Innovation Academy
★ IntroGrade 3–5
Intro to Robotics
What makes a robot a robot? Students compare manufacturing arms, Mars rovers, and household appliances, then build small models to identify power, sensors, controllers, and actuators.
Robotics. Built by makers.
A school-aligned robotics curriculum for grades 3–12. Real platforms — LEGO SPIKE, Arduino, Micro:bit. Run by working engineers in a pro-grade shop. We bring it to your classroom or host you in ours.
23 projectsFrom intro to capstone
Grades 3–12Elementary through high school
Standards-alignedMapped to academic competencies
Real platformsLEGO · Arduino · Micro:bit
Platforms we teach on
Industry-standard tools, not toys.
Every project uses a real, widely-supported robotics platform — the same kits robotics teachers, hobbyists, and engineers trust.
LEGO SPIKE Prime
Block-based or Python. The backbone of our middle-school robotics builds — line followers, sensor labs, mission robots.
Arduino Uno R3
The high-school step up. Battle Bots, motor drivers, PWM, C/C++ — the same hardware engineers prototype on.
Micro:bit v2
Block-based MakeCode entry point. Reaction timers, step counters, radio comms — coding fundamentals in 3 days.
Snap Circuits
Series, parallel, and logic-gate fundamentals. Design-a-Circuit night light builds that double as troubleshooting practice.
Tinkercad / CoderZ / VEXcode VR
Simulate before you solder. Students debug code and test sensor thresholds virtually — saving the hardware for the real run.
FDM 3D Printers
Bambu A1 printers in-house. Students design replacement robot parts in Tinkercad, print, measure, iterate.
What students build
A complete robotics journey, grade by grade.
23 projects spanning grades 3 through 12. We've spotlighted nine below — the full curriculum is available as a PDF download.
Elementary · Grades 3–5
Foundations: what makes a robot tick.
Grade 4–62 periods
Input → Process → Output
Build a Micro:bit reaction timer that demonstrates the universal systems model. Compare open-loop and closed-loop control with everyday objects.
Grade 3–6MakeCode
Microcontroller Foundations
First Micro:bit programs: name badge, dice simulator, step counter. Plain-language intro to OS vs firmware. Block-based, no setup.
Middle · Grades 5–8
Real electronics, real programming.
★ PopularGrade 5–8
SPIKE Prime Line Follower
Build a two-motor driving base with a color sensor. Iterate from on/off control to proportional control to obstacle-aware. Timed run scored by the class.
Grade 5–8Lab rotation
Sensor Safari
Four-station rotation: ultrasonic, color, force, temperature. Students log readings and connect sensors to real robots — self-driving cars, warehouse bots, medical devices.
Grade 5–8CAD + Print
3D Print a Robot Part
Design a sensor bracket, wheel hub, or claw tip in Tinkercad. Print on the Bambu A1. Measure with calipers. Discuss tolerances. Iterate.
Take-homeGrade 6–8
Jitterbug Soldering Kit
Student-favorite intro to electronics manufacturing. Solder a small vibrating bug robot, troubleshoot with a multimeter, decorate, and race on a tilted track.
Advanced · Grades 7–12
Engineering, not just building.
★ Summer intensiveGrade 7–81 week
Arduino Battle Bots
Week-long build: teams wire motor drivers to an Arduino chassis, write drive-control sketches, tune response curves, and battle in a tournament. Three test-and-reengineer cycles before the final.
Grade 9–12Mechanical
Hydraulic Arm Build
Construct a working hydraulic robotic arm with syringes and tubing. Calculate mechanical advantage. Compare hydraulics vs pneumatics. Move objects in a timed challenge.
CapstoneGrade 6–8
Mission Robot
Teams receive a mission ("retrieve sample from Zone C in under 60 seconds"), then design, build, program, test, score, and reengineer based on failure data. Three official runs. Full design defense.
How we deliver
Four ways into the curriculum.
Pick the format that fits — drop us into your classroom for a unit, send a class to our shop, or sign up for an after-school or summer intensive.
In your classroom
We bring the kits, materials, and instructors. Single periods or multi-week units mapped to your curriculum.
Field trip to our shop
Bring a class or grade level for a half-day or full-day robotics experience in our Alexandria maker space.
After-school clubs
Weekly robotics clubs for districts running enrichment programs. Multi-session arcs that culminate in a build.
Summer intensives
Week-long Battle Bots, RoboQuest, and capstone camps. Open to families, scouts, and school groups.
School alignment
Mapped to academic robotics competencies.
Every project is tagged to a robotics competency framework — from core systems and circuits through programming, mechanics, and creation/redesign. Teachers get a competency map. Students leave with portfolio evidence.
CS · Core Systems
RC · Robotics & Control
EL · Electronics
MF · Mechanics & Forces
MC · Microcontrollers
PR · Programming
EC · Circuits
CR · Creation & Redesign
Full curriculum (PDF)
23 projects, materials lists, competency map, grade bands.
Download PDF →
What sets it apart
More than building. Engineering.
Safety-first shop
Trained instructors, fume extractors, PPE, and explicit safety briefings on every tool. Pro-grade environment, kid-grade projects.
Take-home builds
Jitterbug bots, LED badges, soldered circuits, 3D-printed parts — students leave with working hardware they made themselves.
Failure-driven learning
Capstone projects require iteration. Three official runs, failure analysis between each. Engineering happens in the redesign.