Barbie Atkinson has been using Cubelets for four years in her role as media clerk for Park Hill Elementary in Derby, Kansas. As an educator, she enjoys activities with students of all ages throughout the day, where Cubelets are a school-wide favorite for even the youngest learners.
“Cubelets make [the students] more confident learners,” Atkinson says. “It’s a great, engaging learning tool.”
Like many educators who purchase Cubelets, Barbie acquired her kit with the help of a grant. As Park Hill Elementary serves a large military family population, they received a grant from the Department of Defense Education Activity to improve the academic achievement of military-connected students in STEM.
Atkinson notes that students who are working with Cubelets for the first time often start out by building a lighthouse, or making animal creations with them. Robot races are also a popular activity, and Atkinson has created mazes for her students’ robots using tape on the floor. Another one of her favorite activities is to draw a solid black line on a piece of paper, and then challenge her students to create a robot that follows the drawn path. Educators who are looking for robot inspiration can visit the Cubelets Robot Ideas webpage for additional builds!
Resources for helping students (and educators!) can be found on the Modular Robotics Resource Hub online–everything from introductory courses for teachers and simple activities for young learners to more complex computer science units.
“Don’t be afraid!” Atkinson advises educators who are also using Cubelets for the first time. “Cubelets are user-friendly and easy to get started with.”
Atkinson also praised the exceptional customer support provided by Modular Robotics.
“[They are] very quick to respond with email questions,” Atkinson said. “They also have been amazing when a Cubelet has stopped working. I was able to mail the broken cubes in and very quickly got some returned that are working well.”
In addition to being easy to get started with, Atkinson says that Cubelets are a great way to fill the end of a day with something that is both educational and fun.
“Need an educational activity to fill the end of a day–perhaps the last hour after a field trip when students are exhausted and overstimulated?” she says. “Pull out the Cubelets! They are a perfect activity to fill that time.”
Pictures courtesy Barbie Atkinson, and shared with permission.
