Carnegie Mellon University

Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy

Use educational affordances of robotics to create CS-STEM opportunities for all learners

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May 18, 2021

Attention Campers! New RoboCamp with Virtual SPIKE Prime Available!

By Jesse Flot

Are you looking for activities that are both engaging and educational to do with students this summer? 

RoboCamp with Virtual SPIKE Prime is an informal curriculum that teaches basic programming, proportional mathematics, robotics, and other STEM concepts at an introductory level. All of the activities and challenges use a custom virtual SPIKE Prime build in a space-themed environment. Get ready for take-off!  

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RoboCamp with Virtual SPIKE Prime includes virtual environments so that students can follow along with all lesson content, from anywhere in the world. All lessons are self-contained, require a minimum of instructor supervision, and include built-in opportunities to self-assess progress. 

Each section within this RoboCamp includes access to a more open-ended Lunar Level. Here, students can choose how to remix the new concepts that they've learned to explore, create messages, and even send moon rocks flying. These "unstructured play" opportunities create increased engagement even while students deepen their experience in meaningful learning outcomes. 

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The virtual robot itself contains simulated versions of the programmable motors, distance sensor, and other components. A built-in sensor dashboard allows students and teachers to quickly inspect the values the robot sees, speeding up the process of developing and troubleshooting their code. 

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RoboCamp with Virtual SPIKE Prime is perfect for:

  • Summer Camps

  • Workshops

  • Afterschool Programs

  • Classroom Specials

  • Interdisciplinary STEM Lessons