activity “The Attention Getter,” then, “The Hand,” and now, the name has morphed into “Yo: The Robo-Waving Machine.”

The Engineering Design Process (EDP)

Image of a worksheet: "Yo: The Robo-Waving Machine Challenge" This is a beginner robotics activity, and the link to the sheet is under the image.
Access the EDP (Engineering Design Process) Sheet designed for this challenge.

To get started with this robotics activity, work through the EDP sheet. This can be done in pairs, groups, or as a class. The challenge is building a robot that waves a hand, but what problem is this solving? What’s the real-world connection? Here are a few questions to ask as you’re working through this part of the process:

How do businesses try to capture your attention?

  • billboards
  • flag banners
  • bandit signs (poster-sized signs along roadways)
  • neon and digital signs
  • inflatable tube guys/air dancers
  • sign spinners on the street corners
  • airplanes pulling banner signs
  • vehicle or bus wraps

How do you capture someone’s attention?

  • Yell
  • eye contact
  • wave your hand
  • tap on the shoulder

Plan Your Hand Attachment

Sketch out how one will attach a hand to the robot brick/hub. If you have students that are stuck on the construction, try this easy step-by-step build.

Fun Foam Hands

I provided hands made with fun foam that I pre-cut in several colors. You could also have students trace and cut out their own hand using cardstock or light cardboard. Find the template here.

Building the Robot

Most students can design their own motor apparatus to have a hand move back and forth. But just in case your students need help in the construction of the robot, here is an easy step-by-step build. 

Rate the challenge with an emoji!

  • I loved it!
  • I liked it!
  • I was frustrated!
  • It was hard and made me sweat.
  • I disliked it.
  • I was angry!

Of course, you don’t have to use my definitions of the emojis from the EDP (Engineering Design Process) Sheet! Let your students explain why the emoji was chosen. And remember, certainly more than one emoji can be marked. I have worked on plenty of robots where I was frustrated and loved the challenge at the EXACT same time.

Rank the Challenge

I usually go with:

  • 1 star = Poor
  • 2 stars = Fair
  • 3 stars = Good
  • 4 stars = Excellent
  • 5 stars = Outstanding

Extension

As an extension activity, have your students invent a product and create an advertising strategy that captures people’s attention and promotes their product or service with a robot.

Project Resources and Sheets


I hope this beginning robotics project will come in “handy” when it comes to starting off the year in your classroom.  Yes, that pun was intended. If you decide to give Yo a try, I would be delighted if you could share a video of your hands in action at preimers@tcea.org or tag me on Twitter @preimers.

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Content AreasEnglish Language Arts Reading (ELAR)ReadingRoboticsScienceSocial Studies

How to Integrate Robotics into Elementary Content Areas

by Laura Mackay
written by Laura Mackay

Are you looking for a way to engage your students with content? Tired of the same old routines? Think about integrating touch-based robots into your curriculum. Most teachers, when they hear the word “robotics,” immediately think, “Nope. Not me.” or “I have no clue.” Coding a robot can seem daunting! That was our first thought when we were asked to integrate robotics into the regular curriculum. Luckily, kids have no problem trying something new! Here are some simple ideas for you to try as first steps to integrating robotics into content area instruction. 

Types of Robots

First, there are so many different types of robots! Some are simple, like Bee-Bots, Code and Go Mouse, or VEX 123. With these types of robots, you simply push buttons and go. Many videos are available on YouTube to show how easy it is to program these. They help students focus on creating algorithms and learning executive functioning skills like critical thinking and problem solving. Additionally, you’ll see that the mats used with these robots can be very versatile! You can easily adapt them for whatever skill you want students to practice – from phonics to addition and subtraction.

Getting Started with Robots

Our first lesson is simply setting a structure and having students learn to program the robot and use the mat. We have them write their algorithm on a whiteboard or a planning guide, program the robot, press start, and see what happens. The key is classroom management. Set a structure of making students think and plan before touching the robot. This engages critical thinking. Once students have the planning and programming down, you’re ready to go. And they catch on very quickly!

Two photos of students using the VEX 123 robot for content practice
Notice students have a map to plan their algorithm before programming the robot. We are using the VEX 123 robot in these pictures with a plastic mat. You can also make your own mat with a poster printer or out of paper.

Many teachers will say they do not have time to teach the regular curriculum, much less to play with robots. The key is to incorporate both into lessons! I’m going to share some types of lessons we’ve had success with in my district. Most are done in the classroom, but some are in the library’s Makerspace. We are still in the pilot phase of integrating content and robotics, but hopefully, some of these ideas can work for you.   

Example Activity Using Robots in Math

In math stations, students practice a variety of skills. Why not add robots? One favorite activity is rolling the dice and practicing addition, subtraction, and coding robots with One More, One Less, or Two More, Two Less. This lesson can be differentiated based on students’ personalized learning needs. 

How to Play:

Two photos of students using the VEX 123 robot for math practice
  • First, students place the robot on the number 1 or a designated “Go” or “Start” square on the mat.
  • Students roll the dice. You can differentiate by using different types of dice or rolling more than one to make it more challenging.
  • Write down the number rolled (for example, 6).
  • Do the appropriate math (for example, if you’re playing Two More, you add 2: 6 + 2 = 8).
  • Find the number from the answer (8) on the mat.
  • Write out the algorithm for coding the robot to go from where it is on the mat, to the number in the answer (for example, straight 2, right 2, left 1, straight 3).
  • Program the robot to go from where it is on the mat (1 or “Go”) to the number from the answer (8). Press start!

If the student programs to the wrong number, they can take another turn, or another person can take a turn programming the correct number. Notice that sometimes we make cards to tape to the robot mat and other times we simply write numbers with an Expo marker. You do not have to be too fancy! Students are happy to simply engage with the robot. Can you think of other math concepts students could practice using robots?

Robotics and English Language Arts (ELA)

There are so many content ideas for ELA. In the lower grades, the focus can be on retelling a story or telling the beginning, middle, and end of a story. Simply change out the content cards on the mat and students become engaged in coding the robot to retell a story. Phonics practice is also important, and it is hard to make it fun. Teachers have created lessons helping students to learn contractions, CVC words, CVCE words, different word families, and diagraphs with robots. Once students learn a concept, it is easy to change the topic to practice a new one using the mat.  

Image of Vex 123 mat used to retell a story
Heidi Danner at Ward Elementary created the ELA activity for Halloween using the VEX 123. In this activity, students practice retelling “The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything,” but the idea can be used with any book. Students code the robot to move to the images in the order they appear in the book and retell the story as they go.
Image of students using the Bee-Bot robot for sight word practice
Here, the Bee-Bot mat is used with students practicing sight words.

Science Review with Robots 

Science started easy with students coding the robot to a picture that showed either a living or non-living thing. After teachers saw the engagement level with the students, they created a “Four Seasons” mat to review what type of clothing and weather goes with each season. Third graders practiced reviewing solids, liquids, and gases. Fifth grade students in Texas take the Science STAAR assessment, and teachers wanted a fun way to review material. Amanda Hughes at Ed White E-STEM created a Water Cycle mat with question stems to review important vocabulary and knowledge. The sky really is the limit to what you can practice!

Science challenge cards for robotics activity
Here are example challenge cards for the living a non-living activity.
Example science activity robotics mat for practicing solid, liquid, and gas
Here you see a printed mat with a practice review activity for solid, liquid, and gas.
Science challenge cards for the solids liquids and gases robotics activity
These challenge cards were used for the solid, liquid, and gas activity.

Using Robotics in Social Studies

Developing lessons in social studies has been fun for teachers. For one activity, we had students identify the continents. Images of the continents were placed on a mat, and students were tasked with locating a continent and coding the robot to move to it. In the first iteration of the lesson, we had the image of the continent labeled with its written name on the mat. The students simply had to match the card and code. To make it harder, we then used images of continents without their names. The students drew a continent card, found the continent on the mat, and then coded.

Image of students identifying continents using the VEX GO
Students are identifying the continents using the VEX GO.

The same structure works with a variety of topics. You could code the robot to important mountain ranges in Texas. Or code the robot to important cities or places in the United States. Upper grades had students design their own content-based robotics games about important places in the American Revolution. 

Robotics is an engaging and fun way for students to learn the core content curriculum. Hopefully, a few of these ideas will inspire you to try something on your own! 

Don’t miss Laura Mackay at TCEA’s Elementary Technology Conference in Galveston, Texas! She’ll be presenting two sessions: “Integrating Scratch Coding and Core Curriculum” and “Robotics for Littles – Using VEX 123.” Only a few days left to register!

Sign Up Today!

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Robotics

Play Robo Twister During National Robotics Week

by Peggy Reimers
written by Peggy Reimers

“Right foot, blue. Left hand, red! Left foot, green. Right hand, yellow!” Are these words familiar to you? This game of physical skill was submitted for patent by Charles F. Foley and Neil Rabens in 1966 under the name, “Pretzel.” Who knew 57 years later, “Twister” could also become a great challenge for robotics! Is there a better way to celebrate National Robotics Week this week (April 8-16, 2023) than playing games with robots?

Occasionally, my former “partner-in-crime” and robotics colleague Kathy Holberg and I found our way on the back roads of Texas, traveling for robotics professional development. These trips allowed our creative juices to flow, and we would get into a wonderful zone of inspiration. We were returning from Lubbock in 2007 and working on our new unit, “Games Robots Play,” when we came up with Robo Twister.

It’s a great way to practice the fundamental movements of a robot: forward, reverse, and either a point or pivot turn! All you need for this challenge is:

  1. The Twister mat
  2. A set of Robo Twister rules and cards (Googe Slides or PDF)

Robot Twister Card Information

Image of five different Robo Twister Robotics challenge cards
  • Cards are divided into groups of A, B, C, and D.
  • All cards begin and end on the same colored dot.
  • A cards start and finish on the green dot.
  • B cards start and finish on the yellow dot.
  • C cards start and finish on the blue dot.
  • D cards start and finish on the red dot.
  • A cards have 3 or 4 turns.
  • B cards have 4 turns.
  • C cards have 4 or 5 turns.
  • D cards have 5 or 6 turns.
  • In case you need blank cards, two are provided.

How to Set Up Robo Twister

Step 1: Each team of two students draws a Robo Twister card.

Step 2: Teams plan their route using the dot grid on their card.

Step 3: Then, they use their Robo Twister card to color code the route.

Step 4: Teams select rotations, degrees, seconds, centimeters, or inches for movement.

Robo Twister Robotics Challenge Card - Two Completed Examples
Examples of Completed Robo Twister Cards

Rules for Robot Movements

Robots can travel forward, reverse, and make left or right turns.

Robots cannot travel diagonally.

Robo Twister Extensions for Bonus Points 

If you’ve been in one of my trainings, you know this is called my “back pocket trick.” Check out these two extensions:

Extension 1: When the robot lands on each Twister dot, the robot must stop, make a sound, and wait for one second before proceeding to the next colored dot.

Extension 2: Run two robots consecutively on the mats. The robots must maneuver the course without crashing into each other.

Activity Modifications

Remember, these rules can be changed! One way to establish rules is for the whole group to set the guidelines together. I always tell the teachers: “Watch your kids. They will do phenomenal things.” And I’m sure there are plenty of ways students can make Robo Twister even better.

Placement of the Twister Mat

The optimal setting is to keep your mat off the floor. Stepping on the mat can cause tears and dirt from shoe prints can affect robot performance. Twister mats are pretty slick at first, but through the years, my mats have “seasoned” and are quite robot friendly. 

A Twister mat bonus tip: Look for this game during Christmas as it usually is marked down.

Twist it Up with Bonus Programming

Multitasking – If your platform is a LEGO SPIKE Prime, the robot could light up the center button with the coordinating Twister circle color as it stops on a circle.

My Block –  With the SPIKE Prime app, you could use a My Block.  A My Block is an easy way to group together pieces of code and reuse a collection of blocks. A My Block could be used to make the sound and wait for one second upon landing on each colored Twister circle. You could also use a My Block to program your turns. 

Have a Robo Twister Tournament!

Many thanks to Jennifer Flood, a robotics colleague of mine. She turned Robo Twister into a district challenge, where teams of students came to a Robot Twister tournament night. Two divisions were established: Intermediate and Advanced.

In the Intermediate division, teams came with a pre-built robot, and they had the full 90 minutes to program their robot to cover the route. The advanced-level teams built and programmed their robots on-site. 

Each team ran their robot at the end of the evening, and judges gave points for route completed, partial or full dot landings, and the use of sound and/or light.

Enter the Twister Trivia Game

Twister Triva

And, finally, enter the TCEA TWISTER TRIVIA Game. There are seven trivia questions. If you’re wondering if you can google the answers – the answer is: YES! The contest ends at 5:00 p.m. Central on April 20, 2023. If you are one of three lucky winners, I will mail you a set of the Robo Twister cards so you are ready for your own Robo Twister competition. Good luck!

National Robotics Week

If you’re looking for other ways to celebrate National Robotics Week, there are tons of resources available for early education all the way up through college. Also, select your state to see how others are celebrating and to find out if there’s an event happening in your area!

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Coding/Computer ScienceRobotics

New SPIKE App 3.2.0 Is Released by LEGO

by Peggy Reimers
written by Peggy Reimers

LEGO Education released a new SPIKE App on December 1, 2022. This will be the third version of the software app since SPIKE Prime was released in January 2020. The first release was solely programming SPIKE Prime. With the addition of the SPIKE Essential, SPIKE 2 was released. SPIKE 3 will be used for both SPIKE Prime and SPIKE Essential. Officially this app is called the LEGO® Education SPIKE™ App v. 3.2.0

This is an entirely new app for both the web software and the downloadable app. This app will upgrade both the firmware on your hub and the software. One of the nicest features this app will offer is a faster wireless hub connection on any device (Windows, Mac, iPad, Android, and Chromebook). The other bonuses include:

  • Simplified motor and movement blocks 
  • More precise model movement 
  • Greater capacity to support larger user programs 

Links:

SPIKE 3 App (official name: LEGO® Education SPIKE™ App v. 3.2.0)

SPIKE 2 App (name change: LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Legacy App v. 2.0.9)

If you using the web version of SPIKE App 3, use this link. Make sure you click on the blue box and select “Launch Web App.”

If you are using the web version of SPIKE App 2, use this link.

LEGO has provided this handy chart to help teachers decide when to make the transition to the new software.

I have heard from a teacher that there is a glitch with the new software when it comes to the color sensor not staying connected with the REFLECT function. If you are in the middle of competition season, you might want to hold off updating to SPIKE 3.

Things to Note About SPIKE 3

  • Python WILL NOT be available at launch time but is promised to come soon. When it is released, look for faster program execution and easier progression from Scratch to Python.
  • Upgrading is not compulsory. You get to decide when you would like to change apps.
  • Remember once you change from SPIKE 2 to SPIKE 3, your SPIKE 2 programs will not run on the newest software. So remember programs saved with SPIKE 2 will not be able to be opened with SPIKE 3. 
  • It is NOT recommended to switch back and forth between SPIKE 2 and 3. If you need to downgrade to SPIKE 2, you will need to contact LEGO Education Tech Support at success@lego.com.
  • If you were using the SPIKE Prime web app, you were not able to use bluetooth, just the USB cable. But SPIKE 3 has changed and you will have the bluetooth download capability. 
LEGO SPIKE 2 New Look
The New Look for SPIKE 2
  • The SPIKE App 2 will now be called LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Legacy App and will be available through June 2023. 
SPIKE 3.2.0 move for duration with steering at speed
Move for Duration with Steering at Speed
  • The More Movement block has been whittled down to three blocks of code instead of nine.
  • The More Movemement block no longer has “Move for Duration with Steering at Speed.” I used this block to program forward and backward movements, because you could control all three parameters on one block: direction, distance traveled (cm, in, time, degrees, or rotations), and power of the motors. If you used this like I did, you’ll need a new strategy to teach forward and reverse movement, probably using two blocks of code instead of just one handy-dandy block.

All in all, I think the app changes will benefit SPIKE Prime. My lingering question is: Which blocks will be the best for motor movement? When I find this out, I’ll update this blog post. Until then, go, bot, go!

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RoboticsSTEM/STEAM

Here’s the Scoop on TCEA Robotics Contests

by Peggy Reimers
written by Peggy Reimers

Educators in the TCEA Community and beyond want to know, “Will there be a robotics competition this year?” The answer is “yes” and “no.” Here’s the scoop. The “no” part: The TCEA State Robotics Contest has been discontinued. You can read more about this in the May press release located here.  The “yes” part: TCEA area directors, or anyone else who would like to hold a contest, may offer one if they choose! And TCEA is providing a 2022 problem set. 

The Problem Set 

Even though the state contest has been discontinued, I knew there would be some classrooms, campuses, or districts that would want to hold a robotics contest. With that in mind, I wrote a new problem set. I want to make sure our members have access to a problem set if they choose to have their own contest. But holding the actual contest will now be up to individuals.

The new 2022-2023 problem set, Go, Go Cargo!, is available September 15. That’s today! The problem set is based on a shipping container port and follows the same competition structure introduced in last year’s contest, BUILD: WIDGETS, designed by Darren Wilson. The format structure consists of qualifier matches, seeded teams, alliance selection, and a single elimination tournament that Darren created for the contest last year.

Contest Components

Go, Go Cargo! robotics problem set
Created by Tami Hull, Early ISD

Additional Ideas

Jamie Gustin shares in the TCEA Community another option for robotics contests: 

Most livestock shows have Ag Robotics competitions. Each one will have different rules and problem sets. The sticking point on these is that team members have to be members of 4H or FFA. You can talk to your campus ag teachers to find out what the requirements for membership are. Most fairs/livestock shows will also allow a certain number of non-member teams from schools in their county. I’ve found these Ag Robotics competitions to be challenging and enjoyable. Also, the Ag teachers know all of the school’s travel procedures very well and are great partners.

Jim Jewell shared a list of these:

The links shared above were assembled by Derrick Bruton at d-bruton@tamu.edu.

Questions? If you are a member of TCEA, join the Robotics Contest group to ask questions about Go, Go Cargo and find out what other coaches/sponsors (like Jamie Gustin) are sharing about robotics around the state. 

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RoboticsSTEM/STEAM

How to Build Jitter and JoJo: Two LEGO® Education Robots

by Peggy Reimers
written by Peggy Reimers

Worldwide, many people have been inspired by the fabulous works of Yoshihito Isogawa– myself included. I consider him a legend in the LEGO world of robotics. Yoshihito Isogawa lives in Tokyo, Japan. His biographies describe him as a LEGO master builder, a LEGO® luminary, and a technical writer. He gives LEGO workshops and lectures at schools and science museums. 

Yoshihito Isogawa has also published ten books. His latest is “The LEGO MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor Idea Book.” This book has 125 models (interactive inventions, toys, cars, games, and more) built with the LEGO Robot Inventor set (#51515). This particular set is the retail/home set of SPIKE Prime. If you own a SPIKE Prime, you might pick up some great ideas from this book. Please remember the part selection for the Robot Inventor is quite different from the educational SPIKE Prime set. 

“The LEGO MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor Idea Book” by Yoshihito Isogawa

One thing to note is Yoshihito’s willingness to build and share all kinds of robots and contraptions through his Facebook page and YouTube Channel. He always comes up with ingenious building techniques and clever creations. So one day, believe it or not, I was exploring the internet and stumbled upon a YouTube video called, Two Wheels Car: LEGO SPIKE Essential. Check it out!

I am sure once Yoshihito got a hold of a SPIKE Essential set, his creative juices started flowing. This little robot is easy to build and just plain CUTE! 

Two Wheels Car: LEGO SPIKE Essential

As you probably guessed, I was inspired to see if I could build this cutie-pie robot. It was fairly easy to replicate this build after watching the video and pausing it at specific times to figure out part placement. I’m happy to report I was successful, and the only major change I made from the original was the name. In my honest opinion, the robot needed a name upgrade. TCEA’s Communications Specialist, Emily Hopkins, and I changed the name to “Jitter.” Here is the video of Jitter, and you can see how he got his name. If you want to build Jitter, check out my eight-step building directions.

Jitter in action!

I just couldn’t stop here. Next up was SPIKE Essential’s big brother, SPIKE Prime. Here are the directions for JoJo using a SPIKE Prime core set. It was pure joy to use the 5×5 light matrix for JoJo’s mouth and the biscuits (new technic building element included in the SPIKE Prime and SPIKE Essential sets) for sunglasses.

Two Wheels Car: LEGO SPIKE Prime

If you and your students build Jitter and his brother JoJo, please send me a photo or video. I would love to see your take on these two robots!

Interested in learning more about robotics? Register for TCEA’s Robotics Camp! Learn all you need to know about SPIKE Prime in just a few days. Build robots (and your confidence!), explore the possibilities, and gather up fun, adaptable lessons. Sign up today!

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RoboticsScienceSTEM/STEAM

LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Essential Gets an A+

by Peggy Reimers
written by Peggy Reimers

FINALLY, I got my hands on a LEGO® Education SPIKE™ Essential. This set just brings a smile to my face. It is so bright and colorful. What first comes to mind upon opening the lid and seeing all the LEGO® bricks? SPIKE™ Essential is a magnificent mash-up of the previously released WeDo and Story Starter sets. 

About the SPIKE™ Essential Set

  • Released Date: August 31, 2021
  • Cost: $274.95
  • Building Elements: 449 bricks
  • Includes four minifigures with names and personalities
  • Grade Levels: Grades 1-5 
  • Program: Icon Blocks or Word Blocks based on Scratch
  • Engages students with STEAM concepts while contributing to literacy, math, and social-emotional development
  • Curriculum: 40 lessons in 6 Units
    • Units: Banded into Grades 1-2, Grades 3-5, and All Grades
    • Lessons Length: 30–45 minutes or 45–90 minutes

Hardware Included in the SPIKE™ Essential Set

  • LEGO technic small hub (half the size of the SPIKE™ Prime Hub)
  • 2 small motors
  • 1 technic 3×3 color light matrix (nine pixels and 10 colors)
  • 1 technic color sensor (exactly like SPIKE™ Prime)
  • 6 white base plates
  • 2 small wheels
  • Accessories (crab, dog, flowers, snowboards, and seats)
  • Box of 97 replacement elements

Why SPIKE™ Essential Receives an A+

After organizing my set and assembling several builds, here are my A+ findings for the SPIKE™ Essential set.

Organization 

There are eight color-coded stickers on the sticker sheet. The first task is to put the stickers on the corners of the two white trays. Then, find the color-coded bags of elements, and pour each bag into its matching section. Each compartment has just enough LEGO® pieces in each section to allow you to easily find the element you are looking for.

Re-Organization and Clean Up

After disassembling a robot, reorganization of your Technic Building Elements is so easy. You just put pieces away according to color. In every set before (SPIKE™ Prime, EV3, and WEDo 2.0), breaking down your model and organizing your pieces was tedious and time-consuming. Not anymore!

Replacement Elements 

LEGO® comes through with a box of 97 replacement elements! My only wish is to include replacements for the four minifigures. Teachers, you’ll need to come up with a strategy to keep Maria, Daniel, Leo, and Sophie from leaving your classroom. 

3×3 Color Light Matrix 

This little gem is just so cool. It’s easy to program with nine pixels, and you get ten colors. 

Sounds Provided

With the LEGO® software, there are way too many sounds to choose from. You just know every student will want to try all the sounds!  When programming with the Icon Blocks, there are three blocks of code to choose from. The choices are Animal Sounds, Sound Effects, and Music Blocks. Each block comes with eight sounds and a random option. 

Learning Content

SPIKE™ Essential offers five curriculum units for students in grades 1–5. Each curriculum unit includes lesson plans and teaching resources for seven, 45-minute lessons. Additionally, each lesson includes 30+ minutes of language arts or math extensions. Therefore, each curriculum unit contains a total of 6–10 hours of educational content.

If you are ready to jump in and start building, I highly recommend the Animal Alarm Lesson. The build was fun and the programming highlights the color sensor and the 3×3 Color Light Matrix.

My One LEGO® Wish

As you can see, there is a lot to love about SPIKE™ Essential, but I do have one wish.

I have to admit when it comes to the language of LEGO® I am a little particular. Why, you ask? Every occupation has its own set of jargon. It is imperative in many jobs that one knows the vernacular. If you are a carpenter, you know the difference between a hacksaw and a coping saw. If you are a plumber, you know the difference between a tee, an elbow, and a coupling. Part names matter!

LEGO® does not have a consistent naming convention for the parts. The names vary from set to set.

For example, here is a quick comparison of some SPIKE™ Essential and SPIKE™ Prime.

SPIKE™ Essential TermsSPIKE™ Prime Terms
Stackable LEGO® BricksIntegrator Bricks
1x3x3 Connector BeamBiscuits
Rubber Beam with Cross Holes2m Damper
Axle ExtenderCross Axle Extension

If you’re unboxing SPIKE™ Essential, please drop a comment and leave your own review. Go Bot Go!

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TCEA Robotics Contest Image
RoboticsSTEM/STEAM

TCEA’s Robotics Contests: All You Need to Know

by Peggy Reimers
written by Peggy Reimers

When asked to explain the TCEA Robotics contests, I have my elevator speech memorized and ready to answer. “TCEA has two contests: Arena and Inventions. Arena comes with multiple pages of rules. The Inventions contest has only ONE page of rules and a one-page rubric. Like apples and oranges, you cannot really compare the two. They both ROCK AND ROBOT! And I must say it is a win-win to have two contests for students to choose from according to their interests.” 

However, there is much more to the contests than rules.

Mike Neal, former TCEA Area 15 Director, gets it. He says, “The contests allow students the ability to develop debating or discussion skills which become invaluable in the future. Students get a chance to do just-in-time problem solving, get up and speak in front of people, and experience failure and success in a safe learning environment. Each skill will benefit our students in the future.”

This blog post is intended to give you an overview of the two TCEA Robotics Contests. For detailed information on the Arena and Inventions competitions, please visit the TCEA Robotics website.

TCEA Area Contests

Each year, TCEA holds 21 Area contests. Twenty area contests are conducted around the Lone Star State based on our Texas Educational Service Centers. The 21st area contest is located on the island of Guam. 

Grade levels are split into two divisions:

  • Intermediate: Grades 4-8
  • Advanced:  Grades 9-12

Note: Grades 6-8 may compete in the Advanced Division in special circumstances.

The Inventions Contest

Inventions Engineering Design Process showing logbook, brainstorm, plan, build and test, and present.
EDP designed for TCEA Inventions

Each inventions team follows the engineering design process to create a robot that solves a real-world problem of their choice. Teams keep a detailed logbook and prepare a six-minute presentation for the judges. Students then showcase their research, robot design and performance, marketing strategies, and presentation skills for the judges.

Building materials in this contest are not limited to LEGO bricks. Lumber, metal, plastic, PVC pipe, dirt, frying pans, and many other items are welcome. I have witnessed commodes, canopy tents, chicken coops, greenhouses, and inflatable swimming pools hauled into the State Inventions venue. One thing to note: students must be the ones to build their invention. Adults may not aid with the construction of the invention or with making any associated components for research, design, marketing, or presentation. This is a kids-only contest!

When you think Inventions, think: open-ended, originality, making, imagination, curiosity, creativity, and innovation. The possibilities are limitless.

Top Inventions Tip

Follow an engineering design process. And pay close attention to the rubric as it clearly indicates the five components of the Inventions competition. 

The Arena Contest

Each fall, we post a problem set in the form of a 16-page game manual on our website. The challenge is always completed on the TCEA Race for Time mat. Everyday items are used for game pieces and, in the past, game kits have included LEGO bricks, PVC couplers, Dixie cups, and dice, for example. Race for Time mats and game kits can be purchased exclusively from the TCEA store. 

The game manual includes eight sections:

  • Overview
  • Playing Field and Game Elements 
  • Robot and Software
  • Competition
  • Finals Tournament
  • State Contest
  • FAQ’s
  • Revision History

Teams will design and build a robot to tackle a themed set of tasks, with themes and tasks changing from year to year. In the challenge, there are three qualification matches with two periods each: one 30-second period and one 90-second period. In the 30-second period, the robot must complete tasks autonomously, and in the 90-second period, the robot must complete tasks when controlled by the team’s Robot Driver. Arena teams will partner up with different teams to score points in these three qualification matches. 

The contest will wrap up with the top eight teams choosing an alliance partner to compete in the Finals Tournament. A single-elimination bracket will determine first and second place.

Top Arena Tip

After reading the game manual from beginning to end multiple times, jump into the Community and find answers if you still have questions.

Participants in an Arena Contest, Photo by TCEA

Approximate Timeline

August: Arena challenge released

November/December: Sponsors register teams online

January: Area contests held

February: Wildcard teams announced

March: Sponsors register teams advancing to state

April: State contest held in the Austin area

The Numbers

What do you need to participate?

  • One sponsor (must be a TCEA member)
  • Two students per robotics kit
  • Two to four students per team
  • Four contests: Advanced Arena, Advanced Inventions, Intermediate Arena, Intermediate Inventions
  • One awesome team name (Leave it to kids to come up with fantastic team names. How could you not root for Get Off My Lawn; Blood, Sweat and Gears; Awesome Sauce; or Ninja Tuna? Yes, these are all actual team names!)

Sponsorship

To become a sponsor, you must be a TCEA member (a one-year membership is $49 or get a course for just $29 and it’s thrown in for free). The main responsibilities of a sponsor include:

  • Providing students with a learning space to build and program
  • Guiding students in knowledge of the rules and rubric 
  • Creating a support system 
  • Finding funding for equipment and registration fees
  • Transporting students to contests

Sponsors are generally educators who teach class, have an after-school program, or coach a robotics club; however, sponsors from a church, community organization, scouts, 4-H, or a home school are welcome to participate in the TCEA Robotics Contest.

Participants in an Inventions Contest, Photo by TCEA

Equipment/Fees for One Team

  1. Programming software (provided free by the platform)
  2. Device (Mac, PC, iPad, Android tablet, or Chromebook)
  3. Contest Registration Fee $50 ($70 for State)
  4. One robotics set 

Robotics platforms allowed: 

  • LEGO MINDSTORMS EV3
  • LEGO SPIKE Prime or Robot Inventor 
  • VEX IQ
  • LEGO NXT (only allowed in Inventions)

Arena Only: Additional Equipment

robotics
Students compete in an Arena Contest on the Race for Time mat. Photo by TCEA

Inventions Only: Additional Equipment

  • Logbook (can be kept electronically or physically – but must appear at the contest in a hard copy format)
  • Display poster board
  • Various items for the invention demonstration and 10’x10’ space

TCEA State Contest

The state contest is held each spring in central Texas.

Inventions: First and second place winners in each Area advance to the State Contest.

Arena: First place alliance teams in each Area advance to the State Contest.

Your TCEA Contacts

Equipment/Training:

Peggy Reimers, TCEA Director of Professional Development

preimers@tcea.org

512-450-5406

Contests:

Katie Treat, TCEA Executive Assistant

treat@tcea.org

512-450-5404

Additionally, if you’re an educator who is interested in learning more about robotics, TCEA offers three self-paced robotics courses for just $39 each. When you enroll, you also receive a free one-year membership to TCEA, which you will need to be a sponsor for your robotics team. Not only will you learn new skills relating to robotics by enrolling in a course, but you will save $10 on a TCEA membership!

We are very excited about this year’s contests, and we can’t wait to see you there.

Featured image created by the author.

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