Lesson planner for teachers
The lesson planner provides teachers with helpful and practical supplementary information for all eXperiBot lessons.
Teaching robotics and programming together
Robots have become indispensable in many areas of everyday life and industry. They perform a wide range of tasks. This is precisely why it is important for students to understand the basics of robotics, programming, and coding in the classroom and to be able to apply them in practice.
Robotics makes programming visible and tangible: students immediately see the effect of their instructions, which promotes motivation and understanding.
Coding teaches algorithmic thinking: controlling a robot requires planning sequences, recognizing structures, and applying control structures.
The combination of robotics, programming, and coding promotes key skills such as problem solving, modeling, and implementation—key objectives of computer science education.
Notes on the lessons in the eXperiBot Blockly app
Teaching Planner provides a compact yet detailed overview of each lesson in the eXperiBot Blockly app. The eXperiBot Blockly app categorizes the lessons into Explorer and Smart Team.
The lesson planner lists all lessons consecutively.
Lessons for the Explorer
The eXperiBot Blockly app offers all Explorer lessons in two working method:
Step-by-step guide
Independent working
The lesson planner combines both working modes into one lesson. For learners, the only difference between the two modes is the approach—the learning objectives and the desired end result remain the same.
Users can apply a filter to select the working method (step-by-step or independent) and the level of difficulty. Each lesson shows the corresponding grade level, the selected working method, and the learning objectives.
A lesson consists of several tasks and additional tasks, which lets learners practice in a differentiated manner—at their respective level (by choosing the working method) and at their own pace (by working on additional tasks).
The system activates the tasks within a lesson step by step: only when learners complete one task does the next one become active. A task is complete as soon as learners enter the reflection “What did you learn from this unit?” in the designated text field. The system then marks the task in green.
Lessons for the Smart Team
With the eXperiBot Blockly app, you can filter all Smart Team lessons by scenario: Smart Factory, Smart Recycling, and Smart Farming. You can also select the difficulty level. The app displays the scenarios in order of difficulty: first Smart Factory, then Smart Recycling, and finally Smart Farming. Each scenario includes four robots, each with a different difficulty level. Finally, all four robots in a scenario work together. The lesson planner lists each robot in a scenario as a separate lesson.
Basics and objectives of the lessons
The lessons in the eXperiBot Blockly app are based on the didactic approach of discovery learning. Learners actively engage with the basic concepts of robotics and block-based programming by developing their own solutions and testing their programs through trial and error.
Robotics makes program sequences immediately visible and understandable, while coding promotes the systematic planning, structuring, and revision of action sequences. Through this approach, learners develop key skills such as problem solving, algorithmic thinking, and a basic understanding of control structures (e.g., sequences, loops, and conditions) that are essential for computer science and STEM education.
The lessons also support the systematic transition from block-based to text-based programming. Learners can optionally view the corresponding Python representation for each block-based solution, which shows how visually created program structures are converted into text-based syntax.
Tips for creative work
In the “Work creatively” section of the eXperiBot Blockly app, users can create their own projects. Here, learners work freely, and the app does not give them specific tasks. This section provides space for individual ideas and allows users to apply the programming skills they have acquired in creative ways. This approach promotes independent problem-solving skills and lets learners express their creativity.
Tips for using the eXperiBot in the classroom
Introduction to programming with the eXperiBot Explorer
The modular design of the eXperiBot allows for quick assembly. This means that learners can get started with programming right away without any lengthy preparation time and can practice key skills such as developing algorithms and implementing instructions.
The eXperiBot Explorer lessons offer a practical introduction to programming and are based on the secondary school computer science education standards. The focus is on the basic control structures that are essential for algorithmic thinking and program development.
Learners first deal with statements and sequences in order to combine simple commands into structured processes. Building on this, loops for repeating processes and conditional statements for implementing decisions are introduced.
The lessons promote skills in the following process areas:
Modeling and implementation – designing and implementing programs
Problem solving and algorithms – analyzing and structuring processes
Communication and cooperation – discussing solutions and developing them together
The lesson teaches how the eXperiBot moves, executes driving commands, and implements programs correctly.
The lesson teaches how the eXperiBot moves between two stations, adjusts its speed, and takes breaks.
The lesson teaches how to combine driving commands so that the eXperiBot travels along geometric figures.
The lesson teaches how the eXperiBot explores its environment and independently avoids obstacles.
The lesson explains how the eXperiBot uses a sensor as a Line follower to follow a predetermined line independently.
The lesson teaches how the eXperiBot recognizes colored markers and performs appropriate actions based on them.
The lesson shows how to control the eXperiBot with simple hand movements—like a robotic pet.
The lesson teaches how the transport robot Shover efficiently moves packages from the loading zone to the Gripper.
The lesson teaches how the Gripper takes packages from the transport robot Shover and positions them precisely on the Conveyor.
The lesson shows how the Conveyor recognizes packages and only moves when there is actually a package on it.
The lesson shows how the Sorter recognizes packages from the Conveyor, sorts them by color, and transports them to the appropriate loading ramp.
The lesson shows how the Blue Collector moves around the blue area of the game board and transports the raw materials to the Gripper.
The lesson shows how a Sorting Plant separates paper, cardboard, and metal so that the raw materials can be recycled and reused.
The lesson shows how the Gripper picks up paper, cardboard, and metal from the collectors and prepares it for the Sorting Plant.
The lesson shows how the Green Collector moves around the green area of the game board and transports the raw materials to the Gripper.
The lesson shows how the Weeder precisely removes weeds from the field.
The lesson shows how the Control Center manages the rolling door so only one robot enters at a time and processes stay orderly.
The lesson shows how the Planter Bot follows the Weeder Bot, plants seeds precisely, and returns to headquarters automatically.
The lesson shows how the Watering bot follows the Planter, waters each plant evenly, and then returns to the control center.