LEGO Technology and Robotics Program
Nearly everyone is familiar with the LEGO brick. It spans differences in age,
gender, culture, and levels of skill.
It is therefore the ideal classroom solution which can include all
students in the learning process.
Teaching with LEGO provides important opportunities for students to acquire a
wide range of personal skills for the future through:
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Promoting creative thinking
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Improving communication skills
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Strengthening the ability to acquire understanding.
The Southport School has developed a World Class ‘Prep Year to Year 10’ LEGO
Technology and Robotics Program. The programs are developed to
The Program utilises the LEGO Education framework of CONNECT, CONSTRUCT,
CONTEMPLATE and CONTINUE.
The Connect phase provides a short, engaging story, introducing a problem or a
challenge that students must solve.
During the Construct phase students piecing knowledge and understanding together
and then build in the ‘real world’. They are given particular assignments
encouraging them to plan and then build their own solutions to the problem or
challenge presented in the Connect phase, perhaps even ending up with their own
software program.
The Contemplate phase encourages Students to think about what they have seen or
constructed, and thereby deepening their understanding of what they have just
achieved or experienced. Students discuss the project at hand, reflect on and
adapt their ideas, and teachers can encourage this process by asking questions.
The Continue phase builds on the natural urge to want to know more. Extension
ideas are provided that encourage students to change or add features to their
models. Doing so will lead them to a new Connect phase, thus allowing them to
enter a positive learning spiral, in which they take on increasingly difficult
challenges. The Continue phase can be extended into homework assignments.
LEGO Toolsets and Programs by Year Levels
Each of the LEGO Technology and Robotics Year level programs are based around a
Technology and Engineering theme.
The Prep Year program develops fine motor skills with the Duplo Tech machines
kits and creative ‘free build’ tasks. The program is taught in the individual
Prep Level classrooms by the Class Teacher.
In Year 1, students are taught by a Specialist LEGO Technology Teacher. The
theme of ‘Structures and building Techniques’ utilise the LEGO Duplo Structure
kits. Students build and investigate simple building and balancing theories.
In the Year 2 LEGO Technology classes, boys develop their understanding of
Mechanisms and Machines. Students investigate Gears, Pulleys, Lever and Wheels
using the LEGO Mini Machines kits.
Year 3 begin their Robotic Engineering training with the LEGO Wedo kits.
This robotics kit is designed for younger children. It provides hands-on
learning experiences for building and programming smaller robotic models.
Activities are designed to actively engage children’s creative thinking,
teamwork, and problem-solving skills.
Renewable Energy is the theme for the Year 4 Program. Students develop an
understanding of Renewable and Non-Renewable Energy. Students use Energy Meters to collect
data from various ‘Green Energy’ models.
Year 5 students explore Advanced Machine principles and complete their Prep
School Mechanisms training. Topic covered include
‘Torque Vs Speed’, ‘The advantages of using Pulleys to lift objects’ and
‘Designing Fairground Rides’.
The programming software ‘Scratch’ and the LEGO Wedo kits are integrated to
allow students to create Computer Animations with Robotic Sensor triggers in the
Year 6 LEGO Robotics course. A class
based theme is used to demonstrate how Robotics systems can be used in
Multi-Media presentations.
The Year 7 students continue their Robotic training in the Senior School Robotic
Laboratory. Intermediate programming
techniques are taught using the LEGO RXC Robotic System