Ed. note: App of the Week picks are now being curated by the editors of Common Sense Education [1], which helps educators find the best ed-tech tools, learn best practices for teaching with tech, and equip students with the skills they need to use technology safely and responsibly. Click here [1] to read the full app review.
Cozmo [1]
What’s It Like?
Remember the digital pet Tamagotchi from the ’90s? Take that concept of caring for a digital pet, give it a high-tech robot body and the personality of WALL-E, and voilà! you have a Cozmo. For elementary and middle school teachers (of any subject), Cozmo is a great way to get students interested in coding. Make Cozmo your class pet and assign different students daily chores like feeding it, playing with it, and programming games for their classmates to play. In language arts class, involve Cozmo in storytelling, and during math, program Cozmo to create patterns, plot coordinates, or solve problems.
Price: Free, Paid
Grades: 2-12
Rating: 5/5
Pros: Cozmo encourages play and collaboration while challenging students to experiment with code.
Cons: Limited classroom support leaves teachers on their own to integrate Cozmo into the curriculum.
Bottom line: From Cozmo’s engaging personality to endless programming possibilities, this little robot will capture your heart and spark imagination.