Ozobot: Starter Coding Robot Kit for the Classroom
EdTech Tools

Ozobot: Starter Coding Robot Kit for the Classroom

Ozobot is a versatile educational technology tool designed to engage students in grades K-12 with interactive and hands-on learning experiences. An Ozobot is a pocket-sized, desk-friendly robot designed to make learning interactive and fun for students in grades K-12. This desk-friendly, pocket-sized robot helps teach core subjects, social studies, physical education, and more through innovative and engaging methods.

It uses color codes and optical sensors to follow paths drawn with color code markers, allowing students to control its movements through simple visual programming. Equipped with proximity sensors, a built-in speaker, and a rechargeable LiPo battery, the Ozobot can navigate various environments and provide real-time feedback. It supports a range of educational activities across different subjects, promoting critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and social-emotional learning

The Ozobot can be programmed using icon-based blocks through platforms like Ozoblockly, making it accessible to students with varying levels of coding experience.

Getting Started with Ozobot

To get started with an Ozobot, visit the Ozobot website or authorized retailers that offer educational games and teacher resources. Look for the Ozobot STEM education program, which provides comprehensive kits designed for different grade levels. The Ozobot Evo, a bug-like device with a strong polycarbonate shell, features standard bot movement and can be coded using Ozobot Blockly programs. With a stroke of a marker, students can control the app-connected Ozobot, which offers real-time information on student devices through Google Chrome.

The device is versatile and can be used in various educational settings, from solving a quadratic equation to exploring social awareness in daily living. The options feel endless, including:

  1. Color Codes and Optical Sensors: Ozobot robots, such as the Ozobot Evo, use color codes and optical sensors to follow paths drawn by students. By using color code markers, students can create routes that the Ozobot will follow, enhancing their understanding of conventional bot movement and mechanical processes.
  2. Proximity Sensors and Built-in Speaker: The Ozobot Evo features proximity sensors and a built-in speaker, allowing it to interact with its environment and provide real-time audio feedback. This enriches the learning experience by adding sensory solutions to the educational process.
  3. Ozobot Crawler and Crawler Bundle: The Ozobot Crawler bundle includes everything needed to get started, such as the robot itself, color code marker sets, and a rechargeable LiPo battery. This bundle ensures that students can immediately begin exploring and learning with Ozobot.
  4. Ozobot Classroom License Code: To facilitate classroom integration, teachers can use the Ozobot Classroom license code, which provides access to the Ozobot lesson portal, where they can find standards-aligned STEAM lessons, interactive educator training, and supplemental curriculum resources.

Why Ozobot is Beneficial for the Classroom

The Ozobot’s lesson portal offers a wealth of resources, including site content and educational games, to help teachers integrate this tool into their curriculum. Additionally, the Ozobot Evo supports outdoor sports and physical education activities, making it a dynamic tool for both indoor and outdoor learning environments. Orders often come with free shipping and may include additional supplies like blankets, lap pads, and Ozobot posters.

With the help of Ozobot, students can explore different ways to program and control their robots, enhancing their fine motor skills and understanding of complex concepts. Additionally, the Ozobot helps with the following:

  1. Problem-Solving Skills: By coding and controlling Ozobot using the Evo app drive control and visual programming tools like Google’s Blockly and Ozoblockly editor, students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. They learn to create and debug programs, enhancing their understanding of block-based coding and low-level functions.
  2. Social-Emotional Learning: The hands-on approach and interactive nature of Ozobot activities promote social-emotional learning by encouraging collaboration, communication, and empathy among students. This is particularly beneficial for special needs and early childhood education.
  3. Family Engagement and Outdoor Learning: Ozobot can be used in various settings, including family engagement activities and outdoor learning environments. Outdoor games and sports can incorporate the Ozobot, making learning fun and engaging beyond the classroom.
  4. Versatility Across Subjects: Ozobot’s innovative way of teaching is applicable across various subjects, including English language arts, social studies, character education, and even physical education. This makes it a great tool for interdisciplinary learning and reinforcing concepts in multiple areas.
  5. Visual Programming and Coding Skills: With the help of icon-based blocks and different combinations of these codes, students from different grade levels and skill levels can learn visual programming. This prepares them for future careers in technology and technical fields.

Additional Features and Resources

  • Evo Classroom Kit: This kit includes multiple Ozobot Evo robots, student handouts, and a variety of features designed to facilitate classroom integration.
  • Ozobot STEAM Kits: These kits provide everything needed for comprehensive STEAM education, including lesson plans and interactive panels.
  • Standards-Aligned Lessons: The Ozobot lesson portal offers a wealth of standards-aligned STEAM lessons, ensuring that activities are educationally sound and relevant to current curriculum standards.
  • Supplemental Curriculum and Free Lessons: Teachers have access to a variety of supplemental curriculum materials and free lessons, making it easier to integrate Ozobot into their teaching.
  • Interactive Educator Training: In-person professional development programs and interactive educator training sessions help teachers effectively incorporate Ozobot into their classrooms.

Conclusion

Ozobot is an excellent educational tool that offers a variety of features and benefits for the classroom. From enhancing problem-solving skills to promoting social-emotional learning, Ozobot provides an engaging and interactive way for students to learn and grow. With its versatility across subjects and ease of use, Ozobot is a valuable addition to any educational setting.

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This free teacher workshop offers educators a valuable opportunity to explore and address student apathy. By examining its causes and discussing strategies, participants will learn how to make meaningful changes in their teaching methods that are actually working. The sessions are engaging and collaborative, allowing educators to share experiences and develop a collective approach to improving student engagement.

Highlights include:

  • Understanding the roots of student apathy and its impact.
  • Strategies for enhancing classroom dynamics.
  • The importance of educator-student relationships.
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By the end of the workshop, you will not only understand what you need to accomplish to stabilize the 4 pillars of your classroom, but you will also walk away with 5 tangible ideas to try in the classroom the very next day.

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After moving from a teacher-dominated classroom to a truly student-centered one, Jenn found herself helping colleagues who wanted to follow her lead.  In 2018 she decided to expand outside of her school walls and help those out there who were also trying to figure out this fantastic method of instruction to ignite intrinsic motivation in their students.  Read more about her journey with Student-Centered World at studentcenteredworld.com/about

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