Robots are no longer confined to the realm of science fiction. In today’s world, they are revolutionizing industries and transforming our daily lives. As an STEM educator, you can help your students learn about robots and cultivate a passion for robotics.
Start teaching your middle school students the basics of robotics with this no-prep lesson today.
Why learning robotics matters
Robotics is vital, because it is reshaping the way we live and work. You are preparing your students for the future job market. Skills in coding, engineering, and problem-solving will be highly sought after.
By teaching robotics, you empower your students to become innovators and problem solvers, equipped for the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow.
And (whether or not they pursue a career in STEM) our students are likely to be working and living alongside robots in the near future. Therefore, it is important for ALL students to develop a basic understanding of robotics.
Find out more about the benefits of teaching robotics here.
Explore misconceptions about robots
This intro to robotics lesson starts out by having students examine common misconceptions about robots. Students share how much they agree or disagree with the provided statements in an interactive whole class discussion.
This helps you gauge your students’ prior knowledge of and baseline interest in the field of robotics. Additionally, it helps you identify where you may need to target and clarify student misconceptions throughout the lesson.
Learn about robot parts and functions
Then, students will learn about robot characteristics and components by conduct research in a webquest. The graphic organizer provides students with a list of questions to research, in addition to suggested websites to visit, and space to record their findings.
All the different types of robots that exist today will amaze your students. They’ll also be intrigued when they compare and contrast robots and humans.
Practice robotics vocabulary
Finally, students apply their new knowledge about robots to complete a matching activity. They’ll cut out the robotics terms, such as “actuator,” “end effector,” and “sensor,” and match the terms to the correct definitions. This check for understanding will help you identify any misunderstandings and provide students with timely feedback.
What are other teachers saying about this robotics lesson?
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Excellent way to introduce the concept of robotics in my STEM class.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Great no-prep activity to use as sub plans with my intro robotics class.”
How can you use this robotics lesson in your classroom?
- Use the lesson at the beginning of your robotics unit to introduce concepts to your middle school students.
- Leave the lesson as a STEM sub plan.
- Assign the robotics activities to early finishers.
- Learn about robots for National Robotics Week in April.
- Use the resource as extra credit, a holiday break packet, or an extension activity.
Looking for more support helping your students learn about robots?
Introducing middle school students to the basics of robotics can be tricky! This complete robotics unit will engage and amaze your students as they learn the fundamentals of robotics. The bundle includes over 100 pages of resources that can be used individually where they fit best within your STEM course or taught in sequence as a 3-week robotics unit.
Grab these lessons today to get back your nights and weekends while knowing your students will be engaged in learning the basics of robotics!
