Using VEX GO Discovery Activities

VEX GO Discovery Activities are simple exploratory activities, that enable you and your students to use observation, creativity, and spatial reasoning to get acquainted with your VEX GO Kit.


Discover Activities Pieces

All Discovery Activities can be completed with a set of 12 beams and plates. See the Interactive Parts Poster to see all the pieces in the VEX GO Kit.

The following beams and plates are used:

Screenshot of the GO Pieces Discovery interface, showcasing various educational resources and tools for educators, designed to enhance learning experiences in the classroom.

  • 1 Large White Plate
  • 1 Large Dark Gray Plate
  • 1 Gray Plate
  • 1 Black Large Beam
  • 1 White Large Beam
  • 1 Blue Large Beam
  • 1 Yellow Large Beam
  • 1 Green Large Beam
  • 1 Red Large Beam
  • 1 Dark Gray Beam
  • 1 Orange Beam
  • 1 Red Beam

The Discovery Activities

You can find all of the Discovery Activities in the VEX GO Teacher Portal. The following is a list to each activity:

  • Alike - Try to tackle some tricky traits and sort your pieces by their attributes!
  • Architecture - Use your imagination and your beams to “draw” a building, then try drawing the beam building you created!
  • Flipping Flags - You’ll flip for these flags! Create flags from beams and plates and flip them!
  • Follow Directions - Make a fun design with your VEX GO pieces and practice communicating by directing a partner to recreate it!
  • Get to Know GO - Explore your VEX GO Kit! Get familiar with your VEX GO pieces using your powers of observation.
  • Made to Measure - Explore measuring in centimeters with your beams!
  • Pet Protection - Use your VEX GO pieces to create a fence to protect your pet and measure around it!
  • Rotate It - This could be a turning point. Explore rotation with pivoting beams!
  • Stack ‘Em Up - Stack ‘em and Draw ‘em! Make stacks with your pieces and try to draw them!
  • Symmetry - Challenge a partner to create a mirror image of your design!

Using the Discovery Activities with Your Students

The Discovery Activities can be used in many ways, as you are introducing your students to VEX GO. These activities are meant to offer a hands-on introduction to using VEX GO pieces through short, simple engagements to encourage exploration, curiosity, observation, and spatial reasoning. None of the activities require the use of a device, or any additional pieces from the kit, like pins or connectors. Through these activities students can become familiar with the pieces and how they relate to one another, so that they are prepared for building with VEX GO in subsequent lessons.

Here are some suggestions for using Discovery Activities with your students:

  • Offer Discovery Activities as a follow up to the Get Ready...Get VEX...GO! PDF Book, to give students a focused way to begin to use their kit.
  • Engage students’ observation skills with a Discovery Activity as part of Morning Work when students arrive each day.
  • Help students think about how pieces can be used together with activities like Architecture, to explore 2D design before engaging in 3D building.
  • Use Discovery Activities like Rotate It, Pet Protection, or Symmetry as hands-on extension activities during math class for practice with concepts like angles, perimeter, or symmetry.
  • Offer Discovery Activities as Brain Breaks throughout the day.
  • Pair up students, or engage in a whole class exercise, to practice active listening skills with the Follow Directions activity.
  • Introduce a measurement lesson in an open ended way with the Made to Measure activity.
  • Explore perspective in art class or during Choice Time, with activities like Stack ‘Em Up or Flipping Flags.
  • Use Discovery Activities to introduce a VEX GO Learning Center in your classroom, and have students keep track of their progress through all of the activities.
  • Offer Discovery Activities during a mixed-group learning experience, and have your students introduce VEX GO to another class, by carrying out the activities together.

 

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

Last Updated: