STEAM and Computer Science Showcases
The STEAM and Computer Science Showcases illustrate how interdisciplinary learning comes together in meaningful ways that engage students, families, and the broader community.
The STEAM, Computer Science, and Engineering Design with Robotics Pathways complement and reinforce mathematics through engaging learning experiences that integrate STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics), computer science, engineering design, reading, and writing through robotics. Through progressively more advanced activities using virtual and physical robots, students develop computational thinking, programming, engineering design, creativity, collaboration, communication, and real-world problem-solving skills.
Students engage in Computational Storytelling, Engineering Design with Robotics, Design, Build, and Program Their Own Robot Machines, Physical Computing with Arduino and Sensor-Based Robotics, RoboParade™, RoboEngineering Expo™, and RoboPlay™ Competitions. These experiences build toward culminating projects and events where students bring together skills developed throughout the curriculum to create, solve problems, collaborate, and showcase their learning.
Computational Storytelling with Robotics
Computational Storytelling gives students opportunities to combine coding, robotics, mathematics, creativity, and communication to create interactive stories and real-world simulations.
In this New Year’s Ball Drop project, students use programming and robotics to model a familiar real-world event, bringing their computational story to life with physical hardware.
RoboParade™
RoboParade™ is an open-ended, cross-grade robotics project where students design, build, decorate, and program themed robot parade floats. Students combine coding and engineering design with mathematics, creativity, collaboration, communication, and real-world problem solving as they develop their floats, design parade routes, and share their creations.
RoboParade is a fun culminating project that can be incorporated into the school year around holiday celebrations. Instructors work with students to develop their own parade themes and creative designs while applying the programming, robotics, and engineering skills they have developed throughout the curriculum.
RoboPlay Competitions™ RoboPlay™ Competitions are mathematics-focused, level-playing-field robotics competitions for students in grades TK–12. Students apply mathematics, coding, engineering design, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills as they work collaboratively to complete engaging robotics challenges.
Beginning with curriculum-embedded RoboPlay™ Adventures for TK–1 and RoboPlay™ Challenges for Grades 2–12, RoboPlay Competitions provide a culminating opportunity for students to put their learning into action while developing teamwork, creativity, perseverance, and confidence.
RoboEngineering Expo™ RoboEngineering Expo™ is a student-led engineering and robotics event where students showcase projects and innovations developed throughout the STEAM and Computer Science with Robotics curriculum. Students may present engineering design projects, interactive robotics activities, robotics challenge stations, physical computing projects, and robot machines they have designed, built, and programmed.
The Expo extends beyond displaying finished projects. Students can serve as engineering designers, robotics innovators, exhibitors, presenters, facilitators, and peer mentors, sharing their knowledge while families, educators, other students, and community members participate in hands-on robotics and engineering experiences.
