Build a Rubber Band Powered Racecar

We just posted a new activity guide! Follow the steps to create a rubber band powered LEGO car! We used the NXT kits to build ours, but if you have some LEGOs with wheels and axels you should be able to modify our designs easily to start racing your cars. Remember, using your imagination and engineering skills is the name of the game. Race against your friends and try for the farthest distance for fastest car.

As you come up with new designs post comments and design tips.

Check out the new activity guide on the resources page, or download it directly.

TechStart Partnership

I'm excited to announce that we've started a great partnership with TechStart. They're using our Mars Rover and Robot Zoo activity guides. If you're interested in a partnership, please contact us at partner@technicallylearning.org

From the TechStart blog:

TechStart students in our robotics classes learn to design, build, and program robots using the Lego® Mindstorm™ system. In the Fall of the 2008-2009 school year, they learned about the Mars Rover and created their own robots related to the field of astronomy. In the Winter session, they studied biology and created a robot zoo, complete with plants, animals, and, well, some interesting creatures from the depths of their imaginations. Check out the video above for a look at the sled dogs one student was able to make in just a few short hours. Our robotics curriculum is provided by Technically Learning, a partner nonprofit dedicated to providing hands on science, technology, engineering, and math learning activities and resources to teachers and students.

New Robot Olympics Activity Guide Posted

I’m excited to say we’ve just finished and posted the, Robot Olympics, Activity Guide! This activity guide helps students understand math while keeping them interested by building robots to complete Olympic events and competing against each other. This teaches the principles of mathematics like: perimeters, estimation, speed and distance calculations, randomization, statistics, and ratios while training kids to think and build their robots iteratively. Iterative design is a principle of good engineering and science and shows that sometimes it’s worth it to return to your last design and apply newly concepts to build an even better robot.

Take a look at the new activity guide on the Resources Page and please let us know what you think in the comments.