Whybricks by Microbric

Educational robots

The Whybricks kit from Microbric is now available on Robot-Advance. Click here to access the product sheet. The article below will give you more information.

We learned last week that Microbric, the manufacturer of the famous Edison LEGO-compliant educational robot, will soon release a new Whybricks product, for the moment entirely dedicated to schools.

Find on this page everything we know about this new project. Given the performance of the brand with its Edison robot, you will certainly find Whybricks on the shelves of our website as soon as it is released.

Whybricks, what is it?

Whybricks is an education-oriented building system consisting of 2,100 rooms (210 rooms per student). Each Whybricks kit contains everything necessary to allow 10 students to work individually.

Whybricks is made for teachers. The product has been designed to support educators by providing them with an exciting tool that :

• Aligns with their physical science curriculum.
• Engages students.
• Provides complex concepts through practical and intellectual inquiry.
• Contains a comprehensive set of resources including student-centered and research-based lessons.
• Is very easy to implement.

It is evident that in recent years there has been an explosion in the number of robots or educational products focused on construction, electronics and robotics. What we are noticing from our partner schools is the importance for teachers to have resources that allow them to understand the product, to easily implement it in the classroom and to teach classes around its concepts for the full benefit of their students.

Well Edison is moving in that direction by offering, with Whybricks, free guides for teachers and documents for students written at a reading level adapted to their level and focused on subjects that students like,

Whybricks helps to make learning physics attractive and fun. Whybricks helps educators deliver meaningful lessons on the intangible concepts of the physical sciences that are needed at the end of elementary school, middle school, and the beginning of high school in curricula around the world.

Whybricks by Microbric: teaching and operation

Whybricks offers educators flexible teaching options. The Whybricks kit and lessons are deliberately versatile to allow teachers to implement the materials according to the needs of their class.

Each "Purpose, Why?" Whybricks are student-centered and student-led investigations. With the exception of the Teacher Guides, the materials are all "student materials" and are designed for independent use by students. 

As each investigation explores different topics in the physical sciences and engineering, the presentation and activities for each are different to allow for meaningful learning. There is no set order in which investigation should be explored and there is no wrong way to adapt a investigation to your students or curriculum.

The Teacher's Guide provides general information as well as investigation support so that educators can make the most of each lesson. For each "But, Why?" Whybricks investigations, you will find teacher notes specific to the investigation that include :

• An overview of the investigation
• A list of the topics covered
• A list of necessary WOW files
• Recommendations for conducting the investigation
• Additional notes specific to the investigation (including examples of responses to specific questions)

The summary sheets, along with the notice and question sheets, are designed to collect evidence of learning as the investigation progresses, rather than being a "now that you've done everything, write down the right answer" style sheet. Encouraging students to view the notice sheet as a tool to help them complete their inquiry will help them take ownership of their learning.

There are three types of interrelated printable materials for students :

• Whysheets: each "But, Why?" investigation is guided by the Whybricks roadmap. Much more than a worksheet, it is a summary sheet and the guide to the investigation for students (and educators).
• Notice and Question Sheets: Notice Sheets are templates designed to work with any "But, Why?" investigation. These sheets allow students to record "I notice..." observations and enter "I wonder..." questions throughout the investigation.
• WOW cards: they contain information on a specific topic or fact. WOW cards help students discover and understand key information, allowing them to apply what they have learned in their research. For example, they contain definitions of terms such as "What is mass", explanations of facts such as Newton's Third Law, and formulas such as the calculation of acceleration.

You can find 4 "But, Why?" investigations that can be downloaded for free on the official Whybricks website HERE.

Whybricks Possibilities: Classroom Organization

The components of each Whybricks kit are provided with the intention of constituting a "set of parts" that the teacher can use as he/she sees fit. The pieces can be organized and stored in the way that best suits your classroom and students.

Here are some ideas for managing Whybricks kits in your classroom:

• Create individual kits of 210 pieces for each student.
• Prepare kits containing only the parts needed for a specific activity or project.
• Make "STEM Boxes" containing instructions and parts for a Rotation Station Challenge.
• Divide the complete kit, organized by type of parts, into a tray type storage system, allowing students to find and use the parts they need.
• Provide only a selection of pieces in a mixed pack for semi-open and open projects, which prevents students from being overwhelmed or distracted by other pieces and is a technical constraint.
• Keep all parts mixed together in a single open stack.

Find below the contents of the box, which will be offered around $200.