Strawbees connectors and straws

A flexible, lightweight construction system comprised of connectors and straws.

Strawbees Robotics

Easy to use electronics based on the micro:bit, which enables you to program motion, light, and interaction.

Strawbees Classroom

Web resource for teachers, offering activities and curriculum-aligned materials that can be shared with students. (Explore it while you're here!)

For the Students

• Strawbees is a fun, hands-on, collaborative approach to learning a variety of subjects.
• It gives the student agency to experiment, try their ideas, and tell their own stories.
• It makes it easier to approach subjects that can sometimes feel intimidating like STEM and coding.

For the Teacher

• An engaging hands-on approach to teaching STEAM, coding, and other subjects.
• Create a culture of self-driven students and project-based learning.
• Create a learning environment where students of different skill levels can learn together.

Create an Excellent Learning Process

If you aspire to cultivate a learning environment centered around student-driven projects, where students have the opportunity to explore design thinking and express themselves creatively, Strawbees can be a valuable tool.

Strawbees has the potential to transform a classroom into a dynamic and collaborative playground, offering students opportunities to interact, experiment, and engage in overlapping projects. Within this imaginative space of making and playing, children refine their creative thinking while constructing projects that resonate with them.

We draw inspiration from the work of Mitch Resnick at MIT Media Lab and his ideas of Lifelong Kindergarten and the Creative Learning Spiral. In fact, we have tailored the structure of our lessons with these ideas in mind.

Build Engaging Projects

Strawbees lets you build (and take apart and rebuild) many different kinds of projects. Here are some examples:

Creates Interest in Many Subjects

Although Strawbees is not specifically designed for any particular subject, we see it being used as a great tool for teachers across a variety of fields, from mechanical engineering to language learning. STEM (and STEAM) are particular strengths, offering a fun and approachable way to explore technical subjects. 

Since Strawbees is a tool for quickly and easily creating 3D structures, and sometimes even coding movement and interaction, it can be used to tell stories and explore a wide range of themes. Whether learning about social sciences, arts, humanities, current events, technology, or the natural environment, the limit is your imagination!

What Can a Lesson with Strawbees Look Like?

There are many ways to structure a lesson or session with Strawbees. Some are very freeform and open-ended, such as challenges or free-building exercises. Strawbees Classroom supports these with creative prompts, such as Inventor Challenge Cards and Coding Cards.

Additionally, you can incorporate Strawbees as an engaging element within lessons covering different topics aligned with your curriculum standards. Lessons in Strawbees Classroom are aligned with standards like NGSS, Common Core ELA, ISTE, and even explore themes such as the Sustainable Development Goals.

Furthermore, teachers utilize Strawbees to practice communication skills and cooperation in various contexts, including afterschool programs, ESL classes, summer camps, and other educational settings.

You don't need to be an expert to begin using Strawbees in your classroom. Trying out one of the activities or conducting a free-building session can be both fun and engaging right from the start, providing you with an understanding of how the materials work. Witnessing Strawbees in action is a valuable experience!

To prepare yourself before introducing Strawbees to your classroom, we suggest trying your hand at building some small projects. A video in the training article demonstrates how the pieces fit together. Gaining hands-on experience is always beneficial.

Exploring the resources available in Strawbees Classroom and following the step-by-step instructions is also recommended.

You can find these and more in the teacher training article linked below.

Once you've conducted a few activities with your students, you'll have a better understanding of how the tool can be utilized in your curriculum. We encourage you to proceed with your Strawbees journey by following the training article or participating in a training session organized by us, your school, or your school district.

We hope you have a wonderful time with Strawbees!