Since students' exposure to Legos vary, as do their confidence levels, it is important to be sensitive to pairing students. Groups or partners may have to be rearranged.

Boys usually have more experience building with Legos. Boys tend to jump into constructing and grab pieces before they think about what they will be doing. Girls usually take time to plan before they choose their pieces. Girls share ideas and often collaborate on projects.

One way to deal with this difference of style is to make all students make a brief plan or drawing of what they will be doing. Although they may not use the plans, it gives everyone a fair chance at the pieces. It also promotes organization.

Another way to deal with the differences between girls and boys is to pair girls with girls and boys with girls. After getting to know each student’s style, groups could be arranged to be coed. Starting with all girl and boy groups would help girls who are not confident become more comfortable working with Legos.

Working with only one or few computers in a logistical difficulty, but it can be done. Have students write out their programs before going to the computer. This is especially easy when working in Pilot. You can make a sheet of the program with the different choices they will encounter. Students can circle their choices before going to the computer. This will shorten their time at the computer and avoid traffic jams.

After students write programs, have them save the programs. Saving programs will cut down on time spent in front of the computer when they make modifications. One way to minimize the number of students waiting at the computer is to assign a role to each member of the group (programmer, spokesperson, etc.). Each student would work on all aspects of the project, but only one would actually go to the computer to program. Roles could rotate so each person gets a chance to fulfill the requirements of each role.

PC Version

• Windows 95, NT 4.0 or Higher
• 33Mhz Processor
• 16Mb RAM
• 50Mb Hard Drive Space
• 1 Free Serial Port (COM1 or COM2)

Mac Version

• System 7.5 or higher
• 60Mhx PowerMac Processor
• 16Mb RAM
• 50Mb Hard Drive Space
• 1 Free Serial Port (Printer or Modem)

If you are using an old computer that doesn't meet the minimal requirements (RAM, processor, harddrive space) for ROBOLAB you can use the Demo Version of the software. The Demo Software allows you to use use Pilot Level 1-3 and the basic Investigator functions. It requires less hard drives space, processor capability, and memory than the full version of ROBOLAB.

Choosing to use bins or sets depends on your preference. Sets are nice because each one has the same pieces. The drawback to sets is that they become unorganized and end up losing or gaining pieces. This means that every few months you will need to sort the sets. The advantage to bins is that you won't have to spend time sorting. Students are also not confined by what is in the set when constructing. The drawback, especially with younger students is that a lot of time is lost while they search through the bins. Sets also alleviate the tendency of students to look around the room to see who has more than they do.

If you are lucky enough to have access to classroom aides, this would be a great time to schedule them in your classroom. If you do to have access to help from the school, parents are a great resource. Scheduling parents to come in during LEGO time will get you the help you need while they get to see what their children are doing.