Lego Constructopedia

This Constructopedia would be a valuable resource for that Lego Mindstorms NXT kit in your classroom. A Constructopedia is an encyclopedia of various structures that can be used in different Lego models. At the Mindstorms station in my Tech Lab, the students had to take detailed photographs of different structures they built. These were printed out and placed in the back of the manual for that station. It served the same purpose as a Constructopedia in that it was a quick reference. If you were having a problem figuring out how to securely hook a motor to your vehicle, look and see what someone else had done. You were free to use their idea or improve it.

This downloadable PDF, put together by Tufts University, is specific to the newest Mindstorms NXT kits. A printed copy kept near the Lego station might come in handy for all those budding young engineers. One caution though, it might be confusing to students using the earlier kits with the yellow RCX. I understand the newer kit is more peg based while the older is more brick based. (Any of you with experience here might leave a comment.)

I've not had a chance to mess around with the new kit yet. Maybe Santa will fill my stocking with something other than coal this year. If he does, I promise to write about the new kit in my blog. Heart crossed and hope to die!

[Image: (17 Aug 2007). Constructopedia; NXT Kit 9797; Beta Version 2.0 . Retrieved October 22, 2007, from Lego Engineering - Resources Web site: http://www.legoengineering.com/content/view/30/60/]