PANA, Ill. (WAND) - The activity starts with a simple prompt: create a tractor that can pull weight for multiple feet using a spherical robot and 3D printer. The challenge for most students is figuring out how to design and assemble the tractor. 

"They have to figure it out on their own," said 8th grade science teacher Ashley Keeling. "I will give small suggestions and I really want them to work on figuring those issues out." 

8th grader Bentlee Pope said the activity takes a lot of trial and error. She learned to work with her classmates and draw inspiration from there ideas. 

"We were all kind of taking feedback off of each other just because we knew that we needed to work together to pass the grade, so we had to help a lot of people all over," said Pope. 

For Pope, the biggest challenges were getting the wheel sto stay attached to their axles while still spinning. Many students also struggled to make a dome big enough too fit over the robot, but not so big it would fly off. 

Keeling said an activity like this is the perfect example of how STEM activities combine new technology and old-fashioned learning practices. While the student used robots and 3D printers, they had to plan ideas on paper and work track their data by hand. 

"They have to be able to move on from problems and actually think at that higher level and integrate those skills into those classes or even the other classes, just knowing they can persevere through those projects," said Keeling.  "I have a lot of kids who love this project because they're mechanical, they like to build it, they understand how an axle and wheels work and the way they understand the mechanics of it." 

Next the class will design and build roller coaster carts with velocity sensors using the key lessons they learned through the robot tractors. 

Copyright 2025. WANDTV. All Rights Reserved.