VEX IQ 2nd Gen STEM Labs with 1st Gen Kits

[Katherine_Braun]

This upcoming school year, I will be switching subjects and teaching middle school STEM. This will be my first year in the position. The prior STEM teacher, who just retired, purchased a class set of 1st generation VEX IQ robots some years ago. I want to design my eighth grade class around learning with VEX IQ robots. I would like to teach VEX IQ’s 2nd gen STEM Lab Units using the VEX IQ 1st gen kits.

Has anyone done this, and if so, could you please respond with any advice you have? (ex. troubleshooting with builds and coding, steps for using gen 1 parts to create gen 2 BaseBot and Clawbot builds, etc.)

Thank you for any help you can provide!

[Aimee_DeFoe]

Hi @Katherine_Braun, welcome to PD+! Teachers have definitely taught 2nd gen STEM Labs and Activities with 1st gen kits. Here is a link to a very detailed previous Community post that outlines suggestions for doing just that!

Modifications of VEX IQ (2nd generation) activities for use with the VEX IQ (1st generation) kits

It was so exciting to see @Lauren_Harter’s post about the new VEX IQ STEM labs and activities for the 2nd generation kits. A number of the VEX IQ activities will need no modifications in order to be used with the VEX IQ 1st generation kits. With the exception that the colors of the parts in the graphics may be different, it does not matter which kit you use with the following activities: Get a Grip, (Test the Grip of VEX IQ tires) Get in Shape (An activity using Corner connectors) Hang Out (Ca…

Check it out, and let us know if you have further questions!

[Katherine_Braun]

Thank you @Aimee_DeFoe! I appreciate your help! The ideas in the article have many ideas for activities that can be used with both kits; I am sure this will be useful. It is also helpful to know other teachers have used 1st gen kits for 2nd gen STEM Labs. If anyone has examples as to how they did this for STEM Labs, that would be great, too!

Thank you again!