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STEM Labs

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VEX GO Teacher Resources

Find Lab summaries, build instructions, content, standards, and more.

VEX GO Pacing Guides

View the Cumulative Pacing Guide to see all VEX GO STEM Labs, Activity Series, and Activities in one place.

Cumulative Pacing Guide

View the 1:1 Pacing Guide to see VEX GO STEM Labs and Activity Series in a suggested sequence.

1:1 Pacing Guide

Professional Development Plus

Access ongoing professional development to support you as you teach with VEX GO. Timely and targeted PD through videos, lessons, community conversations, and more!

VEX GO Activities

Bring Coding and STEM to life with these fun and easy to use VEX GO activities.

VEX GO STEM Labs & Activity Series

Select a Unit or Activity Series below to view the STEM Labs or Activities available inside.

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Engineering

Intro to Building

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intro to building
  • Grades 3+
  • Ages 8+
  • 240 min
  • 6 Labs

Explore the VEX GO Kit to learn the names and functions of key pieces by building structures to take on a voyage to Mars.

STEM Lab Essential Questions

  • How do we manipulate materials when building?
  • How can a design be affected by a constraint on materials?
  • How can we communicate our design ideas and use the design process when working with a group?

Science

Physical Science

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physical science
  • Grades 3+
  • Ages 8+
  • 200 min
  • 5 Labs

Build and modify the Super Car to explore predicting an object's continued motion, change in motion, or stability.

STEM Lab Essential Questions

  • How can we use patterns of change to predict an object’s continued motion, change in motion, or stability?
  • How does force affect motion?

Coding

Mars Rover-Surface Operations

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surface op
  • Grades 3+
  • Ages 8+
  • 80 min
  • 2 Labs

Help scientists by coding the Code Base to act as a rover and collect samples on Mars!

STEM Lab Essential Questions

  • How do I solve a challenge with the Code Base and VEXcode GO?

Coding

Mars Rover-Landing Challenge

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landing challenge
  • Grades 3+
  • Ages 8+
  • 80 min
  • 2 Labs

Code the Code Base Rover to detect obstacles and clear the landing area for a Mars landing.

STEM Lab Essential Questions

  • How do I solve a challenge with the Code Base robot and VEXcode GO?

Coding

Mars Rover-Exploring Mars Geology

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Mars Rover - Exploring Mars Geology -- Lab 1 Tile Image
  • Grades 3+
  • Ages 8+
  • 160 min
  • 4 Labs

Use the Electromagnet and Eye Sensor on the Code Base to collect, analyze and sort Martian rock samples like the Mars rovers.

STEM Lab Essential Questions

  • How do I solve a challenge with the Code Base and VEXcode GO?

Science

Day and Night

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Colonel Jo pointing to the earth on its axis with the sun in the background
  • Grades 3+
  • Ages 8+
  • 80 min
  • 2 Labs

Build a model with VEX GO to show how the Earth spins on its axis to create the day/night cycle, and to explain why the sun appears to move across the sky.

STEM Lab Essential Questions

  • How can I use VEX GO to demonstrate that Earth rotates on its axis once approximately every 24 hours causing the day/night cycle?

VEX GO Competition

Mars Math Expedition

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robot placing a sample on top of a lab
  • Grades 3+
  • Ages 8+
  • 5 Labs

In this VEX GO Competition STEM Lab Unit students will drive a Hero Robot to collect samples, rescue a rover, lift a rocket ship and more in the Mars Math Expedition Competition!

STEM Lab Essential Questions

  • How do I work with a team to win a VEX GO Competition?

VEX GO Competition

Ocean Science Exploration

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hero robot opening the clam
  • Grades 3+
  • Ages 8+
  • 5 Labs

In this VEX GO Competition STEM Lab Unit, students will drive a Hero Robot to move sensors, fix a pipeline, open a clam, deliver a pearl and more in the Ocean Science Exploration Competition!

STEM Lab Essential Questions

  • How do I work with a team to win a VEX GO Competition?

VEX GO Competition

Village Engineering Construction

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Image of the robot lifting the Water Tower on the Field
  • Grades 3+
  • Ages 8+
  • 5 Labs

In this VEX GO Competition STEM Lab Unit students will drive a Hero Robot to rebuild houses, plant and weigh crops, lift the Water Tower, and more in the Village Engineering Construction Competition!

STEM Lab Essential Questions

  • How do I work with a team to win a VEX GO Competition?

VEX GO Competition

City Technology Rebuild

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Image of the Hero Robot triggering the Landslide in the City Technology Rebuild Competition
  • Grades 3+
  • Ages 8+
  • 5 Labs

In this VEX GO Competition STEM Lab Unit students will drive a Hero Robot to bring medicine to the Hospital, lift fallen trees, clear rocks from the roadway and more in the City Technology Rebuild Competition!

STEM Lab Essential Questions

  • How do I work with a team to win a VEX GO Competition? 

Engineering

Simple Machines

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Simple Machines
  • Grades 3+
  • Ages 8+
  • 160 min
  • 4 Labs

Build and test simple machines in order to examine how they change the direction or strength of a force in order to make work easier.

STEM Lab Essential Questions

  • How can we conduct an investigation to observe cause and effect relationships?
  • How do simple machines make work easier?

Engineering

Animal Rescue

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Animal Rescue
  • Grades 3+
  • Ages 8+
  • 3 Activities

Explore building techniques to design and build a Ladder, Raft, and Mobile Rescue Vehicle to save the day!

Activities in this Series

  • Ladder Rescue
  • Raft Rescue
  • Mobile Rescue

Science

Fun with Formations

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go fun tile
  • Grades 3+
  • Ages 8+
  • 4 Activities

Explore landform formation by building models of canyons, sand dunes, and deltas with your VEX GO Kit!

Activities in this Series

  • Colossal Canyons

  • Drifting Dunes

  • Dynamic Deltas

  • Formation Creation

Art

Spirograph Art Show

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spirograph
  • Grades 3+
  • Ages 8+
  • 3 Activities

Use the Spirograph to create patterns and artwork with different gear configurations in this Spirograph Art Show Activity Series.

Activities in this Series

  • Spirograph
  • Gear Up Your Creativity
  • Spirograph Artist

Math

Fractions

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fractions
  • Grades 3+
  • Ages 8+
  • 40 min
  • 1 Lab

Explore equivalent fractions using the Fractions build and your VEX GO Kit pieces to compare fractions by size.

STEM Lab Essential Questions

  • What do the numerator and denominator of a fraction tell you?
  • What patterns or relationships are there between equivalent fractions?

Engineering

Pendulum Game

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pendulum
  • Grades 3+
  • Ages 8+
  • 80 min
  • 2 Labs

Build and engineer a game using the motion and force of the pendulum to knock over objects.

STEM Lab Essential Questions

  • How can I design a pendulum solve an authentic problem?
  • How can I use the iterative process to continue to design and learn from my mistakes?

Science

Fun Frogs

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fun frogs
  • Grades 3+
  • Ages 8+
  • 80 min
  • 2 Labs

Investigate the different phases of the frog life cycle.

STEM Lab Essential Questions

  • How do organisms change over their life cycle in relation to their environments?
  • How can writing be used as a tool by scientists and other jobs?

Science

Island Expedition

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island expedition
  • Grades 3+
  • Ages 8+
  • 3 Activities

Chart out new territory using topographic maps and the Topo Map build in this exploration-based Activity Series.

Activities in this Series

  • Topo Map Island
  • Island Designer
  • Island Mapper

Coding

Code Base

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code base
  • Grades 3+
  • Ages 8+
  • 160 min
  • 4 Labs

Use the Code Base and its sensor iterations to explore robot behaviors, controls, commands, and sensors through navigation challenges.

STEM Lab Essential Questions

  • How can I use VEXcode GO with my robot?

Math

Battle Boats

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battle boats
  • Grades 3+
  • Ages 8+
  • 40 min
  • 1 Lab

Create the Battle Boats game on a coordinate plane to plot points.

STEM Lab Essential Questions

  • What is a coordinate plane?

Engineering

Creature Feature

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planet hexbug
  • Grades 3+
  • Ages 8+
  • 4 Activities

Meet and investigate the unique VEX GO Creatures that live on an island, and prepare for the Creature Feature Race in this Activity Series.

Activities in this Series

  • Meet Crawler
  • Meet Ed
  • Meet Flopper
  • Creature Feature Race

Science

Look Alike

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look alike
  • Grades 3+
  • Ages 8+
  • 40 min
  • 1 Lab

Explore the characteristics of living things and notice similar and different traits.

STEM Lab Essential Questions

  • How do living organisms pass on traits?

Engineering

Parade Float

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parade float
  • Grades 3+
  • Ages 8+
  • 120 min
  • 5 Labs

Design, build, and code a float for a parade using the VEX GO Kit.

STEM Lab Essential Questions

  • How can anything be engineered to solve an authentic problem?
  • How can the iterative process be used to create a sequence of movements for the float to accomplish in the parade?

Science

Super Bowler

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slingshot car tile
  • Grades 3+
  • Ages 8+
  • 3 Activities

Build and launch a Slingshot Car to prepare for a bowling game in this Activity Series.

Activities in this Series

  • Away We GO!
  • Tension Tester
  • Super Bowler

Coding

Robot Jobs

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robot jobs
  • Grades 3+
  • Ages 8+
  • 160 min
  • 4 Labs

Build and code a Code Base robot to perform a job that is dull, dirty or dangerous.

STEM Lab Essential Questions

  • How do I solve a challenge with the Code Base robot and VEXcode GO?

Coding

Self-Driving Code Base

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self-driving code base
  • Grades 3+
  • Ages 8+
  • 3 Activities

Code your self-driving Code Base to use an Eye Sensor to detect brightness and colors in this Activity Series.

Activities in this Series

  • Move Until Line
  • Stop Sign
  • Construction Zone

Science

Super Car

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super car
  • Grades 3+
  • Ages 8+
  • 120 min
  • 3 Labs

Investigate the variables that affect the movement of the Super Car.

STEM Lab Essential Questions

  • What affects how the Super Car moves?

Coding

Ocean Emergency

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ocean
  • Grades 3+
  • Ages 8+
  • 120 min
  • 3 Labs

Apply coding skills to help clean up the ocean using Code Base and VEXcode GO.

STEM Lab Essential Questions

  • What is code?
  • How can I make my robot move?
  • How can I solve a problem using my robot?

Engineering

Helping Hand

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helping hand
  • Grades 3+
  • Ages 8+
  • 80 min
  • 2 Labs

Investigate and modify the Adaptation Claw to help solve authentic problems.

STEM Lab Essential Questions

  • How can I use tools to help solve authentic problems?
  • How are mechanisms used in everyday life and work?

Science

Magnet Car

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magnet car
  • Grades 3+
  • Ages 8+
  • 40 min
  • 1 Lab

Students use the Magnetic Car to investigate the properties of magnetism and magnetic force.

STEM Lab Essential Questions

  • How do magnets interact with each other and with other objects?

Design

Pantograph

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Image of Col. Jo using the Pantograph
  • Grades 3+
  • Ages 8+
  • 80 min
  • 2 Labs

Explore how to create scaled drawings and use them in design challenges.

STEM Lab Essential Questions

  • How do the mechanics of the Pantograph build help it create scaled drawings?
  • How can we use tools to create models that communicate our ideas?
  • How is the Pantograph useful in real-life contexts?
     

Coding

Robot Arm

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robot arm
  • Grades 3+
  • Ages 8+
  • 200 min
  • 5 Labs

Work with the Robot Arm, and its adaptations to learn what robotic arms can do and how they work!

STEM Lab Essential Questions

  • What is a robot arm?
  • How does a robot arm work?

Eye Sensor

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Eye Sensor Tile
  • Grades 3+
  • Ages 8+
  • 120 min
  • 3 Labs

Use the Eye Sensor to navigate the Code Base robot.

STEM Lab Essential Questions

  • Coming Soon...

Shape Shifter

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Shape Shifter Tile
  • Grades 3+
  • Ages 8+
  • 80 min
  • 2 Labs

Draw and classify different shapes using the Spirograph and Pantograph.

STEM Lab Essential Questions

  • Coming Soon...

On the Move!

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On the Move Tile
  • Grades 3+
  • Ages 8+
  • 80 min
  • 2 Labs

Investigate and predict patterns of motion.

STEM Lab Essential Questions

  • Coming Soon...

Topo Map Mania

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Topo Map Mania Tile Image
  • Grades 3+
  • Ages 8+
  • 40 min
  • 1 Lab

Explore the concepts of a topographical map.

STEM Lab Essential Questions

  • Coming Soon...