FIRST Robotics Canada Affiliated School Board Program

Kids Playing with LEGO

Affiliate Program

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What is the FIRST Robotics Canada Affiliated School Board Program?

FIRST Robotics Canada’s Affiliated School Board program is designed to allow Ontario School Boards that believe in the power of FIRST to provide better and greater access to FIRST programs to their students. By becoming a FIRST Robotics Canada Affiliated School Board, your board will gain access to exclusive programs, resources and discounts to help with the scalability and accessibility of FIRST in your schools.

Exclusive program: Get discounts on products and programs and receive increased grants.

Enhanced Learning Opportunities: Bringing in experts to teach coding and robotics can provide students with hands-on learning experiences that may not be readily available through traditional classroom instruction. This can enhance their understanding of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) subjects and foster a more profound interest in these fields.

Curriculum Alignment: As the curriculum in Ontario evolves to include more emphasis on technology and coding, partnering with external partners like FIRST can help school boards prepare for these changes and ensure that students are ready for the demands of the modern workforce.

Professional Development for Teachers: Collaborating with experts in coding and robotics can also serve as professional development opportunities for teachers. FIRST seeks to collaborate with teachers to support inquiry based and project based classroom delivery models for de-streamed classes. With teacher shortages and the introduction of the TAS10 mandatory Technology credit, we can provide teacher training and support to up-skill teachers for this new course.

During these half-day, in-person STEM workshops, students in Grades 1 – 8 will have the opportunity to develop their communication, collaboration and problem-solving skills through participation in a hands-on learning experience in which they build vehicular robots using LEGO SPIKE Prime or LEGO SPIKE Essential sets, learn coding concepts that align with expectations in the Ontario Mathematics and Science & Technology Curricula and apply their coding skills to bring their creations to life.

  • Non-Affiliated: $500 per half day workshop 
  • Affiliated: 3 free, subsequent are $350

Teachers interested in implementing Elementary or Secondary FIRST programs, either in the classroom or as an extracurricular activity, can participate in a full day (can also be split up over two half days) immersive professional learning session in which they will:

  • Learn approaches to implementing FIRST programs which will impact student outcomes
  • Explore the capabilities and applications of LEGO and all other robotics kits in the FIRST continuum of programs (and their associated programming software)
  • Become familiar with the program components and available resources
  • Understand how the FIRST programs align with mathematics, science, and language curricula expectations.
  • Discuss the next steps and develop an action plan for implementation.
    • Non-Affiliated: $5000 for 20 teacher, one day session
    • Affiliated: 1 free, $3000 for subsequent

 

FIRST Robotics Canada brings coding to the classroom with virtual workshops led by experienced representatives using FTC SIM. FTC SIM is free online software that enables users to code virtual robots with Blocks or Java through challenges to learn coding fundamentals. These modules enhance students’ coding skills and logical reasoning, aligning with the new Ontario curriculum requirements. Educators can easily assign tasks and track student progress by creating a “class” in the FTC SIM while seamlessly and accessibly integrating coding education into their classrooms. This initiative enriches learning experiences, equips educators, and fosters a passion for coding and robotics.

  • Non-Affiliated: $500 per half day workshop 
  • Affiliated: 3 free, subsequent are $350

With your Affiliation, you also receive many added items FREE of charge

Priority Technical Support 
Provided virtually through our regional hubs for all FIRST programs

Office Hours with Program Partners 
 1 hour per week

Guest Speaker Series (5 in total)
The Virtual Guest Speakers Series connects classrooms with industry leaders, offering insightful discussions on STEM career opportunities. Students learn firsthand about professionals’ journeys, inspiring them to explore diverse STEM paths.

FTC SIM (0 credits)
Teacher support
Access to exclusive puzzles and feature

The total number of eligible discounted training sessions, classroom sessions, and grants are to be determined

Please fill out the form below for more information about the FIRST Robotics Canada Affiliated School Board Program. Our Director of Education, John Hobbins, will be happy to discuss the options with you. 

FIRST Robotics Canada Affiliated School Board Program Information Request Form

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