Classroom Best Practice – Wonder Workshop

Bring Design Thinking Principles to Your STEM Program

Amy Wilson — Fri, 22 Aug 2025 16:28:43 +0000

Ignite Creativity and Resilience in STEM Through Design Thinking

In today’s dynamic world, students need mindset tools that fuel innovation, adaptability, and deep empathy. That’s where design thinking comes in: a human-centered, iterative approach that transforms your STEM classroom into a vibrant lab of curiosity, collaboration, and creative problem-solving.

Far from being just for designers, design thinking speaks directly to the heart of STEM learning—allowing students to step into the shoes of real users, explore bold ideas without fear, bring those ideas to life through hands-on prototyping, and learn through testing, reflection, and iteration.

By embracing the empathize–define–ideate–prototype–test cycle, students not only build design literacy—they develop resilience, learn to reframe failure as opportunity, appreciate diverse perspectives, and understand that the best solutions often emerge through reflection and refinement.

Whether you’re guiding students to program Dash robots or to engineer solutions for real-world challenges, design thinking provides a clear, flexible roadmap—one that empowers every learner to become a thoughtful innovator.

Start with Empathy and Understanding: Begin each project by encouraging students to think about the people or problems they’re designing for. This could involve identifying tasks that Dash robots can solve or help with, fostering a deep understanding of the user’s needs and perspectives.

Define the Problem: Guide students to clearly articulate the problem they wish to solve. This helps narrow their focus and tailor their design process towards a specific goal, ensuring their solutions are relevant and purposeful.

Ideate Solutions: Encourage creative brainstorming where students propose a variety of solutions. Facilitate sessions where they sketch out how Dash robots can be programmed or configured to address the defined problem, promoting out-of-the-box thinking and collaboration.

Plan: The planning stage is foundational in the design thinking process. It’s where students learn to translate abstract ideas into concrete action plans. They outline steps, predict challenges, and consider the resources they’ll need. Effective planning helps in streamline their approach by providing a clear roadmap for action. It encourages students to think ahead, anticipate problems, and develop a structured approach to solving them.

Prototype: Utilize the hands-on nature of Dash robots by having students create tangible prototypes of their solutions. This could involve programming Dash to navigate mazes, communicate messages, or interact with objects, allowing students to experiment with different coding approaches.

Test and Iterate: Implement a cycle of testing and refining. Students should test their solutions, gather feedback, and make adjustments. This iterative process teaches resilience, problem-solving, and the understanding that design is an evolving process rather than a one-time effort.

Reflect and Share: Finally, incorporate a reflection and sharing phase where students discuss what worked, what didn’t, and how their designs evolved over time. This not only enhances learning outcomes but also encourages public speaking and critical thinking skills.

Download this printable to hang in your classroom!

Lesson Plan: Design Thinking with Dash

Grade Levels: Elementary / Middle School
Time Required: 2–3 class periods (can be shortened/extended)
Materials Needed:

Design Thinking Workbook (student copies)
Dash robots (1 per group)
Building materials (classroom craft supplies, tape, cardboard, markers, etc.)
Devices (laptops, Tablets, or iPads) with Blockly
Evaluation Rubric
Optional: Dash Planning and/or General Planning worksheets

Lesson Objectives

Students will learn and apply the steps of the Design Thinking process.
Students will collaborate to identify and solve a real classroom problem.
Students will design, prototype, and test an accessory for Dash that addresses their chosen problem.
Students will practice creativity, problem-solving, communication, and resilience.

Lesson Procedure

1. Understand (Identify Problems)

In groups, students brainstorm classroom problems without judgment.
- Grade 2-3: Classroom problem
- Grade 4: School problem
- Grade 5: Any problem
Write all ideas down.
Select the top three problems and highlight them.
As a group, choose one problem to focus on.

2. Define (Frame the Problem)

Groups explain their chosen problem in detail.
Discuss why this problem matters and why solving it would help the classroom.

3. Ideate (Generate Solutions)

Brainstorm possible Dash accessory ideas that could solve the problem.
No evaluating during brainstorming — just idea generation.
Select the top three solutions and highlight them.
Pick one solution to pursue further.
Record details: how will it work? what will it look like?

4. Plan & Build (Prototype)

Assign team roles (Documentarian, Builder, Programmer).
Sketch the accessory design.
Create a materials list.
Build a prototype using classroom materials.

5. Test (Iterate & Improve)

Program Dash to demonstrate the accessory in action.
Run tests and note mistakes.
Gather feedback from peers and teacher.
Revise the design to improve functionality.
Record results and reflect on what worked and what could be better.

Assessment

Use this Evaluation Rubric

Programming:
Students use coding concepts in Dash to bring their design to life. Proficiency is shown by completing tasks independently, with advanced solutions (efficient code, use of lights, sounds, sensors, loops) indicating exemplary work.
Reflection & Documentation:
Students record their design process using journals, sketches, or multimedia tools. Strong performance includes clear, thoughtful reflection using target vocabulary, and thorough documentation of each design phase.
Collaboration & Communication:
Students actively participate in group discussions, cooperate with peers, and contribute to presentations. High-level performance includes giving constructive feedback to others, incorporating peer feedback, and clearly communicating design ideas.
Creativity:
Students generate multiple solutions, apply the iterative process, and refine their ideas. Outstanding creativity is shown when students go beyond expected requirements, developing imaginative, original, and effective solutions.

Extension Ideas

Host a “Design Expo” where groups present their prototypes to the class.
Encourage students to document the process in video or photos.
Challenge groups to refine their design further or combine ideas.

FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS/DISCUSSION

Did your design work as planned? Why or why not?
How could this design be scaled up for use in the real world?
Do you think other classes could use your accessory/program?
What was the hardest part of the design process?
If you had time to redesign, what would you change?

10 Innovative Solutions for Robot Storage Carts

Amy Wilson — Tue, 22 Jul 2025 10:43:00 +0000

It’s almost that time of year when you will find yourself surrounded by robots, charging cables and devices. What better time is there for creative storage solutions to streamline storage and charging, ease delivery to students and colleges, all while keeping Dash safe?

We have a solution for you — 10, in fact. Here are our top 10 innovative storage cart solutions for robots, shared by teacher leaders just like you.

#1 — Newport Mesa Unified School District, California

#1 — Newport Mesa Unified School District, California: Dr. Jenith Mishne, Director of Education Technology, and her team of amazing EdTech TOSAs, Christie Darnall, Martha Felix and Melissa Price were very strategic about how they wanted to roll out a robotics program to their elementary teachers and students at 22 sites. They knew that a cart had to be durable, had to have wheels for ease of moving between classrooms, and had to have enough space to hold all the related teaching and learning materials, because their Dash STEM kits include: 7 iPads, 7 Dash robots, 7 customized floor mats, 1 teaching and learning resource binder filled with many activities and lessons, Wonder Workshop’s Curriculum Guide and Challenge Cards, an accessory kit of math manipulatives (rulers, projectors, etc.), 7 robot and 7 iPad charging cables, 14 building brick connectors, and a LEGO set. Their team decided to purchase the rugged Case Cruzer, which has foam inlay for added protection of the contents and can be locked. The K-5 teachers within each elementary building use a shared Google calendar to check out the cases. Now, all 23 sites have easy, shared access to the Dash STEM kits.

Total cost: $233-$311 for each mobile case

Follow and learn with the EdTech TOSAs on Twitter @NMUSD

#2 — Overton Public School in Overton, NE

#2 — Overton Public School in Overton, NE: Technology specialist Chase Christianson took a DIY approach. For his school’s solution, Chase creatively repurposed an old TV cart. He worked with the head of maintenance to add some wood panel “bumper walls” for the Dash robots sitting on top (we’ve also seen foam pool noodles used for bumper walls). Since it is a powered TV cart, Chase added a small USB charging unit that plugs right in for quick and easy charging. Chris claims it is “nothing special,” yet when he has to make the rounds to five different classrooms, his solutions make for flexible and easy mobility!

Total cost: $0.00 for the repurposed TV chart + <$5.00 for the wood panel “bumper” boards or pool noodles.

#3 — Valley Preparatory School, Redlands, CA

#3 — Valley Preparatory School, Redlands, CA: Carrie Willis, a technology director, created a small, simple, and yet practical mobile charging cart. To replicate her setup, you can purchase a 3 Tier Metal Cart on Amazon for about $35, get a power strip with 12 USB ports, and mount it to the cart with heavy-duty Velcro. Each level of the cart can hold at least 3 Dashes and 3 Dots. Carrie and her students like the smaller cart size for its ease of mobility within a classroom setting — simple to store in a classroom corner.

Total cost: <$60.00

Follow and learn with Carrie on Twitter @carriewillis18

#4 — Lou MacNarin Schools, Dieppe, Canada

#4 — Lou MacNarin Schools, Dieppe, Canada: Julie Roy is an immersion STEM resource teacher in the province of New Brunswick. In Joy’s school, they have 15 Dash and 11 Dot robots stored on a sturdy metal shelving unit. This solution provides easy access for both students and teachers. Julie’s goal when she purchased these shelving units for her school was to allow for plenty of access, at any time. Now, she says that any teacher (or student) can borrow them whenever they like!

This unit can be purchased on Amazon.com for $34.

#5 — Conestoga Valley School District in Lancaster, PA

#5 — Conestoga Valley School District in Lancaster, PA: Vicki Treadway, a technology coach, shared her creative mobile drawer storage cart. Her elementary principal found the cart at their Leola Elementary location, so they simply repurposed it by adding a multiport USB charger on the top. The drawers fit Dash and Dot plus their USB cables and accessories. What a compact home!

Total cost: <$80.00.

Follow and learn with Vicki on Twitter @vltreadway

#6 — Wayzata School District, Plymouth, MN

#6 — Wayzata School District, Plymouth, MN: Dr. Brad Gustafson and the Greenwood Elementary teachers collaborated on ideas for the best mobile storage solution for their makerspace. Dr. Brad had earmarked some funding in their budget to invest in the Mobile MakerSpace fleet and supplies. Their goal was to create an ethos of innovation and design thinking. They wanted students to have the opportunity to create, build, tinker, fail, and think critically from any classroom or hallway in the school. To transport new opportunities and tools to virtually any space in their school, they have lined the hallway to the media center with their Mobile MakerSpace carts, which are Cascade models. These carts contain all the tools needed to elicit collaboration and unleash student creativity, whether they are tackling high-tech 3D printing, low-tech knitting, plastic construction blocks, or modular robotics.

Estimated cost: $300.00 per cart

Follow and learn with Dr. Brad on Twitter @GustafsonBrad

#7 — Oregon School District, Oregon, WI

#7 — Oregon School District, Oregon, WI: Technology teacher Velvet Holmes shared her creative robot storage idea of a “Dash garage.” Velvet has designated a back counter of her classroom where she reuses the same box Dash was shipped in. She flips the box to use the top as a back for the “garage.” Then, she asks students to park the Dash inside the plastic liner and store a Dot on top of each open box. Her idea provides easy access for students, an organized method for storage, and an immediate charging station right next to the classroom’s iPads. Velvet has created an anytime, just-in-time way to enhance her classroom’s thematic units of study.

Total cost: FREE

Follow and learn with Velvet on Twitter @iVelvet

#8 — St. Cloud Schools, St. Cloud, MN

#8 — St. Cloud Schools, St. Cloud, MN: Angie Kalthoff, a tech integrator, wrote a grant to bring Dash and Dot and other STEM tools to her St. Cloud, Minnesota schools. One of her creative first-grade teachers, Lindsey Nagorski @nagorski1 came up with the idea of storing the robots in a fish tank! She explains that her first-graders treat Dash and Dot as classroom pets — they take care for them each and every day.

Jenny McNew is the media specialist @31madi and Jason Menth is the Talahi Technology Integrationist at St. Cloud Schools, and they work with multiple classes at Talahi Elementary using multiple Tech Tub Charging solutions.The robots sit on shelves connected to internal USB charging ports, securely stored in a lightweight, ventilated unit that is easy to carry or transport from room to room.

Another solution their district has come up with is tapping into repurposed laptop carts from years past, and that are no longer are being used. This provides durable mobile storage and an immediate charging solution.

Total cost: $0.00 for the repurposed fish tank; $0.00 for repurposed laptop carts; about $425 for a Tech Tub Trolley

Follow and learn from Angie Kalthoff @MrsKalthoff

#9 Wonder Workshop

#9 — The ultimate rolling suitcase. Easy to pack, zip, load, and roll! Our team at Wonder Workshop, customized a suitcase to take Dash and Dot along when they conduct user research, visit schools, or go to conferences. A practical and sturdy way to bring your friends along for the ride!

Find a similar Amazon Basics carryon here

Total cost: $53

#10 One More Idea!

#10 — Lastly, you could purchase a collapsible utility cart at retailers like the Home Depot. Often used as wagons for the garden or beach, it’s a great way to move Dash and all the accessories between classrooms. Plus, this sturdy cart collapses when not being used. Ask for student volunteers to be Robot Delivery Helpers so that they feel responsible for the care and maintenance of their beloved Dash robots.

What are your favorite storage and charging solutions? Let us know on social media and tag us @wonderworkshop!

Celebrate Nat’l Poetry Month with Dash

Amy Wilson — Fri, 04 Apr 2025 17:55:52 +0000

Poetry and Coding? You Bet.

April is National Poetry Month—a perfect time to celebrate language and creativity in your classroom. In the two lesson plans featured here, your students won’t just read and write poems: they’ll also program a Dash robot to bring those poetic lines to life. By merging verse analysis with hands-on coding, these activities invite learners to dive deeper into the sounds, images, and rhythms of poetry.

This integrated approach helps students engage in new ways, appealing to different learning styles and encouraging collaboration. When kids see their words translated into physical movements, the power of poetry becomes even more tangible. Whether they’re analyzing a poet’s style or crafting their own verses, the connection between language and robotics lets them explore concepts in a dynamic, interactive environment—ultimately expanding their understanding and excitement about both poetry and technology.

Note: You will need to log into the Make Wonder portal to access these lesson plans, but registration is free!

A Dash of Haiku

Teach coding across the curriculum with this Lesson from our Cross Curricular Lesson Library! Teach students all about Haiku’s, have them write a Haiku, and then have them program Dash to act out their Haiku!

Sample Worksheets Included in the Lesson

Dashing Poets

In this lesson, students dive into poetry to experience it with their physical senses—then bring it to life through programming. Working in small groups, they’ll pick out sensory imagery from just two lines of a poem and transform those lines into a set of instructions for Dash. This kinesthetic approach helps them appreciate how words can direct movement and action.

Why kinesthetics and robotics?
Kinesthetics is all about sensing and understanding your body’s movement and position. It’s like having an internal “motion detector” that helps you move and interact. When students tap into this sense, they learn in a more hands-on way, making the experience lively and memorable. They’re also tapping into how we need to program robots. By interpreting poetry through movement, they deepen both their programming skills and their physical awareness—an awesome combination for active, engaged learning.

Note that this lesson is written to be used with the Wonder App, but can be adapted to be taught with Blockly instead.

Selecting the Best Robot for Young Learners: Dash vs. Makeblock mBot2 Comparison

Abby Dye — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 16:34:43 +0000

Educational robots have become a powerful way not only to introduce kids to coding and STEM concepts, but also to inspire them to invent the future. Sorting through the many different options to find the best fit, however, is a real challenge all its own.

Wonder Workshop’s Dash and Makeblock’s mBot2 are two standout robots that offer different pathways into STEM. Dash combines hands-on coding with playful challenges for kids as young as 6, while Makeblock’s mBot2 emphasizes robotics and engineering.

We’ll compare these two options and dive into why Dash is a favorite among parents and educators who are looking for a user-friendly introduction to coding that is approachable enough for beginners, but also provides enough computer science depth to keep advanced coders engaged.

Dash vs. mBot2 Comparison

	Dash Robot	mBot2
Price	Currently $159.99 (includes everything needed to learn and play)	$119.99 (basic model)
Recommended Age	6-14 years old (suitable for early readers and advanced coders)	8-12 years old
Learning Style	Hands-on, interactive coding and robotics	Building and advanced robotics
Access to Features	All-inclusive, no paid subscription needed, evolves with kids' skill levels	Additional costs and hardware for advanced features
Setup	Ready to go out of the box; assembled and charged on arrival	Requires involved setup with adult assistance; charging time needed
Software Support	Suite of intuitive free apps; compatible with Apple, Android, Kindle, and Chrome devices.	Reviewers mention that the free coding software can be prone to glitches and difficult to navigate
Amazon Reviews	4.6/5 stars	4.4/5 stars

Ready to Play vs. DIY Assembly

Dash arrives ready to inspire. Fully assembled and pre-charged, it includes everything kids need to start learning and playing immediately. Dash’s durable body and long battery life are built for the way kids play, ensuring that families can focus on STEM learning growth and hands-on exploration rather than continuous repair.

Makeblock’s mBot2 is made of durable aluminum, though requires significant assembly before kids can begin learning. This may appeal to those interested in the mechanics of robots, but can be a hurdle for families seeking a plug-and-play solution.

Interactive STEM vs. Building and Mechanics

Dash transforms STEM into an adventure. Kids program Dash’s movements, lights, and sounds, bringing their code to life through creative, interactive challenges. Along the way, they build problem-solving skills, resilience, and confidence. For older learners, Dash’s adaptability ensures there’s always something new to discover.

Makeblock’s mBot2 dives deep into the mechanics of robotics. It offers a more technical experience that may be rewarding for some learners, but can feel less accessible for kids just starting their STEM journey.

Age and Skill Level

Dash is designed to empower future innovators of all ages and skill levels. Learners as young as 6 years old can use the free Path app to draw routes for Dash to follow around the house before progressing to drag-and-drop coding in our free Blockly app. Features such as color coordination and read-aloud options make this an excellent option for early readers.

Meanwhile, more advanced coders can explore complex programming and creative problem-solving through leveled up challenges in Blockly. Kids will find countless puzzles that introduce concepts like sequences, loops, conditionals, and variables, making Blockly ideal for both first-time coders and more experienced learners.

In addition, the free app Wonder provides over 300 STEM challenges, encouraging kids to experiment, iterate, and explore Dash’s capabilities while learning important problem-solving skills.

A Learning Evolution

With Blockly Pro, another free Wonder Workshop app inside of the free Tier of our Make Wonder platform (available on Chrome and iOS), offers advanced coders the opportunity to transition from block coding to JavaScript while they program Dash.

Like Dash, Makeblock’s mBot2 also supports block-based and text-based coding. Whereas Dash utilizes the coding languages Blockly and JavaScript, mBot2 uses Scratch and Python. Since the mBot2 is geared towards kids ages 8-12 and leans more heavily into physical robotics and assembly, it is more suited for kids who are interested in building robots as much as programming them. Kids who are interested in building environments for their robots will love Dash, who navigates mazes, and with accessories (built or purchased) can lift, hurl, draw, and drop things in a kid-made environment.

Dash’s true strength lies in its ability to evolve with learners. Whether it’s a 6-year-old learning the how blocks are color coded depending on the function they prescribe or a 9-year-old tackling multi-step algorithms, or a 13-year-old writing their own program in JavaScript, Dash provides opportunities for creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration all along the way.

Ease of Software and Compatibility Use

When it comes to getting started with coding, having reliable, intuitive software makes a huge difference. Dash shines in this area with free, easy-to-connect apps that are thoughtfully designed to support a range of learning levels. With these tools, connecting to Dash is simple—Bluetooth functionality ensures that kids can dive into coding without wrestling with complicated setups. Dash’s apps are all COPPA compliant.

Reviewers mention that while Makeblock’s hardware lives up to the hype, the accompanying software doesn’t rise to the same standard. Glitches and inconsistent performance can be resolved with updates and conversations with customer service, though those take time and make the mBot2 user experience less seamless.

All in One vs. Pay to Expand

Wonder Workshop’s comprehensive mix of hardware and software makes Dash an ideal option for families and educators who want an all-in-one solution without the need to continuously pay for add-ons.

Makeblock offers many additional products and accessories that boast advanced features, but which add significantly increased costs and device management.

The Verdict

Dash and mBot2 both offer engaging STEM experiences and offer different strengths. Makeblock’s mBot2 is a good fit for kids ready for a more technical dive into robotics and assembly, while Dash excels at fostering a lifelong love of STEM through hands-on exploration and age appropriate challenges.

For a robot that grows with your child and makes learning feel like a constant adventure, Dash is the ultimate choice.

Get Dash for $158.99 for a limited time. Sale ends Dec. 16.

Order by Dec. 17 to get it in time for Christmas in the US.

Using Blockly with K-1st Grade Students

Naomi Meredith — Fri, 08 Nov 2024 11:00:00 +0000

Innovation Starts Early

The earlier that students dive into computational thinking and computer science, the more likely they’ll grow into the problem-solvers and innovators of tomorrow.

As a teacher, I know that Blockly can seem challenging for young kids, especially since it looks like it requires strong reading skills. But don’t worry—there are so many fun, hands-on strategies that can make foundational coding and problem-solving skills accessible to K-1st grade students.

A Day-by-Day Lesson Plan for Using Blockly with Pre-Readers.

We all know that hands-on resources make a huge difference, which is why I created this K-1 Intro to Blockly based on the tried-and-true strategies I’ve used with Dash in my classrooms over the years.

In the guide, you’ll find four easy-to-follow lessons packed with classroom-tested strategies, interactive slides, unplugged coding activities, and printables.

I hope these resources inspire you and your students to explore the world of coding together!

Resources for a Smooth Start

Each lesson introduces specific skills while keeping the activities interactive and tangible. The included Blockly printables and worksheets help create a structured, visually engaging learning environment.

Scavenger Hunt

A scavenger hunt with printable Blockly blocks is a great way for young learners to build familiarity with blocks as symbols that have important meanings. Before they can begin coding, it’s important that they have the opportunity to explore and engage with the materials in creative and tangible ways.

Coloring Pages

Kids can look to the colors in Blockly as clues to understand what each block means. As a class or in small groups, guide students through the Blockly coloring pages. An answer key is included for teachers to make this activity seamless.

Blockly Programs Worksheets

After learning more about Blockly blocks through the scavenger hunt and coloring pages, guide students through a exploration of the Blockly app to see how connecting the blocks makes Dash follow instructions. Use the printable Blockly programs worksheet and attached answer key for a small group unplugged coding activity. One child can act as a robot, while the other is the programmer who connects blocks that tell the robot what to do.

Even More Classroom Inspiration

Looking for more? Check out some innovative ways that teachers around the country are using Dash with their K-1 students.

In @growmakecreate‘s STEAM lab, kindergarteners coded Dash to bulldoze Lego blocks into bond diagrams to create accurate math problems!

Ms. Tavares‘s Coding Club paired first graders with student mentors to learn and code together. Student mentors guided the Grade 1 coders to code directionally in a grid as they familiarize themselves with this new digital tool. They mixed unplugged and plugged coding activities to deepen student understanding!

This hands-on, cross-curricular lesson from @kgakindercats used computer science tools to explore life science content. Watch how students programmed Dash to demonstrate the different roles that bees have in their hives.

Integrate reading and robots with this fun idea from @Goodwinnovate on Instagram. All you need are tin cans, magnetic letters, a magnet board, paper, pencils and your Dash robot.

New Make Wonder Feature: Classroom Codes

Amy Wilson — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 21:32:50 +0000

We are excited to announce a new feature for the 2024-25 school year – Classroom Codes.

Classroom Codes simplify the Blockly login process for students by providing them with a Code that will take them directly to a listing of profiles inside of Blockly that correspond to their specific classroom, rather than all students in an teacher’s account. It makes it a lot easier and faster for students to find their own student profile avatar and get started coding right away!

In the Make Wonder Platform for teachers, Classroom Codes can be found in the “Setup Classrooms” section and will be displayed next to each Classroom section that you have created.

They have the format: xxxxx-xxx.

Note that if you are using the Free Tier of Make Wonder, you are able to create just one classroom.

Students are prompted to enter a code, when they launch Blockly and tap on the Make Wonder icon.

Students enter the Classroom Code into the same field that they enter a Teacher Code. The hyphen will appear automatically as students type in the code.

If students have entered a teacher code, they will select their Classroom from the dropdown menu (if you have created more than 1 classroom), and then will use the gray scroll bar at the bottom to locate their student profile. They will then click on their Profile thumbnail to login and access any Assignments.

If students have entered a Classroom Code instead of a Teacher Code, they will be taken to their classroom immediately. See how much faster that is?

You asked. We listened!

New to Make Wonder?

Learn more about all of Make Wonder’s features, by visiting our Make Wonder page or by browsing Make Wonder options at our online store.

And find more resources for using Dash in the classroom on our Getting Started page.

Printable Blockly Blocks

Amy Wilson — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 16:30:24 +0000

Use these downloadable PDF's to create Manipulatable Blocks in English or in any language.

Providing students with physical coding blocks serves as a good introduction and can promote essential skills in collaboration and problem-solving. See how spending a little time with printed Blocks first can enhance student learning of new coding concepts.

Concrete Learning Through Physical Manipulation

The use of printed Blockly blocks enables students to transform abstract coding concepts into tangible experiences. By physically assembling and rearranging these blocks, students gain a hands-on understanding of coding principles such as loops and conditionals. This method of tactile learning helps solidify complex ideas, making them more accessible to young learners.

Fostering Collaboration and Social Skills

Printed Blockly blocks naturally encourage students to work in groups, discuss their thoughts, and collaboratively solve problems. This not only enhances their understanding of coding but also develops critical social skills including teamwork, communication, and empathy. Collaborative learning environments contribute to a more engaging and inclusive classroom atmosphere.

Developing Computational Thinking Skills

Manipulating printed Blockly blocks serves as an effective tool for teaching computational thinking. Students learn to break down problems, identify patterns, and create step-by-step solutions. This early introduction to computational thinking lays a foundational skill set that is increasingly recognized as critical in the digital age.

Encouraging Creativity and Problem-Solving

The tactile nature of printed Blockly blocks allows for easy experimentation and iteration. This environment fosters a mindset where making mistakes is part of the learning process, encouraging creativity and perseverance. Students learn to approach problems with an open mind and a willingness to explore multiple solutions.

Accessibility Across Varied Socioeconomic Backgrounds

Printed Blockly blocks provide an accessible entry point to coding for all students, regardless of their access to digital devices. This approach helps bridge the digital divide, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to develop essential digital literacy skills.

Easing the Transition to Digital Coding

Starting with printed Blockly blocks can facilitate a smoother transition to digital coding environments. Once students are comfortable with the foundational concepts through tactile learning, they are better prepared to engage with screen-based programming, making the digital leap less daunting.

Preparing for a Digital Future

Integrating coding and robotics at the elementary school level goes beyond teaching technical skills; it prepares students for a future where digital literacy is paramount. By teaching these concepts, you’re supporting the development of critical thinkers and problem-solvers who are ready to navigate the challenges of a technologically advanced world.

Blank Blocks for Translation Into Any Language

For the first time, we are making available a complete set of Blank Blockly Blocks so that you can reproduce them in the language your students are using.

Below are instructions for how to insert your own text on top of a PDF.

How to Add Your Own Text On Top of a PDF

For Mac Users

Free Option: Preview

Open the PDF: Locate your PDF file in Finder and open it with Preview, the default PDF viewer on macOS.
Access the Markup Toolbar: Click on the toolbox icon to open the Markup Toolbar.
Add Text: Click the text box button (T inside a box) in the Markup Toolbar to create a new text box. You can then move this text box to the desired location on the PDF and start typing your text.
Save Your Document: After adding your text, save the document by going to File > Save.

Paid Option: Adobe Acrobat Pro DC

Open Adobe Acrobat Pro DC and load your PDF file using File > Open.
Edit Text: Navigate to the “Edit PDF” tool in the right pane. Click on the text you wish to edit or add. If you’re adding new text, click on the “Add Text” toolbar option, then click where you want to add text in the PDF.
Save Your Document: Once you’ve made your changes, save your document by clicking File > Save.

For PC Users

Free Option: PDFescape (Online and Windows Desktop)

Online:
1. Go to the PDFescape website and choose to upload a PDF file.
2. Once uploaded, select the “Text” tool from the left-hand toolbar.
3. Click anywhere on your PDF where you want to add text and start typing.
4. Save your document to your computer by selecting the save/download icon.
Windows Desktop:
1. Download and install PDFescape Desktop for Windows.
2. Open your PDF with PDFescape Desktop, and select the “Insert” tab.
3. Choose “Text” and click on the PDF where you want to add your text.
4. Save the document by clicking on the “File” menu and then “Save” or “Save As.”

Paid Option: Adobe Acrobat Pro DC

Open Adobe Acrobat Pro DC and load your PDF file using File > Open.
Edit Text: Click on the “Edit PDF” tool in the right pane. Then, you can either click on the existing text to edit it or click the “Add Text” button in the toolbar to add new text.
Save Your Document: After editing or adding your text, save the changes by clicking File > Save.

Cross-Platform Paid Options

Adobe Acrobat Pro DC (Subscription-based)

Adobe Acrobat Pro DC offers a comprehensive set of PDF editing tools, including robust text editing and addition features. It is available for both Mac and PC users. Follow the instructions listed above in the “Paid Option” sections for Mac and PC respectively.

Foxit PhantomPDF (Subscription-based)

Foxit PhantomPDF is another powerful PDF editing tool that works on both Windows and macOS.

Open your PDF: Start Foxit PhantomPDF and open the PDF file you wish to edit.
Edit Text: Navigate to the “Edit” tab, and then you can choose to edit existing text or click on the “Add Text” button to insert new text.
Save Your Document: Don’t forget to save your edited PDF by clicking File > Save.

These instructions offer a range of options for adding text to a PDF, catering to different platforms and preferences for free or paid software. Whether you are a Mac or PC user, there is a solution that can meet your needs.

20+ Winter WONDER-ful Activities for Dash

Wonder Workshop — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 23:14:02 +0000

It's Time for a Holiday Bash

There are many ways to reinforce physical coding and applied robotics during this holiday season. You can use these winter wonderland ideas as morning warm-ups or for Friday free time, or you can create rotation stations to tackle them all at once during a classroom celebration. Pick and choose your favorites, or try them all!

The month of December is ripe for classroom celebrations, beginning with the Hour of Code, December 4-10. Our Hour of Code webpages have tons of activities to choose from and a link to sign up for our live, student-facing webinar on Monday, December 4!

Winter WONDERland Activity Packets

Check out our printable Winter WONDERland packets, 50+ pages (yes, f-i-f-t-y pages) of offline and online activities.

Please note that some items referenced in these packets are no longer available for sale from Wonder Workshop.

Sing Along

Check out this rendition of “Carol of the Bells,” shared last year by one of our #WonderLeague coaches from Estonia. We get chills every time! How can your students harmonize along with the robots on their favorite song? Or would they rather record their voices so that Dash can take center stage?

Please note that Xylo is no longer available for purchase from Wonder Workshop, though you may be able to find it on a secondary auction website.

A Robot Parade

Our robots love to transform into falloons and balloonicles (yes, those are words!). Check out our brand-new @Nearpod lesson plan on re-creating the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and simply adapt it for a winter or holiday-themed parade!

Snowball Fight!

Draw some (masking tape) lines and take sides! Use the ever-popular Launcher to toss snowballs of different materials — crumpled paper or foil, cotton balls, Ping Pong balls. Determine a point system based on hitting targets of different sizes and from various distances.

Cozy Hats

Feeling crafty? Knit one, purl two to make Dash a cozy winter hat. Robots get cold too, you know!

Binary Ornaments

With some simple colored beads and a pipe cleaner, you can introduce the binary alphabet! Have students code their names or a winter-related spelling word. Use this ASCII Binary Alphabet PDF to get started. Then loop the pipe cleaner to make an ornament or bend it to form a candy cane!

Winter Pageant

Hold a holiday pageant (see video), where participants dress up in their best winter outfits and answer pageant questions. Ask students to first program their robots with one noun response, an -ing verb response, and a location response. Then surprise the contestants with questions like:

What is your favorite piece of winter attire?
Which winter sport do you excel at?
Where would you like to travel once spring comes?

Edible Constructs

And who doesn’t like a yummy snack? Riff off of this clever robot snack by using milk bottles to make a snowman, a red Hershey’s kiss as a Santa’s hat, or pretzels as reindeer antlers!

The Dash and Dot Show

Then watch this holiday episode of the Dash & Dot Show. Find more episodes in our YouTube playlist.

Want Even More?

What other holiday ideas can you come up with?

Can you create your own version of the poem, “The Night Before Christmas”? Have Dash recite your original poem about coding and robots in an A, B, C, B rhyme scheme.
Can Dash use the Launcher to help Santa deliver gifts down a chimney? Create chimneys (think tall boxes!) of different heights and widths. Or use the Bulldozer to push gifts to different locales.
Can Dash turn into Rudolph and tow a sleigh carrying Dot?
Can Dash tell the story of Hanukkah candles, complete with recordings and blinking eye patterns?
Can you wrap Dash in a dreidel outfit and let it spin?
What mischief can Dash and Elf on a Shelf get into? https://twitter.com/Roosloan/status/806126796441845760

Share your winter WONDER-land ideas with us and tag us @WonderWorkshop on social.

Blockly for Dash – On the Web

Amy Wilson — Fri, 18 Aug 2023 13:50:42 +0000

With the New Free Tier, Student Profiles Are Available to All Who Set Up a Classroom in Make Wonder (Class Connect).

You may have heard that we are rolling out a bunch of new features in what was called Class Connect – so many new features that we’re renaming it Make Wonder!

This article explains how you can leverage the free tier of Make Wonder to set up student accounts inside of Blockly, allowing them to save work and maintain progress.

This article also draws attention to the fact that Blockly is not only available for mobile devices. It can be accessed directly on the web (Chrome browser supported).

When kids launch Blockly on the web, they need to enter a teacher code to find their profile inside. When they complete puzzles, their progress is saved and the teacher can view that progress inside the Portal!

Ready to get started? Let’s go!

Step 1
Sign Up or Log In

The first step is to make sure that you, the teacher, are logged into the Make Wonder (Class Connect) portal. If you don’t have an account yet, get started by signing up. It’s free and new for this year, it doesn’t expire!

Proceed through the onboarding screens to get your account all set up.

Step 2
Set Up Your Classroom

The next step is to set up your classroom. For student names, enter only first names. Also choose a profile name that will be visible inside of Blockly (to students who use your Teacher Code). Kids look for their profile card and then click on it to load their activity and pick up where they left off.

Step 3
Launch Blockly & Enter Your Teacher Code

Your Teacher Code can be found just beneath the Navigation Bar in the portal. If you launch Blockly from inside the portal, your Teacher Code will be populated in the field automatically. Students can enter the code manually.

Click through the next screens until you arrive at the Profile Cards. Each student should find their own profile card and click on it to get started or resume.

Step 4
Students Connect Dash

See that big orange + sign in the upper right hand corner? That’s the button kids push in order to connect Dash to Blockly so they can program the robot.

When accessing Blockly with a free Make Wonder (Class Connect) Teacher account, students need a physical Dash to program. The full Make Wonder license provides a Virtual Dash right inside of the Blockly App.

A full Make Wonder license unlocks a Virtual Dash inside of Blockly.

Step 5
Students Start Solving the Puzzles

Now students can start their coding journey by tapping on the first icon. Each puzzle builds on the one before it and completing a puzzle unlocks the next one. You can watch your students’ progress through these puzzles in the Make Wonder dashboard!

Student view of the Puzzles

Teacher View of the Progress Tracker

Many additional features are adding to Blockly when you move from Make Wonder Basic, the free tier, to a full Make Wonder subscription.

These additional features make it even easier to teach coding by providing student-facing, multimedia coding lessons, the Virtual Dash, coding challenges that are aligned to Math standards, standards-aligned Challenge Cards and more. To see how these features fit into a Make Wonder subscription, click around inside of the Basic subscription and preview them.

For more tips and tricks, join our Global Educator Community on Facebook!

Or sign up to attend one of our webinars!

Celebrate Pi Day With Dash

Amy Wilson — Fri, 10 Mar 2023 18:45:50 +0000

Pi Day is March 14th!

This week, we’re celebrating March 14, Pi Day, with a few activities to help your students understand this beautiful little ratio.

Download the printable PDF and let the creative wheels turn! (See what we did there?)

Another Way to Celebrate!

Mission:

How many digits of π (pi) can you recite? March 14, or 3/14, is “Pi Day,” and is a celebration of the mathematical concept π, which represents the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter, which is approximately 3.14, hence the March 14 Pi Day festivities!

First, watch the video to see if you can recreate Blockly programs that train Dash to drive in different circles! Then, challenge yourself to see how many different circles you can program Dash to create!