Using LEGOs and RoboLAB at Home

Most people are familiar with LEGOs as toys. Schools have been capitalizing on students’ love of LEGOs and using them for academic enrichment. By combining LEGOs with RoboLAB, a programming software, and making robotic designs, teachers and students can create hands-on building challenges and experiments. Using LEGOs at home enables parents and children to create activities they can do together. The children’s problem-solving skills are developed while both the child and parents explore things that they are curious about.

What materials do I need?

Any LEGOs that you already have can be used in the activities on this site. Many of the activities require an RCX, motors, and sensors. You can buy these pieces individually, but it is more cost effective to buy a kit that includes the RCX and other necessary pieces. The Team Challenge kit include an RCX, infrared tower, two motors, two touch sensors, a light sensor, and 715 LEGO building pieces. This kit costs approximately $200 and can be purchased through Pitsco* (www.pldstore.com or 1(800) 362-4308). The software, RoboLAB, can be purchased through Pitsco as well. The RCX can be powered by batteries or an AC adapter that will help conserve batteries.

*Pitsco is the educational retailer for LEGO educational products in the U.S. While the company’s primary market is schools and teachers, parents and other individuals are welcome to purchase their products. If you are from outside the U.S., call 1(800) 81-8326 to locate a local retailer.

Why do it?

Parents can use RoboLAB and LEGOs at home for the same reasons schools use them. They offer children the opportunity to strengthen reasoning and problem solving skills while having fun. It is possible to learn about engineering (sturdy structures and gears), science (temperature), and math (fractions and graphs). Even less obvious are the links between LEGOs and art (kinetic sculptures), reading (building something from a story), and writing (writing about what has been or will be built). Children and adults are given the opportunity to ask and answer questions through experimentation. Activities you do with your child can be used as academic enrichment that build on topics they are learning about at school or they can be used to explore topics that interest both of you. Since LEGO activities are open ended they do not have a “right” or “known” answer. Adults can be just as active as their children in finding a solution. Moreover, LEGO solutions can vary from very simple to complex- allowing all ages and ability levels to be challenged. This is a great chance for parent and child to learn something while spending time together.

How should I start?

After installing the software on your computer, you will be able to program the RCX. Start with something simple like building a car and programming it to move forward for one second. Programming help is available on this Curriculum site (www.ceeo.tufts.edu) in the Programming section. Building help is available in the Building and Designing section. Although there are many activities on this site, don’t stop or limit yourself to these activities. Find something that you and your child would like to work on together. Don’t feel uncomfortable if you aren’t sure how to use RoboLAB or approach challenges. You can learn along with your child. Kids are often more comfortable learning new computer programs and building with LEGOs so let them guide you if they know more.

What should we do?

Try to find a topic that is of interest to both you and your child. Look around your home for ideas. If your family uses plastic or paper cups, you could build a cup dispenser. Perhaps there is a task at home that you would like to automate. One parent-child team created an automatic die roller to use with games. You could use the sensors to keep track of information. A light sensor could be used to alert you that someone had entered the room or opened the refrigerator.

Some parents set aside specific time devoted to LEGOs such as a family LEGO week or one evening a week. As you walk around your house and the outside world try to think of questions and themes that can be explore with LEGOs. Remember this is a great way for both parent and child to learn about something that interests them.

“Where can I go for help?”

There are several places to go for help. Programming manuals are offered by LEGO that are available through the pitsco site (www.pldstore.com). The manuals give in-depth explanations of programming steps. Programming help is also available at another of the CEEO’s sites (www.ceeo.tufts.edu/Robolab/default.shtml). You can download a robolab guide that gives sample of programs and how to use advanced features of RoboLAB. There is even a link called “Learning to Use” RoboLAB. LUGNET ( www.lugnet.com) is a site devoted specifically to LEGOs. It offers LEGO reference materials and web pages from LEGO enthusiasts. It’s a great place to get ideas for projects to do at home.