Focus Workshops are multi-day professional learning opportunities that provide a deep dive into content and inquiry investigations focusing on one STEM discipline. Read on to learn more about our current Focus Workshops, or visit our Past Focus Workshops page to learn more about past offerings!

colorful-gears-copyCheck back soon for more info on our December 2024 workshop, Animal Adaptations and Bioengineering, part of our upcoming Rise to the Challenge workshop series! 

Testing the Waters: Building an Underwater Rover in Your Classroom

Underwater Robotics Workshop for Middle & High School Educators
(Grades 6-12 Educators and Students) 

Dive into engineering design with the Wade Institute for Science Education!

Friday, November 1st and Saturday, November 2nd, 2024

  • Build your own model mini remotely-operated vehicle (ROV)
  • Experiment using water collection devices or other sensors with the ROV
  • Explore the waters in classroom tanks, pools, ponds or estuaries
  • Collaborate with other educators as you investigate curriculum resources for your classroom
  • Explore using engineering concepts and practices to bring back to your classroom
  • Bring along up to 2 students to help build and use hands-on, minds-on learning to problem-solve and foster teamwork skills
  • Earn 13 PDPs
Come build a mini underwater ROV for use in your classroom! Working side by side, teachers and students will build mini-ROVs from kits using PVC pipe and other easily obtainable materials. Building a mini underwater ROV brings hands-on, minds-on engineering design concepts and scientific principles into the middle and high school classroom. Students can design chassis and build mini ROVs from materials provided in the kit – they can create a new design or add a water collection device for sampling water. Students who participate will become engaged in learning engineering concepts, problem solving, teamwork, and technical applications. Engineering and science investigations using the ROV are explored, as well as citizen monitoring programs.

Curriculum resource materials are provided which support the Science and Technology/ Engineering Standards, bringing together basic engineering design skills and the science practices. Concepts incorporated into the curriculum resource materials include marine science, oceanography, biomimicry, ocean engineering, physics, robotics, mathematics and marine related careers. Technology and engineering teachers will gather ideas for incorporating the engineering design process into their classroom using the kit and investigations; science teachers will be able to incorporate science inquiry investigations, sampling and research techniques into their curriculum.

Bring along up to 2 students to become student leaders for a mini ROV program at your school!

Thanks to partial funding from Sensata Technologies, the fee includes a mini ROV kit, curriculum materials, and lunch both days.

This will be a 2 day in-person workshop.

Registration Information:

Dates: Friday, November 1st and Saturday, November 2nd, 2024

Times: 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM ET

Location: Lloyd Center for the Environment, Dartmouth, MA

Collaborating Partner: Lloyd Center for the Environment

Registration Fee: $300/teacher. $20/student. Fee includes ROV Kit, Curriculum Guide. Lunch will be provided.

13 PDPs are available for this workshop.

Register Online

Visit our Past Focus Workshops page to learn more about past offerings!

Return to the top of the page