STEM K-12 Solutions:

Exploring Robotics is bringing coding with robots to K-12 schools. 

We help educators teach coding with Integrated STEM by providing a K-12 STEM and Coding Pathway of Courses with hands-on robots and STEM labs, easy to teach courses, professional learning (PD) and support for teachers.  

How we assist educators:

• * We support classrooms, makerspaces, home schools and after school programs with curriculum that is easy to use, engaging, and requires no background in engineering or coding to teach.
• * One Exploring Robotics STEM course can often meet CTE requirements, CS K-12 requirements, plus the Physical Science and Engineering requirements for many states; offering a practical way to manage elective courses. 
• * As engineers and educators, we critically choose the best robots and MakerSpace kits for classroom use, develop curriculum with lessons aligned to standards, and provide turn-key STEM lab packages tailored to meet the STEM goals of schools (public and private).
• * Every course includes hands-on activities, coding, real-world challenges, engineering design, and classroom competitions. 
• * CTE courses for middle school and high school include opportunities for students to explore engineering and coding career options. 
• * As authorized resellers of many STEM kits (including Dash, Ozobot, Cubelets, Cue, Boe-Bot, Scribbler, mBot, Codey-Rocky, Ultimate, GrovePi, Go-Pi-Go, and littleBits), we know robots. This means that teachers can rely on our tech-savvy team for both instructional and technical support.
• * CTE and STEM courses add relevancy to students’ learning experiences by exposing them to real-world options and connecting academics to career and college options.

What we believe:

• * The opportunity to learn coding with hands-on minds-on STEM labs should be available to every student.
• * Teachers need ready to implement lessons that are aligned to standards and scaffold in a sequence of easy to more complex topics.
• * It is easier for many students to grasp complex concepts when they see their code make a robot do something, or create an invention that solves a real-world problem.
• * STEM labs with PBL help educators instill 21st Century skills: engineering design, curiosity, creativity, collaboration, communication, critical thinking and computational thinking.
• * A rigorous curriculum that engages with art, music, stories, and dance along with engineering and coding challenges and examples of career opportunities can inspire all students (even girls) to pursue a STEM career.  Although we call it STEM labs, we are really all about STEAM!

Our goal is to serve over a Million students by 2020!

We bring engaging, rugged robots into the classroom and after school enrichment programs where all students can learn coding and Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) concepts. Students are excited to learn coding with robots, and follow the engineering design process as they use PBL and makerspace kits to invent and develop real-world solutions to societal problems.   

The robots, makerspace kits, and Easy to Teach STEM Curriculum can be used in multiple classes per day in Elementary and Secondary schools, as fits with the school academic schedule, and also used in after school STEM enrichment programs. The curriculum is online and the license is per STEM lab (only number of students signing in, not all students in the school). This provides flexibility for scheduling and substantial savings when compared to other STEM programs.

Every course includes coding lessons aligned to CSTA standards, and teachers can choose lessons to focus on particular math or science topics. Utilizing an inquiry-based format built on the Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate (5E) lesson model, students explore STEM through hands-on, applied technology and project-based learning (PBL).  When students have completed this robotics STEM pathway, they are more likely to sign up for CTE programs in IT, STEM, and Engineering and are better prepared for STEM college and career options.

	Elementary (K-5) teachers teach STEM Units in science, math or in a STEM learning lab or makerspace. A STEM Unit of lessons includes cross-curricula activities and performance tasks. The robots are pre-assembled which means it is fast to get started, and easy to move them from one class to another. Students get into coding activities sooner, and all students are engaged in learning while having fun. This program will vary across districts based on rotation and number of students at the elementary school. Accessory kits provide everything needed to complete the lessons: batteries, chargers, math tools, drawing/art tools, and science tools. Storage carts and charging stations are additional options to consider.
	Middle (6-8) and High School (9-12) teachers teach STEM or Coding elective courses. Enhance STEM efforts by building instruction into the core academic classes or creating an elective class (CTE, STEM, Science, Math, CS, or Engineering) that matches a career pathway or small learning community. Coding is integrated into each course, and students gain progressively more complex skills as they advance. The self-paced online lessons can be integrated into the regular teaching day for Physical Science or Math.  Another option is for students to rotate through a designated learning lab throughout the day and visit the lab and its instructor as an elective class.
	Administrators appreciate the excellent Professional Development and support provided to teachers . Teachers don't have to figure it out on their own. Tech-savvy PD facilitators help with the hard stuff: getting started, setting up technology, lesson plans to fit schedules, introducing engineering and coding. Video conference sessions in 2 to 3 hrs are easy to schedule. Additionally, the online lessons provide videos and step-by-step instructions for both teachers and students to learn coding and engineering at their own pace. The comprehensive curriculum makes these courses easy to teach and we believe any enthusiastic teacher or media specialist can do it, with our support.