Arctic Animal Science: Polar Bears

1. Introduction and Build

Meet an Apex Predator

Polar bears are the largest land predators on Earth. They live in the Arctic and the Northern Hemisphere, where they spend much of their time on sea ice and in the surrounding coastal areas.

Polar bears are apex predators, which means they are at the top of their food web. Adult polar bears primarily hunt seals, especially ringed and bearded seals. They may also eat other marine mammals, birds, eggs, fish, and other available food when opportunities arise.

Living in the Arctic presents some major challenges. Polar bears must travel across snow and sea ice to find food, resting places, and mates. They also need to survive extremely cold temperatures.

A polar bear's body has several traits that help it survive.

Their thick layer of body fat, or blubber, provides insulation and stores energy. Their dense fur helps keep heat close to their bodies. Polar bears also have large paws with rough surfaces, fur, and strong claws that help them grip snow and ice.

These traits are examples of adaptations. An adaptation is a trait or behavior that helps an organism survive in its environment.

Today, you will investigate one of these adaptations and use engineering to improve it.

Build

Use Bags 11, 12, 13 to build:

As you build, think about:

2. Solve: Help the Polar Bear Reach the Ice

The mother polar bear needs to join her cub on an ice floe.

Polar bears are excellent swimmers and can travel through cold Arctic water. Their thick layer of blubber helps insulate their bodies, while their fur and skin also help reduce heat loss.

But swimming to an ice floe is only part of the challenge.

How can the mother polar bear climb onto the ice without slipping?

Polar bears have large paws with claws and rough surfaces that help them grip the ice.

Now it is your turn to think like an engineer.

Your Challenge

Design new feet for the polar bear that help her land on and grip the ice without sliding off.

Use the pieces in Bag 14.

Your design should:

  1. Help the polar bear grip the ice.
  2. Keep the polar bear from sliding backward.
  3. Stay attached to the polar bear.
  4. Allow the polar bear to reach her cub.

Test Your Design

Test your polar bear on the ice.

Does she stay in place?

Does she slide?

Does she reach her cub?

If your design doesn't work, change it and test it again.

Think about the features of a real polar bear's paws. What could you add to your design to increase friction or improve its grip?

Engineers use testing to learn what works and what needs to change.

3. Invent: Build a Vehicle for a Polar Researcher

Meet a Real Polar Researcher

Scientists travel to some of the most challenging environments on Earth to study Arctic animals.

Dr. Sandra Lai is an ecologist and carnivore researcher who studies how animals move and behave in extreme environments.

Her research has included studying Arctic foxes on Bylot Island in Nunavut and Arctic hares on Ellesmere Island in Canada's High Arctic.

Dr. Lai's research has helped scientists understand how Arctic animals move across large and challenging landscapes. Her work with Arctic foxes examined their winter movements, territories, and use of sea ice. Her research on Arctic hares has documented surprisingly long-distance movements across the polar desert.

Studying animals in the High Arctic can be difficult. Researchers may spend weeks or months working in remote areas, often camping in extremely cold conditions while tracking animals and collecting scientific data.

Scientists like Dr. Lai need equipment and transportation that can help them safely work in these environments.

Now she has a problem for you to solve.

Design a Polar Research Vehicle

Dr. Lai needs to move from a snowy slope onto a nearby ice floe.

Your Challenge

Design and build a vehicle that allows Dr. Lai to travel from the slope and land securely on the ice.

Use the pieces in Bag 14.

Look carefully at the polar bear's feet.

Can you use the same ideas that help a polar bear grip the ice to improve your vehicle?

Your vehicle should:

  1. Travel down or across the slope.
  2. Reach the ice floe.
  3. Land securely.
  4. Stay on the ice without sliding away.

Design, Test, Improve

Before you build, think about the problem.

How will it land?

What will help it grip the ice?

How can you keep it from sliding after it lands?

Test your vehicle several times.

If it slides off the ice or doesn't land safely, change your design and try again.

Your goal is to use what you learned about polar bear adaptations to create an engineering solution.

Think Like a Scientist

The polar bear's feet and your research vehicle may look very different, but they are solving a similar problem:

How can something move across ice without losing its grip?

The polar bear has traits that evolved over many generations. Engineers can observe those traits and use the ideas behind them to inspire new designs.

This is an example of how science can inform engineering.

Essential Questions

1. How did you change the polar bear's feet so they could grip the ice better?

Describe the feature you added or changed and explain why it helped.

2. Was your research vehicle similar to or different from the polar bear's feet?

Explain how your design used ideas from the polar bear's adaptations.

3. What other features help polar bears survive in the Arctic?

Think about their fur, blubber, paws, claws, body shape, swimming ability, or behavior.

4. Why is gripping the ice important for a polar bear?

Explain how the ability to move safely across ice could help a polar bear find food, travel, or care for its young.

5. How did testing change your design?

Describe something that didn't work the first time and explain how you improved it.

What Did You Learn?

In this lesson, you explored how animal structures help organisms survive in their environments.

You learned that polar bears have adaptations such as:

You then used what you learned about polar bear adaptations to solve an engineering problem.

This connects science and engineering:

Scientists investigate how organisms survive. Engineers use scientific ideas to design and improve solutions to problems.

Arctic Animal Science: Reindeer Adaptations

1. Introduction & Build

Welcome to the Arctic Tundra!

The Arctic tundra is a challenging place to live. Temperatures can become extremely cold, snow can cover the ground, and finding food can become difficult.

Yet reindeer survive here year after year. How do they do it?

Reindeer have special adaptations that help them survive in their environment. Their bodies are covered with fur that helps insulate them from the cold. They also have large hooves that help them move across snow and soft tundra. They even can be used as shovels to dig through snow to find food.

Today, you're going to become a wildlife biologist and engineer and help Dr. Sienna Voss study reindeer.

Build Your Arctic Environment

Use LEGO Bags 7 and 8 to build:

As you build, think like a wildlife biologist:

What does a reindeer need to survive?

What might change when winter arrives?

How could a reindeer's body help it survive?

What might make finding food difficult in winter?

When your models are complete, look closely at your environment. Switch between the summer and winter settings.

Where do you think the reindeer find food during the summer?

What changes when winter arrives?

2. Challenge: Winter Has Arrived!

The temperature is dropping.

Snow is beginning to cover the tundra.

Winter has arrived in the Arctic!

Reindeer need to be ready for the cold.

During winter, reindeer naturally grow a thicker, denser coat of fur. This extra fur helps insulate their bodies by trapping warm air close to their skin.

Your Challenge

Use LEGO Bag 9 to create winter adaptations for your two reindeer.

Your goal is to design additional fur and features that help your reindeer survive the cold Arctic winter.

Think Like an Engineer

As you build, ask yourself:

There are many ways to successfully build.

Scientists and engineers often come up with many different ways to solve a problem.

Test Your Adaptation

Place your reindeer in the summer environment.

Then switch the environment to winter.

What do you notice?

Do your reindeer look different against the winter environment?

Think About It

Reindeer are also called caribou in North America.

Why might having a thick winter coat be an important adaptation for an animal living in the Arctic?

3. Challenge: Hide the Scientist!

Dr. Voss has a problem.

She wants to photograph the reindeer behaving naturally, but the animals are noticing people nearby.

If a reindeer becomes frightened, it might:

If the animals change their behavior because a scientist is nearby, Dr. Voss might not collect accurate information.

Your Challenge

Design and build a hiding place where Dr. Voss can observe and photograph the reindeer without being noticed.

Scientists call this type of hiding place an observation blind.

Your blind should:

👀 Allow Dr. Voss to see the reindeer
📸 Give her room to use her camera
🌿 Help her blend into the environment
🦌 Keep the reindeer from noticing her

Think Like a Biologist AND an Engineer

Before you build, think about:

Where should Dr. Voss hide?

What could you use to make the blind blend into the environment?

How can Dr. Voss see the reindeer without being seen?

How will your design keep the animals from becoming frightened?

Test Your Design

Place Dr. Voss inside your observation blind.

Can she see the reindeer?

Can she take a photograph?

Can the reindeer see her?

If the reindeer notices Dr. Voss, redesign your blind and try again!

Final Question

You've helped Dr. Voss study how reindeer survive as their environment changes.

Now think about other Arctic animals.

What adaptations help other animals survive in the Arctic?

A walrus has thick blubber that helps insulate its body in cold water.

An Arctic fox has a thick coat that helps keep it warm.

A snowshoe hare can change the color of its fur during the year, helping it blend into its surroundings.

Big Science Question

How does an animal's environment influence the traits and behaviors that help it survive?

Arctic Animal Science : Walruses

Welcome to the Arctic Ocean!

The Arctic Ocean is the smallest and shallowest of Earth's five oceans. It surrounds the North Pole and is one of the coldest ocean environments on Earth.

Much of the Arctic Ocean is covered by sea ice, especially during the coldest parts of the year.

Even though the environment is extremely cold, the Arctic Ocean is home to many amazing animals. These animals have special adaptations that help them survive in freezing water, on sea ice, and along the ocean floor.

One of these animals is the walrus.

Walruses are large marine mammals that spend much of their lives in and around the Arctic Ocean. They use their sensitive whiskers to find food on the seafloor, and their thick layer of blubber helps keep them warm in the freezing water.

But surviving in the Arctic isn't just about finding food.

Walruses also need places to rest, stay together, and protect their young.

Today, you're going to become a marine biologist and engineer and help a researcher solve problems involving Arctic walruses.

Meet Dr. Corinne Vale

Dr. Corinne Vale is a LEGO Minifigure marine biologist and undersea explorer.

She studies walrus behavior and Arctic ecosystems.

Dr. Vale uses a research vehicle to explore beneath the Arctic ice. She watches walruses as they swim, search for food, and travel across the seafloor.

LEGO Minifigure Scuba Diver

She wants to understand how walruses interact with their environment.

Today, Dr. Vale has two engineering problems for you to solve.

But first, you'll need to build the scientists and animals you'll be studying.

Build the Walruses

Before you begin your engineering challenges, you need to build your research team and the animals they are studying.

Your Mission

Use the building instructions in Bag 4 to build:

As you build, think like a marine biologist.

Think about:

Once your models are complete, you're ready for your first challenge.

Help the Walrus Mom Protect Her Baby

Baby walruses aren't ready to survive on their own.

A mother walrus stays close to her baby and helps protect it from danger. Staying close can help the mother keep track of her baby and help the baby stay safe.

But our walrus mom has a problem...

She doesn't have any flippers to cuddle her baby!

That's where you come in.

Your Challenge

Design and build flippers for the mother walrus that allow her to hold her baby close.

Use your LEGO pieces to create a solution.

Your flippers should:

  1. Attach securely to the mother walrus.
  2. Allow the mother to hold her baby.
  3. Keep the baby close to its mother.
  4. Still allow the mother walrus to move.

There are many possible solutions.

It's up to you to decide what will work best!

Test Your Design

Place the baby walrus next to its mother.

Try using your new flippers to hold the baby.

Did it work?

Move the mother walrus around.

Does the baby stay close?

If the baby falls away or your flippers don't work the way you expected, think like an engineer:

What could you change?

You might make the flippers longer.

You might change the shape of the flippers.

You might create a different way for the flippers to hold the baby.

Remember:

Engineers test their ideas, learn from what happens, and improve their designs.

Your engineering solution helps us think about a real biological problem.

A baby walrus depends on its mother for protection and care.

Think About It

Why might staying close to its mother help a baby walrus survive?

Think about predators, cold water, swimming, finding food, and staying with the group.

Build a Walrus Research Vehicle

Dr. Vale has been watching the walruses from her research vehicle.

She has learned where they swim, where they rest, and how they search for food.

But now she has another question:

What are the walruses eating?

Scientists can learn about an animal's diet by studying its feces, or poop.

A poop sample can contain clues about what an animal has eaten. Scientists can use these clues to learn more about an animal's diet and the environment where it lives.

But Dr. Vale has a problem.

The walruses are searching for food on the seafloor.

How can Dr. Vale collect a sample without disturbing the walruses?

That's where you come in.

Your Challenge

Use the pieces in Bag 6 to invent an underwater research vehicle for Dr. Vale.

Your vehicle should:

  1. Travel underwater.
  2. Reach the seafloor.
  3. Collect a walrus poop sample.
  4. Bring the sample back to Dr. Vale.

There are many ways to solve this problem.

What will your vehicle look like?

Before you build, examine your pieces and think about what each part could do.

Think Like an Engineer

Consider:

Your job is to invent your own solution.

Dr. Vale wants to study the sample because it could contain clues about the walrus and its environment.

Think About It

What could Dr. Vale learn by studying a walrus poop sample?

Could it tell her what the walrus has been eating?

Could it provide clues about where the walrus has been feeding?

Could it help scientists learn more about the Arctic ecosystem?

LEGO Marine Biologist

Dr. Corinne Vale is fictional, but scientists really do study walruses in the Arctic.

Scientists observe walruses to learn about their behavior, feeding habits, movements, and relationships with sea ice.

Walruses are especially interesting because they are closely connected to the Arctic marine environment.

They use the ocean to find food, while sea ice can provide an important place for them to rest.

Scientists can study walruses to better understand how changes in the Arctic environment may affect the animals that depend on it.

Think About It

If the Arctic environment changes, what parts of a walrus's life might be affected?

Think about food, sea ice, resting places, and where walruses travel.

Assess what you learned

Use what you learned from this lesson to answer the questions below.

1. What is the Arctic Ocean?

Describe where the Arctic Ocean is located and explain what makes its environment different from many other oceans.

2. What adaptations help walruses survive?

Describe at least two adaptations that help walruses live in the Arctic.

Think about their blubber, whiskers, tusks, bodies, or behavior.

3. Why might a baby walrus stay close to its mother?

Explain how staying close to its mother could help a baby walrus survive.

4. How did your flipper design help the walrus mom?

Describe one feature of your design that helped the mother hold her baby.

5. What did you change after testing your flippers?

Explain what happened during your testing and how you improved your design.

6. How did your research vehicle solve a problem?

Explain how your vehicle was designed to reach the seafloor and collect a sample.

7. What could scientists learn from a walrus poop sample?

Explain what information a sample might provide about a walrus or its environment.

8. How are science and engineering connected?

Scientists ask questions and gather evidence. Engineers design solutions to problems.

How did you use both science and engineering during this lesson?

9. Engineering Challenge

What is one thing you learned from testing your designs that you could use to solve a completely different problem?

Great Work, Marine Biologist!

You explored the Arctic Ocean, learned about walrus adaptations, built a mother and baby walrus, designed flippers to help protect a baby, and invented an underwater research vehicle.

You also practiced an important part of both science and engineering:

Ask questions. Build. Test. Learn. Improve.

The Arctic Ocean is full of mysteries, and scientists are still learning about the animals that call it home.

What will you discover next?

Check out our Video Version of this Lesson!

Arctic Animals: Engineering in a Frozen World

Welcome to the Arctic!

The Arctic is the far northern region of Earth. It surrounds the North Pole and includes everything north of the Arctic Circle, an imaginary line located at about 66.5° north latitude.

The Arctic is one of the coldest places on Earth. Much of the land is treeless, and the region is surrounded by enormous areas of cold, icy ocean.

Even though the Arctic environment is harsh, it is home to an amazing variety of plants and animals. These organisms have special adaptations that help them survive in the cold.

But animals aren't the only ones that have to adapt to the Arctic.

People who work in the Arctic have to solve some pretty difficult problems, too.

Today, you're going to become an engineer and help an Arctic researcher solve one of those problems.

Buried by Snow

Celeste is an Arctic researcher working in a laboratory that is partially buried by snow.

When the research station was first built, it had a door at ground level. But after years of drifting snow and long, harsh winters, the entrance has become sealed beneath layers of snow.

Now, Celeste has only one way in and out of the station:

A hatch in the roof.

Celeste has finished recording her latest research findings, but she needs to get her report out of the station.

There is just one problem...

How can Celeste safely get from the snowy roof down the slope?

That's where you come in.

Build Celeste's Research Station

Before you solve Celeste's problem, you need to build her research station.

Your Mission

Use the building instructions in Book 1 to build the model.

Take your time and follow the instructions carefully.

As you build, think about:

Once your model is complete, you're ready for your first engineering challenge.

How Will Celeste Get Down the Slope?

Celeste needs to travel from the roof of the research station down the snowy terrain.

Your challenge is to build a sled that can slide down the slope safely.

Your Challenge

Use the pieces in Bag 2 to design and build a sled.

You can use some of the pieces or all of them. It's up to you!

Your sled should:

  1. Start at the top of the research station.
  2. Slide down the slope.
  3. Reach the bottom without crashing.

Test Your Design

Place your sled at the top of the research station.

Flip the pink wheel to send the sled down the ramp.

Did it work?

Test your sled several times.

If your sled crashes or gets stuck, think like an engineer:

What could you change?

You might discover that using fewer pieces makes your sled work better. You might also notice that the bottom of your sled needs to be smooth so it can slide across the terrain.

Remember:

Engineers test their ideas, learn from what happens, and improve their designs.

Help Celeste Return to the Research Lab

Celeste made it safely down the slope, but she isn't finished!

Now she needs to return to the research station with all of her equipment.

This time, you'll need to design something bigger and stronger.

Our LEGO Minifig wants to try to get back into her research station.

Your Challenge

Use the pieces in Bag 3 to invent a new sled or transportation system that can carry Celeste's equipment back to the research lab.

Before you build, examine your pieces.

Think about:

Design. Build. Test. Improve.

There are many possible solutions.

Your goal is to create a design that solves Celeste's problem.

Test your invention.

If it doesn't work, change your design and try again.

That's engineering!

Meet a Real Polar Researcher

Meet Celeste Labedz

The Celeste in our story is fictional, but scientists really do travel to cold, icy environments to conduct research.

Meet Celeste Labedz, an environmental seismologist and assistant professor at the University of Chicago.

Celeste uses instruments called seismometers to study what happens inside glaciers. Her research includes studying water beneath glaciers, ice quakes, glacier movement, and hazards connected to melting ice.

Her fieldwork has included working on glaciers in Alaska.

Scientists like Celeste have to think carefully about how they move people, equipment, and supplies through challenging environments.

Think About It

How would you transport your scientific equipment if you were working on a glacier?

Use what you learned from this lesson to answer the questions below.

1. What is the Arctic?

Describe where the Arctic is located and what makes its environment different from other places on Earth.

2. What challenges might a person face when traveling through snowy Arctic terrain?

Think about the snow, ice, cold, slopes, and equipment a researcher might need to carry.

3. How did your sled help Celeste get down the slope?

Describe at least one feature of your design that helped it work.

4. What did you change after testing your design?

Explain what happened during your testing and how you improved your sled.

5. How did your second design solve a different problem?

Explain how your larger invention helped Celeste transport her equipment.

6. How do you think Arctic animals move through snowy environments?

Think about the adaptations that might help an animal survive and move through the Arctic.

7. Engineering Challenge

What is one thing you learned from this challenge that you could use to solve a different problem?

Great Work, Engineer!

You explored the Arctic, learned about the challenges of working in a frozen environment, built a sled, tested your design, and invented a way to transport equipment.

But this is only the beginning.

There are many more Arctic animals and adaptations to discover!

Get the Gold

Get the Gold!

LEGO® Education Computer Science & AI Grade 3 - 5

Unit 1 • Lesson 1

Student Sheet

Mission

A treasure of gold is waiting!

Your job is to build a horse and carriage, then write a program that helps your robot travel from the castle to the gold and safely back home again.

Along the way, you'll learn one of the most important ideas in computer science:

Sequences

Every computer program follows a sequence of instructions. If the instructions are in the wrong order, the robot won't do what you expect!

New Vocabulary

Sequence

A sequence is a list of steps that happen in a specific order.

Think about:

If you do the steps in the wrong order, things won't work very well!

Troubleshoot

To troubleshoot means to find a problem, figure out what caused it, and fix it.

Great programmers don't expect their code to work perfectly the first time.

They test.
They learn.
They improve.

Warm-Up Questions

Before you start building, think about these questions.

1. What steps do you take to get from your home to school or to a park?

Try writing them in order.

2. What steps do you take to brush your teeth?

Can someone else follow your instructions exactly?

Build Your Robot

Follow the building instructions from:

Book B1
Page 16

Take your time building carefully.

Build Challenge

Can you make your model even better?

Try adding:

Be creative!

Coding Time

Go to:

code.LEGOEducation.com

Enter PIN:

1202

Run the example program.

Watch carefully.

Think Before You Code

What do you think this sequence does?

Talk with your partner before pressing Run.

Were you correct?

Your Challenge

Create a sequence that helps your robot:

Remember...

Computers only do exactly what you tell them.

Test Your Program

Run your code.

Did it work?

If not:

That is what programmers do every day!

Reflection

Answer these questions after you finish.

1. What steps do you take to get from your home to a park or school?

2. What steps do you take to brush your teeth?

3. What do you think the example sequence does?

4. Write your own sequence that moves the robot from the castle to the gold and back to the castle.

5. Did you encounter any problems?

How did you troubleshoot them?

Challenge Yourself!

Can you make your robot:

Programmers are always looking for better solutions!

Congratulations!

You just learned how to use sequences to control a robot.

Every game, app, website, and robot uses sequences to tell computers exactly what to do.

You are thinking like a computer scientist!

https://youtu.be/y3-KUJsUurY

LEGO Education Computer Science & AI Kit: The Ultimate Getting Started Guide

LEGO Education Computer Science & AI Kit: The Ultimate Getting Started Guide

You Placed Your Order and the Kit is on the Way... Now What?

Congratulations! You've ordered the LEGO Education Computer Science & AI Set. Whether you're a classroom teacher, homeschool parent, after-school educator, or robotics enthusiast, you're about to unlock dozens of engaging STEM lessons that teach coding, engineering, artificial intelligence, and problem-solving through hands-on building.

But before you dive into your first lesson, there are a few important steps that will make your experience smooth and successful.

This guide walks you through everything you need to do before building your first robot.

Step 1: Create Your Free LEGO Education Teacher Account

Before your kit even arrives, head over to LEGO Education and create a free teacher account.

Why?

Because all lesson plans, teaching guides, presentations, and instructional materials are housed within the LEGO Education platform.

With a free account, you'll gain access to:

Creating your account early means you'll be ready to start teaching the moment your kit arrives.

What to Do

  1. Visit the LEGO Education website.
  2. Create a free educator account.
  3. Verify your email address.
  4. Log in and explore the Computer Science & AI lesson library.
  5. Bookmark the lessons you'll want to teach first.

Sprattronics Tip: Spend a few minutes reviewing the overall lesson progression before your kit arrives so you'll already understand the learning objectives.

Step 2: Unbox Your Computer Science & AI Kit

Your kit has arrived!

Now comes the fun part.

Take some time to unpack everything and familiarize yourself with the components.

Inside the kit you'll find:

As you unpack:

Check Your Inventory

Make sure all components are included and undamaged.

Organize the Pieces

The trays are designed to keep parts sorted and easy to find.

Charge Everything

Before your first lesson, charge:

Starting with fully charged devices prevents interruptions later.

Bookmark the LEGO Education Coding Canvas

Go to CODE.LEGOEducation.com on the computer or tablet you'll be using.

Explore the interface.

Step 3: Update the Firmware

This is the step many people skip—and it's often the reason they run into problems.

Firmware is the software built into your hardware devices.

Updating firmware ensures:

✅ Better performance

✅ Improved reliability

✅ Access to the newest features

✅ Fewer connection issues

✅ Compatibility with current lessons

Before You Begin

You'll need:

Firmware Update Process

  1. Open the LEGO Education Coding Canvas
  2. Click the BLUE Connect Button in the top right corner.
  3. Select the component you will be connecting.
  4. Follow the firmware update prompts.
  5. Update every motor and sensor.
  6. Wait for each update to complete before disconnecting devices.

Take your time during this process.

A fully updated kit will save you countless troubleshooting headaches later.

Step 4: Complete Your First Lesson — Inputs and Outputs

Now it's time to build your first robot.

The Robot Rookie lesson is designed as a beginner-friendly introduction to the Computer Science & AI platform.

This lesson introduces students to:

What Students Build

Students create a Robot Server and Color Scanner.

The robot uses a color sensor to detect different colored bars and then responds using motor outputs.

Key Learning Concepts

Students discover that:

Inputs are information coming into the robot.

Examples:

Outputs are actions performed by the robot.

Examples:

Through experimentation, students begin making predictions about how different inputs affect outputs.

This foundational understanding becomes the basis for future coding and AI lessons.

Challenge Extension

After completing the guided activity, encourage students to:

This engineering mindset is how we maximize your education!

Here is a student worksheet to track your learning and log your discoveries!

What's Next?

Once you've completed Robot Rookie, you're officially up and running with LEGO Education Computer Science & AI.

From here, you'll continue exploring:

Each lesson builds upon the skills introduced in Robot Rookie.

Your LEGO CS & AI Launch Checklist

☐ Create your free LEGO Education account

☐ Explore the lesson library

☐ Unbox and organize your kit

☐ Charge all components

☐ Bookmark the LEGO Education Coding Canvas

☐ Update firmware on every device

☐ Complete the Robot Rookie lesson

☐ Start building your robotics and AI skills

Congratulations! You're ready to begin your LEGO Education Computer Science & AI journey.

Build a LEGO Elevator!

Architecture Week Challenge: Build a LEGO Elevator!

Can you design and build a working elevator using LEGO Robotics?

This week at Sprattronics Learning Lab, your mission is to take your minifigures from low to high—just like real engineers do in skyscrapers around the world!

Watch the Challenge Video First

Before you start building, watch this video to see the challenge in action and get some ideas:

https://youtu.be/h0yWNmQ0FrY

How Do Elevators Work?

Elevators may look simple, but they are powerful machines designed with engineering and safety in mind. Most modern elevators use a system called a traction system.

Here are the key parts:

1. Cables (String)

Real elevators use steel cables to lift and lower the car.
For your build, you can use string to do the same job!

2. The Car (Lift)

This is the part where people (or your LEGO minifigures) ride.
Your challenge is to design a car that:

3. The Sheave (Drum)

The sheave is a rotating wheel or drum that the cable wraps around.
When it spins, it pulls the cable and moves the elevator.

In your build:

4. The Motor & Controls

To make your elevator move, you’ll need:

You can use:

Your Challenge

Design and build a LEGO elevator that:

✅ Lifts an object or minifigure up
✅ Lowers it back down
✅ Uses a string and rotating drum system
✅ Stays stable while moving

Bonus Challenges (Try One!)

Engineering Tips

Show What You Built!

We’d love to see your designs!
Share your elevator and explain:

What You’re Learning

By completing this challenge, you are practicing:

Now it’s your turn…

Can you build an elevator that really works?

Can You Design a Video Game About Animal Senses?

Can You Design a Video Game About Animal Senses?

Your Challenge

Create a video game where the main character survives using its senses.

You’ll need to:

Your mission is to design a game that shows how animals sense, process information, and respond in order to survive.

Why Animal Senses Make Great Video Games

Animals experience the world in ways that humans don’t. Some navigate through sound, others through touch, smell, hearing, or even electrical signals. We want to turn those abilities into a core game mechanic.

We like making video games and especially love getting inspired by our weekly themes.

Step-by-Step: How to Design Your Animal Senses Game

1. Choose Your Animal

Start with an animal known for a strong or unusual sense:

Ask yourself: What sense does this animal rely on the most?

2. Build Your World

Design an environment where that sense truly matters.

Examples:

Ask: What makes this world challenging without that sense?

A bat uses its animal sense in a video game.

3. Define the Sense Mechanic

This is the heart of your game. Think about what the player actually does to “sense” the world and what information they receive.

Examples:

This mechanic is what makes your game unique.

A bat uses its animal sense in a video game.

4. Connect Sensing to Action

Tie the gameplay back to real science:

Sense → Brain → Action

In your game, the player:

Example: Hear a sound → recognize danger → dodge

5. Add Predators and Obstacles

Every good game needs tension. Add threats such as:

Ask: What is trying to stop your animal?

6. Create a Scoring System

Give the player a clear goal.

Ideas:

Scoring examples:

7. Increase the Challenge Over Time

As the player improves, the game should push back.

You can add:

Example Game 1: Echolocation (Play as a Bat)

A bat uses its animal sense in a video game.

You play as a bat navigating through darkness using echolocation. You send out a chirp, the sound bounces back, and you “see” obstacles and insects through sound alone.

Goal: Catch mosquitoes while avoiding obstacles.

What it teaches:

Play Echolocation, a Sprattronics Game!

Example Game 2: Underground Survival (Play as a Mole)

A mole uses its animal sense in a video game.

You play as a mole moving through dark tunnels, relying on touch and vibration.

You sense nearby insects, avoid predators like ferrets and foxes, and navigate tight spaces.

Goal: Eat as many insects as possible without being caught.

What it teaches:

Play Underground Survival, a Sprattronics Game!

A mole uses its Animal Sense in a video game

Your Turn

Design a video game that highlights how an animal senses the world.

Remember:

Game Ideas to Get You Started

Final Challenge

Can you design a game where the player truly understands how an animal experiences the world? Be sure to include how it looks, how it senses, thinks, and survives.

Share your game with us!

Level 1 Scratch - Make a Flappy Bird Game

Scratch Coding Challenge: Build Flappy Bird

In this challenge, you will build your own version of Flappy Bird in Scratch.

Flappy Bird was one of the most downloaded mobile games in the early days of touchscreen devices. The idea is simple:

This isn't meant to be cookbook coding.

Great programmers learn by breaking problems into pieces and experimenting with solutions.

So first you’ll see the core pieces of the game, then you can try building them yourself. After that, you can scroll down for a full walkthrough solution.

The Game Design Challenge

Before looking at the solution, see if you can build these features.

1. Create a Bird

Your game needs a main character.

Your bird should:

2. Add Gravity

The bird should constantly fall downward.

When the game starts:

Hint:
Use a variable to represent gravity.

3. Add Flapping

When the player presses a key:

Hint:
You may need to wait until the key is released before allowing another flap.

4. Create the World

Your game needs a background.

Ideas:

5. Create Obstacles

Flappy Bird is about flying between obstacles.

Your obstacles should:

Hint:
Use clones to create new obstacles.

6. Randomize the Obstacles

To make the game interesting:

Hint:
Use the pick random block.

7. Detect Collisions

The game should end when:

When this happens:

Hint:
Use broadcast messages.

8. Add a Score

Each time the bird successfully passes an obstacle:

Full Walkthrough Solution

Below is one way to build the game.

Your solution may look different — and that’s okay!

Here is a Scratch build of the game: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/1287185411

Step 1: Create the Bird

  1. Open Scratch
  2. Click Create
  3. Delete the default cat sprite
  4. Click Choose a Sprite
  5. Select a bird (for example, Toucan)

Position the bird:

when green flag clicked
go to x: -120 y: 0
set size to 50%
switch costume to flying costume

Step 2: Create Gravity

Create a variable called:

gravity

Then add this code:

when green flag clicked
set gravity to 0
forever
    change gravity by -1

Now make the bird move using gravity:

forever
    change y by gravity

The bird will now fall and accelerate downward.

Step 3: Add Flapping

Now allow the player to flap upward.

if <space key pressed>
then
    set gravity to 10
    switch costume to flap
    wait until <not space key pressed>

This does three important things:

Step 4: Create the Background

Click Stage → Choose Backdrop → Paint

Create a simple sky:

Step 5: Create the Obstacles

Create a new sprite called Obstacle.

Draw a pipe or tall rectangle.

Hide it at the start:

when green flag clicked
hide

Step 6: Spawn Obstacles

Create clones every few seconds.

when green flag clicked
forever
    wait 3 seconds
    create clone of myself

Step 7: Move Obstacles

Tell clones what to do when they appear.

when I start as a clone
show
go to x: 270 y: (pick random -100 to 100)
repeat until <x position < -250>
    change x by -5
end
delete this clone

Now obstacles move across the screen.

Step 8: Add Collision Detection

Create a new sprite called Game Over.

Add this code:

when green flag clicked
hidewhen I receive [Game Over]
go to x:0 y:0
show
stop all

Now detect collisions in the bird sprite:

forever
    if <touching obstacle>
    then
        broadcast [Game Over]

Step 9: Add Scoring

Create a variable called:

score

In the obstacle sprite, add this before deleting the clone:

change score by 1
delete this clone

Each time an obstacle leaves the screen, the player earns a point.

Step 10: Test Your Game

Try to beat your high score!

Your game should now include:

✔ Gravity
✔ Flapping controls
✔ Moving obstacles
✔ Random obstacle positions
✔ Collision detection
✔ Game over screen
✔ Score counter

Make Your Game Even Better

Try improving your game with new features:

Challenge:
Can you make your game harder the longer someone survives?

That’s how many of the best arcade games work!

Code a Mini Economy Town in Scratch

Development Guide: Code a Mini Economy Town in Scratch

This guide explains how to build a dice-powered city simulator in Scratch. You will learn how to manage a virtual economy, use cloning to build a visual city, and create a multi-level progression system.

You can check out this project on Scratch. Dicy City Scratch

We made a more polished version here. Check out the YouTube video below.

Step 1: The Economy Engine

The Goal: Create a dice-rolling mechanic that generates money.

Step 2: Visual City Building (Cloning)

The Goal: Make buildings appear on the screen when you buy them.

Step 3: Strategic Synergies (Math Operators)

The Goal: Create advanced buildings that give bonuses based on other buildings you own.

Step 4: Level Progression & Resets

The Goal: Create a sense of achievement by unlocking new items and clearing the board for a new challenge.

Step 5: Adding Visual "Juice"

The Goal: Use motion to show the player exactly when and where they are earning money.

Summary of Logic

By the end of this project, you have mastered:

  1. Events: Using broadcasts to coordinate between the dice, the shop, and the city.
  2. Cloning: Managing dozens of visual objects without creating dozens of separate sprites.
  3. Conditionals: Checking if a player has enough money or has reached the correct level to proceed.
  4. Math Operators: Creating complex economic bonuses that make the game strategic.