STEM & STEAM

Free C-STEM Studio Adds Curriculum for Raspberry Pi, Arduino, Lego Mindstorms

• By Dian Schaffhauser
• 12/14/17

The University of California, Davis C-STEM Center has updated its free STEM platform for grades K-14. Version 4 of the C-STEM Studio software suite includes new and updated curriculum and programs for Lego Mindstorms, Barobo Linkbots, Raspberry Pi computers and Arduino control boards.

The C-STEM Center's platform combines computer programming and robotics to help students learn STEM subjects through project-based computing and robotics activities by solving complex, real-world problems. Among the updates in the new version are these:

• A new textbook and curriculum for LEGO Mindstorms;
• A new textbook and curriculum for physical computing with Raspberry Pi;
• New textbooks and curriculum for physical computing with Arduino controllers;
• Theme-based math activities and projects in RoboBlockly, a web-based robot simulation environment for learning coding and math;
• A significantly updated textbook for learning Ch C and C++ programming; and
• A textbook and curriculum for Linkbot, an educational modular robot for learning math and science.

The materials include teaching strategies, digital textbooks, lesson plans, slide presentations, video lessons, activities for group computing and robotics and assessment tools.

All the software, textbooks and instructional materials are freely available for Windows and Mac computers on the C-STEM Center website. Release notes are also available.