Welcome to TeachV5.vex.com!
As a previous high school and collegiate mathematics educator, I find solving problems absolutely beautiful. When teaching, I realized that this perspective of finding beauty and creativity in critical thinking and perseverance was contagious to my students. I got excited when they came across an issue they did not quite know how to tackle, or when different students in the class solved the same problem in different ways. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics are each extraordinary in their own way, and even more captivating when you see them existing together. Robotics, and more specifically VEX V5, gives that experience to students.
TeachV5.vex.com is designed to be your personal walkthrough of the VEX V5 curriculum and all of the accompanying resources that will make you and your students successful in competition and the classroom. This content was written by teachers for teachers because we know what a classroom experience is truly like.
I can not wait to see how you inspire the future leaders of tomorrow.
Lauren Harter
Director of Instructional Technology, VEX Robotics
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Getting Competition Ready
Curricular Support
VEX V5 STEM Lab Units are lessons that can be incorporated into your existing curriculum to create unique, extended learning experiences. V5 STEM Lab Units prepare your students by building the skills they need to succeed in competition, while promoting collaboration and exploratory learning.
STEM Lab Units can be used individually or combined to create a customized, hands-on learning experience in your classroom. Pacing guides are available to fit your needs as you get started teaching VEX V5 in your classroom.
Planning Made Simple
VEX pacing guides walk you through implementation based on the topics that you want to emphasize. Each pacing option sequences related V5 and EXP STEM Lab Units and Activities to create a focused plan for implementation in your classroom. Choose the pacing option that works best for your students and their needs.
To learn more about the planning resources available for VEX V5, view this section in the VEX Library.
Looking to create your own pacing guide made up of VEX V5 STEM Labs? Collaborate with other V5 educators and VEX Experts in the VEX Professional Development Plus (PD+) Community. Learn more about PD+ below or access a free trial.
Pedagogy Built on a Solid Foundation
Developed by teachers for teachers, VEX V5 offers research-based and standards-aligned curricular resources backed by proven results, so that you can teach with confidence.
Teacher as a Facilitator
While STEM Lab Units are student-facing content, a Teacher Version of each STEM Lab serves as the teacher-facing companion for each STEM Lab Unit. This functions like a teacher’s manual, providing the resources, materials, and information needed to be able to plan, teach, and assess with VEX V5. The Teacher Version of each STEM Lab contains teacher notes as well as editable Preview pages that provide a description of the Lab, essential questions, understandings, objectives, vocabulary, materials needed, and educational standards.
Build Understanding With Students
Direct instruction within each Play section of the STEM Labs is provided in a step-by-step format. This means that you do not need to be an expert coder or engineer to complete these STEM Lab Units in your classroom.
Formative assessment is provided in the form of ‘Know’ questions at the end of each STEM Lab. These questions relate directly to the direct instruction to ensure students have an understanding after completing the Lab.
Each set of questions is provided in an editable Google Doc so you can edit them to best fit your classroom or print them out for students to use a paper copy version. The answer key is available in the Teacher Version as a Teacher Toolbox.
Aligned to Standards
VEX V5 STEM Labs are targeted at a number of grade-level 9+ national standards, helping to ensure all students have access to robust content. You can see the specific ways our lessons help meet the learning objectives for your students in the Where and How Standards are Reached document. Each tab correlates with a different STEM Lab Unit.
VEX Research
Teach V5 with confidence. VEX STEM Labs and curricula are research-based STEM programs developed by teachers for teachers and backed by proven results. The purpose of VEX Research is to provide teachers and district administrators with information about the research-based instructional strategies and approaches used in VEX products and solutions.
Read more at research.vex.com
VEX Professional Development Plus (PD+)
VEX Robotics offers comprehensive professional development resources available on pd.vex.com. VEX’s Professional Development Plus (PD+) platform is your destination for a wealth of resources designed to empower educators in the world of STEM. The VEX PD+ platform offers two tiers - a free tier and an All-Access paid tier.
VEX PD+ free tier
The VEX PD+ free tier includes access to:
- Intro Courses: These self-paced online courses provide training on each VEX platform. Each course contains formative assessment and tracks your progress, making it easy for you to check your understanding and complete the course at your own pace. Once you become certified, you gain access to the VEX Professional Learning Community (PLC).
- Professional Learning Community (PLC): Join a network of global educators and VEX Experts, where you can learn, share, and benefit from a wealth of shared experiences. This is your virtual Teacher’s Lounge, where you can have meaningful dialogue, share expertise, ask questions, and work collaboratively to improve your STEM teaching and learning.
VEX PD+ paid tier (All-Access)
The VEX PD+ paid tier (All-Access) includes access to:
- 1-1 Sessions: Schedule a 1-1 session with a VEX expert, get guidance and support tailored to your needs.
- VEX Masterclasses: Video-based, expert-led courses that range from introductory ‘Getting Started’ courses to more advanced and pedagogy focused courses.
- VEX Video Library: Access to hundreds of videos across a variety of topics and VEX platforms, available anytime and from anywhere.
- Live Sessions: Thematic, hour-long, expert-led sessions that provide insights and practical takeaways about teaching with VEX.
- VEX Robotics Educators Conference: An annual conference that brings the VEX PD+ Community together for in-person, hands-on learning, inspiring keynotes, and learning sessions with VEX education experts.
Every user will also have access to their own dashboard, which includes a tour of all the VEX PD+ features, allowing them to get started easily. We are continuously updating PD+ with new materials, ensuring our platform remains a rich, dynamic resource for our educators.
We are here to support you on your professional journey. If you have any questions, or feedback, you can use the feedback tool in VEX PD+. We're excited for you to explore, learn, and connect.
Teach Blocks or Text in VEX V5 STEM Labs
VEX V5 STEM Lab Units give you the flexibility of teaching with VEXcode V5 Blocks, C++, or Python. The Teacher Version of each STEM Lab includes additional Teacher Tips and information on how to teach using Blocks and Text.
Resources are Just a Click Away
Find all of the VEX V5 STEM Labs and teacher resources at education.vex.com. A list of resources that can be found within each Unit’s Teacher Portal.
View the V5 STEM Lab Teacher Portal >
VEX Library
The VEX Library provides documentation, resources, and information about all things VEX organized and in one place. This self-serve support exists to help users quickly find detailed information on building, electronics, coding, and troubleshooting.
Additional Educator Resources:
Facilitating engineering conversations
Go to library.vex.com for more
The Different Elements of Competition
Robotics competitions are fantastic motivators for students, because they provide the experience of authentic collaboration, opportunities for genuine ownership of learning, and a sense of belonging. The competition itself provides continued motivation for iteration and improvement, naturally extending student learning to the maximum extent possible.
Building and Engineering
Engineering is a beautiful example of authentic problem solving. During a competition season, students design a robot to perform specific tasks. Students can modify an already made design—such as this year’s competition Hero Bot or other pre-made builds such as the Speedbot or Clawbot—or can design a robot that is entirely their own. Either way, students will learn how pieces function when put together, as well as how to build mechanisms like manipulators.
Coding
Coding does not have to be scary. With VEXcode V5, students are supported in a multitude of ways. They can begin with block-based coding and eventually transition to Python or C++. VEXcode V5 offers built in Help, tutorial videos, and pre-made example projects to make getting started coding easy.
Engineering Notebooks
Engineering Notebooks are a vital part of competitions. They are an important learning tool that when effectively utilized can lead to a number of positive student outcomes. Engineering Notebooks encourage students to record data, strategies, and iterations so they can effectively reflect on their learning at the end of a match. This allows them to reference specific data when making decisions with their teams.
Read more about how engineering notebooks can:
- promote active learning
- help student motivation
- promote student interaction
- contextualize learning experience
You can also learn more about engineering notebooks at notebooking.vex.com >
VEX Robotics Competitions
Are your students excited by classroom competitions? Are they ready to take their competition to the next level? The REC Foundation is here to help you get your students started with the VEX Robotics Competition (VRC)! VRC uses the same V5 components as the V5 classroom curriculum. Resources are available to help you learn how to start a school team, what it means to be a coach, and more.
Read more about this year’s game and more information on how to get started at coaches.vex.com.