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Getting Started with VEX Classroom Games

VEX Classroom Games makes it easy for you to turn the STEM Labs and activities your students already know into engaging, ready-to-run classroom competitions. Choose a game, set up the field, and assign your teams. VEX Classroom Games runs the timer, leaderboard, and class display for you, helping you manage a game from setup to award presentation.

This article explains why to use VEX Classroom Games, how the games connect to your VEX curriculum, and how to run your first event.

Why Use VEX Classroom Games

Competitions give students a motivating reason to practice, iterate and show what they have learned. Classroom Games brings all of the excitement and inspiration of a VEX Competition to your classroom with minimal setup and easy management. 

Students in red shirts cheer beside a VEX IQ competition field as a crowd of classmates celebrates around them.
 

  • Games for every student. Find a variety of games of all levels for all platforms: VEX 123, GO, AIM, IQ, EXP, V5, CTE, AIR, and VEXcode VR. 
  • Built on what you already teach. Every game comes from a VEX STEM Lab, activity, or course, helping students to practice concepts and skills they are already learning in the classroom.
  • Ready to play. Each game's exploration page includes the goal, how to play, how to score, the materials each group needs, how to set up the field, and a link to related curricular materials so everything you need is in one place. Most games use the same robot, field, and materials as the original Lab or activity, so there is little extra to prepare.
  • Easy event management. Run a game timer, display a leaderboard, share results and hold an awards ceremony all in one event that can be saved and returned to in your browser anytime. This lets you focus on students rather than logistics.
  • Collaboration and Teamwork is built in. Classroom Games provides students with the opportunity to grow their collaboration skills as they develop strategies and solve problems together.

Take Your VEX Curriculum Further

The top of the Visit the Tigers and Bears game page, with the game description and the Set up this game and Open Learning Resources buttons.

Each game page shows where the game comes from in the VEX curriculum and what students should know before they play. Use this to choose a game that meets your students immediate needs. There are many ways to use Classroom Games with the learning already happening in your classroom:

  • As a culminating activity. After students complete a STEM Lab or course, use Classroom Games as a fun way to apply what they have learned.
  • Review a skill. Revisit coding, driving, building or problem solving skills in a way that builds students' motivation rather than feeling repetitive or boring.
  • Celebrate progress. Run a class event with results and awards to recognize every group's work.
  • Prepare for competition. Classroom Games' versions of current VEX IQ Robotics Competition and VEX V5 Competition games make it easy for teams to run simulated practice events. Use Classroom Games in combination with the Competition 101 STEM Labs for V5 and IQ. 

How to Run Your First Event

The Choose Your Platform section, with cards for VEX 123, GO, AIM, IQ, EXP, V5, CTE Workcell, AIR, and VEXcode VR, each showing its grade range.
  1. Choose your platform. Open VEX Classroom Games and select the VEX platform your class uses.
The VEX GO Choose a Game page, with game cards such as Mars Math Expedition and Obstacle!, each labeled with its format and an Explore Game button.
  1. Pick a game. Choose a game that connects to a concept or skill you are working on, or a STEM Lab or Activity your students have completed.
The Collect and Bury Mission game page, showing the game description and the Skills and Concepts in This Game section.
  1. Read the Game Page Review the skills and concepts practiced in the game, the game goal, how to play, and how to score, so you can explain the game to students. 

The Materials and Field Setup section, with a field setup image, setup directions, the materials each group needs, and build instruction links.

  1. Set up the field. Gather the materials for each group and set up the field using the setup image or the linked setup directions

The How to Play and Extensions sections of a game page, with the Set up this game button highlighted.

  1. Create an Event by selecting Set up this game.
The Event Settings page, with the event name, timer options, and six team names entered.
  1. Set up your event. Name your event and add the groups that will play. For details, see Setting up and Running an Event in VEX Classroom Games.
The scoring page during a match, with the selected team, a running timer, and the How to Score section.
  1. Run the game. Start the timer and enter each group's score as they play. For details, see Scoring Events in VEX Classroom Games.
The Class Display, with the current team, the timer, and a Standings table showing each team's points and time.
  1. Share the excitement with the Class Display. Project the timer, scores, and leaderboard so the whole class can follow along with the action. For details, see Using the Class Display in VEX Classroom Games.
The Class Display award screen presenting the Champion award to Code Crushers, surrounded by confetti.
  1. Celebrate your students' achievements! View the results, present awards, and play again whenever you like. For details, see Assigning Awards in VEX Classroom Games.

Come Back to Your Events Anytime

Your events save automatically in My Events, so a game doesn't have to fit into a single class period. 

The My Events page, with saved event cards that show each event’s status and buttons to resume, edit, or delete it.
  • Pick up where you left off. Pause an event at the end of class and resume it next time, with every score and result still in place.
  • Play again. Run the same game with a new class or new teams in just a few clicks.
  • Revisit results. Look back at past events to see how your groups did and celebrate their progress.

Your events are saved on the device and browser where you create them, so open VEX Classroom Games on that same device to find them. To learn more, see Using My Events in VEX Classroom Games.

Learn More

Read the following articles for step-by-step instructions for using each feature in VEX Classroom Games.

Events

• Using My Events in VEX Classroom Games
• Setting up and Running an Event in VEX Classroom Games
• Running a Head-to-Head Tournament in VEX Classroom Games

Scoring and display

• Scoring Events in VEX Classroom Games
• Using the Tablet Scorecard
• Using the Class Display in VEX Classroom Games
• Assigning Awards in VEX Classroom Games

Competition games

• Playing Level Up in VEX Classroom Games
• Playing Override in VEX Classroom Games

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

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