databot Dialogues – Rick Stoddard
December 14, 2025
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Idaho STEM and Engineering educator, Rick Stoddard, shares his work with databot.
“There are so many things I love about Databot in my classroom. The versatility of my students using them to code as well as experimenting with the different sensors keep my students fully engaged. Databot has been my number one tool in fostering data literacy. In my climate science lessons, my students have been able to learn about different sensors, their impact on climate changes and see real time graphing they can analyze and interpret. Just one more skill to enhance their love of STEAM. There is so much for my students to learn from Databot and the students are constantly giving me new ideas!”
— Crystal White, Whitney Elementary K6 STEAM | Structured Learner Classroom
databot News for Idaho Educators
databot Around Idaho!
Boise State University
June 9-12, 2026
Instructor: Rick Stoddard
North Idaho College
June 16-19, 2026
Instructor: Rick Stoddard
These i-STEM workshops include databots and are a great way to kick off your databot classroom experience!
ISTA, IDEEA, ICTM, CSTA
July 29-31, Canyon Ridge High School, Twin Falls
Visit us to learn about the latest databot updates, enter our giveaway, and play data games!
Educators In Action
Boise School District EPA Grant!
Congratulations to Alison Ward, Sustainability Supervisor for the Boise School District, on receiving an EPA Environmental Education and Curriculum Development Grant. This grant, administered by the Boise School District in partnership with the National Green Schools Network, will support the creation of a new series of lessons focused on air quality.
An education team from the City of Boise Watershed Education program is collaborating on the curriculum development. Once completed, the lessons will be released at no cost and made available to all teachers through the Watershed website. The learning experience will include live data collection using databot to support hands-on investigation and analysis.
Drones & Data Rocking It in Kuna!
Students at Falcon Ridge Charter School, Kuna, Idaho, take on a drone based challenge using live CO2 data to identify the awakening volcano!
databot Funding Opportunities
EcosySTEM | STEM Action Center Mini-Grants
Regional Mini Grants | Deadline is March 15, 2026!
Regional Mini-Grants range from $500 to $2,500 and are intended to enhance or expand the impact of ongoing STEM-related projects. Due to the size and timeline of these awards, applicants are encouraged to focus on clearly defined activities that deepen STEM learning, strengthen career awareness, and increase access to workforce development opportunities.
Deadline: Monthly Awards!
The Foundation awards $800 grants to Idaho Pre-K through 12th grade teachers and educators to be used for specific and innovative educational classroom projects and school programs.
We have assembled a special offer below for CapEd applicants that is $100 off our regular pricing.
Research, copy, and more on our Grant Blog!
Idaho Blogs
Check out these Idaho specific blogs to hear from educators, see projects in action, and more. If you have a great databot story contact us and let us know – we will feature it in our Idaho blog gallery!
databot Dialogues – Barbara Nelson
November 16, 2025
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Idaho Science Coach Barbara Nelson shares her databot experiences, ideas, and lessons
Space Science for databot Educators
October 28, 2025
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🚀 Join NASA Northwest Earth & Space Science educators from Idaho in this exciting online workshop exploring sensor connections to planetary science!
Grant Writer Support & Resources
August 20, 2024
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If you are looking for grant writing resources for databot you have come to the right place! Research, examples, ideas, budgets, and more. Come and get it!
i-STEM Lending Libraries have databot!
Reach out to your regional i-STEM library to request databot kits for your classroom. It’s the easiest way to take them for a test drive!
Idaho Support & Resources
Idaho Technology Innovators
The Idaho Technology Innovators are contracted teachers who are funded by the Idaho Department of Education to provide statewide support in technology tools to educators in Idaho. These coaches can help you integrate databot into your classroom. Questions or support needed, reach out to compsci@sde.idaho.gov.
Sign up for the Idaho Department of Education Technology newsletter to stay up to date on all the latest resources and tools for Tech & CS in idaho.
databot Training Videos
Online training videos ranging from 30 seconds to 10 minutes answer the basics of how to get started with databot and support your use of it in a variety of learning environments. The basics of setup and use for both science and coding are covered.
Rick Stoddard – Idaho databot Expert!
Rick Stoddard is full time engineering teacher at Galileo STEM Academy and the Idaho State Department of Education’s point person for databot support.
- Listen to some of Rick’s activities and approaches in this blog.
- Check out his Youtube Channel to see Rick in action and register for his upcoming i-STEM strand for 2026!
Contact databot for Help
databot LLC is based in Boise, Idaho and loves Idaho educators! Fill out this form to connect and let us know how we can help.
Quick Links to Lessons & Resources
The following are quick links to the major categories of free activities available online.
- Sensor Starters. Fast, fun introductions to sensor based science with databot.
- Middle School Labs. Ready-to-teach, evergreen, science labs.
- Coding Starters. 50+ lessons that take you from beginning coding to advanced topics like IOT, MIDI, and App development using MicroBlocks.
- Getting Started. Topics from your first experiment to advanced technical information for the geeks in the crowd.
- Lesson Library Home. Unfiltered – the whole enchilada!
AI Lesson Generators using ChatGPT
ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence tool that can understand questions, analyze ideas, and generate clear, human-like responses. For educators, it can support lesson planning, brainstorming activities, and creating student-ready content aligned to learning goals.
databot has created a number of customized lesson plan generators specifically trained on databot! Just click on through to test these out for your own planning:
- NGSS Lesson Plan Generator
- Common Core Math Pal
- Instant Standards Alignment (NGSS, ISTE, TEKS)
Special Statewide License
Through a special purchase agreement with the Idaho State Department of Education all residents in Idaho have access to the databot Missions with LEGO Robotics curriculum. All educators, home-school families, after-school program managers, or hobbyists are welcome to use the curriculum. Built on the LEGO Spike Prime platform, this book of eight, career-based missions transforms robotics with exciting data-powered challenges. Learn more about it here!
Idaho Educators Request Your Copy Here!
The Discovery of Data Summer Camp
IDAHO EDUCATORS – USE THE COUPON “IDAHOSUMMER” for $30 off the Discovery of Data Curriculum, or the full Discovery of Data Bundle!
The Discovery of Data is packed with 12 engaging, one-hour lessons centered around thrilling interactions with live sensor data. databot includes 16 sensors for unlimited STEM explorations.
In the Discovery of Data, databot is the perfect tool to get students engaged and excited in this leaping, spinning, cavorting whirlwind of a summer camp filled with science, technology and math! Students move like Ninjas, whirl like tops, bend over backwards to do the limbo, and more in this exciting, fun-filled summer camp experience. Learn more in our store.
Special Topics - Science, Math, Engineering!
Check out the many special topic blog posts – these are where we post new explorations, special webinar trainings, new partnerships and integrations, and much more. The following are a few highlights to give you an idea, visit the blog to browse many more!
The Magic of Photosynthesis
December 10, 2025
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In this experiment students place an aquatic plant under a strong light source and observe photosynthesis as it happens.
Databot Wrist Science
November 30, 2025
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Turn Databot into a wearable science tool with a simple 3D printed mount. Explore motion, sound, light, magnetic fields, and environmental data anywhere using Databot Wrist Science.
Teachable Machine!
September 16, 2025
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Hands-on with AI! Create fun and powerful projects that combine databot with Google’s Teachable Machine turning creative ideas into real, interactive experiments.
TGR Foundation & databot Workshop: Embodied Cognition
May 8, 2025
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Joy in Math! Enjoy this awesome workshop courtesy of databot and the TGR Foundation as we explore the powerful connection between the mind and the body!
Carbon Sequestration & CODAP
September 12, 2024
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Learn how to use simple tools and the power of data science to create a tree inventory and calculate the amount of carbon stored in them!
Air Pressure Data Mystery
November 21, 2023
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Imagine a data set showing air pressure values acting in a mysterious fashion. It’s a puzzle you must answer with your wits and data science skills. Good luck explorer!
databot and Arduino!
October 19, 2023
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Arduino is an extraordinary ecosystem of hardware and software for developers, makers, and creators and databot is right at home in it. Get started here!
Getting Started in IOT
September 25, 2023
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In this detailed guide, we will cover how to turn your databot into an IOT device!
databot FAQ
What exactly is databot?
databot is a teeny tiny science and coding lab. It has 15 built-in sensors for exploring science plus it has lights, sound, and expansion ports on-board for really fun technology projects.
How do I use this for science in my classroom?
Use databot to make your science lessons more engaging and more relevant through live sensor data. When students are able to experience instant feedback tied to a phenomenon, for example seeing CO2 levels spike when they breathe on a databot, a much deeper understanding of the related science is gained.
Are there lessons that show me how to use databot?
Yes, we have a library of lessons that take you from your first steps learning the sensors to advanced labs. In addition, AI lesson helpers quickly generate activities that instantly improve the effectiveness of your current lessons by adding live data to them.
What grades is databot designed for?
databot is designed with a K–12 progression in mind. Younger learners can do simple, high-engagement activities like graphing light and sound, while older students can dive into advanced coding, data analysis, and cross-disciplinary STEM projects. With extensive published databot activities and our AI-powered lesson generators, you’ll always have material that fits your student’s grade and ability.
Is it charter-school approved for homeschool funding?
databot is already on approved vendor lists in many programs in many states, and we continue to expand that list every year. If your charter requires pre-approval, let us know — we’ll provide the details you need to get databot added quickly.
Can I use this for math activities?
Absolutely! If you simply access our AI-Powered Common Core Math Pal to generate unlimited lesson plans by grade, topic, or skill level. Combine these with databot to create hands-on, applied math activities that bring your math lessons to life through real-world data. databot is the ultimate cross-disciplinary tool, perfect for connecting math, science, technology, and even environmental studies. It will quickly become your favorite homeschool tool because it can be used in so many ways across your curriculum.
What does it mean "AI-Powered Teaching Tools"?
It means you get your own personal teaching assistant built right into the databot ecosystem! We’ve created a set of custom-built ChatGPT tools trained specifically on databot’s sensors, activities, and curriculum resources. These tools allow you to:
Instantly generate complete lessons based on the topic, grade level, or standard you’re teaching.
Customize activities to your needs and interests — whether that’s space exploration, environmental science, or physics.
Save planning time by letting AI draft labs, pacing guides, and extension ideas tailored to your program – in-class, afterschool, or in the home.
Instead of spending hours searching for lessons, you can simply ask our AI-powered tools, and they’ll create hands-on, databot-based learning experiences for you in seconds. It’s like having a full-time curriculum designer on call — totally focused on your planning needs.
What about Coding - I don't know how to code!
That’s the beauty of databot! It’s one of the most powerful physical computing devices on the planet — and it’s designed for learners of all levels, even if you’ve never written a line of code before.
🟢 Low Floor: Start simple with block-based coding using MicroBlocks®, where you can drag-and-drop commands and see databot respond instantly. No prior coding experience required!
🚀 High Ceiling: As your students grow, databot opens the door to advanced topics like Python, robotics integration, IoT, sensor networks, and even AI applications.
🔄 Unlimited Pathways: Whether it’s controlling LEDs, building games, creating data dashboards, or programming robots, databot provides an endless supply of hands-on coding challenges.
With databot, students don’t just “learn to code” — they’ll explore technology, robotics, sensors, networking, and data science in ways that are meaningful, exciting, and future-ready.