Teacher Support Materials in VEX V5

At VEX Robotics, we strive to provide you, the teacher, with substantial resources for your STEM classroom because of COVID-19 making sure you are aware of these resources is more important now than ever.

Start with STEM Labs

Screenshot of a VEX V5 programming interface showing various coding blocks and options for educational purposes, illustrating tools for teaching robotics.

VEX Robotics created STEM Labs as a supplemental educational resource. Instead of having to create their own lessons and materials, STEM Labs support teachers with free, easy to follow STEM lessons and activities that align with educational standards.

STEM Labs function as “plugin” lessons that can fit into your existing curriculum. You can also utilize multiple Labs in sequential order to create a unique, extended learning experience for your students. The Labs are designed to promote collaboration and exploratory learning. Students enjoy hands-on-learning activities that allow them to apply technology, science, math, and engineering skills as they enjoy a 21st-century learning experience.

Use the Teacher Portal

Because STEM is not just a discipline but also a pedagogy, giving teachers the necessary support materials is just as important as providing them with the lessons. The STEM Labs Teacher Portal provides the structure and support that teachers are accustomed to receiving in their core classes. The Teacher Portal offers tools to help teachers plan, teach, and assess.

Plan

Screenshot of a VEX V5 programming interface, showcasing various coding blocks and options for educational purposes in robotics teaching.

Teacher Notes Offer Organization Strategies - The integrated teacher notes provide ways that the students can be organized, ensuring that each student has a role to play during the building of the robot. These roles also correspond with the build instructions, once again making sure that each student is involved.

Screenshot of a VEX V5 programming interface, showcasing various coding blocks and options, illustrating tools for teaching robotics in an educational setting.

Screenshot of a VEX V5 programming interface, showcasing various coding blocks and options for educational robotics programming, relevant to teaching with VEX V5 in an educational context.

This organization also carries over into setting up your classroom and preparing to teach each Lab. Here, teacher notes are provided to help teachers maximize class time, troubleshoot, and offer support to ensure the robot and activity work as intended.

Screenshot of a VEX V5 programming interface, showcasing various coding blocks and options for educational purposes in a teaching context.

Teacher Notes Offer Background Information - Research shows that students benefit from direct, systematic, and explicit instruction when encountering new information. If a teacher is unclear about concepts, then it is almost impossible for the students to be successful. Therefore, the teacher notes front-load background information for teachers and further suggests ways for teachers to improve student comprehension and check for their understanding.

Teach

There are many different types of teacher notes to help guide instruction:

Screenshot of a VEX V5 programming interface showing a sample project setup, featuring blocks for coding and a visual representation of robot movements, used for educational purposes in teaching robotics.

Teacher Tips – brief instructions that provide support by providing extra context, information, and/or guidance.

Screenshot of a VEX V5 programming interface showcasing various coding blocks and options for educators, illustrating tools for teaching robotics and programming concepts in the classroom.

Screenshot of a VEX V5 programming interface, showing a coding environment with blocks and commands, illustrating tools for teaching robotics in an educational setting.

Screenshot of a VEX V5 programming interface, showcasing various coding blocks and options for educational robotics projects, illustrating tools available for teaching with VEX V5.

Teacher Toolbox – extra tools that a teacher could find helpful when implementing a STEM Lab. These include resources, links, summaries, answers, etc.

Screenshot of a VEX V5 programming interface, showcasing various coding blocks and options for teaching robotics concepts in an educational setting.

Extend Your Learning – suggestions for activities that enable teachers to facilitate the transfer of knowledge and/or skills to a new domain (e.g. math, science, literacy). These can also help differentiate instruction for students that complete activities at different time intervals.

Screenshot of a VEX V5 programming interface, showcasing various coding blocks and options for teaching robotics concepts in an educational setting.

Motivate Discussion – discussion questions and answers that provide guidance and support as teachers check student understandings as students explain, reflect, and elaborate on what they learned.

Assess

Additionally, whether building a robot or working collaboratively, editable rubrics are provided to help the teacher with assessments. These are located in the Teacher Portal for each Unit, as shown here:

Screenshot of a VEX V5 programming interface, showcasing code blocks for educational robotics activities, illustrating the features and layout for teaching purposes.

Screenshot of a VEX V5 programming interface showing various coding blocks and options for educational robotics projects, illustrating the tools available for teaching with VEX V5.

For more information, help, and tips, check out the many resources at VEX Professional Development Plus

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