Resources - Additional Resources
Featured Websites
The LEGO Engineering website is dedicated to providing educators and mentors with resources for teaching with LEGO materials. This site aims to help educators use LEGO materials effectively to teach concepts through open-ended engineering design projects. The site features content and support for the RCX (using the ROBOLAB software) and the new NXT (using the NXT software and the ROBOLAB software). This site also features online lesson plans and instructional sequences.
The Tufts University Center for Engineering Education Outreach website offers learning tools, activities, and support materials that help K-12 educators and mentors teach science, math, and technology through an engineering approach. It also includes information on Tufts' outreach programs, tool development, teacher and student workshops, and educational research.
The Carnegie Mellon University National Robotics Engineering Center provides well developed curriculum for middle school and high school classrooms. This standard base educational tool is based around LEGO MINDSTORMS kits. The curriculum enables students to engage in hands-on learning through interactive exercise covering physics, technology, math, and science. Curriculum is offered in English and Spanish. NOTE: Some of the curriculum models are free while others must be purchased.
The NASA Robotics Alliance Project seeks to provide a clearinghouse of robotics-related educational materials. This website offers lessons, materials, and robotics education discussion forums.
Tutorials and Building Instructions
Find online resources for building and programming with LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT:- ORTOP (Oregon Robotics Tournament and Outreach Program) offers an online NXT tutorial.
- Lego Technic Design School offers information on building with Technics.
- Get building instructions for a classic clock, a NXTway self-balancing robot, and a NXT-a-Sketch.
Blogs, User Groups, and Forums
These are some of the many online resources available to the LEGO MINDSTORMS community:- The NXT STEP Blog brings together news and information related to the LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT system. Read about others' experiences or post your own comments and stories.
- The International LEGO Users Group Network (LUGNET) is a global community of LEGO enthusiasts. LUGNET unites LEGO fans worldwide through forums, web pages, and services.
- The NXT forum is upated daily.
About the LEGO MINDSTORMS Product
Explore the websites of LEGO (the NXT hardware producer) and National Instruments (the NXT software maker):- Explore LEGO's websites on the education page of the LEGO website, the Lego Education Division website, and the MINDSTORMS NXT website.
- Learn more about NXT sensors.
- Learn how LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT software works on the National Instruments NXT website.
- Find information and tips for converting from RCX to NXT.
Find More Links
For those of you who are searching for even more online resources, the University of North Carolina's MINDSTORMS Resource page offers a variety of links organized by subject.
